Marina’s Burma photos

Selection of Marina’s Burma photos, who travelled on our recent off the beaten track South Burma tour, ‘Lookin’ Lazy at the Sea. Thanks a lot for the great pics, Marina!

Taken, we believe, on the local boat between Moulmein, (Mawlamyine), and Bilu, (Ogre), Island.

One of the Mon girls making the traditional Burmese bamboo hats on Bilu Island. See our recent post on another of the Island’s cottage industries – rubber band manufacturing!

One of the hat-making women’s reaction upon being given a photo of herself taken on an earlier trip to Bilu.

Considered to be the world’s largest reclining Buddha statue this construction even encloses an 8 storey meditation centre in the statue’s head. A 2nd, mirror image, is currently under construction on the opposite hillside. Win Sein Taw Ya lies a few kilometres south of Moulmein Town in Mon State.

Our boat journey up the Salween River was punctuated by a stop at a tiny riverside Karen village with some particularly welcoming inhabitants. Some of the village women even put on a spontaneous traditional dance show for our benefit!

Flower seller, (you’d never have guessed), in Hpa-An market. Great little market for which the adjective ‘bustling seems to have been invented, with tons of weird and wonderful local products on show and yet more very friendly vendors and shoppers! In fact, the market visit was so popular we even went there two days in a row!

Picturesque landscapes around Hpa-An are spectacular with rugged limestone mountains interspersed by emerald paddy-fields.

Off to the beach at Ngwe Saung – ‘Silver Beach’ on the Bay of Bengal coast, for a few days chilling out.

Also provided a couple of days relaxation for our hardworking and excellent driver, David.

And finally, a group photo taken somewhere on the road between Hpa-An and Rangoon. Great bunch of fellow travellers, excellent guide, Po and driver David with co-pilot, Zaw.

Cheers for the photos Marina and glad you guys enjoyed the trip!