Myanmar

The capital city of Myanmar is the most accessible place to start exploring the country. Yangon is a charming city, with wide streets and a lingering air of tropical and colonial decay. Although there are several points of interest in the city, the towering Shwedagon Pagoda literally stands above them all. Situated atop a hill that overlooks all of Yangon, this glittering temple is undoubtedly one of the most awe-inspiring structures in all of Asia. Its 100-meter spire, a construction that would make Donald Trump envious, is sheathed in eight thousand gold plates and crowned with more than five thousand diamonds and other precious stones. As one might expect, the Shwedagon Pagoda is the holiest of Buddhist sites in Myanmar.

This sprawling cultural centre is the most Myanmar of Myanmar's cities. It was the last capital of Myanmar before the British took over and is the country's second-largest city. Highlights of Mandalay include Shwenandaw Kyaung, the sole remaining building of the once extravagant moot palace, Mandalay Hill with its spiraling stairways, temples and sweeping views and the ancient Rakhine Buddha image at Mahamuni Paya. Bustling markets with produce and handicrafts from all over Upper Myanmar are another feature of Mandalay. There are four 'deserted cities' nearby: Amarapura, Sagaing, Ava and Mingun. Mingun is the most appealing of the four. Not only are there some wonderful monuments in various states of disrepair, but just getting there is half the fun. Mingun is only accessible by river, and the boat ride from Mandalay is a treat.

Bagan

This bewildering, deserted city of fabulous pagodas and temples on the banks of the Ayeyarwady is one of the wonders of Asia. Bagan's period of grandeur stretched from the 11th to the 13th centuries, and an enormous number of magnificent buildings were constructed here. The city was sacked by Kublai Khan in 1287 and never rebuilt. There are some 5000 temples, the most interesting of which are Ananda, Thatbyinnyu and Gawdawpalin.

Inlay Lake Region

Inlay Lake, curdled with lush surface vegetation, is the home of Myanmar's extraordinary leg-rowers. In order to navigate their way through the dense water-plants, the locals stand in the aft of their boats--not unlike Venetian gondoliers. However, rather than using a pole to propel the boat forward, the leg-rowers steady themselves on one foot while using their second leg to row. In addition to its unique mode of transport, Inlay Lake is also known for its charming floating villages, Ywama and Phaungdaw, and its floating market.