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I was nervous to head to Yangon, Myanmar this past winter for a week of solo travel. Once I arrived, I found an incredible city with even more fascinating and friendly people. Shut off from the rest of the world for quite some time, Burma is reawakening. There’s charm in everything - from the grand, gorgeous and crumbling architecture to the small moments ... like this rusted can of of milk serving as a peanut container.

Overview

A month in Myanmar gives you time to stretch things out a little—no small luxury in a giant country where infrastructure remains decidedly shaky. A few weeks allows you to explore big-hitters like Bagan, Mandalay, Yangon, and Inle Lake at leisure, while also allowing scope for lesser-visited gems. These include the temple complex at Mrauk U in Rakhine State, Nay Pyi Daw—the surreal, purpose-built capital—and Maw Lam Yine, the sleepy riverfront capital of Mon State.

Sunset from the plaza of the Schwedegon Pagoda, Rangoon, Burma.

The secret to having a good time in Bagan has nothing to do with getting there - all that takes is faith in a Burmese pilot and his ancient aircraft, or an unwavering belief that your 13-hour bus ride from Yangon will actually deliver you to the dusty plains before all your hair turns grey (update: travelers now have the options of new turboprop airplanes and the new highway means that drive time is now approximately seven hours). The secret is in finding a new way to look at the temples themselves, at just the right time of day, and in just the right light. I’ll never understand why most visitors cluster together to climb one pagoda when the plains are littered with thousands of others that afford anyone willing to visit a wholly new perspective on an oft-visited place. This is the way I look at every destination, whether new, old, untamed or untrammeled.

Stylish bags, housewares and souvenirs inspired by vintage Burmese photos and advertising pamphlets can be found in three outposts of this shop around the city, including in Bogyoke Market and on Shan Kone Street.

George Orwell and Pablo Neruda have both browsed the bookstalls run by the vendors of Pansodan Street. The uneven pavement in front of crumbling colonial-era buildings is lined with stall after stall of secondhand books, many in English, that arrive every morning; rummage for some well-thumbed literary gems and offbeat tomes.

Floating on a barge on Kandawgyi Lake, the shiny Karaweik Palace resembles its antique pagoda cousins—but it was actually constructed in the 1970s. Built to resemble the ceremonial barges used by Burmese kings, the palace now houses a restaurant and also stages regular cultural shows of dance, music and traditional puppetry.

Built on scrub ground amid rice paddies at great expense (some reports have it at around $4billion), Naypyidaw has been Myanmar’s seat of government since 2005. Despite all the investment, it is not what you would call an enthralling city. Nevertheless, the vast, empty highways, grandiose government buildings and sights such as a giant gilded pagoda and a zoo and safari park make it a worthwhile stop on the road from Yangon to Mandalay.

A traditional teahouse reimagined for a globe-trotting crowd, this airy space can be found up a flight of creaky stairs inside a colonial-era building. Black-and-white vintage films of the city flicker on one wall and there is an excellent version of the Burmese staple mohinga—a soupy stew of rice noodles and fish—as well as curries, salads, traditional tea, coffee, cocktails, wine and craft beers.

Dining venues that really scale the highest of international standards are few and far between in Yangon. One such options, however, is the long-standing Le Planteur. Set in a mansion with a lovely garden, the restaurant specialises in intricate fusion creations with dishes running the gamut from foie gras to prime rib.

Along with tea leaf salad, Shan noodles is one of the most ubiquitous (and delicious) dishes to be found in Myanmar. There are different versions, but common threads usually involve chicken, garlic, turmeric, tomatoes and fish sauce with Chinese greens to garnish. A popular venue for the dish in Yangon is 999 Shan Noodle Shop, which has the tourist stamp of approval.