Untouched Burma

22nd July 2011

After an absence of over 10 years, Exodus launch a brand new trip - ‘Discover Burma’. A country (aka Myanmar) largely untouched by tourism, this 16 day trip is a real treat for travellers keen to get off the beaten track. Highlights of the itinerary include visiting the stunning temples of Bagan, a cruise on the Inle Lake, and passing through Mandalay, the last royal capital of Burma.

If you consider holidays to be more about exploring undiscovered culture, learning about different societies and absorbing a rich historical past then this is just the trip for you. Burma (Myanmar) was recently given the ‘all clear’ by Tourism Concern so only now are the tourists beginning to trickle in. A country with a colonial past, Burma has changed very little and Exodus will take the group to see thousands of temples - just as awe inspiring as Angkor in Cambodia but with far fewer tourists. With 2,000 brick stupas from the 11th to 13th centuries, in an area 16 miles across, Bagan is one of the main highlights of Burma but so is time spent in the countryside. With Exodus, you get a dose of both. Travellers will walk past minority villages in Kalaw, a former colonial British hill station, as well as cruise on Inle Lake, past leg-rowing fishermen, cottage industries, floating markets, monasteries and temples.  At 13 miles long and more than seven miles wide, Inle lake, though bustling with local activity, is big enough for a boat ride to be a peaceful experience.

Justin Francis, Managing Director of Responsibletravel.com said: “The message from Aung San Suu Kyi is clear - she only wants tourism that will help the people of Burma (Myanmar) and the conservation of the environment.  Exodus, past winner of our Responsible Tourism Awards, has always excelled in this regard and I support their return to Burma and continuing commitment to responsible tourism."