2 Hidden Gems on Burma Holidays

As travel to Burma resumes in greater numbers after the National League for Democracy's alteration in its stance on tourism - now welcoming visitors - the question of what to see on Burma holidays is being raised. The major sights include the cities of Rangoon (Yangon) and Mandalay, the legendary Bagan plain with its thousands of temples, and peaceful Inle Lake. Travellers hoping to explore the lesser visited areas of the country are looking beyond these - with Pyin Oo Lwin and Kalaw being two of the hidden gems of Burma. Holidays including visits to these historic British Hill Stations give visitors a rare chance to see the untouched countryside of Burma.

Pyin Oo Lwin

The road to Pyin Oo Lwin winds through flower, fruit and vegetable gardens, terminating in the bustling market town that was formerly under British control. The remnants of the British presence are more tangible away from the town's centre: visitors on Burma holidays will find brick and timber houses complete with English-style gables, turrets and chimneys. The famous Candacraig House is among them - however, now under Burmese military ownership and the new name of Thiri Myaing Hotel, it is quite run down.

Pyin Oo Lwin is surrounded by beautiful countryside and small villages. A walk among the small fields, typically used for growing seasonal crops like rice, barley and a range of fruit, is a chance to encounter the local people of Burma. Meeting the men and women walking to and from market, school children eager to practice their English and crimson-robed monks receiving alms, helps to make Burma holidays more than just an exercise in sightseeing.

Kalaw

Kalaw, like Pyin Oo Lwin, is the site of a former British Hill Station and architecture from the time of British colonial rule is still visible, including an old Catholic church.

Venturing into the countryside is, once again, a rewarding experience. Depending on the route taken, the roads wind past rice and potato fields, and through forested hills of eucalyptus, tamarind trees and pine. But the beautiful landscape is not the only reason to go walking here - various ethnic groups inhabit the hills, and walking near Kalaw allows visitors to see their traditional village life and farming methods. The groups include the Taung-yoe, the Danu, the Pa-O and ethnically Nepali people. For most villagers, their main source of income is farming and visitors to the area are likely to see some of the local people going to and from the market in Kalaw, where they trade their produce for other essential goods. Encountering these wonderful people is a definite highlight of Burma holidays.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/6279101

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