Our latest stories
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In my previous travels I’ve enjoyed taking photos of beautiful scenery, quaint streets, mundane details of everyday local life, even marine life, but I’ve always felt lacking in my skills when it comes to taking photographs of people. I always attempt to take photos of the interesting individuals I chance...
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Mystical? Dreamlike? Magic. During the course of calling 20 hotels to try to find one that had availability, I started wondering whether going to Inle was even worth it. Having spent four days here, I can say with utmost assurance that it is. Go to Inle. And go now. For...
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The main reason to go to Kalaw is to do the three-day, two-night trek to Inle Lake. The typical route takes you through many hill tribe villages and has you spend one night in a family house and another in a monastery. Kalaw is FULL of “guides,” so picking someone...
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Allow at least two full days for Bagan, even if you’re not a temple buff. If you are, allow a lifetime. With more than 4400 temples strewn across miles of desert, that’s probably what you’ll need. For a regular person, however, two days should suffice and keep you cool and...
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The rainy season was not as impressive as I had thought it would be, expressing itself through a few spontaneous downpours. The greater obstacle that presented itself instead was the increase in car traffic which – when combined with the humidity – made breathing cumbersome and browsing through Yangon a...
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During my last trip to Burma in June, I went up to Lashio, northern Shan State, and decided to stop in en route at Hsipaw to visit the residence of famed Shan Prince Sao Kya Seng. Otherwise known as East Haw, the house is surrounded by a large compound and...
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On the day of my arrest in Burma I was unknowingly encouraged by a palm reader to go ahead and do what I had come to do. This man was serious about his work. It was obvious. He reminded me of my late grandmother, a mystic, an astrologer. As he...
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Myanmar is presently undergoing political changes – as far as concerns the relationship between its government and external powers. Travellers and diplomats are surprised by an unprecedented degree of opening, and many people in Myanmar are experiencing more civic liberties than before and feel an air of better opportunities. Reports...
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When nature lovers talk about the Irrawaddy River, the lifeblood of Burma, descriptions focus on her majestic beauty, breathtaking scenery as well as the unique history and culture born over the centuries. However, these days it is the tale of the admirable Irrawaddy dolphins, named after the waterway, which captures...
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As the plane descended into Rangoon’s international airport, I noticed a slight change in my heartbeat. I felt calm, but also excited, knowing that I was about to return to Burma for the first time in 24 years. Inside the airport, a young immigration officer smiled as I gave him...