Myanmar (Burma)

This is the Bagan & Central Myanmar chapter from Lonely Planet’s Myanmar guidebook.

Bagan, with its wondrous vista of pagodas and stupas, many dating to the 12th century, is this region's star attraction. In central Myanmar, ox carts amble through rice fields and rolling plains, rimmed by the Shan Mountains and the snaking Ayeyarwady River.

• clamber up the steps to the top of an ancient pagoda for a jaw-dropping view over the tem-ple-studded plain of Bagan
• maps
• take a sunset boat ride on the Ayeyarwady River from Old Bagan, enjoying the peaceful rhythms of life along the waterfront
• transport
• pay respects to Myanmar’s 37 nat at their spiritual home, the monkey-tastic volcanic moun-taintop temple at Mt Popa
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Yangon–Mandalay Highway, Taungoo (Toungoo), Nay Pyi Taw, Meiktila, Yangon–Bagan Highway, Pyay, Thayekhittaya (Sri Ksetra), Magwe, Bagan & Around, Nyaung U, Old Bagan, Myinkaba, New Bagan (Bagan Myothit), Mt Popa, Salay, Pa-kokku, Monywa & Around.

This is the Eastern Myanmar chapter from Lonely Planet’s Myanmar guide-book.

Travellers to eastern Myanmar get the chance to experience both beautiful Inle Lake and some of the finest trekking in the country. There’s the intriguing opportunity of getting right off the tourist trail in areas that see very few foreigners.

• drift around the backwaters, markets, ruined stupas and monasteries of Inle Lake
• maps
• base yourself in the temperate former hill station of Kalaw and trek to surrounding villages, or all the way to Inle Lake or Pindaya
• transport
• come face-to-face with Tai and traditional hill-peoples cultures in Kyaingtong, an attractive and little-seen city in eastern Shan State
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Inle Lake & Around, Nyaungshwe, Taunggyi, Pindaya, Kalaw, Thazi, Border Areas, Kyaingtong (Kengtung), Mong La, Tachileik, Kayah State, Loikaw.

This is the Mandalay & Around chapter from Lonely Planet’s Myanmar guide-book.

The Mandalay region is the major population centre of Upper Burma, itself the cradle of Bur-mese arts, culture and civilisation. Where Yangon is a diverse microcosm of the nation, Mandalay remains an urban expression of Burmese ethnic identity.

• watch sunrise or sunset from the world’s longest teak bridge, U-Bein Bridge, in Amarapu-ra
• maps
• survey Sagaing’s monastery-dappled green hills and the endless gilded pagodas of Shin Pin Nan Kain
• transport
• ponder the king-sized unfinished stupa of Mingun Paya
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Mandalay & Around, Amarapura, Inwa (Ava), Sagaing, Mingun, Paleik.

This is the Northern Myanmar chapter from Lonely Planet’s Myanmar guide-book.

Rugged and remote, northern Myanmar offers a fascinating mix of ethnic minority peoples, the prospect of travel through some of the least-visited areas of the country, timeless hill villages, Myanmar's Himalayan peaks and lazy days on the Ayeyarwady River.

• walk into unspoilt Shan and Palaung villages from Hsipaw, a delightful laid-back plateau town with royal connections
• maps
• head to Putao in the far north and the Himalaya region, where tough trekking and exhila-rating whitewater rafting are taking off
• transport
• cycle around serene Indawgyi Lake and then take a boat to the mystical Shwe Myitsu Paya
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Lashio & Around, Pyin Oo Lwin (Maymyo) & Around, Kyaukme & Around, Hsipaw, Lashio, Mogok, Upper Ayeyarwady, Myitkyina, Indawgyi Lake, Bhamo (Banmaw), Shwegu, Katha, Kyaukmyaung, Shwebo, The Far North, Putao.

Your journey to Myanmar starts here. You’ll find the tools to plan your adventure: where to go and when, how much to budget, plus in-depth info on local festivals & events.

• tailor-made itineraries, arranged by region, themes and events
• list of highlights and best experiences
• everything you need to know about what's new in Myanmar
• user-friendly country overview ensures you won’t miss a thing

Coverage includes: Welcome to Myanmar, Myanmar’s Top 10, Need to Know, What’s New, If You Like: Buddhas & Temples, Food & Drink, Markets & Shopping, Activi-ties & Adventures, Beautiful Landscapes, Ethnic Diversity, Month by Month, Itineraries, Before You Go, and Regions at a Glance.

This is the Southeastern Myanmar chapter from Lonely Planet’s Myanmar guide-book.

Descend into the Buddha-packed caves around sleepy Hpa-an, ascend the winding road to the sacred golden boulder perched on Mt Kyaiktiyo (Golden Rock), and visit the little-known Myeik Archipelago, perhaps Myanmar’s most dramatic intersection of water, land and sky.

• sail, cruise, snorkel and dive among the 800-odd islands of the Myeik Archipelago
• maps
• discover seemingly hidden lakes, hanging Buddhist art and a sparkling spring in the many caves around Hpa-an
• transport
• hope for the inspiration that fired Kipling to compose his most famous opening line in his poem 'Mandalay', at Mawlamyine
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Mon State, Mt Kyaiktiyo (Golden Rock), Mawlamyine & Around, Ye, Kayin State, Hpa-an & Around, Myawaddy, Tanintharyi Region, Dawei, Myeik, Myeik (Mergui) Archipelago, Kawthoung.

This is the Southwestern Myanmar chapter from Lonely Planet’s Myanmar guide-book.

South and west of Yangon is the Ayeyarwady Delta, a stunning patchwork of greenery float-ing on rivers, tributaries and lakes that stretches to the Bay of Bengal. The delta is also home to historic towns such as Pathein and Thanlyin.

• cycle around the ancient temples, palaces, monasteries and giant Buddhas that dominate the historic former capital of Bago
• maps
• base yourself in the bustling delta city of Pathein, where you can admire the artistry and skill needed to make its famed silk and cotton parasols
• transport
• ride a motorbike taxi along deserted beaches and jungle tracks between the resorts of Chaung Tha Beach and Ngwe Saung Beach, or just laze in the sand and surf
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Thanlyin & Kyauktan, Bago, Pathein, Chaung Tha Beach, Ngwe Saung Beach.

This is the Temples of Bagan chapter from Lonely Planet’s Myanmar guide-book.

Marco Polo described Bagan as ‘one of the finest sights in the world’. Despite centuries of neglect, looting, erosion and regular earthquakes, not to mention questionable restoration, this temple-studded plain remains a remarkably impressive and unforgettable vision.

• marvel at the perfectly proportioned Ananda Pahto, which houses four giant buddhas carved from teak
• maps
• speculate on what lies inside the bricked-up inner sanctum of mysterious Dhammayangyi Pahto
• transport
• watch a dramatic sunrise over the surrounding expanse of ancient temples of Shwesandaw Paya
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Best Temple Murals, Best Sunset Spots, The Temples, Old Bagan, North Plain, Central Plain, Myinkaba Area, New Bagan Area, South Plain, Nyaung U Area.

All the info you need on everything from history, people and religion of Myanmar, and the country's diverse food to flights, public transport, climate, money, the internet... you name it. Get tips for women travellers, gay and lesbian travellers, travellers with disabilities, and travellers with kids. And get the most out of your conversations with a handy language guide and glossary.

• a rundown on Myanmar's diverse food and drink
• info on politics, human rights and Aung San Suu Kyi
• full coverage of Myanmar's the history and religion
• details on the country's mountains, plains, jungles and beaches

Coverage includes: Myanmar Today, History, People & Religious Beliefs of Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi, Government, the Economy & Human Rights, Eating in Myan-mar, Architecture & Arts, Environment & Wildlife, Responsible Travel, Directory A–Z, Transport, Health, and Language.

This is the Western Myanmar chapter from Lonely Planet’s Myanmar guide-book.

Most travellers here confine themselves to the pristine sand and turquoise waters of Ngapali Beach on the Bay of Bengal. But to really get off the grid, head to Chin State, where breathtaking mountains, forests and traditional villages await.

• drift around the hundreds of ruined temples and fortifications in Mrauk U, the former grand capital of Rakhine State
• maps
• savour the seafood, sand and sunsets at Ngapali Beach, Myanmar’s most sophisticated beach destination
• transport
• climb Mt Victoria, Myanmar’s third-highest mountain, in southern Chin State
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Rakhine State, Ngapali Beach, Kan Thar Ya Beach, Sittwe (Aykab), Mrauk U & Around, Chin State, Mt Victoria (Nat Ma Taung), Mindat, Kalaymyo (Kalay), Tiddim, Rihkhawdar, Falam, Hakha.

This is the Yangon chapter from Lonely Planet’s Myanmar guidebook.

With former political exiles, big-time investors and adventurers jostling for a place at the city’s table, Yangon is the most exciting place to be in Myanmar. Once known as Rangoon, the coun-try’s largest metropolis is its commercial and intellectual hub.

• offer a prayer of wonder at Shwedagon Paya, the pyramid of gold
• maps
• be charmed by a performance by Htwe Oo Myanmar Traditional Puppet Theatre
• transport
• witness the treasures of Myanmar’s past in the National Museum
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: History, Sights, Activities, Tours, Courses, Festivals & Events, Sleeping, Eating, Drinking & Nightlife, Entertainment, Shopping.