Earlier this year, Mercedes-Benz brought The Peak to Semarang, Indonesia, to offer a taste of adventure and showcase the flexibility and performance of its premium SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicles).
Continuing the Hungry For Adventure theme, the German automaker once again invited The Peak for yet another unforgettable journey through ‘The Golden Land’ (thanks to the profusion of its glittering pagodas), Myanmar. This young, thriving and rapidly developing country served as the perfect backdrop for the latest tour, starring Mercedes-Benz’ premium SUVs from the sporty GLC Coupe to the luxurious GLS.
Our adventure was off to an early start with a pre-dawn flight from KLIA 2 to Yangon International Airport. No sooner had we dusted the cobwebs from our eyes were we shuttled to downtown Yangon, the largest and most populous city in Myanmar. The city has a long history stretching back to the early 11th century when it was founded as Dagon and was transformed into the commercial and political hub of British Burma in the 17th century. Home to some five million people, Yangon retains much of its British colonial past. In fact, the city’s skyline is characterised by its odd mix of colonial-era buildings, modern highrises and golden pagodas.
Speaking of which, our first stop was Bogyoke Market, a place that blends together old-style colonial architecture with Burmese culture. Located in the heart of Yangon, the 90-year-old building is a sprawling network of more than 2,000 shops that sell all manner of things, from Burmese handicrafts and souvenirs to the traditional longyi (a sarong-style garment worn by both men and women).
We were whisked away to the city’s Mercedes-Benz 3S Showroom for a welcome lunch and briefing before we finally hopped on a GLS 400 4Matic to the five-star Wyndham Grand Yangon hotel, our abode for the first day of the adventure.
As the 3.0 litre twin-turbo V6 engine roared, the ride proved to be exceptionally comfortable, thanks to its Airmatic air suspension, while we enjoyed the superior audio quality of the high-end Bang & Olufsen surround system.
Though Myanmar was a former British colony, where cars drive on the left side of the road, this changed suddenly in 1970 when then Prime Minister General Ne Win decided that Myanmar would switch to driving on the right side of the road. Some speculate that the impromptu decision was based on the advice of the general’s astrologer.
The next morning, we rose before the crack of dawn to catch the sunrise at the Shwedagon Pagoda. Situated on Singuttara Hill, the gilded golden stupa was built by the Mon people some 2,600 years ago. A major tourist site, with plenty of visitors from both far and near, the pagoda stands at an impressive 99m tall and utterly dominates the Yangon skyline.
Following that, we prepared to embark on a 170km journey from Yangon to Mon State, where Mercedes-Benz had prepared some activities for us.
We switched to a smaller but sportier-looking red-coloured GLC 200 that balances nicely between comfort and speed. While it is not as powerful as its higher-end siblings, the 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, paired with 9G-Tronic automatic transmission, handled with pleasing smoothness and proved excellent for cruising along stretches of the highway.
Arriving at Sane Let Tin Hotel & Natural Resort, our host had readied some activities to get our adrenaline pumping. These included zip-lining across the length of the resort while being suspended on a cable and cycling across an open lake while suspended on wires. Admittedly, the two activities were intimidating at first, with several members of the group backing out, but the thrill of running through the air immediately melts fear away.
After having our fill of thrilling rides, lunch was a welcome respite as it allowed us to cool off from the sweltering hot Myanmar weather. Soon after, we made our way to our next destination, the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda, more commonly known as the Golden Rock.
The holy site of Golden Rock with numerous pilgrims and tourists, visiting Kyaiktiyo Pagoda, located on the mountain top in Kyaiktiyo.
As powerful as the MercedesBenz G-Class SUVs are, the final stretch of journey up to the pagoda had to be completed by an exhilarating 30-minute truck ride up the hill. Situated at an elevation of 1,100m above sea level on top of the Kyaiktiyo hill, the golden rock is a granite boulder, covered with golden leaf, that sits perched on top of a rock and seems to defy gravity. Legend has it that a strand of the Buddha’s hair keeps the rock from rolling off the hill. We spent our time on the apex of the hill, enjoying the view while watching devotees paste gold leaves on the rock.
As the sun began to set, it was time to make our way back to our SUVs. We made the same thrilling ride back down the hill on the truck although the ride felt faster than the ascent with the forces of gravity assisting us.
By the time we started our engines and began the journey to the Thuwunna Bumi Mountain Resort, night had fallen. Nevertheless, we maintained perfect control of our ride, thanks to the GLC’s bright LED lights that illuminated the dark roads.
Our convoy finally arrived at our destination, a quaint little resort in the foothills, where we eagerly tucked in for a scrumptious barbeque dinner that nicely bookended our journey in Myanmar.
