The Road to Mandalay classic car rally has concluded its three-week run, and the participants appear to have loved it.

The event was the first of its kind in Myanmar – or Burma – which has only recently opened up to the outside world after many years of isolation.

Race reports tell of a mixture of racing and sightseeing; the latter component unsurprising given the wealth of spiritual and historic attractions in the country.

On one morning the organisers set up a hot air balloon flight, which floated over the Temple Zone – an area comprising 2,200 ruined pagodas (see picture).

But there was plenty of action on the road too.

Portugal’s Jose and Maria Romao de Sousa led the final stage in a 1968 Volvo 142S, followed by a 1971 BMW 2800 driven by Australians Roger Allen and Maggie Gray. Britons Richard Cunningham and Julian Hanson-Smith were in third with a 1933 Lagonda M45.

However a broken throttle linkage (and no car breakdown provider in sight) ended the Volvo's hopes just a mile from the finish, in what was a thrilling finish by all accounts.

The Road to Mandalay Rally brings together beautiful Burmese backdrops with some classic cars, but from the descriptions of the event it seems that it was the kindness and hospitality of the Burmese people that really made the race a success.

Beginning and ending in the capital Yangon (Rangoon), the rally looped around for 1,437 miles and took in Taungoo, Kalaw, Inle Lake, Mandalay, Maymo, Mount Popa and Pyay, among other towns.

More information on the rally can be found at: hhclassicrallies.com