Introduction

Schwedagon Pagoda

Yangon is the capital of the large and diverse nation of Myanmar and is situated towards the fertile south. Although quite large, it is mainly broad and green with buildings rarely exceeding 4 floors. Most of Yangons activity is compressed into a few blocks so its easy to escape and find peace at Yangons lovely temples, large stretches of greenery and lakes.

Its a relief that such a clean and relaxing country has compacted the modern world into a thriving nucleus as busy, noisy and polluted as any other city. But among the relentless horns theres the colour and life of quaint colonial decay, robed monks and thousands of everyday faces daubed with golden streaks.

For its size, and considering its history, there isnt that much to see in former Rangoon. But this is the only place that can be considered international in this isolated land, so if youre looking to drink, dine or communicate with the outside world, youd better do it here before heading out into the relative wilderness that is Myanmar today.

Back to Top

Attractions
Undoubtedly the main attraction is the awesome Schwedagon Pagoda. You may have had your fair share of temples, but this is truly memorable. The pagoda stands several floors high and is layered in metric tones of thick gold plates. Wear sunglasses on a sunny day - you are literally dazzled by the gleam of pure gold! Surrounding the pagoda is a complex of smaller temples and gold leafed shrines with gold and jade statuettes, studded with precious gems. The artistic beauty and the mineral wealth is staggering. A guide is a good idea as much of history and symbolism is not immediately apparent. Count on spending a few hours here. Essential.

Note: You should walk clockwise around all Buddhist structures. Footwear is prohibited and the tiles can reach sizzling temperatures during the day - the white ones are cooler but may still have you hopping around.

Adjacent to Schwedagon is the Maha Wizya Paya. This is actually a fine pagoda and unlike its solid neighbour can be entered. But being in the shadow of such an incredible monument it cant help looking rather ordinary and tends to be overlooked by local worshippers. Bound to be an anticlimax after Schwedagon and can be skipped.

Another pagoda lies smack in the middle of the city. In the centre of a busy roundabout is Sule Pagoda. Its reputed to be ancient, but feels like it was built in the 70s. It certainly lacks the charm or finesse of other pagodas and has some rather improvised touches. The little tiles adorning the walls look more suited to a dated swimming pool or even a public toilet. However its active and very much a peoples pagoda, and worth a 10-minute roam if youre there. Opposite Sule is a small park with Independence Needle at the centre.

The boring National Museum is a drab and lifeless affair with a mainly dog-eared and forgettable collection. It has few good exhibits and the poor presentation and general malaise of the building makes for a depressing setting. The ethnic costumes on the top floor is an eye-opener into the broad diversity of Myanmar, but still the museum is horribly overpriced and fails to hit the mark. Only worth seeing if its raining since this is one of the few city attractions under cover.

Well worth seeing in any weather is the impressive Myanma Gems Museum And Market. On the top floor above several levels of gem traders is a stunning display of the magnificent mineral wealth of Myanmar. It showcases their diverse range of gems and ores with some enormous precious stones. Theres a rough ruby the size of a mango, a sapphire even bigger, exquisitely crafted jades and other jaw dropping treasures. Unfortunately, no photography is allowed, but you can snap the car-sized jade boulder outside. Quite incredible.

Back to Top

Entertainment and Eating Out
The capital is the only place in the country with a good choice of dining and entertainment. Entertainment is non-existent in much of the country and dining can be very basic at best, at worst inedible. Take advantage of whats available here.

There are lots of local Burmese restaurants worth a try. Take a little care though in the cheaper places as the hygiene can be highly variable. But youre safe with the relaxed Green Elephant, a great Burmese restaurant in the suburbs. This popular joint has an open front with plenty of wood. The low-priced menu is varied and the food the real deal. Nan Shwe Li is good as far as Shan cuisine goes but Shan food often fails to inspire the visitor.

Hotels house many quality international restaurants, with plenty of good buffets and Western meals. Arguably the best for a broad European menu is the pricey Strand Grill where enormous servings of familiar or more adventurous choices are proudly served. A full stomach guaranteed, even for the most gluttonous.

The view of Swedagon from Kan Daw Gyi

Japanese food is popular in Yangon. Shabu-Tei is an expensive but excellent choice and Kampachi in the Sofitel Plaza is another high quality establishment with friendly staff. The Nikko Hotel has a relaxed restaurant with Japanese TV catering to its many Japanese guests.

Another hotel provides perhaps the best Chinese dim sum in Yangon. The Sedona has a top quality Chinese restaurant with a Chinese chef serving up fantastic delicacies. Bearing in mind the setting and the quality of the food, the prices are excellent. Around town are plenty of other choices - Adorns Kitchen is touted as the most popular among Chinese, and Western Park serves good Peking duck. Tsu Long Hin is always popular and crammed with diners.

For a fine Italian meal try the superb LOpera on a quiet backstreet near the Sedona. Its cosy and friendly with genuine Mediterranean sights and smells. Le Planteur is a classy French number with a huge garden for you to dine under the stars.

At the other end of the budget scale there are lots of anonymous cheap, little teashops that offer a slice of local life. For a good cup coffee head to Caf Aroma opposite Traders Hotel.

Karaweik has an international buffet, but the main draw is the colourful traditional dance performance each night. Enthusiastic costumed dancers, puppetry and dramas entertain over your evening meal. A bit touristy but a pleasant evening.

The nightlife in Yangon is pretty good and has some very active nightclubs and discos. BME Entertainment is very popular with expats and hip Pioneer has a local young crowd. The swinging and famous Underground at the Sofitel attracts foreign businessmen and a number of working girls.

If youre looking for a good bar to unwind with a drink then Mr Guitar, ABC and Silver Oak are all easy going with some decent live bands. A plush place for a pint and a shot of pool is the Strand Bar with its abundance of solid wood and history.

Back to Top

Shopping

Colonial Buildings

In terms of choice and variety, Yangons shopping is Myanmars best. You can get just about everything available in Myanmar here, but for certain souvenirs such as lacquer or perhaps gems, it might be worth holding on until you get upcountry.

Note: take care when splashing out on gems or antiques as there are plenty of good fakes and low quality rip-offs floating around. The Strand Hotel has a list of recommended shops that are known for their integrity and quality, but not their bargains.

By far the best place to browse is the fun Scott Market. Locally known as the Bogyoke Aung San Market, its a large and aging colonial warehouse flanked by outer buildings bulging with fascinating stores. On top of typical market goods is a wonderful selection of Burmese products - puppets, carvings, antiques, gems, textiles, lacquer ware and more. Prices are fair if you haggle and theres plenty to discover. One of the best markets in Asia.

Yangon has some good options for art lovers. New Treasure Art has a gallery of watercolour and oil works of mainly local themes. Biek Thano sells quality gold and crystal works.

For jewelry and gems, its tough to beat the selection and prices on offer at the thriving Myanma Gems Museum and Market. Below the museum are several floors of traders with jewelry and gems of all shapes, sizes and prices. You can find some real bargains here, but it certainly helps to know your gems. Theres something for everyone here - difficult to resist.

The stairs leading up towards Schwedagon Pagoda are filled with little stores for the faithful and the odd tourist. Many sell carvings and images of the Buddha, puppets and religious offerings such as candles and flowers.

Back to Top

Cyber Yangon and Banking
The internet is currently illegal so you might as well forget it. Emails are permitted and can be sent from most large hotels but are all read - in and out - by the government. Most go through each day but can be delayed. The network can only handle small files, so attachments or photos will often be lost. Obviously avoid politics!

The internet situation may be inconvenient, but the banking situation in Myanmar is utterly ridiculous and will cause no end of headaches. Firstly, forget the banks! The exchange rates and charges for foreigners will strip you of 99% of what you started with. Also the only currency traded is the US dollar and this is best done at your hotel, and not others. Hotels are quite strict on this. Also travellers cheques are reluctantly accepted and only by your hotel. On top of this there are no ATMs.

The military junta obtains hard cash from every visitor to help support the regime using FECs, the currency created for tourists. 1 FEC is equal to 1USD when you buy it. On arrival 200 FECs must be bought with USD. They are quite easily spent, but are worth a bit less than dollars when it comes to paying bills.

With the existing system you may have to consider changing money with the black marketeers. Some are quite reputable, even professional and they offer the best rates. Jewellers often run little sidelines, if not your concierge will point you in the right direction.

VISA is the only foreign credit card that is accepted and only then by the largest hotels. Commission rates are between 7 and 10%. It is virtually impossible to use credit cards outside the capital, even when booking flights.

Note: getting money electronically is almost impossible outside the capital. Stock up on plenty of hard cash before you leave Yangon, this is a country like no other, completely backwards in the financial department.

Back to Top

Tours
City tours are quite rare and not really necessary - the capital is comparatively safe and easily covered independently. Two recommended tours leave the city.

Most famous for its gargantuan reclining Buddha, Bago is a couple of hours out from Yangon and makes a decent side trip. Besides this impressive 55m-long colossus, Bago offers a decent collection of historic temples.

Offered as a horribly long day tour, but best taken with a stopover is a visit to the dramatic Golden Rock Pagoda in Kyaiktiyo. The stunning gold-leafed boulder balances improbably atop a mountain and is one of the most sacred Buddhist shrines in Myanmar. The blend of natural beauty combined with enchanting culture is breathtaking.

Back to Top

Getting From A to B

Golden Rock Pagoda

The city centre is fairly compact and it can be very interesting walking around soaking up street life. Sometimes though its less fun with the relentless barrage of car horns and the streets being heavily littered. Wearing shoes rather than open-toed sandals is sensible. Nasty splashes of rusty betle-nut saliva are all over the place. After the rain it washes into the pavement potholes along with crushed lychees, mud and plastic bags. Take care crossing the road - with a chorus of car horns its impossible to know which one is for you.

The easiest way to get around not surprisingly is by taxi. To become a taxi driver is easy in Yangon - simply pull up next to a roadside stall selling plastic taxi signs and glue one to your roof and hey presto! Youre in business. Expect them to vary widely in condition, taped up windscreens, missing dashboards and even holes in the floor arent rare. Theres no such thing as a meter here so youll have to bargain hard.

Motorbikes act like taxis and can be haggled before hopping on the back. In fact, just about any vehicle will gladly offer their services if you stand by the road and look like a lost tourist.

Pick-ups that seem to double as the minibuses of Yangon and are probably cheap if you dare. This is certainly not the way to go if you wish to travel in comfort. They never seem to be half empty either, youll most likely have to hang off the back. This is a particularly miserable option in the monsoon season.

Yangon has a fleet of battered buses, looking much like larger versions of the pick-ups.

The capitals trains dont run that deeply into the country and are not famed for their speed or comfort. But they can be useful for shorter trips to places like Bago. An express service to Mandalay offers decent sleepers for the 12-hour trip, but the track is poor and delays common. Several stations exist in Yangon, the main one 2 blocks north of Sule Pagoda.

Yangon International Airport lies half an hour or so north of the city centre. The airport only handles a trickle of visitors a day, but expect lengthy delays as you shuffle through the various layers of red tape. The length of time passing through the airport could well be more than that of the regional flight! FECs must be paid for with USD on arrival.

Note: expect to be thoroughly searched. Computers, camcorders and other electrical equipment must be declared. Mobile phones are politically sensitive and dont usually work anyway so are best left behind.

Back to Top

Events
Yangon has plenty of colourful festivals, many coinciding with a full moon. Temples are abuzz at these times, particularly Schwedagon. The full moon around the end of February or early March marks the Schwedagon Festival and devotees descend on Myanmars greatest pagoda in their thousands.

Starting on 4th January Independence Day sees the country filled with lively and enjoyable fairs for a week. The Royal Lake hosts the biggest fair in Yangon with food and gift stalls, music and games.

The most enjoyable festival is the outrageous 3-day Water Festival in hot mid-April. Supposedly a religious celebration of the start of the New Year, the festival is always ends up being a water-fight of national proportions. Absolutely everyone who ventures out gets drenched by hit squads armed with buckets of water, sometimes from different directions at once. There is no mercy - shocked tourists, monks and old ladies - no one is spared. Playful kidnappings and jokes accompany the madness, wild fun.

Back to Top

Tourist Information Offices
The Tourist Information Office is centrally located over the road from the Sule Pagoda. It has some maps and basic info but nothing much. Respected guidebooks are surprisingly inaccurate, hotels are often the best informed.

Back to Top