Tuesday, 30 August 2011 15:51
People on adventure holidays to Burma will find Rangoon full of 'colonial charm'
Rangoon (Yangon) offers a great taste of South East Asia's colonial past to visitors on adventure holidays to Burma.
The former capital of the country, which is now officially known as the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, serves as its beating cosmopolitan heart.
But despite being a major urban sprawl, it still retains its colonial charm with tree-lined avenues and beautiful lakes, according to the Myanmar Tourism board.
"The magnificent Shewdagon Pagoda dominates the city skyline," it notes, adding that at street level, Rangoon is a "paradise for hunting out a variety of exotic arts and crafts".
"Of particular interest in the many shops of Scott Market, and of world renown, are Myanmar's precious stones - rubies, sapphires and jade."
While staying in Burma, adventure holiday makers should also try to visit the Inle Lake and Shan villages that populate its shores.
These can best be enjoyed with a trip along the water in a longtail boat, which allows for deeper exploration of the stilted buildings that hover over the lake.