Our full month in South East Asia ended on a great note. We spent the last couple of weeks exploring cities in Myanmar (Burma) and Vietnam. We covered so much between the two countries within about a week and a half. Highlights below:
Mandalay, Myanmar
– Plenty of Pagodas and Monasteries. Golden Teak Monastery – built entirely of Teak wood and one of the few remaining original wooden monastery’s that did not burn down during former wars. Also, the “World’s Largest Book” consisting of 729 stone tablets inscribed with Buddhist teachings.
– Sagaing Hill for panoramic views of the city and a visit to a convent for a beautiful blessing by Buddhist nuns.
– Boat ride while watching the sunset along the U Bein Bridge.
Bagan, Myanmar
– climbing Mount Popa and being very cautious around the surrounding monkeys (there were so many and those guys were mean!)
– *Major highlight* – our first hot air balloon ride! We watched the sunrise over the thousands of temples in Bagan. Beautiful. We opted for the 8 passenger balloon (instead of 16), which offered a more intimate experience and included a lovely champagne toast and breakfast post flight. This was truly an incredible experience.
Yangon, Myanmar
– Seeing Pope Francis – we happened to arrive at the Yangon airport just as the Pope was heading there for his flight out. Lucky timing.
– Visiting the massive Shwedegon Pagoda at sunset and experiencing a local “beer station”.
Hue and Hoi An, Vietnam
– Walking around the ancient Citadel in Hue which housed the royal family until the end of their reign.
– Stopping at Marble Mountain en route to Hoi An. This place was really cool as there were a number of caves and hidden temples throughout.
– Walking the beautiful lantern filled streets of Old City Hoi An.
– Sailing around the water coconut groves in a circular bamboo boat.
Hanoi, Vietnam
– Visiting the “Hanoi Hilton” prison where McCain stayed during his capture.
– Watching a traditional Vietnamese water puppet show – both comical and cute.
– Eating all the Bahn Mi and pho.
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
*Ha Long Bay was the perfect end to our tour of South East Asia. We did a lovely overnight cruise that sailed around the thousands of spectacular limestone islands. We visited a few caves, kayaked around a pearl farm, and Matt rolled his first spring roll during a cooking demonstration on board (he did ok).
Crazy to think that we have just one last stop before we head back to the states. Japan here we come!
-AM & Matt
For more pictures from our trip to Myanmar or Vietnam, check out the image gallery page or click on the links below: