Yangon, the capital of Myanmar, is one of the main gateways to Myanmar. Evergreen and cool with lush tropical trees, shady parks and beautiful lakes, Yangon has earned the name "the Garden City of the East". Yangon still maintains its colonial charm with wide tree-lined avenues, tranquil lakes, and gracious turn-of-the-century architecture. The magnificent Shwedagon Pagoda dominates the city skyline, while at street level Yangon is a paradise for seekers of exotic arts and crafts. Of particular interest are the many shops of Scott Market, and of world renown are Myanmar's precious stones - rubies, sapphires and jade. At nighttime Chinatown comes alive with the pungent aromas of delicious street food.

Mandalay is the second largest city and the last capital of Myanmar's monarchy, the center of Myanmar culture and the former site of Mandalay Royal Palace. Massive palace walls, with their wooden pavilions, city gates, and surrounding moat still remain at the heart of the city. The city is a center for traditional handicrafts: silk and cotton weaving, marble carving, bronze and silver items and kalaga tapestries; visitors are welcome to watch the craftsmen at work. The huge Mahamuni Buddha, Mandalay Hill, the Sagaing Hill, Kuthodaw Pagoda (the world's largest book), and the colorful Zeycho market are tour highlights in Mandalay. Mandalay is also an important commercial center with rail, road, river and air links to all parts of the country.

Once known as Maymyo, Pyon-Oo-Lwin was the principal hill station and summer retreat during the British colonial period. It is located 67 km away from Mandalay and more than 1000 meters above sea level, and thus has pleasant, cool weather all year round. Popular sights are the many colonial style houses with large compounds, the towering pine trees, the 175 hectare National Botanical Gardens and Pyin Oo Lwin market. Other attractions are the Peik Chin Myaung Caves, Pwe Kauk and Anisakan waterfalls and Goteik Viaduct. Unique to Pyin Oo Lwin are the brightly painted miniature stagecoaches drawn by lively teams of horses, which take the place of cars or taxis.

Bagan is one of the main tourist destinations in Myanmar. Bagan was the capital of the first Myanmar Empire, and is now one of the richest archaeological sites in Asia. Its more than 2,000 pagodas and temples are set in a vast plain beside the legendary Ayeyarwaddy River. It is significant and amazing that none of these thousands of pagodas and stupas are exactly the same, despite similarities in ground-plan and decoration.

Bagan is also famous for its unique, finely decorated lacquerware; travelers can visit the workshops to watch craftsmen produce these beautiful handicrafts. Other highlights of a visit to Bagan include the Shwezigon pagoda, Ananda Temple, Gawdawpallin Temple and Sulamani Temple. A unique travel experience is a hot-air balloon flight over the Archaeological Zone, which is available during the winter months.

Located in the Shan State is one of the most beautiful lakes of Southeast Asia: Inle Lake. This vast clear-blue lake, surrounded by hills, is one of the main tourist attractions in Myanmar. Visitors travel by long, shallow boats across this natural, unpolluted lake, surrounded by great scenic beauty to visit the Paung-Daw-Oo Pagoda, the floating gardens, the colorful floating market, silk weaving industries and watch the unique leg rowing of the Inthas, the native lake dwellers. Seventeen villages on stilts rim the lakeshore and extend into the lake, most inhabited by the Intha people. The beauty of sunrise as well as the sunset observed from this idyllic lake with the Shan mountain range as backdrop enchants all visitors.

Kalaw was a beautiful hill station in the British days, located 1400 meters above sea level. Many of the Tudor-style houses and English gardens of colonial days remain. Kalaw is peaceful and quiet, and pleasantly cool. From Kalaw there are good trekking and hiking possibilities to the neighboring villages of the local hill tribes, which continue a traditional way of life. The roads leading to Kalaw and Pindaya offer breathtaking sights of the landscape and are somehow reminiscent of the beautiful Alps region in Europe.

About 45 km from Kalaw is Pin-Da-Ya, well known for its extensive limestone caves. This small town is famous for its caves (Pindaya Cave) in which thousands of centuries-old Buddha Images are seated. The images are of various sizes, some carved in the face of rock and some deposited in niches in the walls. The road from Kalaw to Pindaya (38 km) passes through countryside of magnificent scenic beauty. A major handicraft industry in Pindaya is umbrella manufacturing. The making of these pretty hand-made paper umbrellas can be seen in several workshops in town.

Well known as Golden Rock Pagoda is located on Mount Kyeikhtiyoo. This mystical pagoda stands on a gold gilded boulder, precariously perched on the edge of the hill over 1,100 meters above sea level. The Kyaikhtiyo pagoda is one of the most ancient and celebrated of all pagodas in Myanmar. To reach the top of the mountain , one can either make a 13km climb (which will take around 7 hours or more) or sit on the loading area of open trucks that take passengers to a so-called middle camp through a steep and winding road.

From there all visitors have to walk the remaining 4 km (500 meters in altitude) on steep tracks. An easy alternative for those who can't manage the way on foot is to sit on sedan chairs, which are carried to the top by four porters. Once at the pagoda, one can enjoy a spectacular view, which is particularly beautiful at sunrise or sunset. The whole site has a magical feeling.

Mt. Popa, the seat of the important Burmese folk religion of the Nats, and a one hour drive from Bagan on the road to Mandalay, rises 1520 meters into the sky. To reach the top of the volcanic plug with its many shrines and a monastery, one has to climb up 700 steep steps accompanied by a crowd of monkeys. This effort will be rewarded many times by the extraordinary panoramic view of the surrounding landscape. Mt. Popa is an easy day's journey from Bagan, with stops along the way at local villages and at a sugar cane plantation. The Mt. Popa area has been designated as a national park, a perfect place for eco-tourism.

One can say that the Ngapali, the oldest seaside resort in Myanmar, is also its most beautiful beach. Ngapali is a wide silvery beach extending over 3 km. It is splendidly edged with the sapphire blue sea and emerald coconut trees on either side. Along this unspoiled beach, one can enjoy strolling sunbathing, photographing the sunset and sunrise. At Ngapali you will find serenity and peace of mind amidst beautiful scenery.

The early morning visit to nearby fishermen's village "Loan-tha," about 5 km from Ngapali, to watch the return of the fishing boats and see the morning fish market is unforgettable. An 18 hole golf course is located a 15 minute drive from the beach. Ngapali is 16 hours by road from Yangon or an hour and twenty minutes from Yangon by air.

Chaung-tha Beach is only 246 km from Yangon and is the nearest beach resort to Yangon. It takes about 5 hours to drive from Yangon. At its beautiful beach, one can enjoy the salubrious breezes. Surfing over the white-crested waves is an unforgettable experience. Phokala Island and Thebyu Island -- a 5 minute and 20 minute ride, respectively, by motor boat - boast beautiful, white sand beaches. On the way you can visit the town of Pathein , which is known for its colorful hand painted parasols.

The former capital of British Burma, Mawlamyine is located 270 km south-east of Yangon. It is the fourth largest city in Myanmar. The colonial atmosphere can be felt throughout this charming town. Several fine monasteries and shrines cover the hills of Mawlamyine from where the visitor can enjoy magnificent views of the city and the harbor.

Mrauk-U, the ancient city of the Rakhine Kingdom (15th Century), is known for its old temples with paintings showing Indian cultural influence. Mrauk-U offers a number of important archaeological sites and several temples of unique design. Mrauk-U can be reached by boat traveling up river from Sittwe (Akyab), the capital of Rakhine State. The boat trip takes about 5 hours from Akyab.

Bago is renowned for the 55-meter long reclining Buddha image, the beautiful golden Shwemawdaw Pagoda and many more religious monuments. It has an interesting lively market, and just 10 minutes out of town, one can see authentic rural life including water buffaloes yoked in front of a plough working in the paddy fields. Bago can be reached easily by road; the 80 km journey from Yangon takes about two hours. Bago is situated on the road to the Golden Rock Pagoda and to Mawlamying. Bago remains a quite and easy-going town with a lot more bicycles than cars.

Pyay, formerly known as Prome, has great historical importance and archaeological sites. Pyay is an important commercial center for trade between the Ayeyawaddy Delta, Central and Upper Myanmar and the Rakhine (Arakan) State. Pyay is only 161 km north of Yangon along a well-maintained highway. Several trains run daily from Yangon on the first railway line built in Myanmar in 1877. In the last few years, the railway branch lines have been extended north towards Bagan. Visitors can stop over in Pyay and travel on to Bagan and Mandalay.