To visit Myanmar(Burma)is to step into another world of spellbinding aromas, sights and sensations, with a truly unique atmosphere. Yangon, the capital of Myanmar, is a melting pot of the traditional and the contemporary, true Burmese culture melding with a colonial legacy still present decades after the departure of the British. The city's pulse beats to the rhythm of its streets, bustling with what makes the country so special: its people.

Let yourself be inspired by stately processions of monks robed in saffron and purple, shaven headed nuns seeking alms, and elegant Burmese ladies adorned with yellow thanaka paste. Young and old linger gossiping in teashops smoking traditional fragrant Burmese cheroots, dressed as they have been for centuries in their traditional longyis or htameins.

Wherever you go you will catch glimpses of times past, real or imagined,but it is the hospitality and friendliness of the people of this "golden land" which is most striking- their tolerance of different religions and cultures, respect for each other and heartfelt smiles. It is this perhaps more than anything else which makes Myanmar the unique and fascinating country it is.

The beaches are almost uniquely unspoilt for this part of the world, and timeless Ngapali beach is perhaps the most typical of all. Relax in the shade of palm trees, wander along the silver sands, watch the fisherman at their daily catch or just let the breezes from the Bay of Bengal clear your mind.