Things to see and do Myanmar - Burma

Around Inle Lake there are two vineyards. If the Red Mountain Estate is the closest, it is not necessarily the best production. Nevertheless, the location remains surprising, nestled on the heights of Inle Lake and taking advantage of the microclimate of the valley. Creating wine in a tropical country has not been easy! A bet largely won thanks to a passionate team and the help of French specialists. After a visit of the estate, you will be able to treat yourself to a wine tasting while enjoying the superb sunset view over the lake and the valley.

You may never have seen such beautiful vegetable gardens as those at Inle Lake. Floating and bountiful. Inle is almost entirely self-sufficient. The men work there with their families. From an early age, the boys fill the barges with mud and push them from the water to the waist to the gardens, creating a floating barge as they go, on which the vegetables grow vigorously. The speciality here is the tomato, which is delicious. Of course, you will not fail to taste it in many restaurants in the area.

This temple is undoubtedly the most famous and most visited in Bagan. Its restoration, completed in 2014, has been very successful and is restoring the site to its former splendour. The Ananda Temple is the culmination in terms of architecture of the first period of Bagan. Built by Kyanzittha, it is considered to be the finest and most imposing of its kind. It is characterized by its Greek cross plan, which will be repeated in other buildings. You will not be the only one to visit it, far from it: it is an obligatory point of passage for foreign tourists and Burmese pilgrims. On festival days, especially the Full Moon, thousands of Burmese camp around it. Atmosphere guaranteed. Note the many green enamelled ornaments on the bases and terraces of the monument depicting scenes of jataka and figures of the army of Mara, the demon of Buddhism. On the western part of the base, the monsters are depicted, and on the eastern part there are devas rejoicing at Buddha's victory over Mara. The four upper terraces are decorated with 389 scenes depicting the last ten jataka. On the lower terraces, each jataka is represented by a scene accompanied by a Mon inscription. Its corridors are remarkable: decorated with statues embedded in niches.

Ananda Ok-kyaung: A brick monastery located to the right of the main entrance to the Ananda Temple. It dates from 1775, the end of the decline of classical art and the revival of Burmese inspired architecture.

The Pindaya cave has obscure origins. The immense collection of Buddha images it houses is in fact the largest Buddhist museum in Burma. Some of the 8,000 original statues have been stolen, but there are believed to be 2,000 more, made of teak, alabaster, marble or bronze. You will climb a few steps up to the entrance of the cave. There, a multitude of statues await you in the humidity.

The tazaung or prayer hall. Built by U Khanti, the hermit monk who was also the architect of Mandalay Hill and other religious buildings in Burma.

After climbing the south staircase and passing the usual pagoda shops, you will be confronted with images of Buddha adorned and set in glass niches.

The entrance to the cave is guarded by two mythological dragons.

Alaungsithu's stūpa. The first stūpa you pass by on your way to the place was built by King Alaungsithu in 1160.

The hive of Buddha images. At the top, at the right angle on the north side of the cave, you can see images of Buddha so small that they look like bees.

The ancient stūpa. Almost entirely hidden by the stacked Buddha images is an ancient stūpa, built by the Indian emperor Ashoka more than 2,000 years ago.

The ancient statue. Just at the foot of this stūpa (no. 6), are ancient images of seated Buddha. The construction would be contemporary to Ashoka.

The labyrinth. You enter the labyrinth formed by the accumulation of Buddha's images over centuries.

The Bay-Thit-Ja-Guru images. Rare Burmese examples of Buddha images depicted in the mudra meaning 'great physicist'.

The image of Buddha sitting on the back of an elephant. Carved in wood, it would be more than 600 years old.

The meditation rooms. Several meditation rooms. One of them is only accessible on all fours. Sathipathana Vipassana meditation is practiced there.

The sweating statue. It is said that this image of Buddha was always wet.

The rock gongs. Before there were bells, people came to ring these gongs to tell the village about its merits.

The miraculous stūpa. The most venerated in the cave: it is believed to have the power to grant wishes.

The victorious point. The place where one can pray to any god or other sacred figure, supposed to help the practitioner to be persevering and victorious.

The black chalk hill. Considered sacred, the believers say that when you come into contact with the rock, you purify yourself of all evil thoughts.

The fairy pond. Its water would be good as tears because it contains copper and zinc after its passage underground.

"Termination". According to the legend, the original cave did not have the shape it has today. It was so deep that you could walk all the way to Bagan by foot. More scientifically, when the cave was formed, water must have flowed naturally through this hole.

The Alegu pagoda. After walking through the main cave, you can go to an artificial cave, Alegu paya. It is a five-minute walk from the main cave, free entrance. While all the Buddhas in the main cave are represented with their eyes closed, as a sign of contemplation of the Dhamma, those in the Alegu Pagoda have their eyes open, through Enlightenment.

For the return journey, avoid going up the stairs by cutting into the mountainside.

U bein is the longest teak deck in Burma. It crosses Lake Taungthamanle for about 1,300 metres. If you have the courage to get up around 5 am, dawn is surely the best time: The morning mist surrounds the bridge with mysticism and the sunrise is all the more beautiful as there is nobody around except the locals who cross the bridge to go to work. Romantic people will prefer to enjoy the quietness of the end of the day and a sunset, sipping a beer under a straw hut on arrival.

According to the legend, the presence of this 8m high rock which seems to be in unstable balance on a rocky base dates back 2,500 years. The Buddha, during one of his visits, is said to have donated one of his locks of hair to a hermit, Taik Tha. The hermit, after having kept the lock in his own hairstyle to protect him, would in turn have donated it to the king, on condition that he locked it up in a place resembling his own head. The king, having inherited supernatural powers from his father, an alchemist, and his mother, who was nothing more than a nat, a spirit, would have found the appropriate rock at the bottom of the seas. After determining, thanks to astrologers, that Kyaiktiyo was the best place to accommodate this rock, he would have placed it there in balance on the lock of Buddha's hair. The strand of hair would be the only way the rock would be kept in balance and not thrown into the void.

It is poignant to observe the faithful, monks and laymen alike, gathering in front of the rock and religiously plating fine gold leaf to earn themselves merits. The esplanade adjoining the mass of stone and gold and the various small stupas are a place of prayer as well as a place for visitors to gather to pray, have lunch or simply chat together.

Around the rock a real little town has developed, made up of stalls, small souvenir shops and religious trinkets, astrologers and healers, small restaurants and cafés. Strolling through the alleys is very pleasant

The rocky walls of these magnificent caves are fully carved with Buddhist effigies. At the bottom, a cave dating back to the century houses Buddhas represented in all positions. The caves are located two kilometers walking along the Salouen, from Hpa Gat. A pick-up connects Hpa-An to Hpa Gat early in the morning for 500 K. It starts around 11:30 a. m., which is a little short to make the visit, to take one of the pickup, later in the day, on the big road that connects Hpa-An to Kyaikto (on the bridge).

All in teak, this monastery was built by Thibaw in 1880, from materials recovered from apartments in Mindon. It was at the time part of the Royal Palace. The apartment of King Mindon, was moved outside the walls because his son evoked bad memories. Thanks to that, he escaped the palace fire! We can still see 10 large jataka, in good condition. Architecturally speaking, one of the most beautiful sites talking about Mandalay. If you need to find a good reason to pay 10 US$ for the package, look no further.

From Monywa, you can reach the famous Hpo Win Daung caves about 25 km away. These "sandstone" caves are magnificent: pagodas dug into the rock and in which hundreds of Buddhas are arranged. These caves are named after U Hpo Win, a famous alchemist who lived in the area. Superb frescoes and images of Buddhas lie inside the caves, some dating from the 14th to 16th centuries.

If you had to take off your shoes only once in Inwa, it would be for Bagaya Monastery. A magnificent teak monument lost in the rice fields, hoisted on one-piece pillars that run through the entire structure. It is recognizable by its pointed hat on seven levels. Bagaya Kyaung was built in 1834, during the reign of King Bagyidaw. No less than 267 carved teak beams that have survived over the years and form a masterpiece of Burmese cultural heritage. A heritage that continues in traditional Burmese decoration.

To the north of the site, following the trail along the river, the Hsinbyume pagoda looks like a big cream cake. Built on a circular plan, it has seven concentric terraces, finished with wave-like parapets representing the seven mountains and oceans around Mount Meru. At the top of the highest of the terraces rises a sanctuary set in a cylindrical body. Access by three staircases covered by arcades carved in stucco.

Beyond the place of worship, we go to Kyauk Ka Lat for its environment. This monastery in the middle of which stands a rocky peak surmounted by a pagoda is much visited by the locals. It is erected in the middle of a small lake, which makes it very photogenic, as is the view from its top, or almost. You have to cross a small footbridge over the water to reach it. At the end, as if it were on stilts, one can admire the pagoda and the Buddha of course, which are almost unreal and poetic at the same time.

An exceptional cave is sunk into the bowels of the mountain. Here are sculptures of Buddhas and nats. Behind the lit and sacred part, you put your shoes back on to enter a dark gallery which opens, ten minutes later, on the other side of the mountain, with a lake with turquoise waters where live fishing families who will be pleased to take you on a pirogue for a few kyats. The ceiling of the gallery is stained with bats. You can rely on the torch or ask the monks at the entrance.

This is the Burmese Guilin. Two karst sugar loaves occur on each side of the road. One has become a sanctuary dedicated to Nat and the other to the Hindu God Shiva.

This pagoda was built between 1939 and 1952. The recent construction of Thanboddhay explains its peculiarity and interesting features. More than 500,000 small images of Buddha's disciples are nestled inside the pagoda. From the outside, the Pagoda itself vaguely resembles Borobudur in Java (Indonesia), except that here it is covered with gold leaf. The whole thing is beautiful! A small tower allows men to enjoy the view of the pagoda, but is unfortunately forbidden to women.

In Pwasaw, built by Narapatitsithu in 1196. The Dhammayansika temple is erected not far from New Bagan. Looking a little like the Shwezigon, its stūpa is surmounted by a golden bell, and its terraces are decorated with five small temples. The view was magnificent there, at the time when people were still climbing on the temples. Today, it can be admired from below in the morning light, revealing all its splendour! Its magnificent architecture, between brick and gilding, in different sizes and on different floors, makes it the best temple in the New Bagan area.

Nay Win, a passionate man from Arakhan, a Rakhine who deeply loves the history of his region and traditions (if you can contact him). Ask him to play mandolin in the evening at the return of a visit, he is very gifted.

The pickup starts as soon as it's full, as usual. It's best to plan an early morning departure. You will then be dropped off at a crossroads, from where you will have a good hour's walk. Follow the road on the right until you reach a small refreshment bar. Its presence says a lot about the effort you still have to make! The descent is quite easy, gravitation obliges. Follow the sounds of water to orient yourself in the gorge. Five falls can theoretically be observed, but it is not always easy to find them all: if you find yourself hanging from the vines along a steep wall, you have made a mistake. If possible, turn back! Don't hesitate to walk barefoot in the refreshing little streams, especially as the bottoms are made of very pleasant pumice stones. On the way back, there are many small shortcuts along very steep paths, but which allow you to land more quickly on the way back. On the other hand, you won't pass the refreshment bar a second time. You have to choose! There are vendors offering water all along, and for good reason! That being said, you can now take advantage of being in Anisakan to take a short walk to the bamboo Buddha. It's not so common and it's a place quite frequented by the pilgrims of the region. It will take half an hour walk to reach it from the main road.

Daytime market. You will find there longyi and fabrics of Myanmar, but also all the usual objects of life made of straw: mats, baskets, hats. It is also the occasion to do your survival shopping if you embark for Mandalay.

Scenes... of fish. In the small streets behind the Strand Road, women dry and empty the fish on the road at the end of the day.

Night market. Between 7pm and 9pm, life comes to life on the main street for a few hours, rather the occasion to taste delicious skewers or soups. Very pleasant.