MAIN Travel South & Southeast Asia Myanmar / Burma

Making international headlines for a devastating cyclone that tore through the Irrawaddy delta in May 2008 - claiming thousands of victims and causing untold damage - the nation of Myanmar is currently ruled by a military junta largely seen as oppressive and promoting human rights abuses.

For this reason, people who have a choice usually opt to put off travel plans — in hopes of one day visiting a free and open Myanmar.

However, on the flip side of the argument are activists who claim that withholding tourist dollars only hurts the locals whose livelihoods depend on thriving tourism, adding that without a large international presence within the country more abuses are likely to occur.

Regardless of its current leadership, Myanmar continues to hold an enduring place in the popular imagination with its storybook past, a colorful mix of dozens of different cultures, six official languages, and a wide variety of stunning architectural wonders.

Nestled in between China to the north and northeast, Laos to the east, Thailand to the east and southeast, and India to the northwest, (see map) the country was renamed by the military regime in 1989. But to many people around the world it is still more familiar as Burma - a fairytale land of Buddhist temples, gold-leaf domes and towering pagodas.

Elsewhere on the Web, discover more of the beauty and mystery that endures in Myanmar / Burma at expert sites covering its history, culture and traditions, with more on what to see, where to stay and practical tips on navigating your way around without government interference ...

Myanmar Tourism Promotion Board - The official government site with an extensive guide to top hotels, airlines & flight schedules, a list of entrance fees to top attractions, maps of Yangon, Mandaly, Bagan and Inle Lake, general travel & safety tips, downloadable travel brochures, related travel news.

Myanmar Tourist Guides - Extensive guide with advice on connecting with local vendors and services and avoiding package tours and government restrictions, plus more on Myanmar's terrain, top tourist attractions, festivals and events, related news headlines.

Myanmar / Burma - Lonely Planet - Travel provisos and why they're in place, plus things to see and do, along with tips on avoiding travel pitfalls and restrictions, average hotel and meal costs, photo gallery.

Dive Myanmar Tourist Information - Aimed at snorkelers and divers, this concise guide to the country includes insider tips on Burmese customs and codes of behavior, general health & safety tips, travel highlights in Yangon (Rangoon), Mandalay and Bagan, as well as detailed guides to the best Myanmar diving destinations.

Also see -> Cambodia | India | Indonesia | Malaysia

Myanmar | Philippines | Singapore | Thailand | Vietnam

in Wines of the World -> Wines of Southeast Asia