Waiting to be discovered
Walk down 19 Street in Yangon’s Chinatown and you’ll hear it a lot. This narrow, pedestrian-only street is where the Burmese come to drink.
Restaurants line either side of the street and chairs and tables are set out in front.
. Hotels are expensive
Room rates shot up 350% in 2012, which means that a room that cost US$25 (RM81) a night in 2011 now goes for almost US$100 (RM326) or higher. It’s a simple matter of supply and demand.
Since the country opened up, business travellers and tourists have been packing flights to Myanmar.
There are a lot more visitors - more than a million in 2012 - but roughly the same number of hotels, hence the shortage. Book accommodation well ahead. When making a reservation, it’s worth checking to see if any work is in progress and, if so, requesting a room away from the noise.
7. The men wear skirts
The traditional Burmese dress is the longyi, a wraparound skirt worn by men and women. Men tie theirs in the front and women fold the cloth over and secure it at the side.
NLD Leader Aung San Suu Kyi is known for her beautiful longyis and tailored tops.
Her high-profile appearances have helped boost the popularity of the traditional dress among young women in Myanmar.
8. The food is exceptional
It’s considered rude to eat with the left hand as this is the hand used for personal hygiene.
So eating – as well as giving money – are always done with the right hand. A typical Burmese meal includes steamed rice, fish, meat, vegetables and soup and all the dishes arrive at the same time.
Burmese use their fingertips to mould the rice into a small ball and then mix it with various dishes.
As is the norm, Buddhists usually avoid eating beef and the Muslims don’t eat pork. Meals are served with plenty of condiments – from sweet to savoury.
9. The trains are seriously bumpy
The poor condition of railway tracks means carriages get shaken about and frequently run late. But trains are still a great way to see the country.
Buses are usually a faster option, but they’re often crowded. Domestic flights are the most comfortable way to cover long distances and are relatively cheap.
10. Yangon has a newspaper vendor on every street corner
Censorship was gradually phased out in 2012 and at the beginning of 2013, the bureau was formally abolished.
Burmese today enjoy their newfound press freedom and show a healthy appetite for news.
11. The people with red teeth aren’t vampires
Chewing betel nut is a national pastime. Small street stalls selling the palm-sized green leaves are everywhere.
The leaves are filled with hard squares of betel nut, spices and sometimes a pinch of tobacco and then folded up and popped in the mouth and chewed.
But there’s a downside – not only does betel nut stain your teeth a reddish-brown, the little packages are spat out on the floor when finished – making for messy sidewalks.
This article first appeared for Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. Above: Book accommodation well ahead. New hotels are being built, but the room shortage is expected to continue for another five to 10 years. – CNN Left: There are few ATMs in Myanmar, so visitors need to bring plenty of US currency. The higher the denomination, the better the exchange rate. – CNN