stdClass Object ( [ID] => 30289 [post_author] => 50 [post_date] => 2013-06-13 10:59:34 [post_date_gmt] => 2013-06-13 10:59:34 [post_content] => YOU'VE probably read at least some recent reports concerning Burma/Myanmar and sectarian violence, tentative steps towards representative democracy and restrictions on the freedom of the press. Oh and there’s all that deforestation and rapid development that some of us have been harping on about. [caption id="attachment_30290" align="aligncenter" width="654" caption="Inle Lake. Pic: Terry Feuerborn (Flickr CC)"][/caption] Burma is nonetheless still relatively pristine when compared to most of the world. But although the government has been emphasizing the preservation of natural resources and may even stop timber exports next year, the proof will be in the proverbial pudding. At the moment Burma is still largely undeveloped. So undeveloped, in fact, that it cannot use its own gas and oil resources. For now, Burma is selling them to China and Thailand while depending largely on hydropower for its own electricity. The point with this is that it will change and when it does it could radically alter the country’s natural ecology. In the meantime the Burmese government is unveiling its tourism “master plan” with themes of sustainability and ecotourism as central tenants. The plan includes a new major airport near Yangon, road and rail upgrades, more cash machines (ATMs) and other infrastructure works. From the Myanmar Times:

Sustainability and social responsibility feature heavily in the scheme, which identifies the creation and coordination of regional and state tourism bodies as being paramount to ensuring flow-on benefits are distributed equally and usefully. The development of specialised tourism industries – with a particular focus on ecotourism – is all part of building Myanmar’s brand and asserting its position as a destination in the global market.

[caption id="attachment_30291" align="aligncenter" width="654" caption="Ngapali Beach. Pic: dominiqueb (Flickr CC)"][/caption] The plan seems to be more about selling green than being green, but I suppose it could be worse. And I can’t blame them for wanting to make it possible for visitors to actually get to the destinations in one piece and in a reasonable amount of time. Still, there is the sense that this rush towards development is not democratic, will not benefit the common Burmese citizen, and can even be a tool of brutal repression. Yay “democratic reforms!” From a Duke University environmental internship blog:

With such rapid change there will be associated environmental and social impacts. Inle Lake is covered in signs warning against environmentally destructive behaviors, but signage is cheap. Thirst for foreign investment is sidelining environmental concerns, and sometimes local populations as well. One woman I met talked about how Chinese investors bought a huge tract of land on a hill above Inle Lake. Local people were not properly paid for the land, or given any choice about the move. Some people are still protesting the development.

Still, there are positive signs, such as President U Thein Sein promising to free all prisoners of conscience. And although development is taking its toll on the environment, the money brought in by ecotourism could provide protections that are sorely lacking in Burma. For example, the Hukuang Valley Wildlife Sanctuary – the world’s largest tiger preserve – has not functioned as a preserve at all, but instead a free for all for gold miners, loggers and farmers. Enforcing it as a proper sanctuary could attract tourists and help preserve its wild inhabitants. Some other sites of interest in Burma:

• Bagan – Ancient capital and archeological site
• Ngapali Beach – Pristine white sand beaches, soon to be developed so see it before it gets a Hard Rock Cafe
• Inle – A mountain lake on the border with Laos and Thailand at 900 meters high; the region features cool weather and over 30 hill tribes
• Mergui Archipelago – For island hopping, diving and wildlife observation
• Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park – Part national park, part religious site with elephants rides as the only way in
• Hkakabo Razi National Park – Serious rough travel for mountain climbers in search of a bit of Himalayan action in Myanmar

So how would you feel about visiting this political/environmental hotspot for a bit of intrepid eco-tourism? Well… Ethical tourism company Responsible Travel lifted their boycott of Myanmar/Burma over two years ago after Aung San Suu Kyi’s NLD party cautiously welcomed responsible tourism in the country. That’s gotta mean something. [caption id="attachment_30292" align="aligncenter" width="654" caption="Bagan. Pic: Mindy McAdams (Flickr CC)"][/caption] [post_title] => See Burma’s pristine nature... while it’s still there [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => see-burmas-pristine-nature-while-its-still-there [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2013-06-13 10:59:34 [post_modified_gmt] => 2013-06-13 10:59:34 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => http://www.travelwireasia.com/?p=30289 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )