Southeast Asia has just grown up a bit, at least from a traveler’s perspective, with Myanmar opening up its borders and relaxing government controls on things; you can even access Facebook without a proxy server now and Aung Suu Kyi is free once again, sitting in the Senate, and has actually encouraged tourists to come back and experience the country (something she once asked people to do). did not).
If you are someone who is inspired to travel for a love of both the ancient game of golf and variety, a golf vacation in Myanmar is 180 degrees and a million miles from the usual.
Golf culture was established in Myanmar during the British occupation and has continued ever since, like cricket in India. So while there are some old courses that were favorite gathering places for officials, nobles, and local political leaders, there are an increasing number of new courses that are popular destinations for people from the bottom up, and there is just enough reverence for the sport. . that even the smallest courses are held with due love and respect.
While Myanmar has not hosted any major championships and cannot boast the same number of courses designed by renowned architects as its neighbor Thailand, golf in Myanmar offers some of the most breathtaking settings to grace courses anywhere in the world. world; and since it’s just starting to open up, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to enjoy them without a crowd of other players getting in the way.
Another strong selling point for a golf vacation in Myanmar is that there’s enough culture and splendor that the vacation doesn’t have to rely solely on golf (making it easy to persuade your partner or family to go along with the idea). Golf clubs and resorts also offer many local spa and massage treatments that add incentive so that golfers and any fellow non-golfers can have as much to relax as they do to enjoy one of the world’s most exciting places.
The Bagan Golf Resort has an excellent spa, full menu with massages and all. They also have a great restaurant and a poolside bar for later in the evening. And after helping yourself to one of the transcendental massages or hot stones and riding on the clouds (at your own risk if you’re walking on the clouds after visiting the bar), you can borrow one of the bikes and ride around for see some of the sights and hit the town, take a walk (no. That is, of course, after you’ve enjoyed several of what will, at the very least, be some of the most visually stunning rounds of golf you’ve ever played) . .