Myanmar Travel Blog

They say it takes just one visit to Golden Rock, in Myanmar, to become a Buddhist.
I think that’s absolutely true. It is impossible to visit this archeological site without going to Myanmar and, once in Myanmar, you will certainly fall in love with Theravada Buddhism. How could you possibly remain indifferent to timeless pagodas and golden stupas? How could you not love the gentle Burmese, or resist their kind smiles, their calm words, their fraternal looks? Buddhism in Burma has entered the flesh of reality, everyday gestures, all life’s choices. When you get to Golden Rock, you’ve already breathed Buddhism to the fullest, you’ve seen how harmonious a society based on kindness can be, and you’re probably grudgingly counting the days left before you have to go home.

The plain of Bagan (or Pagan) is famous all over the world for the thousands of stupa ruins and temples it is littered of. At sunset, you can admire a spectacular view of the clearing, making it one of the most spectacular sites in all of Southeast Asia. For centuries, before being abandoned to itself, the area has been a Buddhist pilgrimage destination and it still breathes an atmosphere of deep spirituality. A scenario, in short, that has nothing to envy to Angkor Wat or Machu Picchu but that has, compared to these, a great advantage: much less tourists.