Myanmar (Burma)

Is there a more stunning monument to religion in Southeast Asia? We don’t think so. In fact, the sheer size and mystical aura of Yangon’s gilded masterpiece may even cause you to question your inner atheist. But it’s not all about quiet contemplation: Shwedagon Paya is equal parts religious pilgrimage and amusement park, and your visit may coincide with a noisy ordination ceremony or fortune-telling session. If you’re looking for a reason to linger in Yangon before heading elsewhere in the country, this is it.

Almost every visitor to Myanmar makes it to Inle Lake and for good reason: vast and serene, the lake is large enough for everyone to come away with their own, unique experience of life here. If you’re counting days, hit the hot spots: the temples, markets and floating gardens. With more time, you can explore the remote corners of the lake, visit the fishing villages around it, or hike in the nearby hills. Whatever you do, the memories of gliding across Inle’s placid waters will stay with you forever.

Despite damage wrought by the 2016 earthquake, the 3000-plus temples scattered across the plains of Bagan remain an awesome sight. Most of the 11th- to 13th-century vintage temples have been renovated, as Bagan is an active religious site and place of pilgrimage. Yes, there are tour buses and crowds at the top sunset-viewing spots, but they can be avoided. Pedal off on a bike and have your own adventure amid the not-so-ruined temples, or float over the incredible scene in a hot-air balloon.

A place of pilgrimage for Myanmar Buddhists, Sagaing is an easy day trip from Mandalay. Its stint as a royal capital may have been brief (just four years) but it established itself and endures as an intellectual centre of gravity for Buddhist traditions. The town is dominated by low hills covered by numerous white and gold stupas – a spectacular sight in themselves. But also take time to visited the cave monastery Tilawkaguru, filled with some of the most impressive preserved cave paintings in the country.

A virtual time capsule of the Raj, Mawlamyine has changed little since the colonial era. The former capital of British Burma, Mawlamyine’s mix of historic architecture, imposing churches, hilltop temples and a busy harbour remains so timeless that you can still see why writers George Orwell and Rudyard Kipling drew on the city for inspiration. Surrounding Mawlamyine are tropical islands and deep caves, as well as villages where the area’s unique Mon culture remains strong, yet visitor numbers remain mysteriously low, allowing all the more space for you.

About 800 barely populated islands with white-sand beaches sitting in a turquoise sea, some of the best diving in the region, roving sea gypsies and barely a tourist to be seen: it’s hard to believe that a place like the Myeik Archipelago still exists in Southeast Asia. Accessing these gorgeous islands takes time and is not cheap, but those who make the investment will get to live out every beach junkie’s fantasy in one of the last unknown areas of Asia.

Attractive, laid-back Hsipaw is ideally placed for quick, easy hikes into fascinating Shan and Palaung villages, as well as more strenuous ones to barely visited hamlets. The surrounding region feels far less discovered than the trekking routes around Kalaw, or much of Southeast Asia. Hsipaw itself is a historic town with a royal past – it has its very own Shan palace – and an area known as ‘Little Bagan’, full of ancient stupas. There's also a great morning market by the Dokhtawady River.

With cooler temperatures, higher elevations and many locals descended from Nepali Gurkha soldiers, Kalaw boasts an almost Himalayan atmosphere. Unsurprisingly, this is one of the best places in Myanmar for upcountry treks, with the authorities relaxed about foreign visitors getting off the beaten track. As you hike through the Danu, Pa-O and Taung Yo villages that dot the forests, fields, trails and roads that link Kalaw with Inle Lake, you’ll get a real insight into the lives of the hill peoples who populate the area.

Stranded in splendid isolation on the Myanmar–India border, Rih Lake is small but perfectly formed: a heart-shaped, mystical body of water surrounded by lushly forested hills. As spectacular as the lake is, the rugged journey here through the little-seen mountains, valleys and villages of northern Chin State is also memorable. Only a handful of foreign travellers visit each year, so you're guaranteed attention from the friendly locals. Don’t expect much in the way of comfort or tourist facilities. Instead, revel in being way off the beaten track.