Home > TEFL & TESOL Infographics > Living and Teaching English in Myanmar - Habits, Customs & Curiosities

Living and Teaching English in Myanmar - Habits, Customs & Curiosities

Formerly known as Burma, Myanmar is one of the least visited countries in Southeast Asia making it an ideal destination for anyone who prefers to get off the region’s well-trodden backpacker trail.

Those who do visit will find plenty of great things to see and do, from exploring ancient temples and pagodas to relaxing on exotic palm-fringed beaches.

If this sounds like your kind of place, take a look at these guides to visiting this fascinating country.

They contain a wide range of useful information for planning your trip and for when you arrive on the ground.

Having been effectively off limits to foreign visitors for decades, Myanmar is now an up-and-coming destination for tourists and for those looking to teach EFL in a new and exciting location. As Myanmar is a conservative country that has only recently opened up to western visitors, you will also find a few tips on how to behave during your stay to avoid causing any offence.

This handy travel guide offers a range of tips, including vaccinations you should have before setting off and attractions to look out for on arrival. If you really want to make a good first impression you could even learn some basic Burmese language before you leave home.

As Myanmar is relatively unknown to the majority of people, it is likely that you are unfamiliar with most of these fascinating facts about the country and the many attractions it has to offer. If you visit the northern city of Mandalay you will find the Kuthodaw Pagoda which is home to the world’s largest book, while nearby you can also visit the world’s second largest ringing bell.

When in Yangon, the largest city in the country, the Shwedagon Pagoda is an absolute must-see as it is encrusted with gold plates and topped with thousands of precious stones including diamonds and rubies. Other fascinating sites to visit include the precarious Golden Rock, the stilted villages at Inle Lake and the thousands of temples and pagodas that are spread across the Bagan Plains.

If you find yourself living and working in Myanmar or are simply on a short visit, you will not want to miss the ancient city of Bagan. Today you will find over two thousand temples, pagodas and other buildings spread over a huge area on a scale that will take your breath away. The best advice is to get here as soon as possible so you can enjoy this magical site before it is discovered by the masses.

From the 9th to the 13th century, this huge city was the capital of the Pagan Kingdom which ruled over much of modern day Myanmar. The Bagan area is generally considered to be the equal of the much more widely known and heavily touristic site of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, however, a ticket to visit only costs US $10.

Visitors to Myanmar will find a range of fascinating attractions to enjoy, most of which will be free from the hordes of tourists that are the norm in many other parts of Southeast Asia. This guide provides a few tips on when to visit, plus a suggested itinerary for those with a limited timeframe.

Among the most popular attractions are a range of ancient temples and pagodas, the unique environment of Inle Lake, tropical beach resorts such as Ngapali Beach, and the cultural and religious center of the country, Mandalay. A few random facts are also offered including the fact that Myanmar is home to Kayan tribes whose women are famous for wearing brass rings around their necks so they appear to lengthen over time.