A Place to Discover #MarvelousMyanmar ( 5 interesting facts & 7 days itinerary )

Last December 2017, I was contacted by Htoo Ko Ko (@htoo.thewanderlust on Instagram!). He’s a very awesome blogger and doctor from Myanmar and he invited me to be one of the bloggers that will represent the Philippines in their first ever “ASEAN Travel Media & Bloggers Fam Trip”.

I was truly lucky to travel in Myanmar last February 12 – 19, 2018 with my co-blogger/vlogger friend, Patrice Averilla (@avelovin) and two media representatives from GMA Network and Inquirer Philippines, Jessica Bartolome (@Jacbartoleme) and Don Lejano (@Donmeetsworld).

 From Manila, we had a layover on Singapore for 7 hours before another flight to Yangon, Myanmar. Yangon is one of the major cities in Myanmar. The things about Yangon that makes it extra special is its ability to harmonize Myanmar’s culture and modernity.

Myanmar’s commitment to Buddhism is impressive. The Shwedagon Pagoda is a testament to that. With its massive gold exteriors and divine ambiance, it is considered to be an important symbol of Buddhism in all of Myanmar.

Without a doubt, Myanmar is truly a beautiful country teeming with its rich culture and traditions. It is definitely one of those places that takes your breath away once you’re fully immersed in its splendor. Myanmar, once a British colony, is situated between Thailand, Laos, China and Bangladesh. I’ve definitely had such a great time during my trip in Myanmar and because of that, I want to share five interesting facts about Myanmar and why you should definitely add it to your must-visit list.

5 Interesting Facts about Myanmar

1.) With a total of 261,970 square miles of land, Myanmar is considered to be one of the biggest countries in Southeast Asia. Just imagine all the wonderful places Myanmar has to offer!

2.) The construction of the temples and pagodas found all throughout Myanmar started during the 12^th – 13^th century. This initiative was led by the Pagan Empire as Theravada Buddhism continued to be introduced in the country.

3.) A yellow paste that is extracted from the bark of the Thanakha tree is used by the locals in Myanmar as a sunscreen. Another bonus benefits of this yellow paste are it manages oiliness and tightens the skin.

4.) Fish, meat, vegetables, soup along with steamed rice comprises a normal meal in Myanmar. Locals usually use their fingers to make a bite-size ball of rice while combining it with other dishes.

5.) There are currently two currencies that you can use freely in Myanmar. You can either use kyat (MMK) or US dollars.

And that’s it for the fun facts. Below is the full itinerary of our trip which you can freely use as a reference if you ever find yourself booking a trip to this beautiful country.

( You can recreate the Day 1 into exploring the markets around Yangon and Spent time exploring the city )

Overall, if you’re the type of person who wants to experience a country’s rich culture and learn more about its history, then you should definitely visit Myanmar. There is really so much to see and experience here that is why I highly recommend you to add Myanmar to your list of must-see places. I’ve made a lot of good memories in this country and this trip is definitely one for the books!

Cheers