Pyin U Lwin’s National Kandawgyi Botanical Gardens look like an Impressionist painting come to life. Housing almost 500 species of flowers, shrubs and trees, the sea of soft grass is decorated with splashes of colour from carefully maintained flowerbeds. The hillside gardens were built in 1915 by the British, designed with winding footpaths shaded by majestic trees, large pools of calm water and an exquisite rose garden to remind the troops of home.

For those bearing the brunt of temple fatigue and Myanmar’s hot weather, the botanical gardens come as a breath of fresh air – both literal and metaphorical. Its location on a hillside means cooler temperatures and cleaner air, while the classic English landscapes modelled after the Kew Gardens aren’t just picturesque, they also help you regain your appetite for Burmese sights.