Leisure & Travel

Languid charms of MyanmarCut off from the rest of the world by its isolationist military junta for several decades, Myanmar has attracted much attention in recent times as an exotic tourism destination whose glittering pagodas have earned it the sobriquet of the Golden LandAlthough it‚s in the news for all the wrong reasons, the neighbouring nation of Myanmar aka Burma (pop. 54 million) ‚ currently experiencing a massive saffron revolt against the oppressive military junta which has ruled it with an iron fist for the past five decades ‚ is perhaps the most unspoilt country of the contemporary world ‚ the last Shangri-la. Sited at the junction where Asia‚s two great civilizations ‚ India and China ‚ meet, Myanmar stretches from the Cocos island in the south, right up into the Eastern Himalayan mountain range. It ranks among South-east Asia‚s largest (area: 678,500 sq km) and most culturally diverse countries. Although a military dictatorship, Myanmar is a safe country for tourists. Boasting perhaps the lowest tourist crime record worldwide, Myanmar‚s military junta recently unveiled ambitious plans to modernise and improve tourism infrastructure to attract at least 500,000 international tourists annually, against the current inflow of 234,900. This is not an over-ambitious target (unless tourists shun the country for ideological reasons), because Myanmar is a treasure trove of attractions. Languid and peaceful, the country offers unpolluted sandy beaches, natural tropical beauty, snow-capped mountains, a tranquil Buddhist culture and splendorous architecture. Moreover the Buddhist traits of serenity and gentleness are quite evident in its people, who go about their business with sandalwood paste daubed on their high cheek bones to guard against the blistering sun. This is a curious sight for first time visitors.Myanmar‚s rich and glorious history spanning over two thousand years is evident in its spectacular monuments and ancient cities. Moreover modern-day Myanmar is home to 135 uniquely different ethnic groups. The country‚s seven administratively convenient ethnic divisions (tain) are: Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy), Bago (Pegu), Magway (Mandalay), Yangon (Rangoon), Sagaing, and Tanintharyi (Tenassarim). These are the admin capitals of the seven ethnic states (pyi nay): Chin, Kachin, Kayin (Karen), Kayah (Karenni), Mon, Rakhine (Arakan) and Shan.Topographically as well, the country is diverse with its central lowlands circled by steep, rugged highlands. As in most of South-east Asia, the cool season extends from October through February with mean temperatures averaging 20-240C; the hot season, from March through May when the mercury rises to 30-350 C; and finally the monsoon, from June through September when mean temperatures drop to 25-300C. Obviously the best time to visit Myanmar is during the cool winter months. Richly endowed with natural resources such as gas and petroleum, timber, tin, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal and limestone, and globally renowned as a major source of imperial jade and pigeon blood rubies, Myanmar is primarily an agricultural country with 50 percent of its GDP derived from agriculture, livestock, fisheries, and forestry. Manufacturing/industry contri-butes only 15 percent of GDP and is strictly controlled by the military junta. According to official…