Myanmar (Burma)

Yangon (pop. 4 million) is the former capital and largest city of Myanmar. Yangon (or Rangoon which translates to “End of Strife”) is off many people’s “places to go” lists due to the military junta’s oppression and ailing economy. Nonetheless, the city boasts having SE Asia’s most intact colonial architecture and hundreds of gold plated Buddhist stupas in every direction.

XTS Rating: 8.5- Yangon is one of the world’s best kept secrets. The architecture is as grand as they say since the buildings of downtown are all leftover from the city’s colonial past and there’s zero foreign influence; so you won't find the tacky Golden Arches anywhere. Walking down the streets of Yangon feels like you're in the early 20^th century. There’s also a strong Buddhist influence with a plethora of temples just about everywhere you go. All that plus the kindness of the people and very cheap prices make Yangon an awesome place.

Unfortunately, Myanmar is plagued by a notoriously corrupt, brutal and oppressive government; a factor that no one ever wants to see in a country. They also regularly restrict entry into the nation which can really put a damper on your travel plans.

Mandalay (pop. 1 million) is the former capital of the last sovereign Burmese nation and remained prominent under British rule. Today, it’s the country’s second most important city and second largest. Due to its past glory, Mandalay has many recognizable sights like Mandalay Palace, towering pagodas and numerous Buddhist monasteries, temples and stupas.

XTS Rating: 9- Mandalay is a hidden jewel that never blinks on the tourist radar. There’s no foreign influence and local culture flourishes. From the women’s traditional thanka face paint to the men’s longji dress, from the Muslim daily call of prayer to Buddhist monks in dark red robes strolling the streets, and from traditional markets to chaotic traffic jams, Mandalay always seems to keep your eyes wide open and senses ringing. There’s also some of the most spectacular clusters of gold plated Buddhist stupas on the outskirts of town, so rent a bicycle and definitely explore the suburbs.

We already know that Mandalay is awesome, but nightlife is nonexistent here and the rest of Myanmar in general. Plus the city is plagued by frequent powers outages, abject poverty, unsanitary everything and blinding dust storms. Despite its drawbacks, these “negative” characteristics is what makes Mandalay Mandalay; so don’t let them turn you off too bad.