Ecotourism Site in Myanmar

Puta O | Mt. Victoria | Lampi Island | Mt. Khakaborazi | Mount Popa | Popa Mountain Park |
National Kandawgyi Garden | Shwesettaw Wildlife | Sein Ye Forest Camp |
Natamataung National park | Chin hills

Puta O

Puta O is the starting point for Myanmar’s most adventurous trekking adventures. Myanmar’s northern most own with views of the Khakaborazi 5889 meter peak — highest mountain. Overnight hiking trips to nearby villages and subtropical evergreen and rainforests offer visitors a very unique view of the northern from tier.

Mt. Victoria

Trekking to Mount Victoria, a well-known summit in Chin State of Myanmar is gaining favour among eco tourist. The 10,200-foot, Mount Victoria is snow free the year round. Apart from vigorous trekking, its flora and fauna hold a great attraction. The thick forests of Mt.Victoria used to be abundant in wild life-tigers, leopards, bears, and sambur and barking deer. It is great for bird watching and observing butterflies. In the houses among plantations, tattooed women in colourful national dress, doing household chores with smoking pipes in their mouth. Local youths in national dress welcomed and greeted the visitors in ceremonial fashion complete with bonfires and dances.

Lampi Island

Lampi, one of the islands of Myeik Archipelago is situated between latitudes 10°.41’ N to 10°.51’ N and longitudes 98°. 04’ to 98°.18’E.The length of the island is about 50 km and the average width about 11 km, with the land surface area around 205 km. The distance to Lampi by sea from Myeik is 145 km. Lampi Marine Park has great potential for both marine and land based ecotourism. The sea trip from Kawthaung, a frontier town opposite Thailand’s Ranoung through the beautiful islands of the Archipelago is of great interest. Great care is being to preserve one of the last untouched tropical under water paradises, which is attracting attention as the world class diving destination.

Myanmar’s richness of a diverse assortment of species and ecosystems constitute one of the biological reservoirs in Asia. Year round, snow-covered Hkakaborazi mountain (19296 ft) is the unique geophysical landmark in the Hindu – Kush –Himalayan region of Myanmar. Marine and terrestrial ecosystems containing mosaic coral reefs, mangrove forests and rain forests offer a degree of choice for the establishment of ecotourism sites. In these diversified ecosystems, with approximately 7000 plants, 1071 endemic species have been recorded. The presence of 1000 bird species (12% of world’s total), 300 mammals, 360 reptiles indicate the unparalleled richness of the biodiversity compared to any country with a landmass equivalent to Myanmar. Sixty-eight kinds of swallow- tail butterflies, representing 12% of the world total, make it the fifth richest country in the world. With environmentally benign forest development programs, Myanmar could avoid natural disaster by the application of healthy forest conservation measures.

Myanmar tourism development will be undertaken with environmental conscientiousness to avoid negative impact on the natural wilderness area of the parks and the culture of the local community.

Tourism in Myanmar had been established essentially on cultural, historical and religious attractions in the past. Promoting eco-tourism in the country hasn’t been long time ago. The Ministry of Forestry initiated in 1995 by declaring to open up 20 nature reserves and wildlife centuries for eco-tourism developments. Here are some sites of Ecotourism point.

Mt. Khakaborazi
NOT many people in the world know that Myanmar is blessed with an astounding variety of natural resources, ranging from pristine beaches, beautiful lakes and isolated islands, to thick forests, high mountains and a rich assortment of flora and fauna group. The region surrounding the town of Putao – located in northern Myanmar’s Kachin State – is an undeniable showcase of this diversity. Putao itself is flat and contains no big trees, but it is becoming increasingly famous as a jumping-off point for trekkers who want to explore the region’s deep forests and snow-capped mountains, including the 5889-metre-high Mount Khakaborazi, the highest in Southeast Asia.
Snow begins falling on the mountain peak by the end of October, but precipitation that falls at night or in the morning usually melts away by the afternoon. By mid-November temperatures have dropped enough that the snow stays around longer and begins blanketing Putao itself.

Mount Popa, known as Myanmar’s mount Olympus, is a forest clad landmark arising 5,000feet above sea level and is a place of special importance in both the country’s history and culture. The natural spring, flowers and wooded hill side greatly contrast to the highlands surrounding it and is therefore called the “Oasis of the dry zone.

Popa mountain (extinct volcano) park is located in Kyaukpadaung township of Mandalay division. It is only 67 km from 11th century Buddhist archaeological site of Bagan. The park covers 49.63 square miles area. It was established in 1989.

Access
Yangon via Pyay and Kyaukpadaung to Popa, 412 miles (659 km) by car. Yangon via Meikhtila and Kyaukpadaung to Popa, 400 miles (640 km) by car. Yangon via Nyaung U (near Bagan), 320 miles (512 km) by air and 37 miles (59 km) by car.

The National Kandawgyi Garden is area of over 340 acres which includes natural forests, lakes and recreational lawns plus alluring landscapes and scenic views. One can enjoy the beauty of fountains, cascades and seasonal flowers throughout the whole year.

Shwesettaw wildlife sanctuary is located in Minbu, Setote-taya, Saku and Ngapeh townships of Magwe division. It covers an area of 213.4 square miles, and was established in 1985.

Access
Yangon to Magwe, 331 miles (530 km) by car and Magwe to Minbu, 2 miles (3.2 km) by river-route and Minbu to Shwesettaw, 30 miles (48 km) by car.

Sein Ye forest camp is located in Oaktwin township of Bago division. This 102 acres camp was established in 1996.

Access
Yangon to Oaktwin, 166 miles (266 km) by car and Oaktwin to Sein-Ye camp, 20 miles (32 km) by car along Bago mountain crossing (forest road).

Natmataung National Park is a prime destination for bird watchers.
One of the best and most well known areas for taking bird watching tours in the country is Natmataung National Park, which is located in Chin State in northwestern Myanmar.
Spanning portions of three townships (Kanpetlet, Mindat and Matupi) in the Mindat District of southern Chin State, the park is exceptionally located at an average elevation of about 1200 metres on the far eastern end of the Himalayan mountain range, and accommodates many rare and interesting bird species.
The 3100-metre mountain is the highest soil mountain in Southeast Asia and the only peak in Myanmar higher than 3000 meters that is never covered with snow.

Other activity options include visiting Chin ethnic villages in the area, where tourists can observe local lifestyles and customs, including the tradition of tattooing women’s faces.
The 722-square-kilometre Natmataung National Park was established in 1997 with the aim of conserving highland biodiversity and preserving an important watershed for the country.

The Chin Hills are a range of hills in northwestern Myanmar that extend into India's Manipur state. They are also known as the Arakan Yoma range. The highest peak is Nat Ma Taung (Mount Victoria) which reaches 3,053 meters (10,018 feet). The range is part of the Chin Hills-Arakan Yoma montane forests ecoregion, with diverse forests that include pine and teak. The Chin Hills are populated by the Zo people.
Chin State is a hilly region. A trip from Bagan to Kanpatlet in Chin Hill is full of scenic beauty. Throughout the way, one can enjoy the beauties of nature and exotic orchids. The ascent of Mt. Victoria is mixed with excitement and pleasure. Among the ethnic tribes, ladies with tattoos on their faces are a unique sight of the Chin State. Those with unusual tastes should come to Chin State to get a memory for the life time.