With its gilded pagodas, the gentle rush of the Irawaddy River, and an unmistakable air of optimism and energy, the new Burma is a tourist’s paradise in more ways than one. Take in the sights of pre-colonial Burma with its Buddhist temples but don’t forget to visit the unique churches and mosques or the sprawling urban markets of Yangon. Multicity tours allow travelers to witness the full breadth of this spectacular country, while multi-country tours with nearby Singapore, Thailand, or even India reveal the many faces of Southeast Asia.
Classical Movements has been organizing tours to Myanmar since 2012 when the United States reestablished top diplomatic relations with the Burmese government. Past clients have included Yale Institute of Sacred Music and the University of Michigan Men’s Glee Club.
Rudyard Kipling wrote nearly a century ago that Burma is “quite unlike any land you know about.” With the country’s many gilded pagodas, the gentle rush of the Irawaddy river and an unmistakable air of optimism and energy, his statement remains true today.
Bordering India, Bangladesh, China, Laos and Thailand, Burma (or Myanmar) is a land of natural and cultural diversity. Traveling southwards through the country, you will encounter mountains and cooler temperatures, central farming plains, lush forests and resort-like beaches. All throughout, you will experience a national culture that has been developing since 200 BC characterized most vividly by a special syncretism of Hindu, Buddhist and local animist traditions and evidenced by spectacular monasteries, religiously inspired dance theater and a shared reverence for Buddhist monks. That said, colonial influences have contributed strongly to the establishment of large Christian and Muslim minorities as well as a love of Western music.
