Myanmar guide

Since independence from Britain after World War II, Myanmar has been torn by ethnic divisions and internal strife and today finds itself a fractured pariah state run by corrupt generals. It is a great shame because this is one of the most beautiful and interesting countries in Asia. It has a stunningly rich and deep culture, fertile land and wonderful people. As a tourist destination Myanmar has bags of potential but is haunted by the political situation. Many, although not all, democracy activists have implored tourists to keep away.

Myanmar has always had its problems but since the military junta seized control and stamped out the democracy movement it has been shunned by the international community. There is zero investment and minimal interaction with outsiders. The unintentional result is unspoiled land that has fallen well behind the progress of the world. Awash with colour and charm, the nation certainly has its issues. Much of this country is shut off to foreigners and is lawless. There are rebel insurgencies, vast poppy fields and a huge smuggling network that the government would rather tourists did not stumble upon.

Infrastructure has not had any major investment for generations. With ground transport erratic and cumbersome, most visitors are realistically limited to four destinations separated by little more than an hours flight – the capital Yangon, second city Mandalay, beautiful remote Inle Lake and Bagan. Dusty Bagan is by far Myanmar's most spectacular site with thousands of ancient red-brick temples strewn across the arid plains. Trotting around with a pony and cart is a great way to soak it up, and the sunsets are quite magnificent.

Sulamani Temple, Bagan

Yangon is the only place that can be considered international. Hotels are of a high standard with good service levels but everything starts to disintegrate very quickly further out. Most of the country is sleepy and agricultural with simple cottage industries; this lifestyle is reflected in the hotels. Banking is a major problem and credit cards are also almost totally impractical outside the capital.

Myanmar is a difficult country to sum up in terms of weather since it has a varied terrain with tropical beaches, lowland plateaus and the shoulders of the Himalayas. Monsoons sweep up the coast from May to October so a generally better time to visit is during the dry season from November to April. Visiting Myanmar does pose moral questions – those who decide to visit will witness one of the last exotic outposts of a rapidly changing world.

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