Buddhism

Native spirit: An introduction to Burmese nat worship

Burma today is one of the most devoutly Buddhist countries in the world. Though there is no official state religion, 89% of Burmese people are Theravada Buddhists, nearly every Burmese man spends a few weeks of his life in a monastery, and anybody who is perceived to have insulted Buddhism (inadvertently or not) can face jail. […]

Travelling in Burma: 5 reasons to visit Hpa An

Hpa An may not be a destination that springs to mind when you think of Burma, but I hope I can persuade you otherwise – as it’s definitely worthy of anyone’s Burma bucket list. Hpa An is a small town in southern Shan state, a beautiful area of the country characterised by rivers, lush green […]

Luang Prabang morning alms ceremony: How to do it right

Luang Prabang is Laos’s premier tourist destination. A World Heritage City heralded for its beautiful blend of colonial architecture, traditional Buddhist wats, tropical atmosphere and riverside location, it has all the requisite elements of the perfect town – and the many visitors it welcomes every year agree. Yet despite its popularity, Luang Prabang has somehow […]

Destination profile: Mount Popa

Burma is full of spectacular sights, but one of the most mind-boggling is just an hour’s drive from Bagan, on top of a volcanic plug in central Burma: Mount Popa. Mount Popa sits in the Pegu Hills, watching over the plains of central Burma. Though the name technically refers to the volanco itself, it’s more […]

Golden Rock looking its best

Destination profile: Golden Rock

Located in the Eastern Yoma Mountains at the point where Mon State meets Bago State, the Golden Rock is almost unbelievable. Balanced precariously on the edge of a cliff, with just a tiny footprint actually touching the rock, this huge 7.6-metre boulder appears perpetually on the point of rolling off its perch and into the […]

Shwezigon Pagoda, Bagan

Burma’s best 9 pagodas

It’s impossible to travel in Burma without visiting at least a few Buddhist pagodas and they are spottable almost every way you turn! But which ones are worth a visit? This handy guide will help you decide which ones to add to your itinerary so that you don’t end your time in Burma totally pagoda-ed […]

Monks with friends

It’s A Monk’s Life

What is a Buddhist monk’s daily routine? What does their day look like? The answer is not that straightforward. There are as many different routines as there are temples! How the routine is set out not only varies from temple to temple, it also depends on every monk’s specific duties in the day-to-day running and […]

Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon

Shwedagon Pagoda Festival

In honour of the annual Shwedagon Pagoda Festival, we thought we would share a few of our favourite pictures of the shiny, shiny stupa – as well as a bit of its history and the festivities that take place each year. Located in Yangon (AKA Rangoon), the former capital of Burma, Shwedagon is the most […]