Page 12 - The Rough Guide to Myanmar (Burma)

10 INTRODUCTION
BETEL JUICE
Spend much time in Myanmar and you won’t fail to
notice two curious features of the country: the wretched
state of many locals’ teeth, and the odd red blotches
peppering streets across the land. These are both related
to the chewing of betel (ku-nya), a popular pastime with
male and female, young and old. Betel is made using
areca nuts mixed together with tobacco and other
(optional) ingredients, folded up inside a leaf and pasted
together with slaked lime. Users experience a slight rush,
similar to that of coffee or a cigarette. Addiction can
develop quickly and repeated use can lead to oral cancer,
while permanently stained, vampire-like red teeth are
virtually guaranteed.
One or two parcels are unlikely to damage your
health, however, and some travellers are keen to see
what all the fuss is about; the tastiest is said to come
from the Kalaw area (see box, p.244). Parcels are sold in
packs from roadside stalls all over Myanmar, usually
costing just K100 or so. If you’re chewing, remember to
spit out the first few times your mouth fills with saliva,
since the slaked lime can (ultimately) destroy your liver.

Much of the country further north remains closed to foreigners. The easiest way to
strike into the heart of the region is to catch a slow boat up the Ayeyarwady north from
Mandalay to George Orwell’s erstwhile home at Katha and beyond to Bhamo – both
places where the lack of tourists makes it easy to get a sense of the traditional rhythms of
Burmese life. Further north still, there’s superb trekking and cycling around unspoiled
Indawgyi Lake, while within hailing distance of China the remote town of Myitkyina is
an offbeat melting pot of Kachin, Chinese and Indian cultures. Keep going until you
reach the topmost tip of the country and you’ll find the small town of Putao, which is
the starting point for tours and treks into a fascinating region of wildlife-rich subtropical
rainforest nestled in the shadow of vast, snowbound Himalayan peaks.

When to go

Myanmar boasts a tropical climate, with the year divided between the dry months from
November to April, and the rainy season from May to October. Temperatures remain
consistently warm year-round, rising noticeably from February onwards and reaching a peak
in April/May and the onset of the rains. The main tourist season runs from November to
February, when the country enjoys a winning combination of azure-blue skies and relatively
cool temperatures. November is a good month to visit – both temperatures and visitor
numbers are still quite low, and much of the country remains a lush green from the rains.
December and January see Western tour groups arriving en masse, with accommodation at
its most scarce; if Chinese New Year falls in January, things can get particularly busy with
domestic travellers and those from neighbouring countries added to the mix.

RIGHT RICE PADDIES NEAR KENGTUNG

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