Upriver is the cultural capital Mandalay, in the east stunning Inle Lake offers towns on stilts and floating island farms, and peerless beaches fringe the Bay of Bengal and countless Andaman Sea islands. Giant stupas sparkling in the sun have captivated newcomers for centuries. The mesmeric gilded domes of Sule and Shwedagon pagodas tower above the capital. Dawn and dusk walks, past hundreds of kneeling devotees as plumes of incense waft over their prayers, are unforgettable. Not much else has changed.
Wide streets curve around British colonial mansions.
Downtown is filled with Italianate architecture covered in tropical mold. Near Trader's Hotel, cinemas have been allowed to reopen, offering plush 1950s-style seating and the latest releases from Hollywood for the period price of 25 cents. Food and lodging are cheap. Try the Green Elephant toward the airport. 2001 Time Inc. All rights reserved.