Hiking to the Yazakyi monastery in Myanmar

Hiking to the Yazakyi monastery in Myanmar

We hiked to the Yazakyi monastery above the Burmese village of Pindaya and found a picturesque settlement directly from the National Geographic website

During my last visit to London, I asked my niece to get a tens of my wallet for the pizza bar. (We have a family with eight siblings and 21 nieces and nephews, so ordering pizza requires a fundamental level of crowdfunding.)

She rummaged in my wallet, first pulled out a few US dollars, then my tattered admission ticket for Angkor Wat in Cambodia, then the business card of a tourism officer in Malawi. She smiled cheekily and said: "Ada Marayreh?".

The Bengal expression-which means "romping around" or "romping around"-is normally used by stems aunt-jis to scold young women for daring outside and being seen in "inappropriate" situations (e.g. going for a boy, a cinema, vacation).

This sentence came to my mind when I started a hike to the Yazakyi monastery in the remote hills of Myanmar. You can certainly call this galloping, I thought with a smile.

Alt = "Viewpoint on the hike to the Yazakyi monastery"Atlas & BootsViewpoint on the hike to the Yazakyi monastery

My nine -member group took a day break off the saddle on our bike tour through Myanmar. The program included a relatively light 10 km (6 miles) long hike 600 m (1,970 feet) above the city of Pindaya, followed by an overnight stay in the Yazakyi monastery.

We meandled ourselves past pretty viewpoints and stopped in a village nearby to enjoy a simple but rich homemade lunch with rice, egg and vegetables.

Alt = "lunch break on the way to the Yazakyi monastery"Atlas & BootsLunch break on the way to the Yazakyi monastery

After a brief exploration of the village, we continued to the Yazakyi monastery, where the charm of the hike really came into play. The tiny settlement, embedded between hills in lively orange and green, conveyed a real feeling of seclusion. Local Palaung children stormed out to play, and their relaxed curiosity was both sweet and amusing. Our leader Chit gave them a new football after an earlier visit, where he saw her with a empty games. Of course, they asked our group for a kickabout.

Soon we made our way to the monastery and pulled out our shoes and socks before we entered. The large rectangular room had a Buddhist shrine at one end and on the other a temporary changing room (a ceiling hung on a cord above a corner).

We got sleeping mats, pillows and blankets and spread them on the monastery floor. There was no flowing water, no western chest of drawers, no electricity and certainly no WiFi in the monastery, and when I looked at the long, dark night, it felt like a mixture of summer camp and secret guard.

The joint arrangements promoted a cozy camaraderie - initially a little stilted, but then loose and happy when we realized that there was nothing to do than talk.

Alt = "Overnight in the Yazakyi monastery"Atlas & BootsOvernight in the Yazakyi monastery

At 7 p.m. we were called to the lower floor of the monastery for dinner. Two round table tops were placed on the floor and we were sitting in the tailoring seat around them to share a delicious meal of rice, vegetables, fish and chicken, followed by round tea.

In view of the weak lighting, the cool night and the lack of alcohol, I expected the guests to eat and run, but we put down in the candlelight and exchanged regret and stories with the uninhibited knowledge that we had no memory or judgment beyond the length of our trip.

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We got full of tea on our way back up and slept in our simple accommodations. I fished out my earplugs and eye mask (always in my emergency freedom backpack) and dug my way deep into the ceiling to warm my cold feet.

I will not lie: It was a restless night in which people snow up, excited and went to the toilet, but when I warm up in the sun the next morning and got ready for breakfast, I felt a hard -capable calm. There were no cars, no phones and hardly any noises, except for laughter about our absurd situation: nine western tourists who sat on the floor in the remote hills of Myanmar and ate rice for breakfast. It was absurd and wonderful and happy.

When we upgraded ourselves and started hike back down, I smiled gently. Galivan indeed.

Yazakyi monastery: the essentials

What: Hiking to the Yazakyi monastery in Myanmar as part of a 13-day bike tour through Myanmar (Birma).

Where: The tour began in Yangon, the country's largest metropolis before led north to the Inle Lake, Pindaya and Mandalay, then to Central Myanmar with Mount Popa and the Irrawaddy River before it ended in Bagan.

The accommodation comprised 10 nights in comfortable tourist class hotels, one night in a guest house and one night in a monastery (classified as a host family).

When: The best time to travel for Myanmar is from October to March when the monsoon has subsided and the temperatures are pleasant. It gets very hot in the country from April to May. The central regions in which Bagan and Mandalay are located can reach temperatures of over 40 ° C - not ideal for cycling!

From May to September, the Southwest Monsun will lead to heavy rains. During this time, streets can become impassable, especially from July to September. The rains will decrease from October.

Like: We booked the 13-day Myanmar bike tour from G Adventures at a price from € 2,499 ($ ​​2,730) per person. The price includes all accommodations, 12 breakfasts, four lunches, dinner, bike rental (including helmets and water bottles), domestic flights, transport, a fantastic chief experience officer throughout the trip and additional helpers, including experienced tour guide, mechanic and driver. For more information or bookings, call 0344 272 2040 or visit gadventures.co.uk.

Note that the prices do not include international flights and there are no direct flights from the United Kingdom. However, several airlines offer one-stop flights from London Heathrow via Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or Bangkok. Book via skyscanner.net.

If you are considering a bike tour somewhere, read our five tips for cycling.

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Lonely Planet Myanmar is a comprehensive travel guide for Myanmar, ideal for those who want to explore the most important sights and take the less busy road.

Disclosure: We traveled to Myanmar with the support of G Adventures. All publications say that, but we really don't guarantee positive reporting. We say what we think - good and bad - so that you can make well -founded decisions with honest advice.

Mission statement: Atlas & Boots

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