Mingalabar Myanmar

We are excited to announce that we have finally brought Myanmar (also known as Burma) into the fold. After an exhaustive research trip spent scouting out the hotels, eating in the restaurants, meeting the people and drinking the (surprisingly delicious) beer, we are confident that we can give you an amazing and authentic experience in Burma.

Travelling in Burma is like going back in time; it really does feel the way the rest of Indochina felt 15 years ago. There are almost no scammers, touts, or tourist shops, and you’ll feel incredibly safe. Walking to dinner doesn’t involve turning down five dozen offers for a tuk-tuk (or worse), and I can get on board with that. Note, however, that this authenticity does result in more basic hotels and restaurants, but there are still wonderful options.

Beyond food and hotels, the people of Burma stood out as my favourite element of my trip. Everyone I met was incredibly friendly, quick to laugh, gentle, and willing to chat. The kids love to practice their English and everybody (and I mean everybody) says hello. I think I ended up in more photos taken by locals than I took of them.

If you’d like to see for yourself, we would love to share the experience with you. We recommend a trip of two weeks or more to see the best parts of the country. You’ll be sure to come back with a big smile, loads of photos, and a bad farmer’s tan.

Mike is our Asia planning expert bringing insights from Myanmar to The Sounder all week. Stay tuned for part two tomorrow.