Rangoon for 2 or 3 days

[y2k]

I am looking at going to Rangoon for 2 or maybe 3 days then on to Thailand for the rest of my holiday.

I've never been to Burma as an adult and am keen on advice as to what I can see and do. I'm not too interested in travelling outside of the city because of my limited time and would rather use the time wisely with short or fewer trips. Advice on a hotel or area to base myself would be useful too. I am budgeting for AUD30-40/day for the hotel.

[hanno]

Good luck with that budget. A lack of accommodation means that prices have sky-rocketed in the last couple of years.

Obviously, Shwedagon Pagoda is a big draw and worth a couple of visits at different times of the day. If you go at 6, light will be excellent and there won't be many tourists.

Chaukhtatgyi Paya is also worth a visit, as are numerous other Pagodas.

What I really like is just walking around Yangon. Unlike most other cities, Yangon still has a unique character, expect that to disappear quickly.

[y2k]

It's only a few days so I can pay more for accommodation. Important thing is to be able to fill in my time well. Are there places to eat and drink with a bit of life?

[hanno]

Not much, to be honest.

High tea at The Strand is an experience. Dibar Cafe is good for Western food. Aung Mingalar Shan is great for Shan food, which I think is much better than Myanmar food. Feel Restaurant had the best Myanmar food as far as I am concerned. Didn't really go out much but enjoyed sitting at the "theme park" near Shwedagon late in the afternoon

[y2k]

Okay will make a plan.

[partington]

The circle train is good. Catch from Yangon main station, takes a circular route and delivers you back in Yangon after 3 hrs or so. You get to see a lot of interesting houses, communities, and trackside life passing many small stations with markets and sellers of food who jump on and off the train. Most of it is rural and you feel you are seeing something of the country rather than the city.

When I did it , 2 or 3 years ago now, it cost $1, and was a fun afternoon out.

[phazey]

Shwedagon, Sule Pagoda - the old Downtown, Bogyoke (Scott) Market - the usual suspects.

[rak sa_ngop]

The main park opposite Shwedagon Pagoda (called Reunification park or some similar type of name ) and the zoo are both nice places to see Myanmarese people enjoying themselves. But you have to pay to get in as a foreigner.

50th Street bar is on 50th street and is a western type bar popular with expats. The Strand Hotel happy hour on a Friday night is a great place to overhear expat NGO type workers whinging about life in Myanmar.

Check out the local spit-and-saw dust bars usually advertised outside by a Myanmar etc beer sign. Myanmar beer is great and food can be quite tasty as well. But of course you will have to put up with the sight of lots of expectoration into the conveniently placed bins beside each table.

Visiting Myanmar is still an adventure.

[rak sa_ngop]

Just to add that booking a hotel room on the web is recommended, although you will have to pay cash on arrival. Due to short supply as mentioned above, a 25 USD room several years ago will now be about 60 to 80 USD (if you can find one).

[SeaVisionBurma]

Are there places to eat and drink with a bit of life?

Plenty. Yangon has come a long way in the past couple of years.

Get on to this site - http://myanmore.com/yangon/ - and sign up for their weekly newsletter. Every wed or Thursday they pop a newsletter out which gives a great overview of all of the coming week's happenings around town. Bars, Cafes, Restaurants, Shows, Galleries, Openings, Networking events etc etc.

There are many new and interesting places to eat and drink, and they are not hard to find. Use the above link as a start.