2019-10-01 Wanderlust

TRAVEL SECRETS

wanderlust.co.uk October 2019 59

hang-glidingandparagliding,Che
Guevara’schildhoodhome,and
aseriesofJesuitestanciasthat
dateback 400 years.

35

Explorehidden
nichesatthe
HsinbyumePagoda,Burma
Lyn Hughes, editor-in-
chief, Wanderlust
A lot of visitors to
Mandalay in Myanmar
(Burma) visit the well-known
temples, but the Hsinbyume
Pagoda on the western back of
the Irrawaddy is a real hidden
gem (it’s also called Mya Thein
Tan, which translates as 100,000
emeralds). To get there, either
take the daily morning ferry from
Mandalay to Mingun jetty, or join
a sightseeing river cruise. The
beautiful all-white temple has
seven terraces to explore, which
represent the mountains that rise

uptomythicalMountMeru.There

areevensecretstatuestospot

inhiddennichesdecoratingthe

wavesofthete l

36

Sho

craf

Hele

edito

Shop

in M

numerous Fair

and associatio

which are wor

Visiting them o

meeting locals

as buying bea

crafts or delici

food to beneŒi

community. A

projects to look

for include the

plus cooperativ

the Aït Bougue

produce traditi ;

Al Nour in Marrakesh, a professional

training centre for women with

disabilities, who create hand-

embroidered bed and bath

linens; and the Amal Women’s

Training Centre, also in Marrakesh,

where disadvantaged women

gain Œinancial and social security

through cooking.

The updated Rough Guide to

Morocco is out now.

38

See the lower with

the largest bloom in

theworldintheCameron

Highlands,Malaysia

Anthony Bennett, media

specialist, Wanderlust

A trek through the

Cameron Highlands

can bring many highlights, one of

which is Œinding the rare Ra– lesia,

a parasitic plant that has the

largest bloom in the world.

The current record is 107cm in

diameter and they can weigh up

to 10kg. It is rare due to the fact

they are collected illegally for use

in traditional medicines to treat

injuries and infertility. They also

only Œlower for 3™5 days, so you

have to be in the right place at

the right time to catch them in all

their glory. As well as the Ra– lesia,

there are incredible animals in the

Highlands; tigers and clouded

leopards have even been seen.

39

Go horseback riding

intheParicutín’s

lavaields,Mexico

Dan Stables,

author, Rough Guide

to Mexico

The hamlet of San Juan

Parangaricutiro in Michoacán was

almost entirely engulfed by a

cataclysmic volcanic eruption in

1943. Today, all that survives of the
      original village is the top half of the
      old church, its tower rising
      dramatically from the black,
      cracked lava Œields that form the
      slopes of the young volcano of
      Paricutín. Riding to the spectral
      church on horseback from the
      nearby village of Angahuan is an
      unforgettable experience.
      The updated RoughGuide to
      Mexico is out now.

37

Admire the

neo-classical in

Symi,Greece

Simon Reeve, author

and TV presenter

My travel secret is

the little Greek island

of Symi, o   Rhodes,

which has arguably

the most spectacular

harbour in the country,

entirely surrounded by

neo-classical houses.

Think Greece is all

package holidays?

Greece has the tenth

longest coastline of

any country on the

planet and there are

still plenty of areas

(and beaches) free of

other travellers. Some

of the best events in

Greece happen before

and after summer.

And areas of Greece

that you might think

you know already

during summer are

a completely di  erent

experience at other

times of year. During

spring, ­lowers and

greenery are abundant

and parts of Greece

are as lush as the

Tropics, while Greek

Easter can be an

amazing spectacle.

shootandscribble.com

Painting the temple red

Have these young monks

at Hsinyume Pagoda

found the statues