On my last few visits to Myanmar it has been clear to me that there is a renewed sense of optimism within the country. The photo below was catpured in Yangon and illustrates this beautifully. Just a year ago, such a scene would have been unthinkable.

I have been visiting Myanmar for the past 15 years, regardless of the political climate, traveling extensively in both urban and remote areas. I always objected to being lectured to by politicians as where I should not travel, always opting for personal experience and direct engagement with locals over taking the advice of sanctamonious wankers like Blair. If, as an individual, you were to make judgments as to where you should or should not travel based on government action, the USA and the UK would have been high on the list of places to avoid for decades.

During my recent visit to Myanmar I noticed a large increase in the number of tourists, particularly from Europe, and a tour operator I talked to said that next year they expected a leap in arrivals. Of course, this is all dependent on the continued thaw in relations with Europe and America. But I say visit regardless. The people are as warm and welcoming as you could ever wish to meet…and yes, they want you there.