INSPIRATION

As the sun rises over the Bagan Plain, the remains of this vast ancient city are bathed in the golden dawn light. What could be better than to take a hot-air balloon ride in the lovely morning air over the monuments and get a sense of the scale of what was once one of Asia’s most splendid civilisations?

Take a boat trip across placid Lake Inle among the stilted houses and amazing floating gardens exploring the ways of the Intha people, marvelling at the unique ‘leg rowing’ technique of the fishermen as they skilfully navigate their flat bottomed skiffs with one leg wrapped around the paddle, steering the boat with sinuous motions while balancing on the boat with the other leg, leaving both hands free to cast their conical nets.

Leave the transport and tour schedule behind for a day and enjoy a captivating gentle stroll among the beautifully scenic pagodas, monasteries and temples whose brilliant white and gold spires are picturesquely dispersed among the pleasant lush greenery of Sagaing Hill, with delightful views over the surrounding countryside and the Ayeyarwady River.

If you have a spare day in Mandalay, head east out of the city and take a pleasurable horse and carriage ride among the well preserved historic colonial features of Pyin U Lwin, and imbibe the atmospheric former summer capital of the Raj in Burma, before enjoying a relaxing wander around the town’s beautiful Kandawgyi Botanical Gardens.

Push the boat out before the big hotel chains move in on the future gold mine of the awesome Myeik Archipelago, and take an eight day yacht cruise ride among the very best of the 800 unspoilt beach fringed islands, largely uninhabited, except for the remarkable Moken Sea Gypsies.