Emerging from a longstanding political isolation, the nation of Myanmar is now touted as one of the up-and-coming gems of Southeast Asia. It’s a place where the curious traditionalism of the local people can still be discovered largely unchanged by the onslaught of mass tourism, and where some of the undisputed natural and human wonders of the continent can still be seen in all their glory; from the sprawling palaces of central Mandalay, to the immense Irrawaddy waterway, which runs from the Himalayan glaciers in the north, to the beautiful mangrove beaches of the Andaman Coast. 
Culturally interested travellers should be sure to ask their Myanmar tourist guide about the wealth of Buddhist pilgrimage sites that dot the country. Of these, the fabled Kyaiktiyo Pagoda – home to the legendry Golden Rock – and the dominating Great Dagon Pagoda of Yangon – the site of no fewer than four legendary Buddha shrines – are undoubtedly the most-visited, while the majestic flatlands on the plains of Bagan are home to more than 2,000 individual temples.
Myanmar is also famed for its aromatic and flavoursome cuisine, and visitors are treated to perhaps one of the most richly-drawn kitchens in all of Southeast Asia; a curious amalgamation of various culinary traditions and authentic national dishes, from the Burmese breakfast mohinga noodle soup, to the Indian-influenced pe byouk peas and biryani.