Officials and private tours operators have predicted that Myanmar is heading for another excellent tourist season, after achieving a record 22 per cent rise in the number of tourist arrivals during the 2003-2004 season over the previous year.

Myanmar’s 2832-kilometre-long coastline – from the mouth of the Naff River on the border with Bangladesh to the north, to the meeting point of the southern tip of Tanintharyi Division and Thailand to the south – offers an excellent variety of coral reefs and pelagic, or deep-water, areas for scuba diving.

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.

TREKKING in Myanmar’s mountainous Shan State entails an informal exchange of challenges and rewards. One minute you may find yourself struggling up a steep hill, thinking that maybe you should have taken an air-conditioned bus tour of the sights in Yangon instead. The next minute you are standing on top of the mountain enjoying an awe-inspiring vista across endless green hills or sharing a traditional meal with hospitable villagers.

Myanmar has long been promoted as a tourist destination for those interested in cultural, historical and religious attractions. But in the mid-1990s government decided to expand its focus by opening 15 new wildlife parks and sanctuaries to draw the increasing number of travellers interested in ecotourism.