Edu Jarque and Andie Javelosa take readers to places rich in history and culture
Lifestyle Asia contributor Andie Javelosa uncovers the ancient kingdom of Burma
On my birthday last year, we were far from the hustle and bustle of city life and in one of my favorite tropical hideaways in the Philippines when my boyfriend presented me with a small unwrapped box—it was light enough for me to know it was not a gadget, and yet it was too big for it to be a ring inside. With a matching DIY popup card of hot air balloons and a cutout photo of us, I read the bold words in his handwriting, "Will you go to Myanmar with me?" And that is where it all began.
Coming from Maldives, New Zealand, and Europe that year, I'd like to think we are both travel enthusiasts who share the same passion for traveling to different sides of the world, exploring as many cities as we can, experiencing local life and culture, and of course, creating and capturing lasting memories. This ancient temple town in Myanmar had been on our wish list of places to go as it is one of the world's most significant archaeological sites. We imagined ourselves on a hot air balloon, flying over thousands of ancient temples as the golden Burmese sun would rise on a land that was once the capital of a powerful ancient kingdom.
We came to Myanmar with two other close friends in the middle of January this year, where the days were hot and the nights were cold. They say the best time to visit is between November to February, as hot air balloon flights run roughly mid-October to mid-March, and the temperatures are not too extreme.
EXPLORING YANGON FOR A DAY
We first landed in Yangon, the country's capital at about 10 in the morning, and so we had the rest of the day to explore this city. We stayed at Esperado Lake View hotel, and as it is named, our suite had a beautiful view of Kandawgyi Lake. It is also known as the Royal Lake which was artificially built by the British as a reservoir and is most attractive at sunset when the glittering Shwedagon Paya reflects in its calm waters.
We were most excited to visit the Rangoon Tea House, a well-commended restaurant that features modern twists on traditional Burmese food using local produce, high-quality ingredients, and unique regional flavors. It is a must-try when you are in Yangon as it became our favorite dining experience during our entire trip to Myanmar. I enjoyed their wide selection of milk teas that featured different combinations. The menu came with detailed illustrations to help a tea novice decide.
After a stroll at Lake Kandawgyi at sunset, we visited the magnificent Shwezigon Pagoda, a towering edifice that dominates the Yangon skyline. No trip to Myanmar is complete without a visit to the 2,500-year-old, and most sacred Buddhist site of the country. We were required to walk the temple grounds on bare feet as we witnessed religious as well as community activities such as the bustling of devotees, monks washing the statues, offering flowers, worship, and meditation.
In the evening, we were feeling adventurous, so we made a trip to Yangon's Chinatown. The famous 19th Street comes alive every evening with all kinds of vendors, selling all sorts of dishes, from regional favorites to other Oriental delights. 19th Street is notable mostly for barbecue and beer, a popular spot for locals and tourists alike.
GETTING TO BAGAN, MYANMAR
There is no direct flight from the Philippines to Bagan, Myanmar; we had to take three different trips to arrive at our destination. From Manila, we flew for an overnight layover at Singapore before taking another 3-hour flight to Yangon in Myanmar. We were able to spend an entire day exploring this big city adorned with British colonial architecture, gilded Buddhist pagodas, and tasty Burmese cuisine before finally flying to Bagan the following day. We had the option to take a bus to Bagan from Yangon, but we opted to fly instead to save time and energy.
With the sun rising, the setting was sublime—imagine a verdant landscape with patches of palms groves and temples built by kings of the past in every corner you look. Over 10,000 temples and pagodas were built during the kingdom's height between the 11th and 13th centuries but only about 2,200 of those remain.
We stayed at the Bagan Heritage
Hotel for 3 nights. Upon arrival, a grand driveway of tall Toddy Palm Trees, and the rusty orange facade of our sprawling hotel welcomed us. Our hotel is made up of 12 buildings; each building made to symbolize the 12 Dynasties of Myanmar. We made our way up to a wide stairway to the reception, where we could already get a glimpse of the hotel's breathtaking swimming pool right next to where we had a delightful breakfast buffet every morning.
FOLLOW THE SUN
You've seen it in pictures; a glorious sunrise over the Bagan with balloons rising over the horizon. Oh, how a dream this would be. The truth is, at about 400USD, ballooning was the most expensive thing we did during this trip. Myanmar. But was it worth it? Absolutely.
We were picked up at 5:30am in our hotel by hot air balloon company, Golden Eagle Ballooning. We arrived in a pitch black open field, with the only light coming from candles on tables and chairs that were set up with tea, coffee, and some pastries, a welcome gesture from the company. Shortly after, the safety brief was given to us, and then the sky started to show some color. The anticipation built up as the balloons were being inflated and bursts of flames would shoot up and roar.
Our balloon pilots were introduced; they were Westerners who had high levels of experience with operating hot air balloons from all over the world. Shortly after, we were sorted into our groups for the flight. It takes about a dozen men to prepare a single balloon for taking off. It was quite a production. We learned that the balloon industry in Bagan employs over 400 locals.
You can feel the magic in the air just by being surrounded with balloons getting ready to ascend. The flight itself was incredible with a phenomenal view over the plains of ancient temples. But for me, the experience of flying alongside twenty other balloons drifting across the multi-colored horizon was the real highlight. The air was cold, and everything was so still and silent, I had never felt this much peace in my entire
life, as if the rest of the world did not exist, and we were just there, floating above this utopic kingdom.
The Burmese sunrise, combined with the endless views of temples, grasslands, and other hot air balloons painting the sky is one of the most breathtaking and incomparable of sights. The flight lasted for 45-minutes; we had passed countless temples, villages, palm trees, as well as bodies of water, livestock, and farms.
In no time at all, we were landing, which took an entire production as well. We had an exciting yet gentle touchdown near our landing crew who were waiting with champagne and a light breakfast to celebrate life with the glorious morning as our setting.
There is just something incomparably enchanting about the way the sun rises in Bagan—it must be how the golden light rises in the sky and through this ancient city of thousands of temples and pagodas that tell stories from the past.
If balloon flights are not your cup of tea, you can still climb on a dwindling number of tall temples to see Bagan's gorgeous sunsets. The following morning, our driver brought us to a high temple where we could climb atop and wait for the scene. Far away, you can slowly see small teardrop silhouettes starting to rise as the sun would bring color to the sky. Watching them from the ground was also majestic.
It was a sunrise too beautiful—like waking up in a dream when we would chase the light at the break of dawn. The air was cold and quiet, yet everything felt so warm, peaceful, and enchanting all at once, as we watched the balloons travel across the sky, over us, and then slowly fade away.
MORE THAN JUST BALLOONS AND TEMPLES
On a different day, our driver Konyi took us to a small village nearby where the locals crafted longyis, or Myanmar's version of a sarong. We had the opportunity to see how the local women tediously weave the fabric by hand. Men wear their longyis by pulling the fabric tight against the back and tying an elegant knot in front while women pull all of the material to one side and tie it on the other and are usually topped with a fitted blouse. Men's longyis generally come in stripes or checks apart from plain colors, while women wear colorful and bright patterns.
Bagan is also very famous for traditional lacquerware. These products have been widely traded since long ago, and almost anything can be made with this; from bowls, to box containers, to large pieces of furniture. Our driver took us to a nearby lacquerware workshop where we saw how exceptional and tedious this art is. Lacquerware in Bagan is made by coating 7–16 layers of lacquer over a frame made using bamboo strips. It takes a village to complete one piece as it goes through at least 7 long stages of craftsmanship. It can take 3–6 months to produce a well-made lacquer piece. It requires considerable skill and detailing.
One afternoon, we took a boat cruise through the Irrawaddy River to watch the sunset. This time, far away from the temples. With drinks in hand and the company of each other, we witnessed another golden sunset in the land of Burma.
On our last day, we opted to have a slow and relaxing day, as we spent the previous two mornings getting out of bed extra early. We visited Bagan Lodge Myanmar, a posh, contemporary villa-style hotel for some rejuvenation. Their spa had private treatment rooms available to provide guests with an extensive range of massage and beauty treatments—the perfect way to unwind after a day of exploration.
In Myanmar, people believe that massage is the sacred art of emotional healing and restoring balance to the body. Thus, The Spa at Bagan Lodge uses natural elements specially chosen to allow you the benefits of fragrances and elixirs that stimulate all five senses. We tried their State of Calm spa package which included a Harmony Body Scrub and an Aromatic Bliss Massage.
Burma is one of those enchanting places where you are easily enthralled by the charm of the local people you meet. And while everything you experience is real, in our brief time in Burma we were transported to an otherworldly experience.