The Burman ethnicity makes up 2/3 of the population and lives mostly in the cities & the surrounding rural areas. The other 1/3 is made up of non-Burman ethnic minorities who live in the ethnic homelands of Eastern Burma. The SPDC regime are Burmans, & their army subjects the minorities to forced labor & forced starvation, they rape the women, burn crops, villages, churches, clinics & schools. The regime also builds dams the ethnic homelands which displace thousands and inundates their fields.
While I enjoyed your movie, and I love Myanmar, I thought it a little ironic that you used that song at the end of the movie. For the vast majority of the people of Myanmar it's not such a beautiful world. Arbitrary executions, starvation, 70,000 child soldiers in the army, complete lack of political freedom, slave labor.
We flew Thai Airways, but Air Asia should be fine. We have flown Air Asia many times to other destinations. The song at the end is by Cold Play, I am pretty sure it is called beautiful world off the the Album Spies.
Thanks a lot for the great video. Wow, I find that people will drag their issues over anything - even of your video about you guys enjoying yourself with your own money.
Myanmar's a nice country - the politics is bad, yes, but the country is truely beautiful. Hope you enjoyed the country~
Were you worried about the government thugs each time you used the word "Myanmar" instead of Burma? I too have traveled to Burma, though it was through the back door along the Eastern border.
Perhaps it would have enhanced your visit to the luxurious areas you visited to have first seen the non-burman ethnicities living in virtual slavery, being raped, persecuted, tortured, and murdered by your hosts, the Burmese military junta, or hiding in the jungle dying of treatable diseases.
Myanmar is the official name of the country, no matter who named it that way.
And what's with the last comment? Just because there are bad things happening in Myanmar, no one can enjoy a vacation there? Your comment is just out of the topic here. It's like every time I saw the US flag, I thaught of slaughtered Afghans and Iraquis...
There's a lot more about your country than that, isn't there?
Your thoughtless statements and comparisons are typical of someone who has no idea of what they are talking about.
I suggest you use your internet service for something besides watching videos of vacationers enjoying their vacation in a country that denies their citizens freedom to elect their government, and those are the citizens of Burman ethnicity.
The non-Burmans are subject to slavery, torture, murder, rape, no schools, no clinics, no religious freedom.
If you think I don't know what I'm talking about say why or where I'm wrong. Otherwise, you are not saying anything! Abut the third paragraph of your bulky and empty comment, I know Burmese people are having a bad time, as I stated before...
The SPCD is probably the worst government in the whole World, but economic penalties imposed by nations, as well as individuals when avoiding these countries when travelling, are as absurd as sinking a whole ship to make the guy at the top mast come down.
That's smart. So the solution must be to put an economic embargo to the country, right? You American people really amaze me. To punish a government by cutting the income to their country is as stupid as sinking a ship to drown the guy who is at the top of a mast, because you don't like the way he treats the crew beneath.
Why don't you ask a real Burmese about her thaughts on your "economic embargos" and "responsible tourism"?
Do you people EVER read ANYTHING that did not come from the US?
"Why don't you ask a real Burmese about her thaughts on your "economic embargos" and "responsible tourism"?
Do you people EVER read ANYTHING that did not come from the US?"
As a matter of fact I spent five months along the Thai/Burma border working with the refugees and orphans of non-burman families who were either chased from their homes by the army, or fleeing slavery.
There are a half million displaced inside Burma, and another 150,000 in Thailand.
haniver, Without theses sanctions, junta would be richer for sure. With the sanctions, people do suffer but it i not the sanctions that make people suffer it is US and the West not doing more that makes the people of Burma suffer.
The institutions that manage a country can't be poor because they are the first priority when money is distributed. Its army can be economically weak (which I think is your actual concern). But no matter how weak it is, it will always have absolute repressing power, because it has the guns, as chep as you want them, and people don't. And when there's no money, they are the first to be affected.
I totally agree, however, to the other point: the West HAS to do something.
the main thing to know about Burma is it is full of resources. it's not like other countries. even if the junta dont get money from other sectors like tourism, they can sell Burma's numerous and priceless resources like teak, gas and jade. it is not a good mix when Burma is situated near countries like China and India who just think about money-making. if Burma is situated in the middle of Europe or American, the economic sanctions would have been much more effective.
Very nice how you sponsored the government with that very expensive boat trip. Did you stay in the government owned hotels too?
"We live in a beautiful world?" Sure, you took some snapshots and went home, but thanks to you, the people you took pictures from will live in slavery just a little while longer.
We stayed in local guesthouses the entire time. We traveled independently on local transport every other time except this one and ate locally. Mostly, Myanmar was a difficult travel. Yes we took the boat, but we were running out of time in the country because we had spent several days travelling on long bus journeys. We wanted to see Bagan and show the world this beautiful country.
Great! Sponsoring local people is a very good thing. After economical freedom comes intellectual freedom.
A shame the international community did not support them during the recent insurgency. A wasted opportunity! Especially now Birma's big friend China wants to organise Olympic Games without bad publicity.
I attended a talk about Burma at my uni where a respected Burmese activist gave a speech. When he was asked for his opinion on tourism in Burma he replied by partly agreeing with u. Simply ignoring a country doesn't really help. He went on to say that visitors to Burma shouldn't just justify there trip by claiming none of their money went to the junta. They'll siphon it off somehow.
Instead he recommended that a trip could be justified by contributing socially not just economically to the locals.He gave examples of teaching English at monasteries or taking several copies of G. Orwell 'Animal Farm'. I am not criticizing u , just trying to make a positive contribution for readers/future visitors to consider. Thanks for posting and giving us a chance to get a glimpse of Burma.
is insulting to ask when u know nuts about the place and u open ur big trap. singapore is is nothing but a small island with no history wat so ever. our history goes way back. do ur home work be4 u start talking about other history.
We didn't feel in danger at any time. The people were very friendly and welcoming. The Visa took lees than a week to get in Bangkok. Thanks for watching.
Régime autoritaire, l'État du Myanmar est dirigé par une dictature militaire depuis le coup d'État de septembre 1988. Le travail forcé est une pratique courante. Les organisations internationales des droits de l'homme classent la Birmanie parmi les mauvais élèves en matière de libertés publiques : la liberté de la presse et les droits de l'homme ne sont pas respectés, le pouvoir judiciaire n'est pas indépendant de l'exécutif et les partis d'opposition ne sont pas tolérés.
A lot of us would like to vist Burma but we wont go while the hideous military junta rules the land.One day we can all visit this lovely country which matches Thailand for it`s beauty.
We traveled independently. We stayed in local guesthouses and took local transit.I agree that one should never take a package tour to Burma. That only feeds the military.We had basic lodging and hired guides to take us through local entrances.The only time we took government transit was on the boat on the Irrawady because we ran out of time. I don't believe in ignoring an entire country.If the people see foreigners on their own, it gives hope.If we leave them alone they feel forgotten.
amazing video thank you so much for sharing, i'd like to ask if entrance to myanmar was easy or not, i hear the government restricts visas to tourist due to some conflicts, i'd like to visit myanmar and i was curious about this. Thank you for the great video
We found it very easy to enter. We got our visas at the Myanmar embassy in Bangkok. Now, we were there in 2004, I don't know if things have changed since then. If you go, don't change your money at the airport, they have much better rates on the street in Yangon. The people there are wonderful and the sights are incredible.
Great video, I have been to Thailand and Cambodia many times and the people of SEA are what make the trips so memorable. I know you had an incredible time. I am aching to go there myself
Nice video! I was in Myanmar once but never made it up to Bagan. Now I feel like I have a good sense of the place from your video---thanks! (Malaylaywith, actually I am Korean-American; I am you are enjoying life in South Korea!)
lol.. i was here last aug...great place tho! we bike around bagan
fallrouge 3 months ago
The Burman ethnicity makes up 2/3 of the population and lives mostly in the cities & the surrounding rural areas. The other 1/3 is made up of non-Burman ethnic minorities who live in the ethnic homelands of Eastern Burma. The SPDC regime are Burmans, & their army subjects the minorities to forced labor & forced starvation, they rape the women, burn crops, villages, churches, clinics & schools. The regime also builds dams the ethnic homelands which displace thousands and inundates their fields.
GmanMe 11 months ago
my country wasn't influenced by Chinese lol ,
nobreakpeter163978 1 year ago
Thank you for this amazing video and the explanation about the places.
nangamyatmon 1 year ago
AH I am so jealous of you guys!
MrVrceldesigns 1 year ago
Thanks for showing our beautiful country to the world with your great vids.
mreurovtec 1 year ago
Nice Narrative Clip!
Thanks for letting me visit that part of my beautiful country again :)
FireFlyInTheSkye 2 years ago
0:42 the city of Sagaing...not Mingun!
NMWMN 2 years ago
While I enjoyed your movie, and I love Myanmar, I thought it a little ironic that you used that song at the end of the movie. For the vast majority of the people of Myanmar it's not such a beautiful world. Arbitrary executions, starvation, 70,000 child soldiers in the army, complete lack of political freedom, slave labor.
Not so beautiful for them.
northmelbournemasiv 2 years ago 4
Many of the Buddah faces have been destroyed/defaced in the temples of Bagan, I don't know why, some sort of conflict at some point I guess?
MKUltraScientist 2 years ago
just returned from this wonderfull country....
we were at the same guesthouse...funny!!!
we got a take-away breakfast for the 4.00am.local bus to Inlee-lake.
a 15 hour bus-trip for some people a punnishment, but i enjoyed every minute of it!!!
sorting out the vids rightnow, to post at a later date.
cheers.....
smartmoron 2 years ago
That's fantastic. Looking forward to seeing your videos
wegobyebye 2 years ago
When the USA think about decrease the sanctions? When I was there, there was even opportunity to use crdit card.
These stupid sunctions are just make good for the goverment, and bad for the population.
ADWJ1358 2 years ago
I mean - there was not opportunity to use credit card.
ADWJ1358 2 years ago
This country with a lot of temples very beautiful but...a bad goverment....
campeonpp 3 years ago
really awesome video! god job! :)
Enyaa1993 3 years ago
Is flying in from Bangkok on Air Asia the best way to go?
Your video is absolutely stunning. What song did you ad towards the end? It's very fitting. Awesome. Thanks for making and posting it.
bixlerscott 3 years ago
We flew Thai Airways, but Air Asia should be fine. We have flown Air Asia many times to other destinations. The song at the end is by Cold Play, I am pretty sure it is called beautiful world off the the Album Spies.
wegobyebye 3 years ago
the song is calleed dont panic by cold play. btw nice video, i really want to see burma..
IHyRaXI 2 years ago
Thanks, you are right about the title of the song. Cheers.
wegobyebye 2 years ago
was there in jnauary and it looks exactly like the video.going back in january 2009.my favorite country
diomedelanteigne 3 years ago
Burma has the most Temple in the world.
peakarach 3 years ago
it doesn't look like that
now
trixypluto 3 years ago
Buddhism came to Burma from India.
rsridhar 3 years ago
Burma was the original Brahmadesh and Irrawady is the original Airawathy river.
Peace.
rsridhar 3 years ago
I want to visit there again!
trulywin 3 years ago
Thanks a lot for the great video. Wow, I find that people will drag their issues over anything - even of your video about you guys enjoying yourself with your own money.
Myanmar's a nice country - the politics is bad, yes, but the country is truely beautiful. Hope you enjoyed the country~
92257240 4 years ago
Were you worried about the government thugs each time you used the word "Myanmar" instead of Burma? I too have traveled to Burma, though it was through the back door along the Eastern border.
Perhaps it would have enhanced your visit to the luxurious areas you visited to have first seen the non-burman ethnicities living in virtual slavery, being raped, persecuted, tortured, and murdered by your hosts, the Burmese military junta, or hiding in the jungle dying of treatable diseases.
Very sad
GmanMe 4 years ago
Myanmar is the official name of the country, no matter who named it that way.
And what's with the last comment? Just because there are bad things happening in Myanmar, no one can enjoy a vacation there? Your comment is just out of the topic here. It's like every time I saw the US flag, I thaught of slaughtered Afghans and Iraquis...
There's a lot more about your country than that, isn't there?
haniver 4 years ago
Dear Haniver,
Your thoughtless statements and comparisons are typical of someone who has no idea of what they are talking about.
I suggest you use your internet service for something besides watching videos of vacationers enjoying their vacation in a country that denies their citizens freedom to elect their government, and those are the citizens of Burman ethnicity.
The non-Burmans are subject to slavery, torture, murder, rape, no schools, no clinics, no religious freedom.
GmanMe 4 years ago 2
If you think I don't know what I'm talking about say why or where I'm wrong. Otherwise, you are not saying anything! Abut the third paragraph of your bulky and empty comment, I know Burmese people are having a bad time, as I stated before...
The SPCD is probably the worst government in the whole World, but economic penalties imposed by nations, as well as individuals when avoiding these countries when travelling, are as absurd as sinking a whole ship to make the guy at the top mast come down.
haniver 4 years ago
@GmanMe What are the non-Burmans?
saigonpunkid 11 months ago
"We just felt like having a little luxury for a change" she says.
And the money goes right into the pockets of the junta thugs who run the country.
Sad.
drhowarddrfinedrhowa 4 years ago 4
That's smart. So the solution must be to put an economic embargo to the country, right? You American people really amaze me. To punish a government by cutting the income to their country is as stupid as sinking a ship to drown the guy who is at the top of a mast, because you don't like the way he treats the crew beneath.
Why don't you ask a real Burmese about her thaughts on your "economic embargos" and "responsible tourism"?
Do you people EVER read ANYTHING that did not come from the US?
haniver 4 years ago
"Why don't you ask a real Burmese about her thaughts on your "economic embargos" and "responsible tourism"?
Do you people EVER read ANYTHING that did not come from the US?"
As a matter of fact I spent five months along the Thai/Burma border working with the refugees and orphans of non-burman families who were either chased from their homes by the army, or fleeing slavery.
There are a half million displaced inside Burma, and another 150,000 in Thailand.
I WAS THERE!
GmanMe 4 years ago
haniver, Without theses sanctions, junta would be richer for sure. With the sanctions, people do suffer but it i not the sanctions that make people suffer it is US and the West not doing more that makes the people of Burma suffer.
mingalabaa 3 years ago
The institutions that manage a country can't be poor because they are the first priority when money is distributed. Its army can be economically weak (which I think is your actual concern). But no matter how weak it is, it will always have absolute repressing power, because it has the guns, as chep as you want them, and people don't. And when there's no money, they are the first to be affected.
I totally agree, however, to the other point: the West HAS to do something.
unscburma(dot)org
haniver 3 years ago
the main thing to know about Burma is it is full of resources. it's not like other countries. even if the junta dont get money from other sectors like tourism, they can sell Burma's numerous and priceless resources like teak, gas and jade. it is not a good mix when Burma is situated near countries like China and India who just think about money-making. if Burma is situated in the middle of Europe or American, the economic sanctions would have been much more effective.
pandora394 3 years ago
buon video.bagan è stupenda
leporetto 4 years ago
Very nice how you sponsored the government with that very expensive boat trip. Did you stay in the government owned hotels too?
"We live in a beautiful world?" Sure, you took some snapshots and went home, but thanks to you, the people you took pictures from will live in slavery just a little while longer.
Ever heard of the term "responsible tourism"?
nicolasmarinus 4 years ago 2
We stayed in local guesthouses the entire time. We traveled independently on local transport every other time except this one and ate locally. Mostly, Myanmar was a difficult travel. Yes we took the boat, but we were running out of time in the country because we had spent several days travelling on long bus journeys. We wanted to see Bagan and show the world this beautiful country.
wegobyebye 4 years ago
Great! Sponsoring local people is a very good thing. After economical freedom comes intellectual freedom.
A shame the international community did not support them during the recent insurgency. A wasted opportunity! Especially now Birma's big friend China wants to organise Olympic Games without bad publicity.
nicolasmarinus 4 years ago 2
I attended a talk about Burma at my uni where a respected Burmese activist gave a speech. When he was asked for his opinion on tourism in Burma he replied by partly agreeing with u. Simply ignoring a country doesn't really help. He went on to say that visitors to Burma shouldn't just justify there trip by claiming none of their money went to the junta. They'll siphon it off somehow.
taskerm 4 years ago
Instead he recommended that a trip could be justified by contributing socially not just economically to the locals.He gave examples of teaching English at monasteries or taking several copies of G. Orwell 'Animal Farm'. I am not criticizing u , just trying to make a positive contribution for readers/future visitors to consider. Thanks for posting and giving us a chance to get a glimpse of Burma.
taskerm 4 years ago
is insulting to ask when u know nuts about the place and u open ur big trap. singapore is is nothing but a small island with no history wat so ever. our history goes way back. do ur home work be4 u start talking about other history.
3y3candi 4 years ago
Got history no use, ur Ruin country!
ellacanon 4 years ago
Great video! Did you feel in danger at any time? How long did it take to get the Visa ?
fabzonline 4 years ago
We didn't feel in danger at any time. The people were very friendly and welcoming. The Visa took lees than a week to get in Bangkok. Thanks for watching.
wegobyebye 4 years ago
excellent video i wish one day to be able to visit this magic place.....
gceara 4 years ago
Régime autoritaire, l'État du Myanmar est dirigé par une dictature militaire depuis le coup d'État de septembre 1988. Le travail forcé est une pratique courante. Les organisations internationales des droits de l'homme classent la Birmanie parmi les mauvais élèves en matière de libertés publiques : la liberté de la presse et les droits de l'homme ne sont pas respectés, le pouvoir judiciaire n'est pas indépendant de l'exécutif et les partis d'opposition ne sont pas tolérés.
RENEDU2 4 years ago
A lot of us would like to vist Burma but we wont go while the hideous military junta rules the land.One day we can all visit this lovely country which matches Thailand for it`s beauty.
bazzatheblue 4 years ago 2
We traveled independently. We stayed in local guesthouses and took local transit.I agree that one should never take a package tour to Burma. That only feeds the military.We had basic lodging and hired guides to take us through local entrances.The only time we took government transit was on the boat on the Irrawady because we ran out of time. I don't believe in ignoring an entire country.If the people see foreigners on their own, it gives hope.If we leave them alone they feel forgotten.
wegobyebye 4 years ago
visit Burma today and meet the fine people
usgreen05 4 years ago
i love this country
illkeane 4 years ago
Oh but what about the boycott!
Just kidding! Nice video. Spent 4 days in Bagan. Loved the dark city nights, no power. Keep travelin'!
Craigbe 4 years ago
amazing video thank you so much for sharing, i'd like to ask if entrance to myanmar was easy or not, i hear the government restricts visas to tourist due to some conflicts, i'd like to visit myanmar and i was curious about this. Thank you for the great video
NapoLoso 4 years ago
We found it very easy to enter. We got our visas at the Myanmar embassy in Bangkok. Now, we were there in 2004, I don't know if things have changed since then. If you go, don't change your money at the airport, they have much better rates on the street in Yangon. The people there are wonderful and the sights are incredible.
wegobyebye 4 years ago
I've been there with my boyfriend. Brings back all the good memories! Want to go back there.
Arijdenotter 5 years ago
We do to. There is so much still to see and we would love to check more out. Thanks for watching.
wegobyebye 5 years ago
i miss my country :(
thukha911 5 years ago
Great video, I have been to Thailand and Cambodia many times and the people of SEA are what make the trips so memorable. I know you had an incredible time. I am aching to go there myself
medicalmission 5 years ago
yo have any of you guys been to taungyi?
iluvsilkroad 5 years ago
i have been there
hsmon06 5 years ago
Nice video! I was in Myanmar once but never made it up to Bagan. Now I feel like I have a good sense of the place from your video---thanks! (Malaylaywith, actually I am Korean-American; I am you are enjoying life in South Korea!)
precenter 5 years ago
Your video made me nostalgic.Thanks for sharing.
serettov 5 years ago
Great video - brought back some memories of a trip to Myanmar. Thanks for posting.
Strawsen 5 years ago
Thank you. Glad taht we could bring back some memories.
wegobyebye 5 years ago
Excellent. Wish you can make a second visit!
komg 5 years ago
We would love to go back to Myanmar. There is still so much to see..
wegobyebye 5 years ago
Thanks for making this video,I am myanmar People from korea
mandalaywith 5 years ago
Thanks for watching. We hope to make it to Korea one day as well.
wegobyebye 5 years ago
I am originally form Myanmar and now living in Staten Island, NY. Thanks for making this video.
digitaltommy 5 years ago
Thank you for watching. We really enjoyed Myanmare especially the people that we met.
wegobyebye 5 years ago