Today involved a lot of driving, but it was worth every minute. The beauty of driving versus flying is obvious: you get to see the real Myanmar. We headed off from Nyaung Shwe, over the Shan Mountains to the hills east of Inle Lake.
The Kakku Pagoda site is believed to date back to the 3rd century BC and is one of Asia’s largest and most spectacular ancient monuments. There are 2,478 pagodas at present, but many were damaged by a tornado in 2016, so repair work is underway. Our guide, Robbin, explained that there were once more than 7,000 pagodas, but earthquakes and time have taken their toll on this magnificent site.
The Aythaya Winery was established in 1999 by a German expat. The area is perfect for grapes, and the white Sauvignon Blanc was exceptional.
The wine industry in Myanmar has nowhere to go but up. They have quality soil, temperature and elevation, so keep your eyes open for some good vintage wine coming out of this area in the future.
Aythaya Winery
