THANDEHOTEL, PAGANThis is a great value hotel and has an unrivalledlocation. We recommend the riverside rooms,which command good views across the IrrawaddyRiver. The hotel is set in well-tended groundswith a small pool that provides a welcome relieffrom the heat of the Pagan plains and breakfast isserved in the garden when the weather is fine.THIRIPYITSAYASANCTUARYRESORT, PAGANIf you are looking to treat yourself and stay in thebest rooms in Pagan, then we recommend theriver-view suites at the Thiripyitsaya. These eightsuites are located by the Irrawaddy and havefantastic views as well as top class facilities. Thespa has also developed a good reputation andafter a day exploring temples in the heat, there is nothing that can match a skilled reflexologytreatment or massage.Pagan (Bagan)Like the temples at Angkor in Cambodia orBorobodur in Indonesia, Pagan is unquestionablyone of the 'must sees' in Asia. There are over3,000 temples here, built between the 11th and13th centuries and covering an area of over 40square kilometres. Straddling the Irrawaddy River, the stupas and pagodas are an arresting,awe-inspiring sight: all that remains of an ancientcity where only the holy buildings, built of stoneand brick, remain. Our guides can give you ageneral overview or in-depth tours, depending on your level of interest. All tours in Pagan willinclude the impressive temples of Ananda andDhammayangyi, the largest temple Shwezigon and the tallest, Thatbyinnyu. Your guide will alsoensure that you are at one of the quieter temples to watch the sunset.74PaganBalloons over PaganThe authorities have built an unsightlyobservation tower to give views ofPagan's temples from the air, but a farbetter way to gain perspective on thisancient site is to take a flight in a hot-airballoon. Usually starting at dawn, balloonflights last around 45 minutes andprovide a spectacular vantage point from which to get an overview of thisremarkable panorama. The flights onlyoperate in the dry season betweenOctober and March. For those thatenjoy sightseeing from the air, there aresome longer, multi-day balloon safariswith set departure dates and these are a great way to combine Pindaya, InleLake and Pagan on a unique andmemorable voyage.Thande Hotel, PaganThiripyitsaya Sanctuary Resort, PaganDawn balloon flight over Pagan

Mount PopaAbout an hour away from Pagan, Mount Popa is a forest-clad landmark rising over 1,500 metresabove sea level, with a volcanic outcrop that isbelieved to be the home to 37 nats, the spirits ofBurma's animist faith. Pilgrims have been visitingthis shrine for over 700 years, climbing 777winding steps to pay their respects to carvedfigures of ancient gods. The area is often referredto as the oasis of the dry zone, and you will oftensee local farmers climbing palms and tapping offthe toddy juice to make sugar.PakokkuA tranquil journey along the Irrawaddy River fromPagan brings you to Pakokku. This is a convenientstopping point for journeys onto Monywa andoverland to Mandalay. The town is a busytobacco trading post and its surroundings offervisitors a unique glimpse into rural Burma. Thearea is also renowned for its jaggery (palm sugar)and checked woven blankets, both of which aresold by local vendors at the jetty, who waitpatiently for the next ferry to arrive. BeyondPakokku is the 19th century walled town ofPakhangyi, home to one of the oldest survivingwooden monasteries in Upper Burma.MonywaNot many visitors reach Monywa, situated on theeastern bank of the Chindwin River, but it is aninteresting town to explore and a useful stop ifmaking the journey overland between Mandalayand Pagan. The town is approximately 140kilometres to the west of Mandalay and is hometo some impressive temples and the sandstonecaves of Hpo Win Daung. There is a simple hotelin Monywa which has pleasant cottage stylerooms, each with their own veranda overlookingthe hotel's landscaped gardens.www.audleytravel.com/burma ?01993 838 105 ?Burma75Chin StateTravelling west from Pagan along rough and dusty roads brings you to the remote Chin State,a land of tradition, tribes and stunning vistas. Best undertaken during the dry season fromDecember to February when the roads arepassable, the journey takes you through amiscellany of landscapes, rising from a vastsavannah-type floodplain up into rolling hills andwild impressive forests. Traversing winding andmountainous roads by 4x4, you climb further into the Chin Hills to Mindat, a charming townimpressively perched on a hillside at an altitude of 1,500 metres. Accommodation here is limited to a family-runguesthouse and a small resort with basic facilities,but it is a fair compromise for the experiencesthat Chin State has to offer. Mindat is overlookedby Mount Victoria, some thirty miles away acrossa deep valley to the southwest, and is home tothe Chin Festival which takes place everyFebruary. Besides offering trekking andbirdwatching, Mindat is at the heart of Chinculture and offers scenic and varied hikes to thenearby ethnic tribes, where female elders still bear testament to the age-old custom of facial tattooing.Chin elder, MindatDrying corn near PakkokuMount PopaDriving between Monywa and PakkokuChildren in MonywaHpo Win Daung caves, Monywa