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Owner Augustine has been sourcing superior pieces for the city’s well-heeled expats and visitors for several decades. Come for intricately carved wooden and stone figurines, silverware, lacquerware and larger items of furniture.

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.

Popular with the expat crowd, Union Bar & Grill on Strand Road is where to go for a Western-style menu of charcoal-grilled steak, burgers, hot dogs, wood-fired pizzas, salads and other international-themed fare in hip, industrial-chic surroundings.

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.

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.

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.

Rangoon’s café culture actually revolves around tea. If you want to sample an authentic teahouse visited throughout the day by locals for a quick bite and some milky Burmese brew, this is the place. Waiters will bring you plates of sweet and savory foods when you sit, but don’t feel under any obligation to down them all—you are charged only for what you eat.

One of the most accessible destinations in Chin State, Mt Victoria (Nat Ma Taung) is also one of the most alluring spots in the country. The mountain itself is, at 3053metres, Myanmar’s second highest and it stands amid a beautiful national park that is a prime spot for birdwatching. Try to visit in November when rhododendron season is in full swing.

This is a market that runs five days a week and changes location or “floats” around the lake to different villages. It’s a big tourist attraction, but also provides access to a market for people who live around Inle Lake. Here you’ll find unusual spices, herbs, fish, fruits, and vegetables as well as local crafts, food stalls, and flowers. People come from all over Shan State to sell their goods and you’ll probably spot Pa’O women here. Pa’O people are recognized by their black dress and colorful turbans and come to the market to sell thenapet tree leaves, onions, garlic, and chili.

Rhiannon Taylor traveled on Abercrombie & Kent’s Myanmar & the Irrawaddy tour as part of AFAR’s partnership with the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA), whose members provide travelers with unparalleled access, insider knowledge, and peace-of-mind to destinations across the globe. For more on Rhiannon’s journey, visit the USTOA blog.

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.

Whilst silk weaving workshops can be found in most regions of Myanmar, lotus thread weaving can only be found on Inle Lake. This is a painstaking process whereby the root of the lotus plant is cut in to small pieces, then broken to expose the fibers of the plant. It is then rolled by hand in to a thread and the artist starts on the next piece. The thread is woven in to a thick, linen-like fabric and often gifted to monks. It is also sought out by luxury fashion brands such a Loro Piano.

Rhiannon Taylor traveled on Abercrombie & Kent’s Myanmar & the Irrawaddy tour as part of AFAR’s partnership with the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA), whose members provide travelers with unparalleled access, insider knowledge, and peace-of-mind to destinations across the globe. For more on Rhiannon’s journey, visit the USTOA blog.

Flowing from north to south, the Irrawaddy River is Myanmar’s largest and most important commercial river and empties out to the Andaman Sea. Used by the British Empire after it colonized Burma, the river has been essential for trade and travel since the 6th century. Today it is just as important, being used for transport of goods and irrigation to rice paddocks. One of the best ways to explore the Irrawaddy River is by a boat cruise such as Sanctuary Ananda, a small, luxury boat that can run a 3 day itinerary from Bagan to Mandalay, stopping along the way at small riverside villages. Whether it’s relaxing on the top deck, or sitting on your private balcony taking in the river life as you cruise past, it’s a unique part of Myanmar and a great way to see some untouched regions of the country.

Rhiannon Taylor traveled on Abercrombie & Kent’s Myanmar & the Irrawaddy tour as part of AFAR’s partnership with the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA), whose members provide travelers with unparalleled access, insider knowledge, and peace-of-mind to destinations across the globe. For more on Rhiannon’s journey, visit the USTOA blog.

For a truly spiritual experience it’s magical to visit Shwe Kyin Monastery in the evening after the sun has gone down to witness the monks chanting. One of the most peaceful and beautiful monasteries in Myanmar, Shwe Kyin’s evening prayers start with a gong followed by a procession of photogenic monks. You can stay as long or as short as you like, but be prepared to be totally captivated by the chanting.

Rhiannon Taylor traveled on Abercrombie & Kent’s Myanmar & the Irrawaddy tour as part of AFAR’s partnership with the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA), whose members provide travelers with unparalleled access, insider knowledge, and peace-of-mind to destinations across the globe. For more on Rhiannon’s journey, visit the USTOA blog.

Lacquerware has a very unique style in Myanmar and dates back to the 13th century. Bagan is the major center for lacquerware (President Barack Obama purchased some here during his visit to Myanmar) however it is found readily throughout the rest of the country at tourist shops and temples. Lacquer in Myanmar is called thitsi referring to the sap of the thitsi tree which is extracted and used for coating and varnishing pieces of furniture, crockery, and decorative pieces made from bamboo and wood. Items are often gilded in gold and depict images of the Buddha. Lacquerware is a staple in the homes of Myanmar for baskets, cups and bowls. It’s fascinating to visit the lacquer workshops in Bagan, where you can witness the process from shaving bamboo to making the lacquer mixture and artists decorating the pieces by hand.

Rhiannon Taylor traveled on Abercrombie & Kent’s Myanmar & the Irrawaddy tour as part of AFAR’s partnership with the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA), whose members provide travelers with unparalleled access, insider knowledge, and peace-of-mind to destinations across the globe. For more on Rhiannon’s journey, visit the USTOA blog.

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.