Shwedagon Pagoda
Shwedagon Pagoda is Myanmar's most famous sight, an iconic
landmark that stands as a highlight for any visitor to the region.
The stupa is covered in gold plates weighing an estimated 52 metric
tons and topped with a 76-carat diamond, as well as being covered
by many other jewels. The temple was built between the 6th and 10th
centuries, although the site atop Singuttara Hill has been
considered holy for over 2,500 years.
Also known as the Golden Temple, Shwedagon is the most sacred
site for Burmese Buddhists, and is a daily focus for worship.
Relics of the Buddha are said to be housed in the stupa, along with
many other historical artefacts and great treasures. There are
stairways at the north, south, east, and west and you can ascend
using any of these, or the elevator if you want to skip the climb.
The southern entrance is the most used because it rises out of the
city; and the eastern stairway, although damaged by the British
long ago, is popular because it leads down to the bazaars, making
it a good exit point for prospective shoppers.
Shwedagon is a place of worship, prayer and meditation, and it
is important to act with respect and keep noise levels down. Dress
conservatively, with long pants and sleeves, and remove your shoes
when entering the complex. Be discreet when using your camera.
Sunset and sunrise are the most powerful times to visit the
stupa.
Shwedagon Pagoda
Dwstein
Lake Inle
Located at the base of steep green hills, Inle Lake is
remarkable because of its inhabitants: around 70 000 people who
live on and around the lake. Whole villages rest on stilts
surrounded by water, rather like a bamboo and teak Venice, where
men steer rowing boats through water roads. The men have adapted a
unique way to row, wrapping one leg around an oar and standing with
the other, which frees their hands to fish at the same time.
Tourists can hire a boat and guide to lead them through floating
markets and workshops making silks, cigars (cheroots), and
jewellery. An impressive wooden temple on the water is also open to
visitors; bizarrely, the monks at the temple are famous for having
trained cats to jump through hoops and perform tricks.
Visitors first arrive in the town of Nyaungshwe to a host of
riverside guesthouses and restaurants. Boat hire can be done
through hotels or independently at the town's river. Expensive
hotels on the lake can be booked in advance but more rustic
accommodation can usually be found without pre-planning. Depending
on the season the town can flood, making the concept of living on
water a little more practical than it first seemed.
Lake Inle, Myanmar
Clay Gilliland
Bogyoke Aung San Market
The Bogyoke Aung San Market is the perfect place for tourists to
start their visit to Myanmar, not only because it is the best place
in town to convert foreign currency, but because it gives an idea
of what the country has in store.
In the past, the official exchange rate of the Myanmar kyat was
kept artificially strong by government-set rates, creating a large
black market trade in the currency at a much better price for
tourists. The black market has endured and the best place to change
currency is in the central jewellery section of the market. To
maximise the rates it is best to ask several different vendors and
bargain hard. Be careful to count your money and do the exchange
math yourself. Exchanging currency on the black market is risky,
but many travellers go this route.
Once you have converted money the market is a great place to buy
crafts, artwork, jewellery or antiques. Popular souvenirs include
Burmese cigars, and old Burmese currency, some of which was issued
in the curious but numerologically auspicious denominations of 35,
75 and 90 kyat notes. Bogyoke Aung San Market is open daily from
about 9am to 5pm and is centrally located in downtown Yangon.
Locals will be happy to direct you if you get lost.
Bogyoke Aung San Market
Werner Bayer
Yangon International Airport
Location: The airport is situated six miles (9km) outside of
Yangon.
Time: Local time is GMT +6.5.
Getting to the city:
Taxis are available at the airport.
Airport Taxis:
Taxi counters are situated at the arrival halls of each
terminal.
Facilities:
There are many restaurants and bars available, from high-end to
fast food options. Yangon Airport also contains many clothing
stores, duty-free stores, ATMs, smoking lounges, and news
stores.
Parking
Parking A and B service international travellers and are located
opposite the international terminal. There is no charge for the
first 30 minutes and a cost of 5000 MMK for 24 hours. Domestic
parking is next to the domestic terminal and costs 1000 MMK for one
hour. Travellers will pay 4000 MMK for four hours and 500 MMK per
hour after that.
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The shining jewel of Yangon's many attractions is Shwedagon
Pagoda, the golden temple visible throughout the city and an iconic
sight emblematic of the country and its strong Buddhist influence.
Other major attractions include the 2,200-year-old Sule Pagoda,
Little India and Chinatown, and the vibrant night markets including
Bogyoke Aung San Market, which is also arguably the best place to
exchange money. Inle Lake is lined with gardens and luxurious
villas, providing a cooling distraction at sunset, when locals and
visitors can enjoy the views. Other popular attractions in Yangon
include the Taukkyan War Cemetery, a beautifully maintained
graveyard and memorial to those who died fighting the Japanese is
World War II, the Musmeah Yeshua Synagogue and Old Jewish Cemetery,
and the Kyaikto, or Golden Rock, which is a glorious landmark.
The city has seen a big increase in tourists recently, and
infrastructure is improving to accommodate visitors. Hopefully
Yangon won't lose its charm and off-the-beaten track appeal as it
becomes more popular.
Bagan
Bagan is an ancient city dating back to the 9th century that was
home to the first kingdom of a unified Myanmar. A seemingly
impossible collection of thousands of temples and monuments
scattered over a vast plain, the buildings range in condition from
ruined to resplendent, although many retain the power and majesty
their devout designers intended. Most of the structures were built
between the 11th and 12th centuries, when Bagan was the capital of
the First Burmese Empire. Regrettably, many temples have suffered
under the government's poor attempts at restoration, but others
have been well preserved by organisations like UNESCO.
The temples can best be viewed via bicycle, which allows for
independent exploration as bike trails link all the temples. This
attraction still feels relatively undiscovered and allows visitors
to feel that they are the only ones exploring a temple. Each is
thoroughly unique so visitors can spend days exploring and remain
enthralled. Sunset is prime time in Bagan, as locals and visitors
alike head for the highest temples to enjoy the magnificent sunsets
over the stupa-dotted plain. Another popular way of seeing the
temples is from the air, in a hot air balloon.
![The temples of Bagan]()
The temples of Bagan
Lisa de Araujo
Ngwe Saung
Ngwe Saung is one of the most laid-back places in the country,
where visitors can unwind along a gorgeous, 10-mile (15km) stretch
of palm-lined beach. A small touristy village has materialised on
the beach's parallel road, with craft stalls selling cheap trinkets
and delicious seafood. At low tide a small island appears which you
can walk to and around.
Package tours can arrange transport and hotel, but the beach is
easy to get to from Yangon without pre-arrangement. The bus station
next to Yangon's train station sells tickets for the five to six
hour ride to the lovely coast. However, passengers should be wary
of being passed off to smaller buses and charged again. Ngwe Saung
is a popular excursion from Yangon, and many choose to stay one or
two nights to enjoy the lovely beaches.
![Palm Beach Hotel, Ngwe Saung]()
Palm Beach Hotel, Ngwe Saung
Juan de Dios Santander Vela
Mandalay
Mandalay is Myanmar's second-largest city and the former royal
capital of the Burmese kingdom. A good place to start a visit is to
hike up the 780-foot (240m) stairwell to the top of Mandalay Hill,
a holy site with an ornately decorated temple with a Buddha statue
overlooking the former capital city and far-reaching flatlands.
Dominating the city's centre are the 150-year-old palace grounds of
King Mindon and King Thibaw, with an adjacent temple and
surrounding moat. For local travellers the Mahamuni Buddha is one
of the most important pilgrimage sites for Buddhists in
Myanmar.
Aside from sightseeing, shopping is Mandalay's major pastime. A
jewel market, where visitors can watch craftsmen shape gems, is
worth a visit. Crafts such as monk's umbrellas, gold leaf, ornate
furniture, and lacquer-ware are made and sold within the city.
Motorbike taxis are available, as are trishaws, which are
traditionally used in rural Myanmar.
![Kuthodaw Pagoda, Mandalay]()
Kuthodaw Pagoda, Mandalay
Paul Arps
Shwedagon Pagoda
Dwstein
Lake Inle, Myanmar
Clay Gilliland
Bogyoke Aung San Market
Werner Bayer
The temples of Bagan
Lisa de Araujo
Palm Beach Hotel, Ngwe Saung
Juan de Dios Santander Vela
Kuthodaw Pagoda, Mandalay
Paul Arps
