Oh Yangon, the largest and rapidly changing city in Myanmar. Its old name of Rangoon has been stripped away with its title as capital. It’s not just the name that’s changed, practically everything about this city has been getting overhauled with each passing year. There used to be scant cars on the streets, ATMs were all but nonexistent, and the country was an internet black hole.

Now the streets are congested with traffic, the economy is picking up with money being easily accessed and smartphones with internet access is around every corner. It’s a crowded city, a place devoid of tourist sights but I argue that it’s still worth the trip.

For being the main city of Myanmar, Yangon still retains a very local feel. Its foreign investments and tourism are still in its infancy so you’re likely to only see a dozen other tourists or even expats in a given day. It might also be because so many tourists use this city purely for the airport and head straight for the beautiful Inle Lake or the historical sites of Bagan.

Before you do head to these undeniably wonderful sites, there’s plenty to see in and around Yangon. It’s an easy way to get a true taste of the local flavor and still keep the amenities of the big city. So what are the big things to do?

 

Shwedagon Pagoda

Let’s get the biggest site out of the way first. This 1000+ year old stupa is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in Myanmar. Its 326 feet tall, surrounded by multiple temples and is said to even contain several strands of hair from the first Buddha. Throw in its gilded exterior for some extra shine (particularly during sunset) to make for a monumental visit.

Rumor has it that Ocean’s 14 will try to steal this next

 

Dalah

I know it’s not technically Yangon but it’s so easily accessed from the downtown area and is one of the best reasons to visit Yangon. Simply head down south to the ferry terminal buy a ticket for 2000 Kyat ($1.50) and you’ll be across the Yangon River in less than 30 minutes. (As a heads up the ferry’s actually free for the locals and the government only makes tourists buy tickets. You can technically buy a ticket one way and I found that they won’t check the ticket on the way back.)

What’s over there? Rural villages right across from Yangon’s doorstep. It’s a very convenient place to see some local culture and cottage industries with a very real glimpse into local life.

Based on the prowess of your negotiating skills, you can charter a tuk tuk to take you to the interesting sites in the nearby villages for 20000 – 30000 kyat ($15 – 22). The cost should not change based on the number of people. While uncommon, be forewarned that scams seem to becoming more prevalent in this area. A common one is when you finish your trip, the tuk tuk driver will demand or pretend you agreed upon a larger sum. He’ll proceed to make a scene and unless you speak Burmese, you might be forced to end up paying more.

How many snakes can you spot?

 

Once you get the unpleasant business out of the way, you’ll jet off into the countryside. The most particularly interesting spots are a Snake Temple where there are literally huge snakes being attended to by nuns and a temple with a thousand monk statues. Apart from that, the other locales you get to see is a bit of a dice throw. The drivers will take you to whatever local sites they think is interesting like a fishing port village, a local market or a pottery manufacturer. Talking around, I’ve heard no complaints on where the drivers take you.

Of course the drivers will also take you to whichever places that offers them a kickback but in this case, it wasn’t even necessarily a bad thing. We were taken to a garment making factory. This literal cottage industry sported was run by a family of four and sported three looms made from some pretty janky wood. They made the Longyis sold in Yangon right there! Not only was the price very competitive, but they even modified the clothes on the spot.

 

Street Markets

Like almost all Southeast Asian countries, Yangon has its fair share of colorful street markets. There’s quite a few large markets worth checking out to get a sense of the local flavor. There are also some smaller street markets like Pansodan Market which is just one giant block cluttered with vendors laying their wares out on mats.

The Mahar Bandula Market by the park is only for street food and a great way to sample the Burmese cuisine. Though I do warn that Burmese street food hygiene is rather poor even by Southeast Asian standards so eat out at your own risk. Larger markets like Theingyi Market sells just about anything from street food, toys, textiles, fresh fish and far more.

The largest and for a somewhat touristy visit, Aung Sung Bogoyke Market has a lot of handicrafts though if you stick to the outskirts of that market, you’ll find the market to be much more local and the prices more fair.

Pick one or all these markets and see what you can dig up!

Oh the sights and the smells. I could do without some of the smells though

 

Beer Stations

Myanmar isn’t really a night country in general. It’s hard to find too many local shops, restaurants or bars open past ten. The few places opened to even midnight will be tourist or high class oriented bars and clubs. So when in Myanmar, do what the Burmese do and go to a beer station.

These are essentially bars where (usually only) men congregate for food and cheap drinks. A large bottle of Myanmar beer almost always goes for a standard 2500 kyat ($1.85) but you can grab a cup of draft Myanmar beer for fifth of that price. While they might not be the most modern of places, they’re great places to meet some of the very friendly locals.

These elderly gents had got together for their book-club to exchange newly translated books.  Thanks to the newly lifted censorship laws, they brought in Tolstoy’s War and Peace and Orwell’s 1984.

 

Saint Mary’s Cathedral

I will throw this one in here because I did find the cathedral to be pretty impressive for this part of the world. It was built at the very end of 1895 when it was still considered part of British India. It’s also withstood a massive earthquake and Japanese invasion during World War II. I do think it’s worth a visit because it’s a good reminder of Myanmar’s history and how it was once firmly in the hands of the British Empire.

British construction is still highly regarded in Myanmar

 

Helpful Tips

• Myanmar used to be a left hand drive country but in recent years it’s changed over to right hand drive. You’ll notice that the majority of older cars are still older models with right hand drive.
• You can’t exchange Myanmar kyat outside of Myanmar. Oddly, U.S. dollars were once prized there and can still be used if not creased and in crisp condition. It’s good to carry around both currencies and use the best one depending on the exchange rate offered at the venue.
• Through city planning by the military junta, they designated one central bus station. As the city grew, no other bus stations were established so the bus station ended up transforming into something more like a bus city. The traffic is so bad here, that it can take two and a half hours to reach the bus station from the city center. Plan accordingly.
• Crossing the street in downtown Yangon is unlike many other Asian countries. Its best described as a game of Frogger, where you hop between each lane at any possible opening.

 

 

Until next time.