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Largest city of Myanmar
Photo: via Wikimedia Commons, Attribution
Yangon (Burmese: ရန်ကုန်; Shan: တႃႈၵုင်ႈ), formerly known in English as Rangoon, is the largest city in Myanmar and was the capital of the country until it was replaced by Naypyidaw in 2005. Western governments and Aung San Suu Kyi's NLD party still use the old English name as a sign of non-recognition of the military government that changed the name. Today, with a population of over 5 million people, it remains the largest city and the economic hub of Myanmar.
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Guides, official and unofficial are available for US$5 (extra US$1/1,000 kyat tip). The quality is variable, but most guides are friendly and helpful. The pagoda is vast and complex and, if you can afford the extra cost, the company and practical information on what's going on around you are worth the expense.
The closest restaurant is at the intersection of the Shwedagon Pagoda Rd and U Hlaung Bo St (at the bottom of the south walkway). There are some tea shops on a small roadway that describes a semicircle just below the top of the pagoda where you can get tea and biscuits. North of the pagoda, on Inya Rd and outside the Savoy, are many places to eat, fincluding a good fast food restaurant for pizza, coffee and sandwiches. Bring water; the heat of the sun can get to you if you visit during the daytime. No food or bottled water is available on the platform itself, but water is available from one of the many water dispenser. It's clean, cool and free.
A road on the south side leads halfway up the Singuttara Hill and an elevator can take you the rest of the way. Alternatively, if not in a wheelchair, head for the Western entrance from where escalators are available all the way to the top. The escalators are free for foreigners (or rather, included in the price of the ticket).
Dress reasonably and keep your legs covered (long skirts, halfway between knee and ankle, are fine; shorts, on men or women, are not). Longyi are available at the ticket booth if you arrive overly uncovered.
As with all Buddhist monuments in Myanmar, footwear is not permitted; socks also must be taken off here. All visitors are required to remove their footwear at the gates before setting foot inside the complex. There are places to leave your shoes at the bottom of every walkway for a nominal fee (5 kyat) but that can be a problem if, say, you enter using the east walkway and wish to leave by the north. Carry a plastic shopping bag, pop your shoes into that bag, and carry it around with you while on the walkways and platforms. A minor scam are people handing out plastic bags just outside the complex, if you accept you will then be asked to pay at least US$1: just ignore them and leave your shoes & socks at the official places. If you can, visit during the early morning or in the late afternoon and evening so the white marble tiles do not burn your feet.
The pagoda is shaped similar to a Greek cross. There are four entrances at each of the four cardinal directions flanked by gargantuan sculptures of mythical Burmese lions. These entrances open up to the four walkways as the appendages of the cross ascending to the top via flights of steps. At the top is the octagonal intersection of the cross which consists of the stupa at the very centre itself surrounded by shrines that can qualify as temples by themselves and separated from the Stupa by a vast open walkway paved with spic and span shiny marble tiles. The stupa is further surrounded by a string of micro shrines: small celled structures housing the icon of the Buddha himself and interspersed by lion sculptures, and then further inwards, another string of micro stupas surround the stupa superstructure.
Four covered walkways lead up to the pagoda from the plains surrounding the hills. The east walkway is the most interesting, crowded as it is with vendors selling items for pilgrims (candles, flowers, gold leaf, stones and other paraphernalia of Burmese Buddhist worship) and souvenirs for tourists (Buddhas, lacquer ware and thanaka). The other walkways are less interesting but the west walkway has escalators and the southern has an elevator. Walking up the Eastern walkway to the top and allowing the beauty of the pagoda it to emerge remains the best way to get up the hill.
The entrances are striking: there is a pair of mythical and stylized stone lions guarding the doorway framing the grand staircase as if this scene is coming out from a biblical film set. To view clearly these mythical lions, one simply has to examine the Myanmar currency notes where it is featured practically in all denominations. The Great Stupa is visible at dark, multicoloured neon lightings highlight its profile
Another attraction of this temple in general and the walkways in particular are the 3D murals of the Jataka tales in Myanmarese interpretation showing distinctive Myanmar landscape, temple and toddy palm dotted countryside, country life, architecture, palace and court scenery and pageantry, temple scenes, period costumes, mythological nagas and nats, elephants, lions and dragons. These 3D murals flank the upper part of the walls of all the four entrances.
Although similar in concept to Mecca's kaaba, surrounded by a vast space, the pagoda platform where people may make rounds of the stupa, is a religious space without pomp and circumstance and is one of the best places in the world to sit and people watch. Find a comfortable step, or sit on the floor, and look around. Children run up and down, perhaps singing and shouting with abandon. Women cluster in groups gossiping. Couples, young and old stroll up and down. Burgundy robed monks are everywhere. Here and there, at the many shrines that dot the platform and sit around the stupa, people pray, seriously and silently. Bells ring. There is no awe here, only life, religious and secular life. Sit there long enough and someone will stop to chat with you, to ask questions, to exchange information.
There are eight shrines, one for each day of the week (in the Burmese calendar, Wednesday is divided into two parts), dotted around the eight corners of the stupa (the stupa is octagonal), and most Burmese pray at their day shrine when visiting a pagoda. If you can figure out the day of the week when you were born, light a candle, place some flowers, or pour water over the shrine corresponding to that day. Starting from the south entrance, and going clockwise, the eight planetary posts are: Mercury (Wednesday morning, before noon), Saturn (Saturday), Jupiter (Thursday), Rahu (no planet, Wednesday afternoon), Venus (Friday), Sun (Sunday), Moon (Monday), Mars (Tuesday). Each shrine also has a beast associated with it, the most interesting one being the Gahlon, a mythical half-bird half-beast said to guard Mount Meru (the shrine for Sunday).
The statue of Wa Thon Da Ray, the guardian angel of the earth, is to the left of the south walkway. Wa Thon Da Ray is said to have saved the Buddha from burning by wrapping her wet hair around the earth. The long tresses are clearly visible in the stone statue that stands in her honour.
A little before the west walkway, was a gift of the Rakhaing people of Arakan. The prayer hall itself is ordinary, but the wood carvings on the roof are exquisite, probably the finest in the pagoda complex.
Known locally as the Singu Min Bell (after King Singu, who donated it to Shwedagon), the Maha Ganda bell was cast between 1775 and 1779 and weighs 23 tonnes. Impressed by the size of the bell, the British attempted to take it as war booty after the First Burmese War (1825), but dropped it into the Yangon River instead. The story goes that the British tried everything to get the bell out of the water, but all their technology was of no avail. Giving up, they told the Burmese that they could have it back if they could get it out of the water. The Burmese, with some bamboo rafts, managed to retrieve the bell and it was returned to the pagoda. Pick up a mallet and bang on the bell for luck. Behind the bell, a small pavilion provides excellent views of the stupa (spectacular at night) and a panoramic view of the city.
Left of the north walkway, the Naungdawgyi or Elder pagoda is supposed to mark the spot where the sacred strands of the Buddha's hair were placed and washed before being enshrined in the stupa. Women are not allowed onto the Elder pagoda platform. Close by is the Sandawdwin Tazaung (Hair Relics Well) which provided the water for the washing. The well is odd because it is fed by the Irrawaddy rather than by ground water and the level of water in this well rises and falls with the tides.
A 1485 tablet that relates the story of the Shwedagon in Pali, Mon, and Burmese. One of the few verifiably antique objects in the pagoda complex.
The original pagoda was destroyed by allied bombing during the Second World War but the site has a legendary history as long as that of the Shwedagon or the Sule Paya, and it is supposed to house more strands of the Buddha's hair brought to the site by a thousand soldiers (hence the name which means "1,000 officers"). The rebuilt stupa is hollow inside, and many relics (though not the hair) are on display. While not spectacular like the Shwedagon, the river-front setting and the hollow stupa make it worth visiting. Entrance fee: 6,000 kyat
Reclining Buddha
A temple that is home to an impressive reclining Buddha that is 65 m long and 6 storeys high.
The Anglican cathedral built by the British. It is one of two cathedrals in Yangon, and has a beautiful interior.
A large expanse of land on which larger-than-life, colourful statues depicting Buddha's lives are located. Mailamu Paya also showcases a pavilion on a man-made lake, and several chedis.
Marmed Jahn Sunni Jamah Mosque
The only synagogue in Yangon. It is a colonial relic, built in 1893. Its interior is beautifully maintained.
The cathedral's exterior is newly renovated, but it's still an ugly eyesore outside, but the superior Myanmarese dexterity of carving is shown in the interior's 14 Stations of the Cross. Images literally pop out of the screen in 3D fashion.
Sule Pagoda
Incongruously serving as a traffic island in the middle of the busiest intersection in central Yangon, Sule Paya is a 46 m octagonal-shaped stupa that, according to the local story, was built 2,000 years ago to house a strand of the Buddha's hair. Whether or not it has a strand of the Buddha's hair, the galleries of the pagoda are an oasis of calm from the chaotic traffic that passes around it all day long. Shoes can be left at counters at any entrance, but carry a plastic bag.
ငါးထပ်ကြီးဘုရား
Features 46 ft tall seated Buddha.
The largest lake in the city. Some parts of Inya Lake's shoreline are accessible on foot, and are known for their gardens. Along Inya Lake's shore is the famous Inya Lake Hotel, now owned by Dusit and Yangon University (in a beautiful park-like setting). Surrounding the lake are villas owned by military leaders.
Formerly Victoria Lakes
A renovated park that makes for a nice stroll. Lots of small restaurants, food stalls and a playgarden inside. The lake is best known for its karaweik (at its southeastern tip), a replica of a traditional Burmese royal boat. There is also a board walk around the south edge of the lake, affording a better view than that from the gardens. At its northwestern tip is Bogyoke Aung San Park, which is on Natmauk Rd. Main entrance is from the southeast corner. Foreigners pay 300 kyat, and there's a sign indicating there's also a 500 kyat camera charge and a 1,000 kyat video camera fee, but those don't seem to be enforced. Not all parts of the park are accessible from the southeast entrance, so you might have to walk around a bit on the street as well to see the park completely.
This is a peninsula that provides good views around the lake and is the access to the Karaweik. There are restaurants (some cheap, some expensive) dotted around the lakefront and an amphitheatre that often has free concerts. Very popular with locals on Friday and Saturday nights.
Known for its rose gardens. Inside the park is the Independence Monument, built to signify Myanmar's independence. The park offers a great view of the City Hall and colonial buildings.
A memorial built to honour Aung San and six cabinet members who were assassinated. The mausoleum is on a hill, and is adjacent to Shwedagon Paya. It offers a beautiful panoramic view of Yangon.
Occupies 130 acres, between parliament and Shwedagon Paya and known for its large concrete water fountain. Inside the park is a museum. There are a lot of decrepit statues and relics (like ships and aircraft) as well as sterile squares in the Stalinist model, all of which gives an interesting insight to the government. Entrance fee for foreigners.
Opened by the British in 1906. There are 145 species of 1203 land animals. During public holidays, the Elephant Circus is performed for attractions.
The house is guarded by a high wall, and visitors are not allowed to enter. The most you can hope to do is to take a picture of the gate. Approximate taxi fares from the city is 3,000 kyat.
This is the house where Aung San lived with his wife and three children until his assassination. The house is still in original condition and houses a museum with many interesting items on display, e.g., Aung San's car, his library and his suits. Outside is the pond where his son, Aung San Lin, drowned. The accident was one of the reasons why the family moved.
The grave of the last of the Mughal emperors in India, as well as the last ruler of the Timurid Dynasty. After the Indian rebellion of 1857, he was exiled to Rangoon together with his wife, Zeenat Mahal, and some of the remaining members of the family. Bahadur Shah died in Nov 1862. Today you can see his tomb, and if you are lucky, a guide may be there to give you a lot of information about this Sufi saint. There is no entrance fee, but you can give donations to local Sufis.
Home to the descendants of migrants who came from China and India during the colonial era. You can still see reminders of that heritage, with Chinese clan temples, as well as Hindu temples, still to be found in these districts, as well as ethnic food.
The seat of the city's administrative body, Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC). Construction began in 1926 and ended in 1936. The city hall has been the focal point of major political demonstrations and the site of several bombings, including one in 2000, 2008 and 2009.
A huge four-story building dedicated to fighting narcotics (mainly opium), displaying the effects of drug use and efforts to find alternative crops. The exhibits are quite outdated and dusty. The main reason for a foreigner to visit is to experience a bizarre remnant of the previous regime. Be prepared that you may be the only visitor at the museum, but there is plenty of staff. Camera fee for foreigners US$5.
Until 2006, the Supreme Court of Myanmar was located at this complex. The building is listed on the Yangon City Heritage List.
Contains the tombs of Queen Suphayalat, wife of Burma’s last king; nationalist and writer Thakin Kodaw Hmaing; former UN Secretary-General U Thant; and Aung San Suu Kyi’s mother, Khin Kyi. In 1983, the structure was bombed by North Korean agents attempting to assassinate the visiting South Korean president, Chun Doo-hwan. He escaped, but 21 others were killed. The structure was completely rebuilt, and is now much less grand than the original.
The Secretariat
It was the home and administrative seat of British Burma. In February 2012, 7 local companies and 3 foreign companies submitted a proposal to the Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) to convert the Ministers' Building into a hotel and museum.
Displays many Burmese historical artifacts, including regalia of the last Konbaung Dynasty. This museum has one of the better quality collections in South East Asia, containing the best of Burma's artistic heritage and superior craftsmanship. The architecture of the museum is a pathetic and crude interpretation of modern architecture. The exhibitions have been improved during 2016 and most exhibits have signs in both Burmese and English. Some rooms are dimly lit. Photography is prohibited. Do not buy books in the museum shop. Buy them at Innwa Bookstore with its varied selections, and other stores along Pansodan Rd. A book that costs US$38 in the museum costs only US$22 at Innwa.
The oldest and most famous hotel in Myanmar, built by the Sarkies brothers in 1901 (who also built Penang's E&O and Singapore's Raffles). It is a national landmark and was renovated in the 1990s after years of neglect.
Congress Building
To Dallah, a small village across the river from Yangon, an interesting ferry ride. The ride is brief, but filled with all the craziness of a Burmese ferry: you can buy freshly sliced watermelon, cheroots, cigarettes, tea, all kinds of interesting-looking food, various knick-knacks from the many vendors who pack the ferry. The ferry ride seems more like a floating market than a means of transportation. Combine the ride with a trip to Twante for a half- or full-day trip. There is a pagoda at Dallah worth a visit, but otherwise the village is not really a destination.
A sportfield.
The cooking demonstration takes place upstairs in the hotel's Mindon Lounge where you will learn to prepare a traditional Burmese salad.
Thuwunna Indoor Stadium
လှော်ကားအမျိုးသားဥယျာဉ်
Big wildlife area along with mini zoo and elephant and safari rides.
Tiny snack joint with very good noodle dishes. The staff will play harmless entertaining tricks on your table such as flipping the pepper bottle if you look friendly.
A lively restaurant specializing in Shan cuisine. The price is hard to beat and the waitresses are friendly.
A wide variety of Burmese curry dishes displayed in the back. Salads and fries.
Offers Indian food at very reasonable prices and free top-ups on the veg thali.
Established in 1947, offers a dish of halal Burmese-accented biryani.
Shwe Ba Restaurant
This is just a simple restaurant, but a good one for those on a budget. They specialise in Bamar (Burmese) curries, so this is a good opportunity to eat like the locals. You can just point at the curry you want and take a seat on one of the chairs. It is difficult to find, so ask the locals for directions. It is well-known among locals, because the famous actor Shwe Ba used to have his house in the area, and the restaurant is sometimes named after him.
Better and cheaper than Golden City. Small Indian place, well known to the locals and tourists. Great taste and value.
A venerable, old Biryani restaurant serving chicken, mutton and vegetable biryani. Fast, delicious and cheap.
Ice cream and dessert shop known for its faluda a dessert of rose syrup, sweet basil, string of jelly, pure milk, ice-cream and warm custard.
Vegetarian restaurant. Run by a delightful old couple and serving both vegetable and mock meat dishes. A few doors north on the same block is another veggie restaurant marked only by Chinese characters.
A well-established restaurant that is known for its kyae-oh, a Chinese type of noodle soup. With white noodles, minced pork, pig body parts such as pork brains, fresh water cress, it is then mixed with spicy red sauce in the bowl and eaten with a porcelain spoon.
This road becomes busy between 18:00-19:00 when plenty of food stalls open. Choose your fish, meat or veggies to be barbecued on the spot.
The only stand-alone Western-style cafe, restaurant and bar in Yangon. Amazing architecture and ambiance. Free Wi-Fi, multiple sport TVs, pool table, and dart board.
A buffet restaurant inside the Karaweik, offers a wide selection of Asian dishes, and a 1-hr cultural show from 19:30 to 20:30. Costs 15,000 kyat/person.
The best Thai restaurant in town. Expect to pay about 7,000 kyat/person for drinks, soup, starter, and main. Most main dishes are around 4,000 kyat. This clean and atmospheric place is a favourite among expats and business people. Closed between lunch and dinner time (15:00-17:00). Closes at 21:00. Most taxi drivers know of the place. It's in an area with plenty of other mid-range restaurants.
Burmese, Lao, and Thai cuisine. Restaurant and bar. Great ambiance and comfortable air conditioned surroundings with free Wi-Fi.
A fine Italian restaurant in Yangon.
One of the best restaurants of Myanmar. It specialises in fine French cuisine with an Asian touch. The location of the restaurant (a former Australian Embassy) is spectacular and the service is impeccable.
A fine dining restaurant.
Yangon's luxury colonial hotel, founded by the legendary Sarkies brothers in 1901, who also founded Penang's Eastern and Oriental Hotel and Singapore's Raffles Hotel. An interesting experience is to have an elegant high tea. Served in the restaurant of one of the classic examples of the colonial hotel in SE Asia. One can choose from either Burmese or English afternoon tea. The English variety includes delicate sandwiches, scones, tiny cakes, and tarts, while the Burmese afternoon tea has small spring rolls and samosas, and traditional Burmese sweets.
One of the first bars in the city and still popular.
Clean rooms with air-con, free Wi-Fi, hot water and electricity available 24 hr. Helpful staff can arrange onward transport and hotel bookings. Free airport pickup is available with bookings of 2 nights or more (arrange by phone or e-mail in advance.)
Friendly and helpful staff in a central location. They have a range of rooms: non-air-con, air-con with TV, air-con with TV & window. Breakfast included.
Small rooms in dingy surroundings, but with a great location and a great price. Worth it if your budget is tight and you're not fussy about decor. Breakfast is included but is very basic: four slices of bread, no toast, butter and jam, tea or coffee.
10 bed dorm. with free breakfast.
The place is not beautiful, but the staff are very friendly. Acceptable for a cheap stay providing you are not a diva and can handle some shabby walls.
Good central location. Dated rooms but clean bathrooms. The owner is a bit wacky but her daughter is full of useful information. No breakfast.
Prices have gone up significantly. Expensive for a guesthouse but still a popular backpacker's place with private and shared baths, and on-site restaurant. They offer free pickup and drop-off from the airport with an early morning breakfast. A long walk or short taxi journey from the city centre. Otherwise the rooms start from US$27 single (fan, shared bath). Seems past its prime, and the low ceiling rooms are sometimes without windows. Internet is 1,000 kyat/hr. A cheaper option is the Internet cafe opposite.
All rooms have baths, air conditioning, and hot water. 15 minute walk to the city centre.
Set on the busy intersection of Anawratha Rd and Shwe Bontha St, a few minutes walk from Sule Pagoda and the railway station, the hotel has a great location, but can be noisy. Cheaper rooms have no windows and a damp mustiness about them, and others are large and roomy with air conditioning and satellite TV. Tasty breakfast included, but some of the reception staff can be surly.
Commercial style hostel, free breakfast, free WiFi, good air conditioning and small rooftop bar.
Rooms with shared and private bath. Friendly Indian owners and a good place to stay if you plan on spending a few days in Yangon and need a place to call home. Closer to the centre than Motherland Inn 2, but still a bit of a long walk.
Free breakfast. Free Wi-Fi.
An 8-storey walk-up backpacker's hotel. The place has a lot of character. Run by a very friendly and helpful family. Penthouse dining area offers amazing views of the city. Reception area finished in a mosaic of different marbles all over, floor, walls, and ceilings. You feel like you're somewhere in Spain in some sort of Gaudi-inspired cave-like room. 24 hour electricity. Some rooms have windows, some not, some have private bath, some shared bath. Provides a great city map with local bus numbers and routes. Most of all, has a good breakfast buffet included in all room rates (the fresh fruit juice of the day is a good start for breakfast) Contains marmalade selection, fruit dessert selection, veggie meal selection, plus a good home made banana or apple pie, watermelon juice with lots of pulp, maybe fried rice now, noodles tomorrow, and some local fare like coconut soup and potato fritters. It compensates for the lack of windows, TV, Internet, air-con and private bath. Free Wi-Fi.
Building is dated, but the staff are helpful and the breakfast is adequate. Wi-Fi reasonably fast. A pleasant bubble tea shop and other small shops are just east on Nawaday St.
This well-located hotel provides near-luxury facilities at mid-range prices. Rooms are clean and big (don't expect a view) with satellite TV and air conditioning. The rooms are spacious, but a little old. The hotel has room service and a popular coffee shop and Chinese restaurant. 24 hour electricity. This hotel is owned by the government (Yangon City) and an army colonel.
Five min walk from Sule Pagoda and around the corner from the Strand, this well-located hotel caters to business travellers. A small, but good restaurant is on the premises, the hotel is centrally air conditioned, and all rooms have satellite TV. (good, but inexperienced service is second to none).
Clean, well kept, and comfortable rooms with TV, minibar, free coffee. 24-hour electricity.
A small boutique hotel with well-furnished rooms in the quiet area north of the Shwedagon Pagoda. In the embassy district (about 2 km from Shwe Dagon Pagoda) just a few doors down from Bahrain embassy. It is a cute, small, quiet hotel made with teak and decorated with traditional Burmese lacquer ware. Only a couple of minutes away lies Bogalay Mohenga shop which sells great mohinga (perfect for breakfast).
With over 40 rooms, the hotel is equipped with basic amenities like hot water, 24 hr electricity and air conditioning. Wifi is reasonably fast. It is free in reception or US$8 for a 1 GB card which works in the rooms. The cafe on the rooftop has a great view of the Shwedagon Pagoda.
Rooms are clean, air conditioned, with hot and cold shower. Bath has no door, only a shower curtain and a wall to block off the toilet area. Free Wi-Fi and 24 hr electricity. The staff are friendly and speak English.
formerly Guesthouse
Clean, well-kept, but small rooms right outside the Sule Pagoda. Has its own generator, and the staff are friendly. All rooms have air-con, satellite TV, bath attached with hot and cold shower. A bit run-down.
Comfortable, if faceless, modern business hotel located at the edge of the city centre. You will need a taxi to get around (easily available in front of the hotel). Wi-Fi available in the lobby. Offers great views of the city, especially from the upper floors. All rooms have satellite TV, air conditioning and attached baths. Is very popular.
Clean and central, but basic. The first international hotel in Yangon, and good value for money.
Close to the Shwedagon Pagoda, a quiet hotel favoured by German tourists. All rooms with attached bath, air-conditioning and satellite TV. Restaurant on the premises but, if it is not open, it is a bit of a walk to the nearest restaurants near the Savoy. Free Wi-Fi.
300-room hotel with outdoor swimming pool, business center, fitness center, meeting rooms and 3 restaurants (Kohaku Japanese Restaurant, open 11:00-22:30; Emporia Restaurant, which the hotel describes as serving Asian, Thai & continental dishes together with an international buffet dinners, open 06:00-22:30; and Tiger Hill Restaurant, which serves an à la carte dim sum menu and Chinese dinner buffet, open 11:00-22:30).
A renovated teak mansion, formerly a guesthouse for Kachin State officials, in one of Yangon's most exclusive neighbourhoods. The hotel has 48 rooms and pleasant gardens, with a swimming pool and two excellent restaurants on the premises.
On the shore of Inya Lake, a 30-minute drive from the city centre, depending on traffic. Given as a gift to Myanmar by Nikita Khruschev in 1958 this hotel has plenty of Soviet-inspired style. Known locally for their Sunday brunches and nice pool. Very quiet, next to SOS Clinic.
Sharp-looking glass skyscraper with restaurant/bar, a/c, wifi, pool, hot tub, gym, and spa. Downtown location close to Bogyoke Aung San Market.
A good quality hotel with 272 rooms. La Brasserie Restaurant, Phoenix Court Chinese Restaurant, Shiki-Tei Japanese Restaurant, and the Lobby Bar. The well-known disco Music Club is in the basement.
Pullman chain highrise hotel with many rooms that have a view of the Yangon River or Mahabandula Park or possibly even the Sule Pagoda. Has a pool, spa, gym, a/c, wifi, restaurant, and bar. Located one block south of Sule Pagoda.
Burmese architecture. 366 rooms.
A deluxe colonial hotel built by the Sarkies Brothers (who also built Penang's E&O Singapore's famed Raffles Hotel) in 1901. Meticulously restored, the Strand has huge airy rooms with vintage fittings, teak flooring, and furniture, a cafe and bar.
Traders Hotel
Pool, spa, gym, restaurant/bar, a/c, wifi. Breakfast buffet. Classy old world charm in building with Asian architectural style. Close to Sule Pagoda and Bogyoke Aung San Market.
Just west of Shwedagon Pagoda and with excellent views of that pagoda. Good restaurant and bar.
37 rooms in a renovated colonial building.
Although not as well known as Bangkok or Hong Kong, Yangon is an excellent place to have a shirt tailored. One can have a shirt with a traditional Burmese collar (mandarin collar) made for around US$6. 4-5 days should be sufficient for a shirt to be made.
Scotts Market
An excellent source for Burmese handicrafts, such as wood carvings or lacquerware. However some lacquerware are not made in the country but are sold in high prices.
Capital Hypermarket is a huge supermarket to shop freely with confidence for fresh vegetables, meat and rare ingredients. The top and only floor of the building has rare electronics, clothes for both adults and child with affordable prices, leather made clothes, shoes and bags. You can also find cheap Blu-ray Discs at the top floor near the televisions. The ground floor is full of restaurants, and on some days with discounts on furniture. Has an artist gallery on the second floor.
A wide selection of street vendors. Colonial coins, Chinese calendars, Chinese temples, tea shops, several markets and small running businesses.
The main attraction is the cinema, crafty stationery with high-prices and various food restaurants which is on the top floor.
Good for food shopping.
Market Hall?
The entrance hallway offers many shops that sells, fresh and cheap coconuts, handmade bags, wooden and metal chests, paper owl charms, carved wood statues, beautiful fans, charming accessories with affordable price made from jade, and Buddha statues ranging from different sizes.
Super One is a department with many different items and foods by different brands from which you may not be able to find even in the biggest supermarket of Yangon.
By train
There are several train lines that connect Yangon to the rest of Burma. Several trains daily connect Yangon to Mandalay via Bago with connections to Bagan and the Inle Lake area at Thazi.
By boat
150 years ago, boats were the way to get to places from Yangon and IWT (Inland Water Transport) passenger ferries still ply the major rivers.
By bus
Getting there/away: Going to the city from the Highway Bus Station is possible on Bus 43 for 300 kyat. The bus passes in front of the entrance to the station. Just ask the helpful locals.
By taxi
The easiest way to get around the city is by taxi and Yangon is the city where Toyotas come to live out the rest of their days.
By train
By trishaw
Trishaws are scarce in the city centre (and not permitted before 10:00), but more readily available in downtown and the surrounding townships.
By bus
Using buses is safe and very cheap, the only drawback is that the network is hard to understand. Many locals do not speak English and the signs and route numbers are written in Burmese.
By boat
A ferry crosses the river to Dallah from the Pansodan St Jetty.
On foot
Distances in the tourist areas are not great and, provided you take it easy, you can walk almost anywhere.
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Yangon · International · RGN
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