Usually, when travelers go to an exotic locale like Myanmar they always try to go straight to the boondocks. The thinking is that the more out of the way or the less cosmopolitan the destination is, the more exotic or authentic the travel experience will be. While this may be true in many destinations, don't cheat yourselves when traveling to
myanmar tours by neglecting the capital, Yangon. It has its own distinctive set of charms that really make it worth your while to stick around at least a few days while you plan out your trip to go to more exotic locales like
Mandalay or Bagan. Yangon is the capital city designated by the British which is just one of the British precolonial locations. It also has a lot exotic sights which will be a great preview for the rest of the trip throughout Myanmar. It's also not a bad idea to experience a touch of the big city life while you are in Myanmar. You may already come from a big city from your home country but nothing beats gaining a distinctly Myanmarese experience of the big city which Yangon can truly deliver.
Yangon: The British Era CapitalThe British colonized Myanmar in 1800s. This was a spill over effect from the British colonization of the Indian subcontinent. There are many reasons for this move of Britain but it was primarily a geopolitical move because in the 1800s many European countries were in a mad rush to colonize the rest of the world. Spain had South Latin America and The Philippines, France had several areas of Indo China, while Germany had its own colonies. The British wanted to hedge against encroaching French Indo Chinese ambitions by moving into Burma, the old name of Myanmar. As you can well imagine, due to the British colonial administration there are a lot of British era places to check at Yangon. It's a great historical destination. Just for this reason alone, it's a bad idea to skip Yangon from your Myanmar travel itinerary.
Exploring This ExoticMyanmar is home many Buddhist relics and pagodas. When it comes to Buddhist temples, the Myanmarese don't hold back. We're talking many huge and golden pagodas so if you're looking to truly get an introductory look at Myanmarese culture in a distinctly Myanmarese perspective, Yangon is a great first step. It's a great place to explore the exotic charms that Myanmar has to offer.
Adding a Touch of Big City Life to Your myanmar tours Travel ExperiencesOne of the biggest misconceptions many travelers to the developing world have is that if they go to a big city, then the poverty of that big city is the same as the poverty in the countryside. They tend to typecast a whole country based on what they see in that country's capital city. This is especially true especially on less developed parts of Southeast Asia. The truth is big cities like Yangon, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, and New Delhi are growing cities and there are many segments of the economy living there. It's really unfair to say that just because there are pockets of poverty or some parts are less developed than others, that summarizes and exemplifies the whole
country. If you visit Yangon, you get to experience the many different aspects of big city life but you need to keep it all in perspective because it's a growing city in Myanmar and what you're seeing is just a snapshot in the economic development of one of the best travel destinations in Southeast Asia. Don't let anyone seen color your travel experiences especially your Myanmar travel experiences.