This white beach that stretch out into the Bay of Bengal might not has the high status as Ngwe Saung, also called Silver Beach, to the south or Ngapali further north. This is a holiday spot for the middle class, which turn the beach into a playground at sunset. But if you stroll a kilometre north, pass coconut palms and sandy outcrop, the beach will be pretty deserted. Only swaying palms, turquoise water, and a golden stupa will disturb you there.

The train ride from Pyin U Lwin to charming Hsipaw is considered one of the great train journeys by train buffs, not just in Myanmar but in the world. The line was constructed by the British in the beginning of nineteenth century and is cutting its way through jungle, crawling up steep hills and crossing the deep gorge of Gokteik on what was at that times an engineering masterpiece. It's an amazing journey and quite anxious experience to slowly crawl over the stick construction knowing that it's more than a hundred years old and probably have not received the best maintenance.

Inle Lake is a very pretty place and one of Myanmar major attractions. The mountain lake (880m) lies in the Shan state and is home for several unique things like the leg rowing fishermen, stilt villages with floating gardens, and the cat jumping monastery of Ngaphechaung. If you want to take in everything the lake has to offer it will be a long day including a bit of sightseeing along the shores, where the golden stupas stand and the non-floating markets are. A must see if you choose to go to Myanmar.

Just the bare existence of the theatre troupe The Moustache Brothers is a sensation. The tree brothers U Par Par Lay, U Lu Zaw, and Lu Maw make funny banana, slapstick comedy mixed with classic Burmese dance with a strong flavour of sarcastic government criticism. Several times they have been arrested and put in jail for many years, but somehow they manage every time to get back to their little show in their private home. These days the daily show is only for foreigners and an institution in Mandalay. Don't forget to buy the T-shirt, the money is well spent.

Myanmar is full of long lost places and the little mountain town of Pyin U Lwin is just such example. Located at about 1000m in the cool hills it makes a great getaway from the hot Mandalay in summertime. Sweater shops are the hot thing here and occupy some of the grand old colonial houses that stand along the main street. Tea houses are hidden in the side alleys along with the mosque, church, Buddhist monastery, and even a Chinese temple. Beside bike cycles, the primary transportation is horse wagons and the railway pass by here, making it a grateful stop on the way northeast.

This amazing gold covered stupa stands 98 meters high and has become the iconic national symbol of Myanmar. It enshrines, among other things, eight hairs of the Buddha, and contains more than 1100 diamonds, where the top one is of 76-carat, and more than 1300 other stones. So it's no surprise that this is the most sacred Buddhist site in the country. At the base there are many smaller stupas, temples, and statues and you can easily spend hours just watching the local pilgrims doing rituals like the symbolic broom sweeping.

The Hmwe Paya pagoda near the ancient cities (Amarapura, Inwa, and Sagaing) could be just one among many in temple-packed Myanmar if it wasn't for the unusual hosts. In 1974 three pythons zigzagged into the temple and curled up around the Buddha statue. Ever since they have been considered holy and are treated as sacred snakes with all that involves of bathing, feeding, and the occasional photo session with locals pilgrims. You hardly notice them when you first arrive to the temple, but after a while you figure out that the curled up things next to the statue are the snakes.

This temple site is one of the most magnificent on the globe. Build over a period of 230 years about 900 years ago the Bagan's kings managed to build as many as 4400 temples on the flat plain where the Irrawaddy River makes a bend. Today the temples show centuries of neglect and decline, which just add to the mystery of the place. All temples are different and many are open, so it's possible to explore the inside passageways with old Buddhist murals and huge Buddha statues. Do the sight seeing by horse cart and climb one of the less famous but tallish temples at dusk for the mandatory sunset viewing. It's one of those settings that give sunset viewing its reputation.