Myanmar (Burma) sees world’s fastest tourism growth

Myanmar ranked highest among the world’s 20 fastest-growing travel destinations last year, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization.

Myanmar Tourism Marketing, part of the Myanmar Tourism Federation, said the country enjoyed a year-on-year increase of 40.2 per cent in tourist numbers, followed by Puerto Rico at 31.2 per cent and Iran at 27.9 per cent.

“We need to keep this momentum going for many more years,” said May Myat Mon Win, Myanmar Tourism Marketing chairperson.

The government has introduced new regulations to facilitate easier access for tourists as a next step to opening up to the world.

Myanmar grants residents of Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Macau and some Southeast Asian countries visa-free entry.

People from India, the Chinese mainland, Australia, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Russia, Spain and Switzerland are granted visas on arrival.

Citizens of more than 100 countries are eligible for e-visas via evisa.moip.gov.mm and can expect approval within three days.

Myanmar Tourism Marketing will have its annual “Green Season” campaign for May through September with the support of hotels, airlines and tour operators.

Fastest-growing travel destinations:

1. Myanmar 40.2 per cent

2. Puerto Rico 31.2

3. Iran 27.9

4. Uzbekistan 27.3

5. Montenegro 21.4

6. Egypt 21.1

7. Vietnam 16.2

8. The Philippines 15.1

9. Maldives 14.9

10. Bahamas 14.6

11. Qatar 14.5

12. Armenia 14.4

12. South Korea 14.4

13. Turkey 14

14. Bosnia and Herzegovina 13.7

15. Tunisia 13.6

16. Laos 11.5

17. Azerbaijan 11.4

18. Israel 10.5

19. Lithuania 10.1

20. Kazakhstan 10

Source - TheNation

#Myanmar (Burma) Road trip to Dawei Venturing south on a 4 day break

Coming from a conservative and risk-adverse family, it took some convincing to push my relatives to join me on a journey to Dawei. For the Thadingyut festival, the office generously allowed us to take 2 days on top of the weekend. As you surely know, journalists are always busy, and 4 days was the longest holiday I could secure since Thingyan.
After a little negotiating with my boss – it was settled! I would take my family on a journey to the southern capital of Dawei, known as “the clean city”.

Driving to Dawei from Yangon takes nearly 12 hours by road. To cut the journey in two and make it more bearable, especially on my mother, aunt and uncle (my brother can handle it), we left Yangon at 7am and made a first stop in Mawlamyein. As we arrived in the afternoon, we enjoyed a barbeque on the famous Strand Road bordering the Salween River.

Mawlamyein’s Strand Road is ideal for evening strollers. Colorful boats and seagulls flying low bring to the place a relaxing atmosphere. Along the arterial road, there are several beer stations and restaurants. In the evening, most outdoor tables are taken. Dinning here is delightful, with fresh seafood available in most restaurants. It’s a beautiful location, if only for the littering. I nonetheless enjoyed the view of the river while chewing on some tender grilled prawns.

.

.

The road to Dawei

The following day, we left the hotel early to make our way to Dawei. Before leaving though, we enjoyed a Hpa Auk mohinga, the specialty of Hpa Auk, a village nearing Mawlamyein. The hand-pulled noodles were extremely tender and the fish soup was naturally sweet.

It then took us 4 hours to drive to Ye, Mon State, about halfway between Mawlamyein and Dawei. One of the most beautiful landscapes remains the Ma Hlwe Mountain that stretches across Ye town betwixt Mon State and the Tanintharyi region. As we drove closer to the mountain, and the closer we got to Ye, the smoother the roads became. 

.

.

With the Mountains looming in the distance, driving along the smooth-tarred roads out of the city was quite an amazing feeling. We all imagined driving in San Franscisco, on hilly roads between mountains and the sea. We drove mighty fast.

Ma Hlwe Mountain, part of Tenasserim Hills, was captivating. Unlike mountains in Shan State where trees are chopped down, Ma Hlwe Mountain still hosts a pristine canopy.

As we continued along our journey, we observed by the window the lighting up of candles on the side of the road to celebrate Thadingyut. At one point, we passed a shady bridge replacing a larger bridge which had been destroyed by the floods last August.

When in Dawei

Night fell and the towns fell asleep. There were no street lights to light the forested, curved roads. Cars became sparse. Excitement was still bubbling up inside me. Reaching Dawei around 9pm, we still had some roads ahead of us. The only hotel we could book was located on Maungmagan beach as most hotels in town were fully booked for the festival. As fate would have it, the road heading to Maungmagan beach was blocked by pilgrims on their motorcycles and cars, celebrating the festival. Women wore their most beautiful dresses as small alms bowls for the monks were laid on a table. The bowls contained flowers, candles and other offerings.

We all hoped to join the festival, famous for its boatmen pushing floating bowls down the Dawei River at dawn. However, we were all exhausted and rushed to our hotel.

The Colourful Village restaurant may be quite small but it is rather fancy. We stayed in bamboo lodges by the beach.

.

.

Early next morning I took a stroll along the beach. It was crowded from all the tourists from upper Myanmar, unfortunately leaving trashes and empty bottles on the otherwise pristine sand.

Before noon, to avoid the heat, we visited Mhaw Yit pagoda, a 15-minute drive from Maungmagan beach. The pagoda is built on an island and boasts golden stupas. Surrounded by paradise-like nature and shrouded in quiet and piece, the pagoda watches proudly over the beach.

As it was Sunday, and as my family is religious, we visited Our Lady of Sorrow Church located on U Kyaw Yin Road. The road is named after U Kyaw Yin, also known as Mee-Bone-Pyan-U Kyaw Yin (1873-1939) who created and flew hot air balloons. The church itself was gorgeous. The teak building was built 150 years ago.

As the day passed, we eventually returned to our hotel as we had two days of road to get back to Yangon. From this trip, I will remember Dawei for its incredible nature and religious sites as well as for the hospitality of the residents. 

Source - MM Times

Nationals of six more countries granted visa-on-arrival into #Myanmar (Burma)

The Myanmar government has introduced new regulations to facilitate easier access for foreign tourists as another step towards opening up the country to the world . 

 

Started from October 1, tourists from six countries (Australia, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain and Switzerland) can enter Myanmar on visa-on-arrival (VOA) at Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw International Airports.

Pre-arrangement is not required for passport holders of these six countries, they can simply apply for a visa 

at any of the three airports for a fee of US$50 each. 

Visitors from Japan, South Korean, Hong Kong and Macau were granted visa-free entry last year.

Indian and mainland Chinese nationals were also granted visas-on-arrival (VOA) into Myanmar in a move to draw more Asian visitors to the country.

In the second quarter, Myanmar saw an increase in arrivals from countries granted visas free and visas-on-arrival treatment. 

"We hope the new regulation will lead to more foreign travellers to Myanmar, to discover the country's unique culture and most of all, the hospitality of its people," said May Myat Mon Win, Chairperson of Myanmar Tourism Marketing.

Myanmar Tourism Marketing has organised roadshows, trade shows and media familiarisation trips for journalists, TV producers and digital marketing influencers from around the world. 

Visa-free and visa on arrival entry from these Western countries would further boost growth of the Myanmar tourism industry.

Source - The Nation

Doing #Myanmar’s (Burma) Mergui Archipelago in style

 .

Burma Boating is set to launch monthly cruises around the Mergui Archipelago in southern Myanmar, combining two of the most sought-after activities in these pristine waters – yachting and scuba diving.

The SY Dallinghoo, a 30 meter classic gaff-rigged schooner crafted by renowned US yacht designer Dudley Dix, will cast off from the port of Kawthaung in southern Myanmar once a month from November 2019 through April 2020 and traverse the Mergui Archipelago on an 8 day, 7 night sailing trip which can accommodate up to eight qualified divers.

Michael Cole, the head of Burma Boating, says that with this new Sail & Dive adventure, they wanted to offer something extraordinary.

. 

.

“There are few, if any, undiscovered nirvanas like the Mergui Archipelago left on this planet. These cruises will provide comfort, exquisite dining, and stops at no less than five fantastic dive sites, all of which feature a kaleidoscope of coral and magnificent marine life.”

.

 The Mergui Archipelago is located in the Andaman Sea off the coast of southern Myanmar, and is home to the ethnic Moken community of fisherman, also known as “sea gypsies.”

For decades, the 800 islands, lagoons, atolls and coral reefs of the archipelago were off-limits to visitors. The islands are now accessible to limited sustainable tourism, though just five hotels have opened to date.

One of the early investors was Myanmar tourism trailblazers Memories Group, which operates a plethora of resorts and experiences around the country, including the iconic Balloons Over Bagan. Memories acquired Burma Boating in 2018, and has since built a sister resort, Awei Pila, on one of the islands in the archipelago. Awei Pila began accepting guests last December, and earlier this year opened the first scuba diving center in the region, along with PADI certification classes for beginners.

.

 .

In addition to the Sail & Dive cruises, Burma Boating offers weekly sailing and yachting trips around the archipelago – either 3N4D or 5N6D – starting October 19, 2019, through to mid-May, 2020, when monsoon season begins.

Source - The Thaiger

Micro-adventures in #Myanmar (Burma)

The wish to travel seems to me characteristically human: the desire to move, to satisfy your curiosity or ease your fears, to change the circumstances of your life, to be a stranger, to make a friend, to experience an exotic landscape, to risk the unknown.’ 

This country is broad and the whisper of adventure smiles coyly around most corners. Weather and politics gets in the way of travelling to many parts of the country but much of it, with a little pluck and planning, remains ripe for exploration …

 Nagaland

Even in the times of British-rule it was difficult to secure a travel permit into Nagaland, so it was naturally greeted with excitement by travelers in Myanmar when the need for such permits disappeared altogether. 

Caught between advancing British imperialism and ambitious Burmese kings, the Naga fostered a ferocious reputation as they fought to keep their autonomy. By brute force they were eventually subsumed into the British Empire. Years later, to great effect they acted as guides and scouts to the Allied Forces during the Second World War, coming to be seen by some as not savage headhunters but “extremely lovable.”

Today’s Naga Self-Administered Zone in Myanmar is a strip of land along the Indian border, with the administrative capital in Lahe, with some adventurous tourists in Myanmar making it to Lay Shi. The bold may wish to rent motorbikes; all should travel with a guide. 

.

.

Mawlaik

Recently Sampan Travel journeyed down the Chindwin River to Mawlaik. Today, it is not a town that crops up much in the newspapers nor holiday brochures however in times past it was an administrative centre of great import.

The town is peppered with colonial-era mansions, standing vacant and empty. It was also once the point at which many refugees from Yangon fled towards the Indian border as the Japanese Imperial Army invaded Burma.

British teacher U Thant Zin, a local celebrity, can still remember – and is keen to recount to those interested – of the Japanese soldiers who later committed suicide in the town as the British were returning, and the local boys who played football with their heads in the street.

A good spot for mindless wandering and settling down into tea shops. We don’t recommend the golf course. 

.

On the Chindwin.

.

 The Eng

Kyaing Tong sits in the midst of the Golden Triangle - where Myanmar meets the borders of Laos, Thailand, and China. Here it is possible to hike through fields that were not so long ago growing poppies, meeting some of the most diverse array of Myanmar ethnicities.

One of the most interesting is the Eng.

In the Eng village you will encounter errant children with pierced ears, a trusty slingshot in one hand, and wearing – if anything at all – the traditional black costume of their tribe. Their parents will likely be off working in the fields, but you can sit a while with the grandparents, many of whom will have painted their teeth black.

For a while after you leave the village the crackle and snap of twigs in the underbrush either side of the trekking track behind you will signal that you are being granted a clandestine escort out of Eng territory.

Mawlu & Henu

History wonks may travel up to Kachin State and across to Indawgyi where ‘Red Shan’ villagers on the banks of Myanmar’s largest lake may point to the place where fighter planes crashed during the Second World War.

On the way to or from Indawgyi it is worth visiting the nearby villages of Mawlu and Henu where during the Second World War, “Mad Mike” Calvert, after being parachuted in behind enemy lines, set up the Chindits base “White City.” 

Near Mawlu you can also see the field used as a landing strip and a commemorative plaque on “Pagoda Hill”. There is also here a small Chindits museum. It was here that the Calvert’s Chindits made a surprise attack on a troop of Imperial Japanese soldiers and, in Mad Mike’s own words:

 “…at the top of the hill, about fifty yards square, an extraordinary melee took place, everyone shooting, bayoneting, kicking at everyone else, rather like an officer’s guest night.”

.

.

Ye

A few hours drive south of Mawlamyine is the little town of Ye, which is as delectable and charming as its name suggests. Here is an adventure for the faint-hearted.

At Ye there is a lake which can take be circumnavigated at a meandering pace in about an hour, stopping to sit at one of the wonky “lovers’ benches” or take a cup of sweet Myanmar tea under the willows.

A walkway leads out into the centre of the lake. From here you can drop titbits into the water and watch as a writhing mass of pake fish emerge, their mouths moronic and gaping and cavernous.

For others, it may be adventure enough to slip into one of the off-piste beer stations, or sit and watch the world go by under the chinthe that guard the entrance to the central pagoda, painted in a rich scarlet. 

.

Source - MM Times

The century-old residence of the Thai ambassador to Myanmar is a Tudor-style

The colonial-style residence of the Thai ambassador to Myanmar is recognized by the Association of Siamese Architects with a Historical and Architectural Conservation Award.

 IT'S HARD to visit Yangon without succumbing to the allure of the city's majestic colonial-era buildings. A team of Thai architects visited Yangon last year on a mission to search for the remains of Ayutthaya's King Uthumbhorn in Myanmar, and returned to Thailand not with a Siamese artefact, but a Tudor inspiration.

Of all the beautiful colonial-style buildings they came across in Yangon, the one they admired the most was the residence of the Thai ambassador, describing it as the epitome of architectural conservation.

On their return, these same architects nominated the Thai residence to the Association of Siamese Architects for the prestigious Historical and Architectural Conservation Award. And in May, the association officially announced the residence as the winner.

The awards presentation was held recently and presided over by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, with Norachit Sinhaseni, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, receiving the award on the behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 It was the first time the association had recognised a heritage building outside of Thailand and marked a turning point in the history of the conservation award, says Dr Vasu Poshyanandana, one of the vice-presidents of the ASA and a member of the judging committee.

He says the ASA picked the building for the award because of its architectural and historical value.

"Members of the judging panel were actually in Yangon on a completely different mission. While there, they were invited for dinner at the residence and discovered the beauty of the place. They found the building was quite old and well taken care of. On their return, they nominated the building to the association," Dr Vasu says.

The Tudor-style building that was to become the Thai ambassador's residence was originally owned by EM De Souza, a Portuguese-English businessman who purchased this house in 1902. Souza was a renowned importer of medicine during the colonial period where he operated a pharmacy at the De Souza building on Mahabanddoola Road just west of the Sule Pagoda.

The Thai government purchased this property as the residence of the Thai ambassador in 1948 when diplomatic relations between Myanmar and Thailand were established.

 Ambassador Pisanu Suvanajata was delighted with the award, saying the embassy took great pride and honour in the recognition of the stewardship of all former ambassadors and their families, as well as embassy officials, in the conservation of this national and cultural heritage.

The Thai residence not only serves as the property of the Royal Thai government, but it has also hosted many stately events, most importantly the royal banquet hosted by Their Majesties King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit for U Win Maung, the then President of Burma, in March 1960 during the royal couple's first and only state visit to Myanmar.

This residence had also hosted great number of VVIPs, leaders, statesmen, and various historic events throughout the modern history of Thai-Myanmar diplomatic relations.

Dr Vasu says he is sure that the residence invokes a certain nostalgia for life under British rule.

"Not all old buildings have value. But the century-old Thai residence has high architectural and historical value. There are many buildings like this in Yangon that were built when the country was still under British rule. The style is British colonial, but there are no Myanmar elements in the style at all. The residence is a half-timber building that was adjusted in terms of styling to suit the country's climate.

"When I see it, it brings back memories of a certain period when this form of architecture was flourishing. To me this building is a romantic representation of the glorious past. It makes me think of life, people and events during the colonial period, the way they lived their lives," he says.

Old buildings like the Thai residence need conservation in the face of rampant urban development in both Thailand and its neighbouring countries. 

 Quite a few of Myanmar's heritage buildings in Yangon are particularly at risk of demolition as a result of modern development projects. But Dr Vasu is glad that the Myanmar government and private conservation projects have been able to protect many colonial buildings through "adaptive use" approaches.

"Unlike Thailand, Myanmar has far more colonial buildings that still stand to this day. They were built by the government. In our country, many colonial-style buildings were built by the elite. Just look at the palaces," he says.

He laments the fact that conservation is a foreign concept to the Thais but hopes that this award will help inspire more conservation efforts.

"Conservation is not part of our nature and culture. It's an idea imported from the West. To some people, conservation is about demolishing an old building and replacing it with a new one. In the past, we demolished and rebuilt religious structures, but then most of our monks were blue-blooded aristocrats who had architectural knowledge and taste.

"That's why buildings that were constructed during the Fifth Reign still look amazing. But these days anyone can join the monkhood and they may have neither knowledge nor taste. That's why some monks see historic buildings as old and unwanted," he says, referring to a controversy involving the abbot of Wat Kalayanamitr who replaced a century-old building in the temple grounds with a new and ugly one.

He also laments that some of the notable buildings awarded by the ASA such as the Supreme Court building near Sanam Luang have been torn down.

"With the Thai residence winning the conservation award, the ASA might need to reset the award's criteria to make it more accommodating to overseas nominations. That way other Thai embassies can nominate some of their majestic old buildings," he says.

Source: The Nation

*****

For the Best ‪#‎Hotels and ‪#‎Resorts
We help you with your ‪#‎Bookings 
BOOK NOW SIMPLE CLICK ON THIS LINK ON OR THE BANNER
http://gerrit-tienkamp.blogspot.com/
http://planet-asian.blogspot.com/
https://asiabesthotels.wordpress.com/
https://europeanbesthotels.wordpress.com/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/members/Gerrit_Tienkamp

.