Burma, a great destination for a hike

Burma is known worldwide for its exceptional patrimonial wealth with thousands of temples. To discover them, tourists will be able to perform a hiking during their stay in Burma. Their journey starts in the Mandalay area, on the left bank of the Irrawaddy River. This walk will lead to the Buddhist archaeological site of Baga, one of the most fascinating places of Asia. Arrived on the scene, travellers will be impressed by observing more than 2,000 pagodas which extend along the arid Valley of the Ayeyarwady. These shrines, built from the 11th to the 12th century, extend over a vast area of about 50 square kilometers. Most of them are in brick, ornate plaster, of low relief in stucco, glazed tiles with polychrome murals. Monuments to contemplate on site include the famous Shwezigon pagoda. The latter certainly amaze visitors with its terraces and its dome covered with gold leaf.

To continue their stay in Burma, hikers will attend Kalaw, a town nestled at 1,300 m of altitude in Shan State. Located in the middle of the exceptional landscapes, this village is an excellent address to enjoy the peace and escape from the hassles of daily life. The place is composed of mountain ranges and hills where travellers will be able to make the trek for a few days. This walk will allow them to meet many communities and learn about their culture. Along their way, backpackers will admire a few shrines, to cite only the Taung Thein pagoda and the Shwe U Min temple. The latter is a surprising cave, because it houses statues of Buddhas in gold. At the scene, the Globetrotters will also see monuments of the British colonial era and restored cottages and a religious building, the Church Christ-King. They will not miss to see the Green Hill Valley elephant camp.

Il serait dommage de séjourner en Birmanie sans faire un tour dans la ville de Kengtung, dans la région du « Triangle d’Or ». Cette petite bourgade, située dans un cadre montagneux pittoresque, constitue un lieu parfait où les randonneurs termineront leur aventure. Au cours de la balade, les touristes découvriront de superbes pagodes, de magnifiques exemples d’architectures coloniales et plusieurs lacs. De plus, ils auront la chance d’y rencontrer une large diversité de groupes ethniques comme les Shan, les Wa, les Ann et les Lahu. Kengtung vaut également une visite en raison de ses nombreux marchés. Les vacanciers y verront des tonnes de produits frais et divers articles insolites, à l’instar des médicaments traditionnels et des grignotines issues de la cuisine thaïlandaise. En poursuivant leur périple, ils apercevront certainement le célèbre temple Wat Zoom Kham, une belle structure dorée qui se démarque par son style typiquement thaï. Cette promenade les mènera aussi dans le somptueux village Akha.