Don’t travel to Burma right now. The U.S. State Department updated its advisory on June 6, 2024, urging Americans to avoid the country due to political unrest and safety concerns.
Burma (also known as Myanmar) is one of the most culturally rich and visually stunning countries in Southeast Asia.
While we’re not encouraging travel there at the moment—due to a Level 4 advisory from the U.S. State Department—it doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate what makes Burma so special.
Our team has been visiting this incredible country for decades through our teen tours, and it remains one of the most unique destinations we’ve explored. Here are six reasons why Burma is worth learning about, even from afar.
Key Takeaways:
- Burma offers a rare chance to experience Southeast Asia with minimal foreign influence, where ancient temples, traditional customs, and rural life remain deeply preserved.
- The food is delicious, combining Southeast Asian, Indian, and Chinese flavors (pro tip: don’t miss the tea leaf salad or avocado dishes).
6 Reasons To Travel To Burma
1. Explore Asia 100 Years Ago.
Burma is untouched (for now). There are no mega malls, chain hotels, or even many billboards. The past has been preserved in Burma, which is just begging to be explored by travelers who are savvy enough to pass on the more popular destinations in the region to experience a country with very little foreign influence. Travel to Burma and see it.
2. Incredible Temples.
In the ancient city of the Bagan, between the 11th and 13th centuries, over 10,000 Buddhist temples, pagodas and monasteries were constructed, of which the remains of over 2200 of them still survive today.
The temples in Burma can’t be missed. Ride bicycles or ox-drawn carts to explore the temple ruins in Bagan, and also be sure to visit the impressive Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. The architecture and history surrounding these sites will be a highlight of your adventures.
3. Burma is Delicious.
Like really delicious. The food is incredible and can hold its own against the best pad thai or tom yum soup. Travel to Burma and try avocado salad, a Burmese curry, or our favorite–tea leaf salad.
The perfect blend of Southeast Asian, Indian, and Chinese influences, the food will not disappoint, and is a big reason why Rustic staff keep going back to this incredible country.
4. Rich Culture.
Monks of all ages draped in saffron robes, men wearing traditional skirts called longyis, smiling children with their faces painted with thanaka, and boat drivers standing at the front of their boat paddling with one leg! No matter where you look, there is always something new to discover.
One distinctive characteristic of Burma that separates itself from other Southeast Asian countries is the thanaka, or yellowish-white paste made from ground bark that children and women wear on their faces.
5. The People.
The Burmese people are incredibly warm and welcoming, going out of their way to make your time in their country truly memorable. Our local Burmese staff are no exception, and they love taking students to their rural villages to meet their families and friends and experience the real Burma.
One of my favorite types of photographs to capture are candid portraits. There is so much one can glean from looking into the eyes of another in a photograph. Here the pilot of a very small river boat looks into the setting sun as he pilots his craft across the Irrawaddy River.
6. It Won’t Be A Secret For Long.
After being closed off to tourists for more than 50 years, Burma recently opened its doors to travelers, and if you go now you can beat the crowds.
In 2012, one million people visited the country, compared to 2.5 million in 2013, and a record-breaking 3.5 million in 2014 (to put this in perspective, Thailand welcomed its 21 millionth visitor this week). These numbers will only increase as word gets out about Burma. Go to Burma now for an authentic experience.
>> See more photos that show the beauty of Burma in our article Capture | Myanmar Photo Tour Highlights