Formerly known as Burma, Myanmar is one of the poorest but at the same time one of the most captivating countries of Southeast Asia, and these two seemingly opposed attributes are in fact connected.
Traveling to Myanmar involves not only a journey into a different geographic region, but also an excursion into another time. How far back into the past one travels depends on the destinations chosen within the country. For instance, if you compare the Burmese capital Yangon to the Thai capital Bangkok, you may be taken back 30 or 40 years into the past. However, a visit to the country's hill tribes can equal a trip into the middle ages!
In the native tongue, Burma's name has always been Myanmar. In 1989, the Burmese military government issued a decree that the country be known by the name of Myanmar among the international community. But however you refer to this fascinating destination, you'll be treated to a step back in time and a treasure-trove of Burmese architecture.
