Must Sees In Yangon

[Becker]

The wife and I are going on our first trip to Myanmar in July. We will be staying in Yangon for about 5 days and I would like some advice on what's worth seeing, and what we should give a miss.

We're not interested in discos, but neither are we planning on staying in a retirement home. Something in the middle, I guess. We would like to see the best cultural sights, but if you know about a "can't miss" bar then please do tell!

[Halfaboy]

A little bit outside Yangon is the Taukkyan War Cemetery. The Taukkyan War Cemetery is a memorial to Akkied soldiers from the Brittish Commonwealth who died in battle in Burma during the Second Workd War.

The cemetery contains the graves of 6,374 soldiers who died in the Second World War, the graves of 52 soldiers who died in Burma during the First World War, and memorial pillars (The Rangoon Memorial) with the names of over 27,000 Commonwealth soldiers who died in Burma during the Second World War but who have no known grave. There are 867 graves that contain the remains of unidentified soldiers.

Do a search with google for more info. I found it to be very impressive.

[Mahseer]

Got back yesterday from a 2 week trip, the first as a tourist, and for me the most fabulous monument we visited wasn't the obvious one but was Chaukhtatgyi Paya.

If your budget allows stay at the Savoy hotel. It overlooks Shwedagon and is a 15 minute walk to the north gate. Expensive as most hotels are in this country but with just 30 rooms and teak everywhere the feeling is more of staying in a private home.

[watcharacters]

Got back yesterday from a 2 week trip, the first as a tourist, and for me the most fabulous monument we visited wasn't the obvious one but was Chaukhtatgyi Paya.

If your budget allows stay at the Savoy hotel. It overlooks Shwedagon and is a 15 minute walk to the north gate. Expensive as most hotels are in this country but with just 30 rooms and teak everywhere the feeling is more of staying in a private home.

.

Looks like a nice place.

Strange such an improvished country has such high hotel rates.

[SeaVisionBurma]

Got back yesterday from a 2 week trip, the first as a tourist, and for me the most fabulous monument we visited wasn't the obvious one but was Chaukhtatgyi Paya.

If your budget allows stay at the Savoy hotel. It overlooks Shwedagon and is a 15 minute walk to the north gate. Expensive as most hotels are in this country but with just 30 rooms and teak everywhere the feeling is more of staying in a private home.

.

Looks like a nice place.

Strange such an improvished country has such high hotel rates.

To do with supply and demand - the limited number of available hotel rooms coped fine until the country opened up and became popular..

Will take some time for this to be fixed (with new hotels coming onto the market over the next couple of years)

A few suggestions for Yangon:

- a visit to the Shwedagon Pagoda is a probably a must for first time visitors.

- drinks at the Strand Hotel during the Friday night happy hour to meet the local expats and visitors

- go on walks around the downtown area - can fill hours doing this. Many historical buildings and a chance to see the local life

- go on the local train which does the Yangon loop.

- have lunch at a local Biryani shop (eg Nilar Biryani)

- try Mohinga for breakfast at a street stall

[Becker]

Got back yesterday from a 2 week trip, the first as a tourist, and for me the most fabulous monument we visited wasn't the obvious one but was Chaukhtatgyi Paya.

If your budget allows stay at the Savoy hotel. It overlooks Shwedagon and is a 15 minute walk to the north gate. Expensive as most hotels are in this country but with just 30 rooms and teak everywhere the feeling is more of staying in a private home.

.

Looks like a nice place.

Strange such an improvished country has such high hotel rates.

To do with supply and demand - the limited number of available hotel rooms coped fine until the country opened up and became popular..

Will take some time for this to be fixed (with new hotels coming onto the market over the next couple of years)

A few suggestions for Yangon:

- a visit to the Shwedagon Pagoda is a probably a must for first time visitors.

- drinks at the Strand Hotel during the Friday night happy hour to meet the local expats and visitors

- go on walks around the downtown area - can fill hours doing this. Many historical buildings and a chance to see the local life

- go on the local train which does the Yangon loop.

- have lunch at a local Biryani shop (eg Nilar Biryani)

- try Mohinga for breakfast at a street stall

Thanks for the replies. I hope Mohinga is not the local variation of Mohito - breakfast time is a bit early for me

I am in the process of obtaining US 100 $ bills in pristine condition, but one poster maintained that they now accept Euros and that they are not nearly as fuzzy about the condition of these bills. Could anyone confirm that?

[SeaVisionBurma]

Thanks for the replies. I hope Mohinga is not the local variation of Mohito - breakfast time is a bit early for me:)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohinga

I am in the process of obtaining US 100 $ bills in pristine condition, but one poster maintained that they now accept Euros and that they are not nearly as fuzzy about the condition of these bills. Could anyone confirm that?

Euros are fine now. There are even ATM's in the country which can be used to withdraw local currency (kyats, pronounced 'chats') using your foreign visa or mastercard.

I still recommend that visitors (especially first time visitors) to Myanmar do not rely on one single form of funding - ie do not rely solely on your credit card without bringing in USD/EURO/etc as well.

If you are bringing USD (or any foreign currency for that matter) - best to make sure they are clean, unmarked bills.

Yes, it is getting better in the country regarding acceptance of foreign currency - but old habits die hard, and your notes WILL be scrutinised.

[DagonKhan]

There's a boat that you can go on. Sorry! Can't remember the name of it. It leaves around 5pm comes back at 7pm, something like that. Serves cocktails whilst the sun sets. About $30/person if memory serves me correctly. I enjoyed it, was nice to see Yangon from the river.

Totally agree with Halfaboy, Taukkyan is worth visit, transport might be an issue though.

I like walking around Inya Lake personally, you can enter the (amusement) park opposite the Sedona Hotel for Ks200 and grab a drink or what not there, there's a coffee shop which is more or less directly opposite ASSK's house which used to serve good coffee. Likewise you can walk around Kandawgyi, there's a popular al fresco place there called Signature. They charge foreigners about Ks1,000 as I recall, they have raised walkways on stilts which make for an interesting walk, kids love it.

Yangon Zoo if you're really bored and want to learn how not to keep animals in captivity.

Taw Win Shopping Centre/Plaza on Pyay Road is probably the biggest, even if it's not, it has lots of little locally run shops inside. Loads of stuff there from traditional through to modern, locally made and imported. Much more variety than the likes of Junction Supercentre (also on Pyay Road).

VES Myanmar - connected to the gems museum on Kaba Aye Road. Take the wife, if you don't have a local guide, contact me as they pay any local who takes them 20% commission! Seriously, if you go alone, barter at least 20% off, if not 30-40%. I always take family members from Europe there, they always buy stuff as it's far cheaper than Thailand. They sell the real stuff too.

Scott Market on Bogyoke Aung San Road (opposite Traders). Complete tourist trap, often double the price of everywhere else in Yangon, but you can spend an hour or two having a wander.

Dinner at the Governors Residence in Ahlone if you like fine dining, good food there, lovely location. Le Planteur on Kaba Aye Pagoda Road near Golden Towers and Excel Tower also offer fine dining, Swiss run, bloody expensive but good. Also Acacia on Saya San road do fine dining, run by a very well travelled Thai chap, good food. I can recommend all of them.

There's that North Korean restaurant that people have been talking about as well, all staffed/run by North Koreans. I've never been personally, people seem attracted by the novelty of it though.

[Becker]

Thanks for all the useful info. We are really looking forward to our July trip! Hopefully there will not be non-stop rain for those few days. How about taxis? Are they a good mode of transport in Yangon?

[rdm187]

Taxis are usually pretty easy in Yangon. If you'd like somewhat more secure service or longer-term rental ( a few hours or full day) to venture outside the city, go with Golden Harp Taxi. It's a taxi service/microcredit enterprise of sorts run by and for former political prisoners. They're awesome guys and have amazing stories about life under the former junta, if you're interested. Plus hiring them = good deed as they reinvest part of their profits into the company to help other former political prisoners who otherwise have extreme difficulty finding jobs. ( email them at <Contact details removed - please use the PM function for this>

I'd also recommend 999 Shan Noodle Shop on 34th Street for lunch or early dinner - delicious!!

I've heard 19th Street is the place for evening musical entertainment, frequented by many of the popular bands, but I haven't had a chance to check it out in person yet...next trip!

And as SeaVision Burma said, walks around downtown are great, especially if you're a history or architecture buff. The old colonial buildings are beautiful, even if extremely run down.

Have a great trip!

[phazey]

DK: whats the name of the place that does the absolute best Peking Duck and Suckling pig? It may be Western Park but my memory is fuzzy now...Anyways - recommend one goes and will not be disappointed...

Ichi Ban Khan (Aung San Stadium) If you like Japanese.

Korean BBQ at 7.5 Mile Pyay road - loved that place.

Oh and if there are any golfers. You are in for a treat! ProTip: the further you travel, the cheaper the courses get - I seem to remember a great course about 40 minutes out - Ks3000 a round!

[Genericnic]

Thanks for the great info guys. Burma was on my to do list but this got it bumped up to near the top.

David

[DagonKhan]

DK: whats the name of the place that does the absolute best Peking Duck and Suckling pig? It may be Western Park but my memory is fuzzy now...Anyways - recommend one goes and will not be disappointed...

Western Park is certainly well known, maybe you're also thinking of Royal Garden near the Chatrium Hotel (was the Nikko Hotel when you were here) around Kandawgyi lake? Both popular Chinese restaurants.

[phazey]

Ah yes, Royal Garden did great Dim sum, especially lunches. Western Park is indeed the place to go for the *best* peking duck in the country...

DK are you still seeing CQ ? Pass on my regards if you are.

[Becker]

DK: whats the name of the place that does the absolute best Peking Duck and Suckling pig? It may be Western Park but my memory is fuzzy now...Anyways - recommend one goes and will not be disappointed...

Ichi Ban Khan (Aung San Stadium) If you like Japanese.

Korean BBQ at 7.5 Mile Pyay road - loved that place.

Oh and if there are any golfers. You are in for a treat! ProTip: the further you travel, the cheaper the courses get - I seem to remember a great course about 40 minutes out - Ks3000 a round!

Interesting! Could you compare it to any courses you have played in Thailand - condition, price, caddy etc.?