Beautiful Myanmar: 26 Revealing Moments Caught on Video

Myanmar is on the cusp of becoming a new must-see destination. After decades as one of the world’s most isolated countries, it’s moving into the spotlight with democratic elections and an openness that’s tempting curious visitors from around the world.

Ample rewards meet travelers who make the long trek to this country that shares borders with both India and China. It’s a place where people very nearly glow with kindness, and that’s full of sights so beautiful that no one who sees the photos after would believe they were possible without a generous dash of Photoshop—or at least an Instagram filter.

Myanmar is a country of golden temples, of incredible sunrises, of quotidian monks—a place where traditions hold strong and nearly everyone still wears the traditional longyi skirts (and manage to make the flattering garb look both ultra-masculine and hyper-feminine). And where most women—whether they’re from the smallest village or the big city—still eschew makeup in favor of thanaka, a yellowish paste made from bark that’s revered as both a cheek adornment and a cure-all.

Take two minutes and discover for yourself the beauty and the magic of Myanmar with this video I filmed on my recent trip there as a guest aboard the small river cruise ship the Avalon Myanmar.

More from SmarterTravel:

• 27 Amazing Natural Wonders in Asia
• 12 Destinations That Should Be on Your Radar in 2016
• 15 World Heritage Sites You Haven’t Heard of Yet

Christine Sarkis has fallen hard for Myanmar. Follow her on Twitter @ChristineSarkis and Instagram @postcartography for more advice about making every vacation the best vacation.

(Photo: Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, Myanmar by Christine Sarkis)