Myanmar presents a dilemma. On the one hand, it has a timeless beauty—it feels like something out of a dream. It's one of the last remaining places where you can catch a glimpse of Old Asia—of men and women in traditional
longyis walking beside golden pagodas and dilapidated colonial buildings as horse carts and vintage taxis ply the streets. On the other hand, the group of generals who rule the country have combined some of the worst aspects of Old Asia with some of the less admirable aspects of their more modernized neighbors. Their contradictory impulses—to keep the country closed and tightly under control while desperately attempting to lure foreign investors and travelers—make for a very unsettling place.
The government's reluctance to admit problems was evident in the aftermath of the tsunami that hit Southeast Asia in December 2004. Despite independent reports to the contrary, the government initially denied that the country had suffered any damage. In fact, though Myanmar's rocky shoreline was spared the serious damage that killed thousands in Thailand, Indonesia anRead More ... d India's Andaman Islands, there was some destruction in the Irrawaddy Delta south of Yangon. All told, 86 people were confirmed dead, more than 5,000 people were left homeless, and several fishing villages were destroyed. We think that adventurous open-minded travelers who choose to visit Myanmar, despite and because of the repression of its people, will find the experience both memorable and haunting. To gain the broadest insight into the country's people and their culture, we do recommend traveling beyond the capital and the major tourist sites to explore the multiethnic diversity of this ancient land.
< Show Less
