Reviewed 10 Jan 2013 by Brid Nolan
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Many highlights:
First and foremost the charm, personality and courtesy of the Myanmar people,
remarkably uncowed by the arbitrary and authoritarian hand of the Generals.
Going to the Shwe Dagon temple complex at sunset, to watch its magical
transformation from sunlit yellow gold to electrically lit white gold. And to
peoplewatch while there.
Sunset at U Bein's bridge, the teak bridge, was a truly magical few minutes.
We were decanted into gondolas and set off purposefully under the bridge piers
to best position ourselves for the sunset, a kind of visual symphony. Local
people strolled across the bridge, several hundred tourists positioned several
hundred cameras for the climactic moment and a large flock of ducks was herded
home for the evening. The water glowed red and gold as the sun dipped and the
sky was a palette of pinks, salmon to vermilion. Then the moon rose and the
lake gleamed silver.
Sunset at Dhammayangyi, the most massive of Bagan's temples with its commanding
view over the Bagan plain and the complex of 2,000 plus temples and stupas.
The view was transcendant. A pink glow suffused the many visible temples, mist
rose from the mighty Ayeyerwady and a full moon rose on the opposite side of
Dhammayangyi.
The drive from Kalaw to Ngaungshwe, Inle Lake, a very pretty landscape, red
earth patchwork fields, mature trees in meadows. There were tractors and
lorries. It could be Europe, you think, until you spotted young girls riding
buffalo sidesaddle or saw a man with a simple plough drawn by a pair of oxen.
Teams of families in plaid turbans brought in the harvest – ginger and cabbages
being the crops in question. This farmscape produces several crops a year. We
had multiple stops for photo opportunities. It was practically an
embarrassment of riches – cheerful, industrious picturesque tribespeople,
cooperative at having their picture taken for the umpteenth time. Women at
lakesides, washing clothes, children and themselves. Children tending animals
many multiples of their own weight with authority and élan.
Two special days on and around Lake Inle. Long narrow high prowed boats
seating 4-5 in single file are used on the lake and its shallow waterways. It
was wonderful in the morning out on the water watching fishermen rowing with
one leg working the oar and casting their conical nets to catch fish, all the
while maintaining, impossibly, their balance on the very tip of the boat's bow.
Ngapali Beach - peaceful and sybaritic. A few women hawkers sold fruit on the
beach, but no one pestered you and swimming in the sea was a pleasure. We
dined right on the beach, four of us in Last Supper formation at our table
looking out at the sunset. I tucked in to my calamari, salad and chips as the
glowing red orb descended into the Bay of Bengal and the sky was flushed in
delicate shades of pink and red, for half an hour afterwards, as the lights on
the fishing boats started to glimmer.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Myanmar is not a highlight for food, so be prepared and adjust your
expectations accordingly. Or maybe bring a few treats with you. Definitely, a
high quality meal is a rarity, food in Myanmar generally being dull and
repetitive, the opposite of its people. I don't think this is just down to the
lowest common denominator menus which may be selected for a group.
Definitely the worst meal was in the Too Too in Mandalay, which is,
inexplicably,rated highly in Lonely Planet. That meal was served in a cheerless
institutional canteen-alike. It was cold temperature-wise and oily. Thank God
for the BYOB Myanmar beer to wash it down.
Acceptable pizzas in Bagan and Ngaungshwe broke the tyranny of rice twice (or
optionally thrice)daily.
The big, positive, exception to the monotonous food was Ngapali Beach, where
the seafood was excellent.
In contrast with the food, the drinks were fine. For alcohol, Myanmar beer and
domestic whiskey, rum and gin were good, as usually were the various fruit
juices.
In rural areas and the smaller towns there are a lot of semi-feral or neglected
dogs wandering around in groups fighting with each other, barking and
presumably doing little for overall public health. While unsettling, their
agression seemed confined to their own species. I never saw them menace a
human.
I thought Pyin Oo Lwin was a disappointment. It's a fairly long day trip to
and from Mandalay. There are some remnants of the glory days, e.g. interwar
buildings with nice but rusted filigree work, but overall it's a bit down at
heel. For a clip around the town we were jammed into micro Cinderella
carriages. I think conceptually this is imagined as the Raj heritage circuit
but there isn't actually much of note to see. I think a day in Mandalay proper
would be more atmospheric.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I hope in some small way our visit was of benefit to the local people. Obviously
there is an increased employment dividend from the growth in tourism. But the
people of Myanmar are also hungry for ideas and conversation from the outside
world, unmediated by Big Brother. I hope that many small interactions are
beneficial in informing the people of Myanmar, not only of concepts and trends
from the wider world but that people stand in solidarity with them.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was a privilege and a delight to go to Myanmar and meet some of its people at
this time of hope and change.
Read the operator's response here:
Thank you for the many useful comments and observations and we are glad that our itinerary was able to provide an insight into Burma and its people and so many highlights. We do spend a lot of time considering itineraries and take time and trouble to ensure that we are at the best places at the best times of day and that journeys become an integral part of the tour and not just a means of getting from a to b. Sorry that the food was a bit of a disappointment but we tend to stick to local food and that does mean many dishes based on rice. Glad the drink made up for it. Burma is indeed a fascinating destination.
Reviewed 26 Nov 2012 by Mar Thomson
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon is overwhelming -- truly awe-some. Two days of jaunting about on Inle Lake was a wonderful experience ... such beauty, so much that is interesting. So much to learn about Southeast Asia -- Buddhism, ancient and modern history.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Don't be intimidated by what you might read about Myanmar not being ready for tourists. We experienced none of the challenges, for instance, about currency. Indeed, it is reported that there will be ATMs within three months.
Hotels and restaurants were fine. Transportation worked well. The local tour company gave excellent service.
One note about the itinerary: the boat-trip down the Ayeyarawady River from Mandalay to Bagan was a bit of a wasted day -- glad we had books to read.
We have a couple of significant criticisms of the tour agency. We commend them on the overall plan and structure of the tour. However, we found service from the London office to be somewhat unresponsive -- delays, and recurrent need for clarification. Secondly, the guide who accompanied the tour appeared simply to be along for the ride: he knew next-to-nothing about Myanmar, was sloppy, and provided absolutely no service that we could see. By contrast, the local guides (four different segments of the trip) were superb.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Virtually all our spending clearly went directly into local hands -- whether for the touring (transport, guiding, etc.) or for purchases of goods and services. Not so clear about contributing to eco-aspects.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
With the qualifier about the services of operator, it was great! We saw so many 'exotic' sights; we learned so much; we met such wonderful people.
Read the operator's response here:
We are delighted that Mr and Mrs Thomson had such a good experience in Burma and so pleased that they enjoyed our itinerary of this fascinating and beautiful country and that they would recommend this tour. I am sorry that they did not feel that they received the personal attention that we pride ourselves on in our UK office, sometimes the time differences between Canada, the UK and SE Asia can lead to delays in replies to emails and we apologies if this was the case for these customers.
We take a lot of effort and time in selecting local agents with whom to work. It is important that those we work with share our ethos and wishes with regards to the tours benefitting local communities as much as is possible. We appreciate the comments that the local guides in Burma are first rate. The aim of the tour leader is to ensure the smooth running of the tour whilst the local guides supply local and specific knowledge in each of the destinations we visit.
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