PDF Myanmar (Burma) PDF ebook Edition 13th Edition Release Date Jul 2017 Pages 448 Useful Links Want more guides? Head to our shop Trouble with your PDF? Trouble shoot here Need more help? Head to our FAQs Stay in touch Contact us here © Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. To make it easier for you to use, access to this PDF ebook is not digitally restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying the above – ‘Do the right thing with our content’.
4 easy-to-use How to use this book sections Look for these symbols to quickly identify listings: PLAN YOUR TRIP 1 Sights 4 Sleeping Your planning tool kit Photos & suggestions to help r Beaches 5 Eating you create the perfect trip. 2 Activities 6 Drinking ON THE ROAD C Courses 3 Entertainment Your complete guide Expert reviews, easy-to-use T Tours 7 Shopping maps & insider tips. z Festivals 8 I&nfTorramnsaptioornt UNDERSTAND & Events Get more from your trip Learn about the big picture, to All reviews are ordered in our writers’ preference, make sense of what you see. starting with their most preferred option. Additionally: Eating and Sleeping reviews are ordered by price SURVIVAL GUIDE range (budget, midrange, top end) and, within these ranges, by writer preference. Your at-a-glance reference Vital practical information These symbols and abbreviations give vital for a smooth trip. information for each listing: Must-visit recommendation Sustainable or green recommendation No payment required % Telephone number f Ferry h Opening hours j Tram p Parking d Train n Nonsmoking apt apartments a Air-conditioning d double rooms i Internet access dm dorm beds W Wi-fi access q quad rooms s Swimming pool r rooms v Vegetarian selection s single rooms E English-language menu ste suites c Family-friendly tr triple rooms # Pet-friendly tw twin rooms g Bus For symbols used on maps, see the Map Legend.
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Myanmar (Burma) Northern Myanmar p271 Mandalay & Around p234 ^# Western Eastern Myanmar Bagan & Myanmar p307 Central p196 Myanmar p141 Southwestern Myanmar ^# Yangon p86 p34 Southeastern Myanmar p105 Simon Richmond, David Eimer, Adam Karlin, Nick Ray, Regis St Louis
PLAN ON THE ROAD YOUR TRIP 2P2PLAY / SHUTTERSTOCK © Welcome to Myanmar . . . . 4 YANGON . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Myeik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Myanmar Map. . . . . . . . . . . 6 Myeik (Mergui) Myanmar’s Top 10. . . . . . . .8 SOUTHWESTERN Archipelago. . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Need to Know. . . . . . . . . . 14 MYANMAR. . . . . . . . . . 86 Kawthoung . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 What’s New. . . . . . . . . . . . 16 If You Like…. . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Thanlyin & Kyauktan. . . . . . 87 BAGAN & CENTRAL Month by Month. . . . . . . . 19 Bago. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 MYANMAR. . . . . . . . . 141 Itineraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Pathein. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Before You Go. . . . . . . . . . 23 Chaung Tha Beach. . . . . . . 99 Yangon–Mandalay Regions at a Glance. . . . . 30 Ngwe Saung Beach. . . . . . 102 Highway. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Taungoo (Toungoo). . . . . . 143 STREET FOOD AT BOGYOKE AUNG SOUTHEASTERN Nay Pyi Taw. . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 SAN MARKET P54, YANGON MYANMAR. . . . . . . . . 105 Meiktila . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Mon State . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Yangon–Bagan Mt Kyaiktiyo Highway. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 (Golden Rock). . . . . . . . . . . 107 Pyay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Mawlamyine . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Thayekhittaya Around Mawlamyine. . . . . 116 (Sri Ksetra). . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 Ye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Magwe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Kayin State. . . . . . . . . . . 121 Hpa-an. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Bagan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 Around Hpa-an. . . . . . . . . . 124 Nyaung U. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Myawaddy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 Old Bagan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 Tanintharyi Region. . . . . 127 Myinkaba. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Dawei. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 New Bagan (Bagan Myothit). . . . . . . . . 167 Around Bagan. . . . . . . . . 172 CHANTAL DE BRUIJNE / SHUTTERSTOCK © SHWE YAUNGHWE KYAUNG P197, NYAUNGSHWE
Contents UNDERSTAND Mt Popa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 Mingun. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269 Myanmar Salay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Paleik. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270 Today . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336 Pakokku. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 History. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338 Monywa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 NORTHERN People & Religious Around Monywa. . . . . . . . . 178 MYANMAR. . . . . . . . . 271 Beliefs of Myanmar. . . . 352 Aung San Suu Kyi. . . . . . 366 TEMPLES Mandalay to Lashio. . . . 273 Government, OF BAGAN. . . . . . . . . 180 Pyin Oo Lwin. . . . . . . . . . . . 273 the Economy & Pyin Oo Lwin Human Rights. . . . . . . . . 372 Old Bagan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183 to Kyaukme. . . . . . . . . . . . 280 Eating in Myanmar. . . . . 379 North Plain . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Kyaukme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281 Architecture & Arts. . . . 388 Central Plain. . . . . . . . . . . . 189 Hsipaw. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282 Environment Myinkaba Area . . . . . . . . . . 191 Lashio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288 & Wildlife. . . . . . . . . . . . . 396 New Bagan Area. . . . . . . . . 193 Mogok . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289 South Plain. . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 SURVIVAL Nyaung U Area. . . . . . . . . . 195 Upper Ayeyarwady. . . . . 291 GUIDE Myitkyina. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291 EASTERN Indawgyi Lake. . . . . . . . . . 296 Responsible Travel. . . . . 404 MYANMAR. . . . . . . . . 196 Bhamo (Banmaw) . . . . . . 297 Directory A–Z. . . . . . . . . 407 Shwegu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299 Transport. . . . . . . . . . . . . 418 Inle Lake & Around. . . . 197 Katha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300 Health. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427 Nyaungshwe. . . . . . . . . . . . 197 Kyaukmyaung. . . . . . . . . . . 301 Language. . . . . . . . . . . . . 431 Inle Lake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206 Shwebo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440 Taunggyi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211 Map Legend. . . . . . . . . . . 447 Pindaya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 The Far North. . . . . . . . 304 Kalaw. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 Putao . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304 SPECIAL Thazi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223 FEATURES WESTERN Kyaingtong & MYANMAR. . . . . . . . . 307 Shwedagon Border Areas. . . . . . . . . . 223 Paya in 3D. . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Kyaingtong Rakhine State. . . . . . . . 309 Temples (Kengtung) . . . . . . . . . . . . 223 Ngapali Beach. . . . . . . . . . 309 of Myanmar. . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Mong La. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227 Kan Thar Ya Beach. . . . . . . 313 Mandalay Tachileik. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229 Sittwe (Aykab) . . . . . . . . . . 314 Cycling Tour . . . . . . . . . . 247 Mrauk U. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318 Aung San Kayah State. . . . . . . . . . . 229 Around Mrauk U. . . . . . . . 325 Suu Kyi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366 Loikaw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230 Chin State. . . . . . . . . . . . 326 MANDALAY Mt Victoria & AROUND. . . . . . . . . 234 (Nat Ma Taung). . . . . . . . . 326 Mindat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327 Mandalay. . . . . . . . . . . . . 236 Kalaymyo (Kalay). . . . . . . 329 Around Mandalay. . . . . 260 Tiddim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330 Amarapura. . . . . . . . . . . . . 261 Rihkhawdar. . . . . . . . . . . . . 331 Inwa (Ava). . . . . . . . . . . . . 263 Falam. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332 Sagaing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266 Hakha. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
4 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Welcome to Myanmar It’s the dawn of a more democratic era in this extraordinary land, where the landscape is scattered with gilded pagodas and the traditional ways of Asia endure. Golden Wonders Traditional Life ‘This is Burma’, wrote Rudyard Kipling. In a nation with more than 100 ethnic ‘It will be quite unlike any land you know groups, exploring Myanmar can often feel about.’ Amazingly, more than a century lat- like you’ve stumbled into a living edition er, Myanmar retains the power to surprise of the National Geographic, c 1910! For all and delight even the most jaded of travel- the momentous recent changes, Myanmar lers. Be dazzled by the ‘winking wonder’ of remains at heart a rural nation of traditional Shwedagon Paya. Contemplate the 4000 values. Everywhere, you’ll encounter men sacred stupas scattered across the plains of wearing skirt-like longyi, both genders Bagan. Stare in disbelief at the Golden Rock smothered in thanakha (traditional make- at Mt Kyaiktiyo, teetering impossibly on the up) and betel-chewing grannies. People still edge of a chasm. These are all important get around in trishaws and, in rural areas, Buddhist sights in a country where pious horse and cart. Drinking tea – a British monks are more revered than rock stars. colonial affectation – is enthusiastically em- braced in thousands of traditional teahouses. The New Myanmar Simple Pleasures In 2015, Myanmar voted in its first demo- cratically elected government in more than Thankfully, the pace of change is not over- half a century. Sanctions have been dropped whelming, leaving the simple pleasures of and the world is rushing to do business travel in Myanmar intact. Drift down the here. Relaxing of censorship has led to an Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) River in an old river explosion of new media and an astonishing steamer or luxury cruiser. Stake out a slice openness in public discussions of once- of beach on the blissful Bay of Bengal. Trek taboo topics. Swathes of the country, off- through pine forests to minority villages in limits for years, can now be freely visited. the Shan Hills without jostling with scores of Modern travel conveniences, such as mobile fellow travellers. Best of all, you’ll encounter phone coverage and internet access, are locals who are gentle, humorous, engaging, now common, but largely confined to the considerate, inquisitive and passionate – they big cities and towns, where the recent eco- want to play a part in the world, and to know nomic and social improvements are most what you make of their world. Now is the obvious. time to make that connection.
SUWATCHAI PLUEMRUETAI / SHUTTERSTOCK © 5 Why I Love Myanmar By Simon Richmond, Writer It doesn’t matter whether this is your first or 51st visit to Myanmar: you won’t fail to notice the energy, hope and possibilities for the future that hang in the air. Exiles are returning, joining others in rising to the challenge of bringing their country into the 21st century at the same time as preserving the best of the past. Myanmar has many problems to fix but its people remain as stoic and charming as ever. Slow down, sit, listen and connect with them – it’s the best way to appreciate what’s truly golden about this land. For more about our writers, see p448 Above: Mahamuni Paya (p241), Mandalay
Myanmar (Burma) 0 200 km 0 120 miles CHINA (TIBET) Pangsaw Hkakabo Pass Razi THIMPHU BHUTAN (5889m) Putao Brahmaputra River Mangin TaunCghindwin River CHINA Ayeyarwady Ri ver Sumprabum Kumon Taung INDIA Khamti Hpakant KACHIN STATE Indawgyi Myitkyina Explore Hthseipsuarwrounding Lake tribal villages (p282) Homilin White anSdaggoalidnsgtupas dot the hillside (p266) Ganges BANGLADESH Tamu Katha Bhamo VIETNAM River DHAKA Mu-se (Myanmar) – HikeKfarolamwhere to Inle Lake (p217) Mawlaik Kawlinn Namkham Ruili (China) Inle Lake Tiddim Mt Kennedy Fishers, ruined stupas and Rih floating markets (p206) Heart-shaRpiehdLlaakkeeon India– Lake (2703m) LAOS Myanmar border (p331) SAGAING Kalaymyo REGION Hakha ChRinidvwerinYe-U Mogok Lashio Thanlwin River Shwebo Namhsan Hsipaw Hills Chin Monywa Minigun Kyaukme Shan Sagaing Pyin Oo Lwin Plateau AmaBzaingganplain Mandalay Mong La of ancient temples (p156) RSACSTTMKHMMAAHIT(rTNti3aIEnENV0ub5Eikyc3atmUor)iMRaNPEBAyaGSaGakaIguOoWlaankNnygEkuUMAKinmMyMbaauaMPuNRrAgaMokENtApwppGyuDTaaYeMTIiardnOAaAuagPeLNnuWiyAYkgnatYIdngilKTwaKaaiPluynayangwPiuygninkimgdsyeaaiLInynaaaNlPkeyheaeLuoLKLnaihokgwoiaslehpnwNmwitKaaemTuSSaTHnscAhaAhMTninNiEglageeikS(aMiMPC(yLTioanhohnngiiaga-miMnlaagwnr)dRe–K)ayiaingtoMnekgong River Paletwa Teknaf Maungdaw Sittwe Ayeyarwady Rakhaing 20º N Kyaukpyu KAYAH
Kyaukpyu BagoTAW KAYAH ady STATE Yinnbye Kyun Ramree Pyay Taungoo Pasauwng ManaunTgaunggok Padaung Shwedaung Kyun Thandwe BAGO Sittoung River YomaREGIONYanEgxoprn-essMawnadyalay Ngapali Beach VIENTIANE River 18º N Yoma KAYIN THAILAND 16º N Bay of Kanthaya STATE ColonMialaawrclahmiteycitnuere and 14º N Bengal Gwa Hinthada Mon culture (p109) 12º N Yakyi Bago Kyaikto AYEYARWADY Chaung Tha Beach REGIONYangon YANGON Thaton Myawaddy (Myanmar) – Ngwe Saung REGION Hpa-an Mae Sot (Thailand) Twante Pathein Kawkareik Myaungmya Bogalay MON Mawlamyine Mawdwin Point Letkhokkon STATE Kyaikmaraw Setse Thanbyuzayat Gulf of Mottama Mouths of the Payathonzu Ayeyarwady Three Pagodas Pass Ye Sangkhlaburi SYhanwgeodna'sgdoanzzPlainyga Yebyu Buddhist temple (p45) Maungmagan Dawei BANGKOK Zalut Htee Khee (Myanmar) – TANINTHARYI Phu Nam Ron (Thailand) REGION CAMBODIA Andaman ANDAMAN Myeik Palaw Islands SEA Archipelago Myeik (INDIA) MyeDikiv(eMaerorugunid) Aberacuhtiipfuellago Tanintharyi tropical islands (p135) Bokpyin Gulf of Thailand 10º N Kawthoung (Myanmar) - Ranong (Thailand) 90º E 92º E 94º E 96º E 98º E 102º E 104º E 100º E
8 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Myanmar’s Top 10
9 Shwedagon Paya Inle Lake 1 Is there a more stunning monument 2 Almost every visitor to Myanmar to religion in Southeast Asia? We makes it to Inle Lake (p197) and for don’t think so. In fact, the sheer size and good reason: vast and serene, the lake is mystical aura of Yangon’s (Rangoon’s) large enough for everyone to come away gilded masterpiece may even cause you with their own, unique experience of life to question your inner atheist. But it’s not here. If you’re counting days, hit the hot- all about quiet contemplation: Shwedagon spots: the temples, markets and floating Paya (p45) is equal parts religious pilgrim- gardens. With more time, you can explore age and amusement park, and your visit the remote corners of the lake, visit the may coincide with a noisy ordination cer- fishing villages around it, or hike in the emony or fortune-telling session. If you’re nearby hills. Whatever you do, the memo- looking for a reason to linger in Yangon ries of gliding across Inle’s placid waters before heading elsewhere in the country, will stay with you forever. this is it. OCTOBERSONATA / SHUTTERSTOCK © PATRICK FOTO / SHUTTERSTOCK ©
PLAN YOUR TRIP MYANMAR’S TOP 1010 NICK FOX / SHUTTERSTOCK © 3 CHINNAPHONG MUNGSIRI / GETTY IMAGES © 4 Bagan 3 Despite damage wrought by the 2016 earthquake, the 3000-plus temples scattered across the plains of Bagan (p156) remain an awesome sight. Most of the 11th- to 13th- century vintage temples have been renovated, as Bagan is an active religious site and place of pilgrim- age. Yes, there are tour buses and crowds at the top sunset-viewing spots, but they can be avoided. Pedal off on a bike and have your own adventure amid the not-so-ruined temples, or float over the incredible scene in a hot- air balloon.
11 5 R.M. NUNES / SHUTTERSTOCK © PLAN YOUR TRIP MYANMAR’S TOP 10 6 ETHAN DANIELS / SHUTTERSTOCK © Sagaing Mawlamyine Myeik Archipelago 4 A place of pilgrimage 5 A virtual time capsule for Myanmar Bud- of the Raj, Mawlamyine 6 About 800 barely dhists, Sagaing (p266) (p109) has changed little populated islands with is an easy day trip from since the colonial era. The white-sand beaches sitting Mandalay. Its stint as a former capital of British in a turquoise sea, some royal capital may have Burma, Mawlamyine’s mix of the best diving in the been brief (just four years) of historic architecture, region, roving sea gypsies but it established itself imposing churches, hilltop and barely a hotel or tour- and endures as an intel- temples and a busy har- ist to be seen. It’s hard to lectual centre of gravity for bour remains so timeless believe that a place like the Buddhist traditions. The that you can still see why Myeik Archipelago (p135) town is dominated by low writers George Orwell and still exists in Southeast hills covered by numerous Rudyard Kipling drew on Asia. Accessing these gor- white and gold stupas – a the city for inspiration. Sur- geous islands takes time spectacular sight in them- rounding Mawlamyine are and is not cheap, but those selves. But also take time tropical islands and deep who make the investment to visited the cave monas- caves, as well as villages will get to live out every tery Tilawkaguru (pictured where the area’s unique beach junkie’s fantasy in left), filled with some of Mon culture remains one of the last unknown the most impressive pre- strong, yet visitor numbers areas of Asia. served cave paintings in remain mysteriously low, the country. allowing all the more space for you. Win Sein Taw Ya (p116)
12 PL A N YO U R TRI P M yanmar ’ s T op 1 0 RAFAL CICHAWA / SHUTTERSTOCK © 7 8 SCOTT BIALES / SHUTTERSTOCK © Mrauk U Hsipaw 7 The temples, monasteries, ruined 8 Attractive, laid-back Hsipaw (p282) palace and crumbling city walls of the is ideally placed for quick, easy hikes former Rakhine capital of Mrauk U (p318) into fascinating Shan and Palaung vil- stand as a permanent reminder of what lages, as well as more strenuous ones to a remarkable place it must have been at barely visited hamlets. The surrounding its zenith in the 16th century. Back then, area feels far less discovered than the wide-eyed Western visitors compared the treks available around Kalaw, or much of city to London or Venice. But Mrauk U is no Southeast Asia. Hsipaw itself is a historic museum piece; its temples are surrounded town with a royal past – it has its very own by working villages and emerald-green rice Shan palace – and an area known as ‘Little fields. Best of all, Mrauk U sees no more Bagan’, full of ancient stupas. There’s also than 5000 foreigners a year, so you’re likely a great morning market by the Dokhta- to have this ruined splendour to yourself. wady River. Kothaung Paya (p322)
OSTILL / SHUTTERSTOCK © 13 PL A N YO U R TRI P M yanmar ’ s T op 1 0 9 PHOTO BY NGCHA (OWN WORK) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (HTTP://CREATIVECOMMONS.ORG/LICENSES/ BY-SA/3.0)], VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS © 10 Kalaw Rih Lake 9 With its cooler temperatures, higher 10 Stranded in splendid isolation on elevations and many locals descended the Myanmar–India border, Rih from Nepali Gurkha soldiers, Kalaw (p217) Lake (p331) is small but perfectly formed: boasts an almost Himalayan atmosphere. a heart-shaped, mystical body of water Unsurprisingly, this is one of the best surrounded by lushly forested hills. As places in Myanmar for upcountry treks, spectacular as the lake is, the rugged with the authorities relaxed about foreign journey here through the little-seen moun- visitors getting off the beaten track. As you tains, valleys and villages of northern Chin hike through the Danu, Pa-O and Taung Yo State is also memorable. Only a handful villages that dot the forests, fields, trails of foreign travellers visit each year, so you and roads that link Kalaw with Inle Lake, are guaranteed attention from the friendly you’ll get a real insight into the lives of the locals. Don’t expect much in the way of hill peoples who populate the area. comfort, or tourist facilities. Instead, revel in being way off the beaten track.
1 4 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Need to Know For more information, see Survival Guide (p403) Currency When to Go Burmese kyat (K) Mandalay Pyin Oo Lwin GO Nov-Feb # # GO Nov-Feb Language GOMOrcatu-MkaUr# # Bagan Burmese GO Nov-Feb Visas # YGaOnNgoovn-Jan Everyone requires a Warm to hot summers, mild winters visa. Single-entry tourist Tropical climate, wet & dry seasons visas last 28 days. High Season Shoulder Low Season Money (Dec–Feb) (Oct & Nov, (May–Sep) Mar & Apr) Cash mainly. ATMs ¨¨Rains least (if at ¨¨The southwest accepting international all, in some places) ¨¨March to May, monsoon starts mid- cards are available in and is not so hot. Yangon often May and peaks from major cities and tourist ¨¨Book reaches 104ºF July to September. areas. Bring pristine US accommodation and (40ºC). Areas around ¨¨The dry zone bills for exchange. transport well ahead Bagan and Mandalay between Mandalay for this busy travel are hotter. and Pyay gets Mobile Phones season. ¨¨Cooler in the hill the least rain. towns of Shan State. Rain can make Mobile phone num- ¨¨All forms of roads impassable bers begin with 09. transport booked anywhere (especially Prepaid SIM cards are solid during Thingyan in the delta region). widely available and in April. can be used in unlocked phones. If your handset is locked, it’s possible to buy a smartphone in Myanmar for as little as US$80. Time Myanmar Standard Time (GMT/UTC plus 6½ hours)
15 Useful Websites Daily Costs Arriving in PL A N YO U R TRI P N eed t o K n o w Myanmar Go-Myanmar.com (www.go- Budget: myanmar.com) Plenty of up-to- Less than US$50 Yangon International Airport date travel-related information ¨¨Hostel or guesthouse: If you haven’t pre-arranged a and advice. US$10–30 transfer with your hotel or travel ¨¨Local restaurant or street- agent, a taxi from the airport to Myanmar Tourism Federa- stall meal: US$2–5 the city centre will be K8000 to tion (http://myanmar.travel) ¨¨Travel on buses: US$1–5 K12,000; it takes 45 minutes to Inspirational pictures, good one hour. background info and travel tips. Midrange: Mandalay International US$50–150 Airport A whole/shared taxi into Online Burma/Myanmar ¨¨Double room in a midrange Mandalay costs K12,000/4000 Library (www.burmalibrary. hotel: US$50–100 (one hour). org) Database of books and past ¨¨Two-course meal in Overland arrival Walk across articles on Myanmar. midrange restaurant: US$5–10 borders with Thailand at ¨¨Hiring a guide: US$10 per Tachileik–Mae Sai, Myawaddy– Ministry of Hotels & Tourism person per day Mae Sot, Kawthoung–Ranong (www.myanmartourism.org) ¨¨Pathein parasol: US$1–20 and Htee Khee–Phu Nam Ron. Government department with some useful information. Top End: Getting Around Myanmar Now (www.myanmar- More than US$150 now.org) News and features. ¨¨Double room in top-end A few remote destinations are Lonely Planet (www.lonely hotel: US$150–500 accessible only by flight or boat, planet.com/myanmar) Destina- ¨¨Two-course restaurant meal but many others, including key tion information, hotel bookings, plus bottle of wine: US$40–70 tourist sites, can be reached traveller forum and more. ¨¨Driver and guide: US$100 by road or rail. Poor and over- per day stretched infrastructure means Important ¨¨Fine lacquerware bowl: patience and a tolerance for Numbers US$200 discomfort are part and parcel of your journey. Myanmar’s country %95 Opening Hours Air Fast; reasonably reliable code schedules, but there have been %00 Cafes and teashops 6am safety issues with some airlines. International to 6pm Bus Frequent; reliable services, access code %192 Banks 9am to 5pm Monday to speed depends on state of %191 Friday road; overnight trips save on Ambulance (Yangon) %199 accommodation. Government offices and post Car Total flexibility but can be Fire (Yangon) offices 9.30am to 4.30pm expensive; some destinations Monday to Friday require a government-approved Police (Yangon) Restaurants 11am to 9pm guide and driver. Shops 9am to 6pm Boat Chance to interact with Exchange Rates locals and pleasant sightseeing, but slow and only covers a few The US dollar is the only destinations. foreign currency that’s readily Train Interaction with locals exchanged and/or accepted as and countryside views. Can be payment for goods and services. uncomfortable, slow and suffer long delays. Australia A$1 K1050 Canada C$1 K1038 For much more on Europe €1 K1450 getting around, Japan ¥100 K1214 see p418 New NZ$1 K983 Zealand UK UK£1 K1702 US US$1 K1369 For current exchange rates, see www.xe.com.
16 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd What’s New E-Visas Death Railway Museum E-visas can be used to enter Myanmar not WWII buffs will want to visit the Death only at international airports in Yangon Railway Museum located where the rail- (Rangoon), Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw, but way, immortalised in the film The Bridge also at three land border checkpoints, be- on the River Kwai, ended in Thanbyuzayat. tween Myanmar and Thailand: Tachileik, (p117) Myawaddy and Kawthaung. Buses to Mrauk U Southern Myanmar Towns Bus services running from Bagan and Visit places that have only recently become Mandalay save considerable time and accessible to overland travellers, such as money for travellers wanting to visit this the charming town of Ye (p119), or Dawei archaeological treasure in Rakhine State. (p127), from where you can access the de- (p164) serted beaches at Maungmagan (p127). Werawsana Jade Pagoda National Museum Looking like a giant piece of Burmese If you’re passing through Myanmar’s sur- kryptonite, the Werawsana Jade Pagoda real capital Nay Pyi Taw, the enormous in Amarapura is built entirely out of this National Museum has some beautifully semi-precious stone. (p262) displayed works, particularly from the Bagan period. (p147) Sailing to Loikaw Either taking the public ferry or charter- Than Daung Gyi ing a private boat is a great way to con- Interact with Kayin locals, stay in a B&B nect Inle Lake and little-visited Loikaw in and explore vestiges of old colonial days Kayah State. (p229) in the newly accessible hillside village of Than Daung Gyi. (p145) Whitewater Rafting in Putao As the snow-capped Himalayas are more U Thant House plugged in to the rest of Myanmar with The beautifully restored former home of several daily flights to Putao, newcomer U Thant in Yangon is a fitting memorial Icy Myanmar is offering exhilarating to the UN Secretary-General from 1961 to whitewater-rafting trips in the remote 1971. (p53) north. (p305) Travel in Chin State For more recommendations The need for permission to visit much of and reviews, see lonelyplanet. Chin State has been lifted, allowing access com/myanmar-burma to remote locations, such as heart-shaped Rih Lake. (p326)
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 17 If You Like… Buddhas & sugar) on the way to or from Mt easily arranged hill-tribe village Temples Popa. (p173) treks. (p218) Red Mountain Estate Pedal to Balloon rides Marvel at Bagan’s Shwesandaw Paya Ride the this winery outside Nyaungshwe temples, bathed in the beautiful ferry across the Yangon River to to sample wine produced from light of dawn, from the basket of visit Twante and this 2500-year- Shan Hills grapes. (p201) a hot-air balloon. (p156) old pagoda. (p88) Monywa Embarkation point for Win Sein Taw Ya Gawp at the Markets & travellers seeking to boat-hop the 560ft-long buddha reclining Shopping Chindwin River to newly permit- on the lush hillsides of Yadana free towns to the north. (p176) Taung, accessible from Bogyoke Aung San Market Whitewater rafting Contact Icy Mawlamyine. (p116) Drop by this historic Yangon Myanmar in Putao to arrange Mrauk U Fall under the spell of market for handicrafts from rafting trips down the far north’s the old Rakhine capital, dotted around the country. (p54) beautiful rivers with rapids with ruined and restored tem- Art Gallery of Bagan Watch mostly of Grades 3 or 4. (p305) ples and monasteries. (p318) artisans craft lacquerware bowls Indawgyi Wetland Wildlife Sagaing Leafy paths shade the and other ornaments at work- Sanctuary There are thrilling routes to 500 hilltop and riverside shops in Myinkaba and nearby bird- and wildlife-spotting stupas and a community of some New Bagan. (p167) opportunities at this northern 6000 monks and nuns. (p266) Shwe Sar Umbrella Workshop Myanmar lake. (p296) Bodhi Tataung The glimmering Visit here to buy the graceful, Mt Victoria Climb this 10,016ft 424ft standing Buddha here is painted paper umbrellas that are peak in Chin State, Myanmar’s the second tallest in the world, a speciality of Pathein. (p96) second-tallest mountain. (p326) dominating the landscape for Puppets If you enjoyed the Myeik Archipelago Spectacular miles around. (p179) classic marionette shows in Man- diving awaits those adventurous dalay, why not adopt a puppet enough to seek out these south- Food & Drink character of your own? (p256) ern Myanmar islands. (p137) Gems markets Mogok’s Green Hill Valley Interact gently Street eats Street vendors morning and afternoon gems with retired elephants at this serve great, cheap snacks and markets make for fascinating ethically run camp and reforesta- meals throughout Myanmar, but people-watching and there’s no tion project near Kalaw. (p219) the best are in Yangon. (p70) pressure to buy. (p289) Myanmar teahouse Having Beautiful breakfast or an afternoon snack Activities & Landscapes at a teahouse is a unique experi- Adventures ence that provides more than a Inle Lake The hype is justified caffeinated kick. (p383) Kalaw Along with Pindaya and for this serene lake fringed by Toddy Sample this alcoholic Hsipaw, Kalaw is one of the best floating gardens, stilt-houses drink made from jaggery (palm locations in Myanmar for short, and Buddhist temples. (p206)
18 PL A N YO U R TRI P I f Y o u L ike … SANTIAGO URQUIJO / GETTY IMAGES © Shwesandaw Paya A 10-storey tall buddha watches over Pyay, its hilltop location providing sweep- ing views across town. (p151) Mt Zwegabin Get a bird’s-eye view from the summit of the tall- est of the limestone mountains that ring Hpa-an. (p125) Than Daung Gyi Peaceful hillside village with vistas over the sur- rounding lush forests. (p145) National Landmark Gardens Survey the spectacle of the sur- real capital Nay Pyi Taw at these gardens showcasing Myanmar’s grand sites in miniature. (p146) Gokteik Viaduct Peer down on a densely forested ravine as your train rattles over Myanmar’s longest and highest railway bridge. (p280) Ethnic Diversity ALANTOBEY / GETTY IMAGES © Kyaingtong Mingle with Shan Top: Train crossing the Gokteik Viaduct (p280) and tribal people from the Bottom: Traditional bracelets worn by Akha women (p226), near Kyaingtong surrounding hills at the central and twice-weekly water-buffalo markets. (p223) Hsipaw Trek from this low-key country town to meet Shan and Palaung tribal villagers. (p282) Mawlamyine Soak up the laid- back atmosphere of this tropical town that’s the heart of Mon culture. (p109) Myitkyina Proud of its Kachin culture and host to two huge tribal festivals. (p291) Loikaw Arrange visits to Kayan villages from the capital of Kayah State, only recently opened to visitors. (p229) Myeik In this southern Myanmar port, encounter descendants of Chinese and Indian traders as well as Bamar, Mon and Moken people. (p131) Chin State Here the largely Christian Chin people spend Sundays in the region’s many churches. (p326)
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 19 Month by Month TOP EVENTS of this Kachin State Day z Yangon Photo event, held in Myitkyina on Independence Day 4 10 January. Festival January This celebration of photog- z Ananda Pahto raphy (www.yangonphoto. Ananda Pahto com) is held at Yangon’s Festival January Festival Institut Française and Water Festival Stretching over a couple other venues across the city, (Thingyan) mid-April of weeks in January (but and includes exhibitions, a Taungbyone Nat sometimes in December, conference and workshops. Pwe August or early depending on the Myanmar September lunar calendar), this is one April Tazaungdaing October of the biggest religious or November festivals in Bagan. It’s steaming hot and with many locals off work and January February on the move during the New Year celebrations, Peak season and, if Chinese A busy travel season, with securing transport, New Year falls within the the weather beginning to booking hotels and even month, even busier with get warmer. If Chinese New finding a restaurant open local tourists and those Year happens to fall in this for a meal can be tricky. from the region. Note New month, watch out for a Year’s Day is not a public boost in travel activity. z Buddha’s holiday in Myanmar. z Shwedagon Birthday z Independence The full-moon day of Kason Festival (falling in April or May) Day The lunar month of is celebrated as Buddha’s Celebrating the end of co- Tabaung (which can also birthday, the day of his en- lonial rule in Burma, this fall in March) signals the lightenment and the day he major public holiday on 4 start of the Shwedagon entered nibbana (nirvana). January is marked by na- Festival, the largest paya Watering ceremonies are tionwide fairs, including a pwe (pagoda festival) in conducted at banyan trees week-long one at Kandaw- Myanmar. within temple and monas- gyi Lake in Yangon. tery grounds. March z Manao Festival z Water Festival A great month for Costumed dancing, copi- travelling around Myanmar, (Thingyan) ous drinking of rice beer with generally fair weather Lasting from three days and 29 cows or buffalo in most locations and only to a week, depending on sacrificed to propitiate nat a low chance of rain. whether the holiday falls (traditional spirits) are part over a weekend, this cel- ebration welcomes in My- anmar’s New Year.
20 fire-balloon competitions in PAYA PWE Taunggyi. PLAN YOUR TRIP Month by Month Nearly every active paya (Buddhist temple) or November kyaung (Burmese Buddhist monastery) community hosts occasional celebrations of their own, often The start of the main called paya pwe (pagoda festivals). Many occur on tourist season sees cooler full-moon days and nights from January to March, weather and still-lush following the main rice harvest, but the build-up can landscapes. last for a while. All such festivals follow the 12-month lunar calendar and so their celebration can shift z National Day between two months from year to year. Held on the waning of To check dates of these and other festivals, go to Tazaungmon (usually in the festival calendar of the Britain-Myanmar Society late November), this public (www.shwepla.net/Calendar/ThinkCal.mv). holiday celebrates student protests back in 1920, seen z Dawei Thingyan damp days and transport as a crucial step on the hitches. road to independence. The male residents of the tropical seaside town of Da- z Taungbyone Nat z Irrawaddy wei (Tavoy) don huge, 13ft bamboo-frame effigies and Pwe Literary Festival dance down the streets to Myanmar’s most famous Launched in Yangon in the beat of the kalakodaun, animist celebration is held 2013, since 2014 this festival an Indian drum. at Taungbyone, 13 miles (www.irrawaddylitfest.com) north of Mandalay, and has been held in Mandalay. June attracts thousands of revel- Local writers are joined by lers, many of them homo- celebrated international Pack your raincoat and sexual or transgender. literary and media figures, sturdy umbrella, as including the likes of Jung Myanmar gets doused by October Chang, Fergal Keane and monsoon rains. Roads can Tan Twan Eng. be flooded and flights to Rain is still a possibility but coastal destinations are that means everything is December sharply reduced. very green – making this a great time to visit Bagan, Peak travel season with z Start of the for example. many visitors heading to the country over the Buddhist Rains z Thadingyut Christmas–New Year Retreat break. Christmas itself The full moon of Waso is Marking the end of Bud- is celebrated by many the start of the three-month dhist Lent, this festival of Christian Kayin, Kachin Buddhist Rains Retreat lights celebrates the de- and Chin people. (aka Buddhist Lent), when scent of Buddha from heav- young men enter monaster- en. People place candles z Kayin New Year ies and no marriages take in their windows and it’s a place. Prior to the full- popular time for weddings On the first waxing moon moon day, a robe-offering and monk pilgrimages. of Pyatho (which can also ceremony to monks is happen in January), the performed. z Tazaungdaing Kayin New Year is consid- ered a national holiday, August The full-moon night of with Kayin communities Tazaungmon (which can (clustered in Insein near The monsoon is still in full also fall in November), Yangon and Hpa-An) wear- swing so be prepared for known as Tazaungdaing, is ing traditional dress. a second ‘festival of lights’, particularly famous for the
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 21 Itineraries BANGLADESH •# Mandalay CHINA Bagan •# f#É ÉÉ •# Pindaya É –# É É É •# Inle Lake MYANMAR É £# –# BAY OF THAILAND BENGAL Yangon •# ANDAMAN SEA 2WEEKS Myanmar’s Highlights Myanmar’s top locations form the bedrock of this travel plan that includes a train and boat ride as well as downtime beside lovely Inle Lake. Fly into Yangon where you’ll spend your first couple of days acclimatising. Take a walk- ing tour around the historic downtown area, chill out beside Kandawgyi Lake and visit Shwedagon Paya at sunset. Nip across the Yangon River to Dalah, a slice of rural Myanmar. Board the overnight sleeper train to Mandalay. In three or four days you can see the old capital’s sights as well as make day trips to places such as Mingun, home to a giant earthquake-cracked stupa; U Bein’s Bridge at Amarapura; and Monywa, where you can climb halfway up inside the world’s tallest standing buddha. Catch the fast boat from Mandalay to Bagan; set aside three days to explore the thou- sands of ancient temples scattered across the countryside. For amazing views, sign up for a hot-air balloon ride or climb sacred Mt Popa. Fly to beautiful Inle Lake, where motor-powered dugout canoes take you to floating markets. Make a day trip to the Shwe Oo Min Cave near Pindaya to see 8000 buddha images or arrange some light trekking.
22 Mandalay É•# Pyin Oo Lwin CHINA •# LAOS BANGLADESH É É Mrauk U É#f É ÉÉ f# •# ÉBagan #• #– É ÉÉ PLAN YOUR TRIP Itineraries Sittwe •# ÉMYANMAR #• Inle Lake É Kalaw •# #– Nay Pyi Taw#• É Ngapali Beach #• É BBEANYGOAFL É É THAILAND #– ÉRÉMt Kyaiktiyo •# Hpa-an Bago •# É Yangon •# A N DS AE MA A N #• Mawlamyine 4WEEKS A Month in the Country This adventurous south to north itinerary includes activities and a range of transport, and will take to you to tourist hotspots such as Bagan, as well as off-the-beaten-track destinations like Mrauk U. After a few days acclimatising in Yangon, take an overnight bus to Kayin State’s capital, Hpa-an, allowing enough time to climb nearby Mt Zwegabin, or go rock climb- ing. Charter a boat for the lovely two-hour river trip to Mawlamyine, a beguiling, melancholic town trapped in a colonial time-warp. Make a few day trips, such as to the coconut-crazy island Bilu Kyun, the giant reclining buddha at Win Sein Taw Ya temple, or Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery. On your way north, pause at the fabulous, golden boulder stupa balanced atop Mt Kyaiktiyo and the old royal capital of Bago, stacked with impressive temples. Fol- low the highway north to Myanmar’s contemporary capital Nay Pyi Taw, a visit that plunges you into the deepest depths of the bizarre. Hop on the slow train from here to Kalaw, from where you can organise a two-night trek to magical Inle Lake. Save time by flying from Heho, Inle Lake’s airport, to Mandalay. The former royal capital is a great base for visiting several ancient sites. If the heat is getting you down, drive two hours and breathe fresh cool air in the colonial-era getaway of Pyin Oo Lwin. Take a boat or bus ride west of Mandalay to the remarkable temple-strewn plains of Bagan. A new bus service makes it possible to go directly from here to Mrauk U. Once a powerful, cosmopolitan city, it’s now one of Myanmar’s most atmospheric backwaters, an idyllic location dotted with hundreds of ancient stupas and monasteries. Reserve a day for another river trip to visit nearby Chin villages. Take a ferry from Mrauk U to Rakhine State’s capital of Sittwe, from where you can fly south for some R&R on beautiful Ngapali Beach. Tan topped up, fly to Yangon where you can do some last-minute sightseeing and shopping, perhaps making a day trip to the Delta town of Twante, or learning how to cook Burmese food.
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 23 Plan Your Trip Before You Go Although travel here is a breeze compared to the past, Myanmar still isn’t a spontaneous destination to visit. Careful pretrip plan- ning, from getting your visa and travel money sorted, to weighing up transport options and arranging any necessary permits and guides, will make your visit here all the smoother. Getting Your Visa Predeparture Checklist Getting a visa is straightforward. The key Apply for a visa. things to know include the following: Book hotels, flights and river cruises. ¨¨Everyone requires a visa to visit Myanmar. Sort out any necessary permits for travel ¨¨Start the process no later than three weeks to restricted areas. before your trip: a month before to be safe. Stock up on brand-new US dollar bills. ¨¨If there is no Myanmar embassy or consulate Arrange any necessary vaccinations. near where you live, it may be possible to apply for a visa online (an e-visa) and pick up the Don’t Forget stamp at the airport on arrival. ¨¨Currently e-visas can also be used at three all-purpose electrical-plug adapter borders between Myanmar and Thailand: torch (flashlight) for power blackouts Tachileik, Myawaddy and Kawthaung. warm jacket for chilly overnight bus rides flip-flops or sandals Travel Restrictions & bug spray Arranging Permits prescription medicines Much of Myanmar needs no prior permis- sion to visit, but some areas are completely off-limits and others require permits. When securing such permission consider the following: ¨¨It takes time – plan on a minimum of at least two weeks. Permission may come more quickly but sometimes takes longer. ¨¨Applications should be made via specialist travel agencies who will arrange the permit as part of a package tour, which will generally include accommodation, a licensed tourist guide, a car and driver (with their meal and accommodation covered, too).
TANAKORN PUSSAWONG / SHUTTERSTOCK © 24 WOJTEK CHMIELEWSKI / SHUTTERSTOCK © Top: Woman in a Chin village (p327) Bottom: Red Mountain Estate (p201), Nyaungshwe PLAN YOUR TRIP Before You Go
25 BURMA OR MYANMAR? PLAN YOUR TRIP Before You Go When in 1989 the military junta ditched Burma (along with all other colonial-era place names, such as Rangoon, Pagan, Bassein and Arakan) in favour of Myanmar, the reasoning was that this name was more inclusive of the nation’s diverse ethnic population. That was a spurious argument since both Burma and Myanmar have the same etymological roots in the Burmese language: the former is the spoken name, the latter is how the name is written in Bamar. During the years of military dictatorship, what to call the country was highly po- liticised, democracy supporters favouring Burma. However, today, that polarisation is fading into the past. Aung San Suu Kyi, addressing some of the nation’s diplomats in her role as Foreign Minister in April 2016, said they could call the country either Burma or Myanmar. Although accustomed to calling it Burma herself, she vowed to sometimes use Myanmar – all in the spirit of diplomacy! We use Myanmar as the default name for the country, with Burma used for pe- riods before 1989 and when it’s the name of an organisation, eg Burma Campaign UK. ‘Burmese’ is used for the Bamar people (not for all of the country’s population, which we term ‘the people of Myanmar’), the food and the language. ¨¨You will need to pay fees that are part of the Choosing tour package; these can cost anything from Accommodation US$200 to US$1000 per day depending on what you plan to do. Bookings for most accommodation in My- Check with your country’s government anmar can be made directly online with travel advice (p412) and also double-check the establishment or via local travel agents. with local travel agencies. Advance bookings are strongly advised for the busiest holiday season from December Restricted Areas through to February. In January 2013, government bans on Staying in a monastery is usually only travel to restricted areas of Myanmar, in- possible at those that run meditation cluding places in Chin, Kayah, Kayin, Shan courses for foreign students. and Kachin states, were partially lifted. For a map of where you can travel freely Online accommodation rental opera- and where you need government permis- tions, such as Airbnb, do have some list- sion, see www.tourismtransparency.org/ ings for Myanmar, but note it’s currently no-go-zones-changes. illegal to stay in a private home. Confusion over the rules has led to some Family-Run Guesthouses travellers being turned back from some areas, so make thorough inquiries before Often with just five or so rooms and a you set out and, if possible, travel in the lounge, which are shared with three or company of a Burmese speaker. four generations of a family, these budget- level guesthouses can be a highlight of Some restrictions still apply, including your trip, offering connections with local to the following destinations, which are of life and inexpensive deals (under US$20 interest to travellers and for which you will for a double). Most rooms come with a need a permit: fan or some sort of air-conditioning unit, Chin State Paletwa and Matupi though electricity frequently cuts out after Kachin State Bhamo midnight. Some guesthouses are better Mandalay Region Mogok than others, however, and like budget ho- Shan State Taunggyi to Kyaingtong overland tels, you’ll find some with squashed mos- quitoes left on the walls.
26 PLAN YOUR TRIP Before You Go Budget Hotels Transport Options In many towns, your only options will be For some destinations in Myanmar you’ll a couple of four-storey, modern hotels. In have no option but to fly. For others, de- some hotels you will find dark cell-like pending on the time you have available, rooms with a shared bathroom on the there’s the choice also of rail, road and – in ground floor (usually for locals only), and a few cases – boat. Using a mix of trans- two types of nicer rooms on upper floors. port types is a great way to get the most Some have lifts. Some keep their gen- out of your time in Myanmar, with trains erators on 24 hours; others just for a few and government-run ferries being best for hours at night and in the morning. Most interaction with locals. cost US$20 to US$50 for a double. Bookings are fairly straightforward. All Have a look before taking the higher- domestic airlines provide online booking priced ‘deluxe’ rooms; they often cost an and it’s also possible to book online for bus extra US$10 for a refrigerator and writing and train tickets via travel agencies. desk that you may not use. Other deluxe rooms offer more space, nicer flooring and Government-run ferries are becoming maybe satellite TV. less common as a way to get around, al- though there are some private boat services Midrange & Top-End in certain locations. For anything approach- ing comfortable travel on Myanmar’s rivers, Upper-midrange and top-end hotels vary the only option is a luxury cruise. widely in terms of quality and value for money. There are few genuine boutique If time is limited but you want to cover hotels, for example. When making your plenty of ground, consider hiring a car choice, ask about the hotel’s commitment and driver. Self-drive isn’t really an option, to local and sustainable issues, such as its although in a few locations, such as Man- employment practices and whether funds dalay, you can hire motorbikes. are provided for community projects and local charities. Train travel is not a good option if you are on a tight schedule – they are notorious for long delays. TRANSPORT COMPARISON TABLE ROUTE AIR BUS TRAIN BOAT Yangon–Mandalay 1hr 25min; from 9hr; ordinary/ 15½hr; ordinary/ n/a US$85 VIP bus upper class/sleeper n/a Yangon–Bagan K11,000/20,500 K4650/9300/12,750 n/a 70min; US$100- 10hr; K15,500 16hr; ordinary/ Yangon–Inle Lake 110 upper class/sleeper n/a 12hr; ordinary/ K4500/6000/16,500 Yangon–Ngapali 70min; from VIP bus n/a Mandalay–Inle US$130 (to Heho) K15,000/18,500 Lake (to Taunggyi) n/a Mandalay–Bagan 50min; from 14hr; K15,000 Bagan–Inle Lake US$101 30min; from 6-8hr; from n/a n/a US$56 K12,000 11hr; US$35 30min; from 6hr; from K8000 8hr; ordinary/upper class n/a US$56 K4000/10,000 40min; from 10hr; from K11,000 n/a US$70 (to Taunggyi)
27 PLAN YOUR TRIP Before You Go JPRICHARD / SHUTTERSTOCK © Sunset cruise on the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) River in Bagan (p165) Boat boat. The starting point for most trips is either Bagan or Mandalay, but occasionally A cruise along Myanmar’s major rivers itineraries originate in Yangon. is the stuff of many travellers’ dreams, a chance to soak up Myanmar’s largely Routes unsullied landscape and lifestyle in all There are 5000 miles of navigable river in its lush glory. The main drawback of this Myanmar, with the most important river mode of travel is speed – or lack thereof. being the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy). Even in Boat trips for many routes are loosely the dry season, boats can travel from the scheduled in terms of days, not hours. delta region (dodging exposed sandbars) Make sure you bring plenty of diversions all the way north to Bhamo, and in the wet and/or a willingness to make conversation they can reach Myitkyina. with fellow passengers. The ability of you being able to make The level of comfort on the boats de- such a journey, though, is another mat- pends on your budget. IWT ferries and ter, as foreigners are barred from certain private boats may be relatively inexpensive routes – at the time of research, for exam- but you get what you pay for – they are ple, it was not possible for foreign visitors very low on frills and highly uncomfort- to travel on any boats heading into or out able for lengthy journeys. You certainly of Myitkyina. This situation may change in won’t go hungry, though, as all long- the future. distance ferries have an on-board cook and are visited at most stops by a variety of One other key thing to keep in mind is locals selling food and drink. the direction in which to travel. Journeys heading north (ie against the flow of the For comforts, such as a bed with a mat- river) take days longer than those going tress and fully plumbed bathroom, your south with the river – this is especially the only option will be to join a cruise on a case on the lumbering IWT ferries. luxury boat (p422). Rates will usually include all meals and excursions from the
28 The key riverboat routes that can be see Myanmar. If your travel plans are built into a travel itinerary include the straightforward, it’s very easy to make following: your own arrangements. Yangon–Mandalay Rarely offered route on luxury cruises. However, for certain parts of the coun- Mandalay–Bagan On the IWT ferry or private boats. try that require permits or for off-the- Mandalay–Bhamo–Katha A few private fast-boat beaten track travel plans, specific interests services, but mostly done on the IWT. and adventure activities, the services of a Mawlamyine–Hpa-an By private boat. reputable agency come into their own. See travel agencies (p415) and specific destinations for listings. JEAN-PHILIPPE TOURNUT / GETTY IMAGES © Sittwe–Mrauk U By private boats or IWT ferry. PLAN YOUR TRIP Before You Go Khamti–Monywa Chindwin River route on IWT Arranging ferries and private boats. A few luxury boats also Private Guides sail along the Chindwin. Organised Tours If you’re used to having a car at the airport waiting for you, and guides showing you There are hundreds of businesses across where to go, either contact a Myanmar- Myanmar calling themselves travel agen- based travel agent before a trip, or give cies, but only a handful can be considered yourself a couple of days to do so once you full-service, experienced tour agencies, arrive. Travel agencies (p415) and often with a track record of arranging visits to hotels can help set up private guides and all corners of the country. transport. Joining an organised tour is seldom Ask to pay as you go to ensure that your necessary, nor ideally the best way to money is spread out and to use different guides at each destination rather than one guide for the whole trip. Talk with more Reclining Buddha near Kyaikthanlan Paya (p111)
29 than one agent, telling them what you TRAVEL LITERATURE PLAN YOUR TRIP Before You Go want, to gauge offers. The Trouser People (Andrew Mar- Some agents are keen to ensure you shall; 2012) The new edition includes have adequate travel insurance covering Marshall’s eyewitness account of the medical emergencies for your trip. Their 2007 Saffron Revolution. concerns are well founded, as quality Golden Earth (Norman Lewis; 1952) medical care in Myanmar isn’t readily What’s amazing about Lewis’ vivid available. An insurance policy that covers account of travelling in the turbulent medi-vac is wise. Burma of 1951 is how little some things have changed. Activities Finding George Orwell in Burma If you’re planning a trekking or diving trip (Emma Larkin; 2004) Perceptive to Myanmar, it’s best to check well in ad- account contrasting Orwell’s time in vance with operators about your preferred Burma as a colonial policeman with dates and how this fits into local weather Larkin’s own travels in the modern era. patterns and the possibility of joining an organised tour or not. For example, diving ATMs accepting international cards is restricted to the dry season, ie between are common in cities and major towns November and April. (but not elsewhere). A few places such as hotels, tourist restaurants and shops Likewise, most river cruises are not also take credit cards. But with dodgy scheduled during the wet season from power supplies and telecommunications, April to the end of September, and you such electronic means of payment cannot won’t be able to go hot-air ballooning dur- be guaranteed – so come prepared with ing this season either. plenty of cash. Money Tips What to Wear In the vast majority of cases you’ll be Unless you are planning a luxury cruise paying for everything in cash – typi- along one of the country’s rivers, it’s cally Myanmar’s local currency, kyat, but unlikely you’ll need anything formal or sometimes US dollars. If you’re dealing fancy to wear. The key things to remember with a travel agent, you can usually pay in are that you will be taking your shoes on advance for some of your expenses (hotels, and off quite a lot to visit temples, enter transport), on top of which a processing fee homes etc, so flip-flops or sandals are of around 5% may be charged. recommended. Also, both men and women should respectfully keep their legs and up- Although banks and moneychangers per bodies fully clothed when visiting reli- have been instructed by the government to gious buildings – a longyi (sarong) or shawl accept all dollars whatever their age and can work for a quick cover-up in such cases. condition, you’ll run into far fewer prob- lems if you bring brand-new greenbacks If you’re visiting any of Myanmar’s for exchange to kyat: this means bills from higher-altitude areas, bring warm clothes 2006 or later that are in mint condition, ie to counter cooler temperatures and chilly no folds, stamps, stains, writing or tears. nights. Keep them in a flat wallet as you travel.
30 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Regions Southwestern at a Myanmar Glance Temples # Beaches Crafts Yangon Temples Galore Temples Bago (Pegu) alone could Shopping probably win the temple Food stakes for just about any Paya Pilgrimages city in Myanmar, but the Yangon’s unmissable Shwedagon Paya, Bago’s plethora water-bound Yele Paya of temples, the water-bound Yele Paya at Kyauktan and at Kyauktan and the Pathein’s Shwemokhtaw Paya make the entire region Shwemokhtaw Paya in perfect for those with a passion for paya. Pathein make the entire Arts, Crafts & Markets region an area worth inves- Yangon offers a growing range of shops stocked with tigating for temple freaks. quality handicrafts, quirky cultural items and genuine antiques. In particular, look out for interesting and Easy-Access Beaches affordable contemporary art and crafts from socially Chaung Tha Beach and responsible businesses. The city’s fresh-produce markets Ngwe Saung Beach prob- are also vibrant and great for browsing and photo ops. ably won’t fit everybody’s Diverse Cuisines notion of a picture-postcard Offering the country’s best selection of Burmese and desert beach, but they’re international food, Yangon’s dynamic restaurant scene clean, sunny and the easiest covers an ever-expanding range of cuisines – everything beaches to reach in from Indian nibbles to Shan noodles to Mexican and Myanmar. Japanese. The more adventurous will want to sample the city’s multiple street-food offerings. Myanmar Handicrafts p34 View Myanmar’s famed silk and cotton parasols being created at workshops in Pathein. Twante’s Oh-Bo Pottery Sheds turn out clay containers of varying shapes and sizes. p86
31 Southeastern Bagan & Central Eastern PLAN YOUR TRIP Regions at a Glance Myanmar Myanmar Myanmar Beaches Temples Outdoors Temples Shopping Culture Culture Scenery Food Myeik Archipelago Paya Beyond Bagan Boat Rides & Hiking Southern Myanmar’s Myeik You’ll find thousands of Tramping between tea Archipelago covers more temples in Bagan, but also plantations in Pindaya; than 800 largely uninhab- worth seeking out are the buzzing around in a boat ited islands, making it the Nat shrine at Mt Popa and on Inle Lake; scaling moun- country’s, if not mainland the pilgrimage temples of tains outside Kalaw; visit- Southeast Asia’s, ultimate Shwesandaw Paya in Taun- ing a Loi longhouse outside beach destination. goo, Shwesandaw Paya in Kyaingtong...just a few of Pyay and Shwemyetman the outdoor pursuits possi- Mt Kyaiktiyo Paya in Shwedaung. ble in eastern Myanmar. (Golden Rock) There are enough temples Lacquerware & Shan & Pa-O People in and around Mawlamyine Blankets The country’s far east alone to keep you busy for Bagan is also famous for its boasts exceptional cultural a lifetime, but the indisput- exquisitely decorated lac- diversity – even by My- able highlight of the region querware; watch artisans anmar standards. Learn is Mt Kyaiktiyo (Golden create it in workshops in about Pa-O culture around Rock) – a must-do religious Myinkaba and New Bagan. Inle Lake, or about Shan pilgrimage for everyone in Across the Ayeyarwady culture and language and Myanmar. River, Pakokku is famous their similarities with those for its patterned blankets. of neighbouring Thailand Mon People in Kyaingtong. You will probably never Panoramic Views have heard of the Mon Get an eyeful of the Authentic Shan Food people before, so let one of countrys ide from atop the From shàn k’auq·s’wèh, the excellent Mawlamyine- temple at Mt Popa’s summit Shan-style noodle soup, to based guides introduce or from one of the hot-air ngà t’ămìn jin, a turmeric- you to the culture via the balloons flying over Bagan tinged rice dish, a stay in area’s tidy sugar-palm-lined at dawn. eastern Myanmar is your towns, seaside temples and chance to try authentic island-bound villages. p141 Shan food at the source. p105 p196
32 # PLAN YOUR TRIP Regions at a Glance Mandalay & Northern Western Around Myanmar Myanmar Temples Outdoors Temples Culture Culture Beaches Food Boating Mountains Ancient Stupas & Himalayan Hiking Ancient Palaces & Temples Hike to unspoilt hill-tribe Teak Monasteries Arguably more interest- villages that are easily Temples and a ruined pal- ing than Mandalay’s fine accessible on short hikes ace are scattered across the monastic buildings are the from Hsipaw and Kyaukme. lush hillsides of the old Ra- older stupas and temples Given permits and a bigger khine capital of Mrauk U. on the sites of several older budget, intrepid travellers Sittwe’s giant Lokananda former capitals, including can trek deep into Myan- Paya and the teak buildings what would have been the mar’s Himalayan foothills of the Shwezedi Kyaung world’s biggest stupa (Min- from Putao. monastic complex are also gun) had it been finished. worth searching out. Meet Myanmar’s Performing Arts Minority People Ngapali Beach Myanmar’s cultural capital Immerse yourself in the Idyllic stretches of palm- offers intimate traditional region’s fascinating cultural fringed sand hardly come dance performances, mari- mix, including Chinese- more perfectly formed than onette shows and the famed influenced Lashio, Shan those of Ngapali Beach. Moustache Brothers’ vaude- and Palaung villages villian rants. around Hsipaw, and the Mountain Hikes Kachin capital Myitkyina, Brave the rough roads of Upper Burmese home to two of Myanmar’s Chin State as they wind Cuisine biggest and most colourful up to 8000ft or more and Mandalay is a great des- ‘minority’ festivals. hike to the summits of Mt tination for cheap Upper Victoria and Mt Kennedy, Burmese cuisine, which River Trips passing through Chin vil- fans say is heartier than You’ll hardly see another lages where the way of Yangon food. A high popu- foreigner on the no-frills life has barely changed in lation of expat Chinese has public boats chugging centuries. blessed the city with a down the Ayeyarwady slew of excellent Chinese River. Or for more of a rush, p307 eateries. consider a whitewater- rafting trip on the dramatic p234 Malikha River near Putao. p271
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd On the Road Northern Myanmar p271 Mandalay & Around p234 ^# Western Eastern Myanmar Bagan & Myanmar p307 Central p196 Myanmar p141 Southwestern Myanmar ^# Yangon p86 p34 Southeastern Myanmar p105
# Yangon POP 5,160,510 / % 01 Includes Why Go? Sights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 With former political exiles, big-time investors and adventur- Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 ers all jostling for a place at the city’s table, Yangon (ရနက္ နု )္ Tours. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 is currently the most exciting place to be in Myanmar. Once Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 known as Rangoon, the country’s largest metropolis is also its Festivals & Events . . . . 59 commercial and intellectual hub. And it’s reaping the bene- Sleeping. . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 fits of Myanmar’s recent political and economic liberalisation. Eating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Decaying buildings and monuments are being spruced up. Drinking & Nightlife. . . 75 There’s a rash of new restaurants, bars and shops. And there Entertainment. . . . . . . .78 are building sites – and traffic jams – everywhere. Shopping. . . . . . . . . . . . 78 What really matters here, though, is what has always mat- Best Places to Eat tered, starting with the awe-inspiring Buddhist monument Shwedagon Paya, a golden pinnacle around which everything ¨¨Rangoon Tea House (p69) else revolves. Equally attractive is downtown Yangon, its pave- ¨¨Pansuriya (p69) ments teeming with food and book vendors; colourful open-air ¨¨Feel Myanmar Food (p68) markets; neighbouring temples, mosques and churches (living ¨¨Green Gallery (p70) proof of the city’s cosmopolitanism); and some of Southeast ¨¨Rau Ram (p71) Asia’s most impressive colonial architecture. ¨¨Le Planteur (p74) When to Go Rainfall inches/mm 12/300 Yangon °C/°F Temp 40/104 Best Places to 30/86 8/200 Sleep 20/68 4/100 10/50 ¨¨Loft Hotel (p63) 0/32 MAM J 0 ¨¨Alamanda Inn (p66) JF J ASOND ¨¨Belmond Governor’s Oct–Feb Daytime Mar–May Hottest Jun–Sep Wet sea- Residence (p64) heat is tolerable time of year. April’s son, but showers and evenings are Water Festival are often short ¨¨Yama Dormitory (p62) often cool. (Thingyan) can and shouldn’t cause disruption to inconvenience; ¨¨Pickled Tea Hostel (p65) travel. hotels are cheaper. ¨¨Sule Shangri-la (p65)
Bago Aung Mingalar 35 (43mi) ›# (1.9mi) Pyay Rd D Yangon mar St NORTH DAGON International OKKALAPA MYOTHIT Airport £#Pweseikkon D –# Ywama £# udha Yangon Pyi Htaung Main Rd Bayintnaung Rd DaKwyaKuykPiÚ#yay Rd ÿ# Airport Th Hotel £# Insein INSEIN Kyaukyedwin £# Ú# Meilamu Bo Minn Yaung Rd Ya n go n H i g h l i g hts Paya Tadakalay £# *² DK›#HTuhlPaoa(anr3nngY.1aYHPmSGrwualia)ownailanØ#fCHWFgCaorlRacehlTctueiiYooohnv5kbTrolaengyehrnFmusRiierOtasdaim£#lhk&SienSkKkyMgMBayMaaGaiHna£#aimtnyyaneanraoPr£#gakpnakgyyLet£#aPneoauhatratanta#ækyneH#æ£#wØ#hMLaladAAiPy£#AnIYaNhg£#£#AlrH£#GoaNlRKnemKdedGAy£#iaeSMORnmANdAyNYinCSUdMNeGHaTearuiTAneSBt#shagU#ihLIoteuoJM3nweaNxounyTrekiyuGnamYdaieaCrgaLanlngnhSSPeSm#eogeia1aDhcytnoeahuhsywnArPIwoknaMGaeyoehyadaOilatpØ#LaaN&Pa(gt£#pkaAgKo5BeMyr2ynoAa&Ya)uIienHN#LngK6dYYHdØ##AaKGuaa5oao£#MkaNAnngRwuneagbaLMdsbPpgoeeAeaaB(nOyTrp£#aHaiYK4AuSml8AwkKM£#O)tiMaNAaTWUNwGyKTLhTyioEhtAIu£#HtniMNtnaPsetryaAT£#£#iratRtmadPrwRienddYLNaognTCDPahTrRauSoihMndchNZaTFooGwkuaaheadernernaYiRmtRl#únGaeedaity#æchueuNs(mea0Vkt.iail6olramnRgaide)l D Insein Rd an Thu Mar R k Cre Hlaing River rC Wai Za Yan Tar Rd Pyay Rd Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd Yan Pyae St n Rd Htwe Oo Myanmar #2 £# Shan Rd TAUNG £# Pazundaung Traditional Puppet Theatre NYUNT Markets #8 £# Yamonnar Rd See Downtown West Map (p42) DAWBON Asia Point DOWNTOWN Yangon Bowling Centre Wadan Jettyû# #7 Hla Day Ø#Ø# Beer Station e# 0 2 km Dalah #4 Yangon River BOTATAUNG See Downtown East Yangon 0 1 miles Map (p38) Waterboom Yangon Highlights 1 Shwedagon Paya (p45) 4 Dalah (p51) Riding the 6 Chaukhtatgyi Paya (p51) Offering a prayer of wonder at ferry across the Yangon River Admiring the giant reclining the pyramid of gold. to the rural neighbourhood Buddha. of Dalah, best explored on a 7 Hla Day (p79) Shopping 2 Htwe Oo Myanmar bicycle or photography tour. for souvenirs at social- Traditional Puppet Theatre 5 Kandawgyi Lake (p51) enterprise shops. (p78) Being charmed by a Taking an early-morning 8 Markets (p54) Getting off puppet performance. or evening stroll on the the beaten track at Yangon’s 3 National Museum (p39) boardwalk around the lake. sensory-stimulating fish, Witnessing the treasures of coconut and banana markets. Myanmar’s past.
36 YANGON ရန်ကနု ် anmar was to be the nation’s capital. Yangon again suffered as government ministries de- parted from the downtown area, leaving be- History hind empty and uncared for state buildings. In 1755 King Alaungpaya conquered central In late 2007 Yangon was the centre of Myanmar and built a new city at Dagon, a huge nationwide fuel protests, which were village that had existed for centuries around led by Buddhist monks. The protests quickly Ya n go n SHYaiIgSnThgOtosRnY the Shwedagon Paya. He renamed the place escalated into antigovernment demonstra- Yangon, meaning ‘end of strife’, and, a year tions, which resulted in the deaths of many later, following the destruction of Thanlyin protestors and worldwide condemnation. (Syriam) across the river, built it up into an In May 2008 the worst natural disaster important seaport. in Myanmar’s recent history, Cyclone Nar- In 1841 the city was virtually destroyed gis, hit the south of the country. Yangon was by fire; the rebuilt town again suffered ex- declared a disaster area by the government. tensive damage during the Second Anglo- However, when reconstruction work began, it Burmese War in 1852. The British, the new was found that most of the city had escaped masters, renamed the city Rangoon (a cor- major structural damage. By mid-June 2008, ruption of Yangon) and mapped out a grand electricity and telecommunications were back building plan for what would become the to normal, and shops and restaurants had re- capital of their imperial colony. opened with brand-new, corrugated-tin roofs. By the 1920s Rangoon was thriving as a port Since the 2010 elections, Yangon’s for- and key stopover point for steamships in the tunes have skyrocketed along with its land region; notable international visitors includ- prices, as both local and foreign inves- ed Rudyard Kipling, W Somerset Maugham, tors scramble to grab a foothold here. A Aldous Huxley and HG Wells. In 1937 Amelia game-changer will be the Yangon–Dalah Earhart dropped in during the second of her bridge connecting the city’s downtown to attempts to fly around the world. rural areas across the Yangon River: ground The city was also the spawning ground was broken on this in 2016 with the aim of for Burmese independence. When that inde- completing the crossing by 2020. pendence came in 1948, Rangoon continued In the meantime, decades of economic as the nation’s capital. However, its fortunes stagnation and under-investment are only took a turn for the worse when military rule too apparent in the city’s slums and creaking, was imposed in 1962. The Burmese road to frequently overwhelmed infrastructure – socialism as promulgated by General Ne something you’ll quickly realise as you crawl Win and his cohorts drove Rangoon, like the into town in a taxi from the airport. rest of the country, to the brink of ruin. Sights 1In 1989 the junta decreed the city would once again be known as Yangon. Six years later the military announced that the newly Yangon is divided into 33 townships and ad- constructed city of Nay Pyi Taw in central My- dresses are usually suffixed with these (eg 3 Win Gabar Lane, Bahan). Back in the mists of time, Yangon was a village centred on Shwedagon Paya, but the British shifted its YANGON STREET NAMES centre south towards Yangon River. This is The English terms ‘street’ and ‘road’ are Downtown Yangon. Shwedagon and nearby Kandawgyi Lake are covered mainly by Da- often used interchangeably in Yangon gon and Bahan townships; in the latter is the area referred to as Golden Valley, a choice for the single Burmese word làn. Hence, address for the city’s moneyed elite. Further some local maps may read Shwegon- dine Rd, while others will say Shwe Gone north are more leafy areas surrounding Inya Lake and stretching up to Yangon Interna- Daing Rd or Shwe Gone Daing St; in tional Airport. The city’s townships also spill Burmese, it’s simply Shwe Gone Daing Làn. We use the most common English south across the Yangon River to Dalah. version that travellers encounter. And as the previous examples 1 Downtown Yangon demonstrate, different maps may also oBotataung Paya BUDDHIST TEMPLE present the actual names of streets differently; eg Shwegondine Rd is Shwe- (ဗလို ္တေထာငဘ္ ုရား; Map p38; Strand Rd, gondaing Rd on some local maps. Botataung; US$5 or K6000; h6am-9.30pm)
37 YANGON IN ... Ya n go n SYaIi gGnhHgtTosSn Two Days Take a walking tour (p56) of downtown Yangon and drop by the gorgeous Musmeah Yeshua Synagogue (p40). Tour the National Museum (p39), followed by lunch at Feel Myanmar Food (p68). Take an afternoon stroll in People’s Park (p51) before ascending to Shwedagon Paya (p45) in time for sunset. Start day two at the riverside Botataung Paya (p36). Browse the traditional market Theingyi Zei (p54) and the more tourist-oriented Bogyoke Aung San Market (p54). Lunch at Rangoon Tea House (p69). Admire the giant reclining Buddha at the Chaukhtatgyi Paya (p51) and the gorgeous sitting Buddha at nearby Ngahtatgyi Paya (p51). An amble around part of Kandawgyi Lake (p51) can be followed by a performance by Htwe Oo Myanmar Traditional Puppet Theatre (p78). Four Days Hop on the ferry to Dalah (p51) to view the city from the Yangon River. Return to Yangon to visit the incense-clouded temple Kheng Hock Keong (p43) and then head to 19th St (p70) for a grilled-food feast. On day four, board the Yangon Circle Line (p59). Break your journey at Kyemyin- daing to explore the Coconut & Banana Wholesale Market (p54) and Tadakalay for the kitsch, fun Meilamu Paya (p55). Eat at Taing Yin Thar (p74) or Minn Lane Rakhaing Monte & Fresh Seafood (p74), both at the north end of Inya Lake (p55). Head back downtown to live it up at Blind Tiger (p75) or Yangon Yangon (p75). Botataung’s spacious riverfront location and Reconstruction also revealed a small gold lack of crowds give it a more down-to-earth cylinder holding two small body relics and a spiritual feeling than Shwedagon or Sule strand of hair, said to belong to the Buddha, Paya. Its most original feature is the dazzling which is reputedly still in the stupa. zig-zag corridor, gilded from floor to ceiling, that snakes its way around the hollow interi- On the northern side of the stupa is a hall or of the 131ft golden zedi (stupa). Look out containing a large gilded bronze Buddha, for a bronze Buddha that once resided in the cast during the reign of King Mindon Min. royal palace in Mandalay, and a large pond At the time of the British annexation, it was full of hundreds of terrapin turtles. kept in King Thibaw Min’s glass palace, but after King Thibaw was exiled to India, the The temple is named after the 1000 mil- British shipped the image to London. In 1951 itary leaders who escorted hair relics of the the image was returned to Myanmar and Buddha from India to Myanmar more than placed in the Botataung Paya. 2000 years ago. For one six-month period, this paya (religious monument) is said to In the southwest corner of the temple is a have harboured eight strands of the Buddha’s nat (spirit being) pavilion containing imag- hair before they were distributed elsewhere. es of Thurathadi (the Hindu deity Saraswati, goddess of learning and music) and Thag- A bomb from an Allied air raid in Novem- yamin (Indra, king of the nat) flanking the ber 1943 scored a direct hit on the unfortu- thoroughly Myanmar nat Bobogyi. nate paya. After the war the Botataung was rebuilt in a very similar style to its predeces- The terrapin turtle pool is in the south- sor, but with one important and unusual dif- east corner. Most of the turtles are fairly ference: unlike most zedi, which are solid, small, but every now and again a truly mon- the Botataung is hollow, and you can walk strous one sticks its head out of the water. through it. Sule Paya BUDDHIST STUPA There’s a gold leaf–coated maze inside the zedi, with glass showcases containing many (ဆူးေလဘုရား; Map p42; cnr Sule Paya Rd & Ma- of the ancient relics and artefacts, includ- habandoola Rd, Pabedan; K3000; h5am-9pm) ing small silver-and-gold Buddha images, It’s not every city where the primary traffic which were sealed inside the earlier stupa. circle is occupied by a 2000-year-old golden temple. This 46m zedi, said to be older than
38 B C D MINGALA Downtown East TAUNG #ú A NYUNT 57 Gyo Phyu St Ya n go n SYaIi gGnhHgtTosSn #ú Upper Pansodan St 94th St 1 60 101st St U Pho Kyar St # 89 Bo Min Yaung St 1111 #ý 69 1111 1111 72 9#›6 9#›5 91 92 1111 Thein Byu Rd ý# #››# 1111 2 1111 Kun Chan St 1111 1111 Yangon 97 Train Station £# # #ú 25 #Ø # 94 3 û# 28 36 Bogyoke Aung San Rd 41 ÿ# #ÿ Ü# 18 ú# 68 70 #þ 79 #þ 48 ý# 50 76 ú# #ú 29 #ÿ30 #ÿ 33rd St Sule Pagoda Rd #ÿ 34th St 43 #ú ú# #Þ 31 PharmacyAnawrahta Rd î# AA 35th St ÿ# 36th St 4 ú# 39 Pansodan St 24 #Ú # 37th St 46th St 38th St 47th St Seikkan Thar St 48th St 39th St Bo Myat Tun St 40th St 49th St Bo Aung Kyaw St 50th St KYAUKTADA 81 #â 12 38 54 #þ 51st Stÿ# ú# 46 #â 5 4 71 42 #ú #â #ý ú# 44 #Ü 8 #ú #ï 87Mahabandoola Garden St Mahabandoola û# 64 #â #ú 52 63 ú# ú# 49 #þ Rd 14 80 #á 9 37th St #â 7 56 73 Seikkan Thar St47 61 5 #ú 59 #þ 39th Stú# #ú 40th St 55 #÷ 11 ú# #û 66 Bo Aung Kyaw St35 #ú Myanma Five 41st St#ÿ#ÿ Star Line Bank St #þ 74 42nd St27Merchant St 65 ÿ# 32 Bo Galay Zay St23 f# 84 û# í# 85 #â 16#ÿ 33 43rd St#â Ü# BOTATAUNG 6 44th St # 10 Thein Byu Rd75 77 #â #þ #þ 15 #â #þ 78 86 6 # 51 #â 2021 #â # 83 19 ú# #â 62 #â #â 93 82 90 ú# í# í# ò# Strand Rd # 13 f#Pansodan St Jetty 40 f# ú# Dalah Ferry 7 Yangon River ABCD
39 e# 0 400 m Shwedagon Paya, is an example of modern 0 0.2 miles Asian business life melding with ancient E F Burmese tradition. Upper Pazundau ng Just after the sun has gone down is the Rd most atmospheric time to visit the temple. 1 The central stupa’s name, Kyaik Athok, translates in the Mon language as ‘the stupa Ya n go n SYaiIgGnHhgtTosSnwhere a Sacred Hair Relic is enshrined’. As with many other ancient Myanmar shrines, Lower Pazundaung Rd it has been rebuilt and repaired many times over the centuries. The gilded zedi is unusual in that its oc- Pazundaung Canal tagonal shape continues right up to the bell 2 and inverted bowl. Near the north entrance ú#58Yay Kyaw Rd look for the small golden karaweik (royal barge designed in the shape of a mythical í# 88 bird), which you can load with a prayer card, then winch up a chain to deposit the card in a shrine higher up the stupa (K1000). The exterior base of the temple is sur- rounded by small shops and all the familiar 3 nonreligious activities that seem to be a part 67 #û of every zedi in Myanmar. Besides its significance as a landmark and PAZUNDAUNG meeting place, maybe its most mundane function is as a milestone from which all ad- ú# 53 dresses to the north are measured. #ú #Þ 17 National Museum (Yangon) MUSEUM 51st St 52nd St ÿ# 4 (အမ်ဳိးသားျပတကုိ ;္ Map p42; %01-371 540; Botataung Pagoda Rd 34 66/74 Pyay Rd, Dagon; K5000; h9.30am-4.30pm 53rd St 54th St Tue-Sun) Even though the museum’s col- 55th St lection is appallingly labelled and often 56th St badly lit, the treasures that lie within this #ú Botataung Pagoda Rd cavernous building deserve a viewing. The ÿ# highlight is the spectacular 26ft-high, jewel- 37 45 encrusted Sihasana (Lion Throne), which be- #ú longed to King Thibaw Min, the last king of 5 Myanmar. It’s actually more of an entrance doorway than a throne but let’s not quibble – it’s more impressive than your front door. Further signs that the kings of old didn’t understand the meaning of the word ‘subtle- Merchant St ty’ are the ornate beds, silver and gold rugs, flashy palanquins (one of which is palatial in size and splendour), ivory kitchen chairs, 6 some breathtaking ceremonial dresses and a collection of betel-nut holders and spittoons. Strand Rd The upper-floor galleries, several of which 1 Botataung were under renovation during our last visit, Ú# Paya take you on an amble through natural history, prehistory, art and the cultures of Myanmar’s national races. The Buddha Images gallery on the 4th floor is well worth searching out. 7 On the ground floor there’s a model of 22 26 #Ø 23 the colonial-era State House demolished Ø# Ø# in 1978; the chandeliers that hang on each E F floor of the museum are all that remain of it.
40 Downtown East 25 Yangon Circle Line ..................................A3 26 Yangon Rhythm....................................... E7 æ Top Sights 1 Botataung Paya .......................................E6 Ya n go n SYaIi gGnhHgtTosSn æ Sights ÿ Sleeping 2 491-501 Merchant St.............................. B5 27 Aung Tha Pyay Hotel ..............................B5 3 Armenian Apostolic Church of St 28 Beautyland Hotel II..................................A3 John the Baptist................................... B5 29 Chan Myaye Guest House......................A3 4 Ayeyarwady Bank ................................... A4 30 East Hotel .................................................A3 5 City Hall.................................................... A4 31 Hotel @ Yangon Heritage .......................A4 6 Customs House ...................................... A6 32 Kempinski Yangon Hotel........................A6 7 High Court................................................ A5 33 May Fair Inn..............................................B5 8 Immanuel Baptist Church ..................... A5 34 Mother Land Inn 2 ................................... F4 9 Independence Monument ..................... A5 35 New Aye Yar Hotel...................................B5 10 Inland Waterways Department............. A6 36 Panorama Hotel.......................................B3 11 Mahabandoola Garden .......................... A5 Strand Hotel....................................(see 19) 12 Ministers Office....................................... C4 37 Three Seasons Hotel............................... E5 13 Myanma Port Authority ......................... A6 38 Yama Dormitory ......................................D4 14 Myanma Post & Telecommunications .......................... A5 ú Eating 15 Myanmar Agricultural 39 999 Shan Noodle Shop...........................A4 Development Bank .............................. A6 40 Be Le .........................................................B6 16 Sofaer's Building..................................... B5 41 Bein Mont Vendor ...................................D3 17 Sri Varada Raja Perumal 42 Bharat Restaurant...................................B4 Temple ...................................................E4 43 Buthi Kyaw Vendor .................................C4 18 St Mary's Cathedral................................ C3 44 Fat Ox Bar.................................................D4 19 Strand Hotel ............................................ B6 Gekko ...............................................(see 16) 45 Green Gallery ........................................... E5 20 Yangon Divisional Court ........................ A6 46 Gringos Chalingos...................................B4 21 Yangon Heritage Trust........................... A6 47 LinkAge .....................................................B5 Ø Activities, Courses & Tours 48 Lucky Seven.............................................D4 22 Dora ...........................................................E7 49 Man Myo Taw Café..................................B5 23 Royal Green River ....................................E7 50 Menya Koi Nobori....................................A3 24 Uncharted Horizons ............................... D4 51 Monsoon...................................................C6 Mahabandoola Garden PARK For a year or two following the 1988–90 prodemocracy uprisings, the park was occu- (မဟာဗႏၶဳလပန္းျခ;ံ Map p38; Mahabandoola Gar- pied by soldiers; many of the more violent den St, Kyauktada; h6am-6pm) F This park events of the time took place nearby. offers pleasant strolling in the heart of the Musmeah Yeshua Synagogue SYNAGOGUE downtown area and views of surrounding (Map p42; %01-252 814; 85 26th St, Pabedan; heritage buildings including City Hall, the h10am-1pm Mon-Sat) The lovingly main- High Court and the old Rowe & Co depart- tained interior of this 1896 building contains ment store, now a bank. a bimah (platform holding the reading table The most notable feature in the Mahaban- for the Torah) in the centre of the main sanc- doola Garden is the Independence Monu- tuary and a women’s balcony upstairs. The ment (လြတလ္ ပေ္ ရးေက်ာက္တုငိ )္ , a 165ft wooden ceiling features the original blue- white obelisk surrounded by two concentric and-white Star of David motif. It’s best to circles of chinthe (half-lion, half-dragon dei- contact Sammy Samuels at info@myanmar ty). There’s also a children’s playground. shalom.com to be sure of gaining access to When laid out by the British in 1868, the the synagogue. park was called Fytche Sq after Sir Albert Fytche, chief commissioner at the time. Lat- The synagogue was once the focal point of er it was renamed Victoria Park to commem- an influential community of Sephardic Jews orate the queen whose statue used to stand from India and Baghdad that at its height in where the Independence Monument is today. the early 20th century numbered 2500. After Independence, the park was renamed to honour General Thado Mahabandoola, Very occasionally (usually on Jewish high a Burmese hero who conquered Assam and holidays) services are held in the synagogue, died in the First Anglo-Burmese War in 1824. which has one of the Yangon Heritage Trust’s blue plaques.
41 52 Mote Lin Ma Yar Vendor ........................ B5 Lokanat Gallery...............................(see 16) Ya n go n SYaIi gGnhHgtTosSn 53 Myaung Mya Daw Cho ............................E4 Myanhouse......................................(see 16) 54 Nam Kham Family Shan Myanm/art..................................... (see 55) 75 Myanmar Deitta.......................................C6 Restaurant............................................ B4 76 Pansodan Gallery ....................................B3 55 Pansuriya ................................................. C5 77 Pomelo for Myanmar..............................C6 56 Rangoon Tea House ............................... A5 78 River Gallery.............................................B6 57 Rasa Lasa..................................................C1 79 Run YGN ...................................................B4 58 Rau Ram....................................................E2 80 Tip-Top Tailors ........................................C5 81 Wired on 39..............................................B4 Sharky's ..........................................(see 56) ï Information 59 Shwe We Htun......................................... B5 82 Australian Embassy ................................B6 60 The Taj.......................................................A1 83 Ayarwaddy Legend Travels & 61 Tin Tin....................................................... C5 62 Union Bar & Grill...................................... B6 Tours ......................................................B6 63 Yatha Teashop ........................................ B5 84 Diethelm Travel .......................................C5 û Drinking & Nightlife 85 Indian Embassy .......................................A5 64 7th Joint Bar & Grill................................. D5 86 Khiri Travel ...............................................C6 65 50th Street Bar & Grill............................ D5 87 Ministry of Hotels & Tourism 66 Blind Tiger................................................ B5 67 Fahrenheit.................................................E3 Tourist Information Centre.................A5 88 Philippine Embassy................................. F2 Strand Bar ...................................... (see 19) 89 SST Tours................................................. A1 68 Yangon Yangon....................................... A3 90 UK Embassy.............................................B6 ý Entertainment ï Transport 69 Bogyoke Aung San Stadium .................. A1 91 Elite Express.............................................A2 70 Nay Pyi Daw Cinema .............................. A3 92 Mandalar Minn.........................................A2 71 Pansodan Scene ..................................... B4 93 Myanmar National Airlines.....................B6 72 Thamada Cinema ................................... A2 94 Myanmar Railways Booking Office.......A3 þ Shopping 95 Shwe Mandalar........................................A2 73 Bagan Book House ................................. B5 96 Teht Lann Express ..................................A2 74 Bookstalls ................................................ B5 97 Yangon Train Station ..............................A2 Hla Day ............................................(see 56) Ministers Office HISTORIC BUILDING It’s likely to be years before the barbed wire comes down and the public can once (Secretariat; Map p38; 300 Thein Byu Rd, Kyauktada) again enter the grounds and view the build- Although currently closed to the public, it’s ing from the flame tree–shaded lawns sur- worth making a circuit of this spectacular rounding it. A technical study has put the red-brick complex, which takes up a 16-acre cost of full restoration of the 400,000-sq-ft block. Built in stages between 1889 and building at at least US$100 million. 1905, the Secretariat was the British seat of government for Burma. General Aung San and six of his colleagues were assassinated Strand Hotel HISTORIC BUILDING here in 1947. The complex also housed in- (Map p38; www.hotelthestrand.com; 92 Strand Rd, Kyauktada) Opened in 1901, and run by the dependent Burma’s first National Assembly. famed Sarkies brothers (they also owned Raf- When the capital moved to Nay Pyi Taw in 2005, the building, renamed the Ministers fles in Singapore and the Eastern and Orien- tal in Penang), this historic hotel in its early Office, was mostly abandoned and its roof years hosted the likes of Rudyard Kipling, suffered damaged during Cyclone Nargis. A reprieve came in 2011 when the Ministry George Orwell and W Somerset Maugham. The hotel was built by Turkish-Armenian of Construction selected it as one of five key contractor Tigran Nierces Joseph Catcha- Yangon heritage buildings to undergo reno- vations. A private group has since taken over toor, who is buried around the corner in the cemetery next to the Armenian Church of St the lease and plans include a cultural centre John the Baptist (p45). and historical museum, which will include Aung San’s old office and the room where In 1913 an annex was built next door; this now houses the Australian Embassy. he was gunned down. This section is open to During WWII, the Japanese took over the the public once a year on Martyrs’ Day.
42 Downtown West B C D A DAGON Za Ga War Rd #ú 35 Basic Education Ziwaka St æ# 1 Pyidaungsu Yeiktha St 71 High School # #í 73 2 Dagon GMryooumnda #í #í 70 1 Shwedagon Pagoda Rd Ya n go n YSaIi gGnHhgtTosSn 14 # â# 7 Myoma Kyaung Rd Padonma Rd ÿ# #í 74 65 Kin WGyoinSMt in #í 72 2 ThantamAmanerRicdan ý# Za Ga War Rd Center #£ Pyay Rd U Wisara Rd 3 ÿ# 24 Samon Rd #ý 55 Min Ye Kyaw Swar Rd Lanmada 22 ÿ# #£ 46 #ú ÿ# 18 Pyay Rd Think Asia Travel & Tours (800m)D Bogyoke Aung San Rd Lanma Daw St 4 #ò LANMADAW Wadan St Yangon Phone Gyi St #î General 13th St Hospital Kaingdan St Anawrahta Rd 7th St 4th St Lan Thit St 12 13 15th St#ÿ #û 21st St 5th St 9th St 17th St 53 #ú 40 22nd St ÿ# ÿ# 33 15 Hledan St #ú 41 11th St #ú #ú Latha St 52 # 38 5 #û 69 #ú 31 67 19 # ÿ# Mahabandoola Rd #f IWT Ticket Madaw Rd 19th St Bo Ywe Rd23rd St Office 6 #f #f LATHA Lan Thit Shwe Pyi 4 Yangon River Jetty Tan Express t# Strand Rd #f Sin Oh Dan Jetty AB CD running of the Strand, which they renamed and managed by the Burmese government. the Yamato Hotel. In 1979 when Tony Wheeler reviewed the Strand for the first edition of this guidebook, Burmese nationals were allegedly not al- he found a ‘tatty and dilapidated’ colonial lowed to stay in the hotel until 1945. From relic where you were more likely to encoun- 1962 to 1989, in what was quite possibly ter rats than a soft bed and a hot shower. its darkest period, the Strand was owned
43 e# 0 500 m Yangon Heritage Trust HISTORIC BUILDING 0 0.25 miles E F (YHT; Map p38; %01-240 544; www.yangon heritagetrust.org; 22/4 Pansodan St, Kyauktada; Ah Lan Paya Rd Zoological 1 h9am-5pm Mon-Fri) F The small gallery Garden of historic photographs here gives an idea of St how downtown Yangon used to look. There’s Shwedagon Pagoda Rd a great view of lower Pansodan St’s grand 2 facades from the open balcony, particularly Ya n go n YSaiIgGnhHgtTosSn of the bomb-damaged Yangon Region Court and the art-deco Myanmar Economic Bank Bo Min Gaung 2 opposite. It also organises heritage walking tours (US$30 per person, minimum of five people) Pan Tra St covering three different circuits around # Bo Yar Nyunt St 68 downtown. Kheng Hock Keong TAOIST TEMPLE (Map p42; 426-432 Strand Rd, Latha; h5am-9pm) F Supported by a Hokkien association, Yangon’s largest Chinese (Taoist) temple is Na Wa Day32S#út #ú 29 60 #þ most lively from around 6am to 9am when it’s thronged with worshippers offering can- 42 30 23 #ÿ 3 dles, flowers and incense to the Buddhist #ú 4 and Taoist altars within. #ú £# Yaw M#þin5G7ee St #ÿ 16 The temple is dedicated to the sea goddess Mazu, who occupies the central altar and is Pha Yar Rd Pun Hlaing flanked to the right by Guan Gong, the em- 56 58 î# International bodiment of loyalty and bravery, and on the #Ü 3 Clinic left by Bao Sheng Da Di, the god of medicine. 59#þ#þ þ# 62 þ##þ #þ 61 St Mary’s Cathedral CHURCH #û 49 64 #ú 51 36 47 (Map p38; %01-245 647; www.yangonarchdiocese. #ü #ú org; 372 Bo Aung Kyaw St, Botataung; hMass 6am 34 25 #ÿ & 5pm, plus 8am & 10am Sun) Myanmar’s largest #ú #ÿ 26 Catholic cathedral is an impressive red-brick #Þ 8 43 39 44 building dating to 1909. The neo-Gothic de- #ú #ú #ú Shwe Bontha St Theingyi 29th St 50 sign is mainly down to Dutch architect Jos Plaza 30th St Cuypers, who modified a more Byzantine #þ 31st St û# structure created by Henry Hoyne-Fox. Sule Pagoda Rd 5 63 17 The floridly decorated interior with its #ÿ red-, white- and green-brick patterns and 54 48 painted statues is quite an eye-opener. #û #ú #à PABEDAN ß# Ú# 23rd St 6 10 5 37 #ÿ 29 Holy Trinity Cathedral CHURCH 24th St 25th St 27 #ß27th St #ú 20 #â (Map p42; 446 Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Dagon) Yan- #ÿ 28th St 21 gon’s principal Anglican church was designed #ÿ 28 66 #í 6 by India-based architect Robert Fellowes Chisholm. The red-brick-painted neo-Gothic Merchant St ÿ# 45 #ú structure took nine years to construct, open- 11 â# ing in 1895. It has minimal concessions to its EF tropical location such as the roofed entrance to provide some protection from rain. Those interested in WWII should look for In 1993, the Strand was brought back the Forces Chapel dedicated to Allied forces to something of its former glory under the who perished during the conflict in Burma. supervision of Adrian Zecha, founder of the Regimental crests decorate its walls. There’s Aman Resorts. In 2016 it was closed again also a Regiments Memorial to the Chindits for several months for a head-to-toe refur- (an Allied Special Forces) at the southeast- bishment that will eventually see an entirely ern edge of the cathedral compound. new section added to the hotel’s rear.
44 Ya n go n SYaIi gGnhHgtTosSn Downtown West 40 Kaung Myat.............................................D5 41 Kosan Cafe..............................................D5 æ Sights 42 Le Petit Comptoir................................... F3 1 Dargah of Bahadur Shah Zafar..............D1 43 New Delhi ................................................ E5 2 Former Ministry of Hotels & Tourism ...F6 44 Nilar Biryani & Cold Drink...................... F5 3 Holy Trinity Cathedral ............................E4 45 Samusa Thoke Vendor .......................... F6 4 Kheng Hock Keong ................................ D6 46 Shan Yoe Yar ..........................................A4 5 Mogul Shia Mosque ................................F6 47 Summer Palace ...................................... F4 6 Musmeah Yeshua Synagogue ...............E6 48 Thone Pan Hla ........................................ F5 7 National Museum (Yangon)...................B1 û Drinking & Nightlife 8 Sri Kali .....................................................E5 49 Bar Boon ................................................. F4 9 Sule Paya.................................................F6 50 Black Hat................................................. F5 51 Cafe Genius ............................................ F4 10 Surti Sunni Jamah Mosque ...................E6 52 Hummingbird .........................................C5 11 Yangon Stock Exchange ........................F6 53 Kosan Double Happiness Bar ...............D5 ÿ Sleeping Press Office .................................. (see 32) 12 4 Rivers Youth Hostel............................ B5 54 Shwe Bali ................................................ F5 13 Agga Youth Hotel................................... B5 ý Entertainment 14 Belmond Governor's Residence............ A1 55 National Theatre ....................................D3 15 Best Western Chinatown Hotel ............ C5 þ Shopping 16 Loft Hotel.................................................F3 56 Bogyoke Aung San Market.................... E4 17 May Shan Hotel ......................................F5 57 Gallery Sixty Five.................................... E3 18 MGM Hotel ............................................. A4 19 New Yangon Hotel ................................. B5 Globe Tailoring ............................. (see 36) 20 Okinawa (2) Guest House ......................F6 58 Heritage Gallery ..................................... F4 21 Okinawa Guest House............................F6 59 Myanmar Yanant Textile ....................... E4 22 Panda Hotel............................................ A3 60 New Zero Art Space............................... F3 23 Parkroyal Yangon ...................................F3 61 Parkson Mall ........................................... F4 24 RGN City Lodge ..................................... B3 62 Shinon Myanmar.................................... E4 25 Scott ........................................................F4 63 Theingyi Zei ............................................ E5 26 Sule Shangri-la .......................................F4 27 White House Hotel..................................E6 Turquoise Mountain 28 Willow Inn ................................................F6 Jewellery .....................................(see 14) ú Eating 64 Yo Ya May ............................................... F4 29 Aung Mingalar Shan Noodle ï Information Restaurant ...........................................F3 30 Bijin ..........................................................F3 65 Asian Trails ............................................. B1 Burmese Sweets Vendors ........... (see 61) 66 Canadian Embassy ................................ F6 31 Cherry Mann .......................................... D5 67 Columbus Travels & Tours....................A5 32 Craft.........................................................E3 68 Discovery DMC....................................... E2 33 Cyclo....................................................... C5 69 Flymya.....................................................C5 34 Danuphyu Daw Saw Yee Myanma 70 French Embassy..................................... B1 Restaurant ...........................................F4 71 Indonesian Embassy.............................. B1 35 Feel Myanmar Food................................B1 72 Lao Embassy ..........................................A2 36 Golden Bell ..............................................F4 73 Malaysian Embassy ............................... A1 37 Golden Tea ..............................................F6 74 Sri Lankan Embassy .............................. A1 38 Grilled Snack Stalls ............................... D5 39 Ingyin New South India Food Centre ....F5 Sri Varada Raja Sri Kali HINDU TEMPLE Perumal Temple HINDU TEMPLE (Map p42; 295 Konezdan Rd, Pabedan; h5-11am & (Map p38; 135-137 51st St, Botataung; h6.30- 3-9pm) Devoted to the Hindu goddess Kali, 11.30am & 6-8.30pm) Dedicated to Vishnu, this temple was built in 1871 before the flood this lavishly decorated Hindu temple dates of Indian migrants came to the city during from 1928 and was built by the Indian busi- British colonial rule. It features a highly nessman Dr S Ramanatha Reddiar. It has decorative gopuram. Also look for the flocks the classic South Indian gopuram style of of pigeons resting on overhead power lines, entrance tower covered with Hindu deities. evoking Hitchcock’s The Birds! This is one The temple’s main festival is a 10-day of the locations for Thaipusam (p62), the fes- event in May or June and includes a flower tival famous for colourful street processions procession. featuring acts of ritual self-mutilation.
45 Armenian Apostolic when the golden stupa flames crimson and burnt orange in the setting sun. Church of St John the Baptist CHURCH The following covers the history and lay- (Map p38; %01-242 318; www.yangonarmenian out of Shwedagon Paya. Guides (they’ll locate church.org; 66 Bo Aung Kyaw St, Kyauktada) Yan- you before you can find them) can provide gon’s oldest church, built in 1862 and conse- more details. Tour agencies can also arrange crated a year later, served Yangon’s Armenian guides; a good, regularly scheduled tour, in- trading community, who have been in My- cluding the surrounding area, is offered by anmar since the 17th century. It’s a modest, Khiri Travel (Map p38; %01-375 577; http://khiri. Ya n go n SYaIi gGnhHgtTosSn sparsely decorated yet handsome building. com; 1st fl, 5/9 Bo Galay Zay St, Botataung). Surti Sunni Jamah Mosque MOSQUE ¨¨History Legend has it that there’s been a stupa on (Map p42; 149 Shwe Bontha St, Pabedan) Built Singuttara Hill for 2600 years, ever since in the 1860s, this is thought to be Yangon’s two merchant brothers, Tapussa and Ballika, oldest surviving Muslim place of worship. met the Buddha. He gave them eight of his Its pair of large minarets flanks an equally hairs to take back to Myanmar, a land ruled imposing arched entrance tower. by King Okkalapa. Okkalapa enshrined the hairs in a temple of gold, together with rel- 1 Shwedagon Paya & Around ics of three former buddhas, which was then enclosed in a temple of silver, then one of oShwedagon Paya BUDDHIST TEMPLE tin, then copper, then lead, then marble and, finally, one of plain iron-brick. (ေရတႊ ဂိ ဘံု ရု ား; Map p48; www.shwedagon pagoda.com; Singuttara Hill,Dagon; K8000; h4am- Archaeologists suggest that the original 10pm) One of Buddhism’s most sacred sites, stupa was built by the Mon people some the 325ft zedi here is adorned with 27 metric time between the 6th and 10th centuries. tons of gold leaf, along with thousands of di- In common with many other ancient zedi in amonds and other gems, and is believed to earthquake-prone Myanmar, it has been re- enshrine eight hairs of the Gautama Buddha built many times. During the Bagan (Pagan) as well as relics of three former buddhas. period of Myanmar’s history (10th to 14th Four entrance stairways lead to the main centuries), the story of the stupa emerged terrace. Visit in the cool of dawn if you want tranquillity. Otherwise, pay your respects MAUSOLEUMS AROUND SHWEDAGON PAYA Several prominent Myanmar citizens are buried near Shwedagon Paya. Near the north entrance to the stupa is the Martyrs’ Mausoleum (အာဇာနညဗ္ မိ ာန;္ Map p48; Arzani St, Bahan; K3000; h8am-5pm Tue-Sun), housing the remains of General Aung San and the six comrades who were assassinated on 19 July 1947. The Soviet-style, red-painted concrete complex, surrounded by beautifully manicured grounds, was fully renovated in 2016 in time for Martyrs’ Day, the first to be celebrated by a government led by Aung San’s daughter. The original timber mausoleum was destroyed after a North Korean terrorist strike in 1983, which killed 20 people (but not the target, visiting South Korean general Chun Doo-Hwan). To the right of the entrance to the mausoleum look for the smaller, free Ko- rean Martyrs Memorial commemorating those who died in the attack. South of the stupa along Shwedagon Paya Rd are four mausoleums. The one closest to the stupa is that of former UN secretary-general U Thant (ဥးီ သန္႔ဂူဗမိ ာန;္ Map p48). A chapter in The River of Lost Footsteps by his grandson Thant Myint-U recounts the hor- rific details of U Thant’s burial in 1969 when students fought with the military and riots resulted in hundreds of dead, many more imprisoned and martial law being imposed. Next along is Suphayalat’s Mausoleum (စုဘရု ားလတ္ဂဗူ ိမာန;္ Map p48). Having been exiled to India with her husband and daughters in 1885, Burma’s last queen was allowed to return to Rangoon in 1919, three years after King Thibaw’s death, but was kept under house arrest by the British colonial authorities until her death in 1925. Bringing up the rear are the tombs of Aung San’s widow, Daw Khin Kyi (ေဒၚခင္ၾကညဂ္ ူဗိမာန;္ Map p48), and the famous poet and intellectual Thakin Kodaw Hmaing (သခင္ကယို ေ္ တာမ္ ုိငႈ း္ ဂဗူ မိ ာန;္ Map p48; Shwedagon Paya Rd, Dagon).
Shwedagon IMAGESEF/SHUTTERSTOCK © Hti Paya The stupa’s uppermost PAUL D SMITH/SHUTTERSTOCK © section is encrusted WHAT TO LOOK FOR with 5448 diamonds, 2317 rubies, sapphires, A pair of giant 1 Chinthe guard the and other gems, as southern covered entrance, from well as 1065 golden Shwedagon Pagoda Rd; of the four bells. At the very covered arcades leading up Singuttara Hill top sparkles a single this is considered the main entrance. 76-carat diamond. Halfway up, branch off in either direction Southern for a peaceful stroll along the lower Covered terrace of Shwedagon. Flanking this Entrance concrete footpath that encircles the hill are monasteries and resting houses for 1 Lower pilgrims. Terrace of Continue around to the northern covered Shwedagon entrance, climb the final flights of steps and emerge onto the main terrace to a Chinthe dazzling explosion of decoration. Ahead 30ft-tall pairs of rises the golden 2 central stupa these legendary surrounded by 3 planetary posts, half-lion, half- as well as many other shrines, tazaung dragon beasts (small pavilions) and religious statuary. guard each of the four covered In the terrace’s northeast corner walkways up an open-sided pavilion covering the Singuttara 4 Shwedagon inscription stones Hill to the stands in the shadow of the paya’s central 5 Naungdawgyi Paya. platform. For a close-up detail of the jewel- encrusted 6 hti at the top of the central stupa view the gorgeous photos in the 7 photo gallery or use one of several telescopes dotted around the main terrace – there’s one outside Shwedagon’s small museum. TOP TIPS Arrive early morning or late afternoon towards sunset Monday to Friday. Dress respectfully and remove your shoes before entering the temple precincts. Walk clockwise around the stupa. The north gate and northwest corner between the Friday and Rahu planetary posts are prime photo spots.
Photo Gallery Naungdawgyi Paya MANJIK/SHUTTERSTOCK © Displays snaps of Shwedagon dating back to The ‘Elder Brother the late 19th century. Close-ups of the jewel- Northern Ya n go n SHYai gnhgtlosing hts encrusted hti taken during one of the regular Pagoda’ stands on the Covered renovations of the pagoda reveal all of its site where Buddha’s Entrance glittering detail. eight hair relics were Museum said to have rst been enshrined by the two 6 merchant brothers who brought them for King Okkalapa. 7 2 5 3 4 Shwedagon Inscription Dating to 1485, three sandstone slabs faintly inscribed in Pali, Mon and Burmese relate how the brothers Tapussa and Ballika brought the eight sacred hairs from the Buddha to Myanmar. C. NA SONGKHLA/SHUTTERSTOCK © Stupa Planetary Posts STEVE ESTVANIK/SHUTTERSTOCK © Rising 325ft, the Twelve of these stupa sits on an represent the octagonal base days of the with a bell-shaped week and the dome and conical- ascending node shaped spire. of the moon; Around the base follow locals by four smaller stupa pouring water mark the cardinal over the Buddha directions, in between which statue at the post are 64 smaller that corresponds pagodas. with the day of your birth.
48 Shwedagon Paya & Around ABCD E E #þ 69 AKuhnagunMginSt 85 30 £# Hanthawady Inya Rd ÿ# 1 â# 7 ú# 54 í# Than Lwin Rd anbawza St ToTnheaRd # 22 K ÿ# 25 55 45 Pyay Rd Baho Rd #þ 70 ÿ# û# ú#SSaayna#rRd Ya n go n SYaiIgGnHhgtTosSn 28 79 Shwe Taung 81 í# Gyar Rd (Golden 20 í# Valley Rd) Kaba Aye æ# 11 ý# 65 ÿ# 38 Pagoda Rd Baho Rd ÿ# 15 Inya Myaing Rd BAHAN #ú SANCHAUNG 75 2 â# #þ 73 # 31 # 82 4ú#1 ú#44 í# 71 í# ú# 53 74#þ 56ü#254#ú1Ø#3ÿ#6ÿ#2#ú6 Ø#4023 58 49 ú# ÿ# þ# 83 í# û# # 77 34 £# Kyemyindaing 39 62 Dhama Ø#3Ze3d1ÿ#i8Rd ú# Ø# 21 û# Bargaryar St * 12 Ar Za#æNir1S0t Ko Min Win Ga 52 63 û# * Ko Chin St Bar St * ÷# ÿ# 32 ú# 46 #ú 61 *Fence* û# 64 #ý 3 Zoological Garden St Ah Lan Paya Rd £# Panhlaing Pu Rd ÷# 3 13 Bahan St Shin U Wi Za Ra RdPeople's Saw â# Ú# Shwedagon Pyay Rd Park 4 Paya U Htaung Bo St 14 Ú# 9 DAGON #ú 42 4 Ahlone Rd í# û# ÿ# 37 ú# æ# 48 ú# #æ 84 60 43 6 Ahlone Rd £# 72 #þ í# 76 ABCD £# zedi. King Hsinbyushin had it rebuilt to vir- tually its present height, and its current con- from the mists of legend to become hard figuration dates from that renovation. fact. Near the top of the eastern stairway is a brick inscribed with the date 1485. British troops occupied the compound for two years immediately after the First Anglo- In the 15th century, the tradition of gilding Burmese War in 1824. In 1852, during the the stupa began. Queen Shinsawbu, who was Second Anglo-Burmese War, the British again responsible for many improvements to the took the paya, the soldiers pillaged it once stupa, provided her own weight (88lb) in gold, more and it remained under military control which was beaten into gold leaf and used to for 77 years, until 1929. Prior to the British cover the structure. Her son-in-law, Dham- takeover of southern Myanmar there had mazedi, went several better, offering four been defensive earthworks around the paya, times his weight and that of his wife in gold. but these were considerably extended by the British. The emplacements for their cannons In 1612 Portuguese renegade adventurer can still be seen outside the outer wall. Filipe de Brito e Nicote raided the stupa from his base in Thanlyin and carried away Dham- In 1871 the provision of a new hti (the mazedi’s 300-ton bell, with the intention of umbrella-like decorative top of a stupa) by melting it for cannons. As the British were King Mindon Min from Mandalay caused to do later with another bell, he accidentally considerable head-scratching for the British, dropped it into the river where it remains. who were not at all keen for such an associ- ation to be made with the still-independent During the 17th century, the monument part of Myanmar. suffered earthquake damage on eight occa- sions. Worse was to follow in 1768, when a quake brought down the whole top of the
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