Escape

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH Perched on the verdant slope of an extinct volcano, the luxurious Mount Popa Resort reigns over the Myingyan Plain, offering a stunning view of the gilded spires and pale green walls of the fairy-tale Popa Daung Kalat Temple complex below. A curious joint venture between the forestry department and a Singaporean lumber and construction firm, the eco-refuge nestles among the sandalwood saplings of a newly established forest conservation project.

Each chalet is surrounded by lavish gardens and has its own private veranda overlooking the mountain peak, the plains or the temple. Well-marked hiking trails lead up to the orchid-rich...