49 e# 0 1 km covering 114 acres. As is common with all 0 0.5 miles temples in Myanmar, the main terrace is E F approached by four zaungdan (covered walkways), each of which is flanked at its 19 Pool S t U Chit Maung Rd KyaikkasanEast Race Course Rd entrance by a pair of 30ft-tall chinthe. If Grounds you don’t want to climb the steps, there are Swimã#ming (Sports Field) 1 lifts at the southern, eastern and northern Ya n go n YSaIi gGnhHgtTosSn entrances, while the western zaungdan has # T hathana Yeiktha Rd sets of escalators. 50 68 1 Ú#RdCPahyaaukhtatgyi All but the western zaungdan are lined Ngahtatgyi with stalls selling flowers – both real and #úShwegþ#ondÚ#ine beautifully made paper ones – for offer- 2 Paya ings, buddha images, ceremonial umbrellas, 2 books, antiques, incense sticks and much Ban Yar Da La St more. There are also fortune tellers and money-exchange booths. â# 5 You emerge from the shade of the zaung- dan into a visual cacophony of techni- 17 # 57 78 ú# 47 Pho Sein R St coloured glitter at the marble-floored main í# U Tun Myat d terrace, littered with pavilions and worship û# halls containing buddha images and two gi- #ú í# 80 3 ant cast-iron bells. #ý At the centre of the terrace Shwedagon N at Mauk Rdÿ# 27 Paya sits on a square plinth, which stands ö# 16 21ft above the clutter of the main platform 8 Set Yone Rd (Mill Rd) and immediately sets the stupa above the lesser structures. Smaller stupas sit on this Zoological æ# raised platform level – four large ones mark Garden 66ý#ü# 59 the four cardinal directions, four medium- 4 sized ones mark the four corners of the Kan Yeik Tha Rd ÿ# 29 plinth and 60 small ones run around the ý# 67 35 ÿ# perimeter. From this base, the zedi rises first in three E F terraces, then in ‘octagonal’ terraces and £# then in five circular bands. The shoulder of the bell is decorated with 16 ‘flowers’. The The huge earthquake of 1930, which to- bell is topped by the ‘inverted bowl’, anoth- tally destroyed the Shwemawdaw in Bago, er traditional element of stupa architecture, caused only minor damage to Shwedagon. and above this stand the mouldings, then The following year it wasn’t so lucky, when the ‘lotus petals’. These consist of a band the paya suffered from a serious fire. of downturned petals, followed by a band of upturned petals. The banana bud is the After another minor earthquake in 1970, final element of the zedi before the jewel- the zedi was clad in bamboo scaffolding, encrusted hti tops it. which extended beyond King Mindon’s 100-year-old hti, and was refurbished. The Around the stupa’s base, 12 planetary stupa also had to be repaired following the posts conform to the days of the week; lo- 2008 Cyclone Nargis. cals pray at the station that represents the day they were born. If you want to join them, During recent centuries, the Shwedagon and don’t know the day of your birth, the for- Paya was the scene for much political ac- tune tellers at the temple have almanacs that tivity during the Myanmar independence will provide the answer. Note that Wednes- movement – Aung San Suu Kyi spoke to day is divided into births in the morning massive crowds here in 1988 and the temple and births in afternoon – for the latter you was also at the centre of the monks’ protests worship at the Rahu post at the northwest in 2007. ¨¨Temple Layout corner of the stupa base. The hill on which the stupa stands is 167ft Before leaving the main terrace pop into above sea level with the entire complex the small museum (ေရႊတိဂုဘံ ုရားျပတိကု ;္
50 Ya n go n SYaIi gGnhHgtTosSn Shwedagon Paya & Around 44 House of Memories .................................B2 45 Mañana ..................................................... D1 æ Top Sights 46 Myaung Mya Daw Cho ............................D3 1 Chaukhtatgyi Paya ..................................E2 47 Onyx Wine Tree Restaurant ................... E3 2 Ngahtatgyi Paya.......................................E2 48 Padonmar.................................................B4 3 People's Park........................................... C3 49 Rih Lake ....................................................B2 4 Shwedagon Paya .................................... C3 50 Sabai@Inya............................................... E2 51 Sharky's ....................................................C2 æ Sights 52 SK Hot Pot ................................................D3 5 Bogyoke Aung San Museum ..................E2 53 Xi Yang Yang ............................................A2 6 Daw Khin Kyi Mausoleum ...................... D4 7 Drug Elimination Museum ...................... A1 Yangon Bakehouse ....................... (see 45) 8 Kandawgyi Lake .......................................E4 54 Yangon Bakehouse Inya Training 9 Maha Wizaya Zedi................................... D4 Cafe ........................................................ B1 10 Martyrs' Mausoleum .............................. C3 û Drinking & Nightlife 11 Rangoon War Cemetery ........................ B2 12 Resistance Park ...................................... C3 55 Cask 81...................................................... D1 13 Shwedagon Paya Museum .................... C3 56 Coffee Circles...........................................C2 14 Suphayalat's Mausoleum ...................... D4 57 J-One Music Bar ...................................... E3 58 Lab Wine & Tapas Bar ............................D2 Thakin Kodaw Hmaing 59 Nervin Cafe & Bistro ............................... F4 Mausoleum ....................................(see 6) Penthouse ...................................... (see 33) 15 U Thant House ........................................ B2 60 Roof Alchemy...........................................C4 U Thant Mausoleum ...................... (see 14) 61 Rough Cut.................................................A3 62 Vista Bar ...................................................D2 16 Utopia Tower ............................................E3 63 Winstar......................................................B3 Ø Activities, Courses & Tours ý Entertainment 64 Goethe Villa ..............................................D3 17 Dhamma Joti Vipassana Centre ............E2 65 Institut Française ....................................B2 18 Happy Zone ............................................. B3 66 Karaweik Palace ...................................... F4 19 Kokine Swimming Club ........................... E1 67 Thein Byu Indoor Stadium ..................... F4 20 Mahasi Meditation Centre ...................... D1 þ Shopping 21 Natural World Amusement Park .......... B3 68 FXB Showroom........................................ E2 69 Junction Square ...................................... A1 Nemita by Lilawadee Spa .............(see 27) 70 KZL Art Studio & Gallery ........................ C1 22 Panditarama Meditation Centre ............C1 71 Marketplace by CityMart........................D2 23 Seri Beauty & Health .............................. C2 24 Seri Beauty & Health .............................. C2 Monument Books .......................... (see 23) ÿ Sleeping 72 Nandawun ................................................A4 25 Alamanda Inn ...........................................D1 73 Patrick Robert..........................................C2 26 Business Alliance Hotel.......................... C2 27 Chatrium Hotel.........................................F3 Summit Art ......................................(see 16) 28 Classique Inn ............................................D1 74 Yangoods..................................................B2 29 Hotel Esperado ........................................F4 ï Information 30 Hotel M ...................................................... D1 75 Bangladeshi Embassy ............................C2 31 Jasmine Palace Hotel ............................. B2 76 Chinese Embassy ....................................B4 32 Merchant Hotel ....................................... D3 77 EXO Travel................................................D2 33 My Hotel ................................................... B2 78 German Embassy .................................... E3 34 Pickled Tea Hostel .................................. B2 79 Italian Embassy ....................................... C1 35 Rose Garden Hotel ..................................E4 80 Japanese Embassy ................................. E3 36 Savoy Hotel ............................................. C2 81 Netherlands Embassy ............................ C1 37 Summit Parkview.................................... C4 38 Winner Inn................................................ C2 New Zealand Embassy ..................(see 81) ú Eating 82 Oway .........................................................B2 39 Agape ....................................................... A2 83 Singapore Embassy ................................D2 84 Thai Embassy...........................................B4 Alamanda Inn .................................(see 25) 85 Vietnamese Embassy ............................. C1 40 Aung Thukha ........................................... C2 41 Edo Zushi ................................................. B2 42 Garden Bistro .......................................... D4 43 Golden Duck ............................................ C4 h9am-4pm Tue-Sun) F, which is chock full Hla. The photo gallery is also well worth of buddha statues and religious ornaments. a look, particularly for the close-up snaps it Look for the scale model of the stupa and displays of the top of the stupa. the beautiful painting of the temple by MT
51 oNgahtatgyi Paya BUDDHIST TEMPLE oPeople’s Park PARK (ငါးထပ္ႀကီးဘရု ား; Map p48; Shwegondine Rd, (ျပည္သဥူ႔ ယ်ာဥ;္ Map p48; U Wi Za Ra Rd, Dagon; Tamwe; US$2 or K2000; h6am-8pm) One of K300; h7am-7pm) Notable for its splendid Yangon’s, if not Myanmar’s, most gorgeous views of the west side of Shwedagon Paya, Buddha images is this 46ft-tall seated one at this well-tended park offers plenty of pleas- the Ngahtatgyi Paya, sitting in calm gold and ant features such as flower gardens and white repose with a healthy splash of pre- ponds; fountains, including one made of cious stones to boot. In fact, it’s worth seeing concentric rings of white elephants; and Ya n go n SYaIi gGnhHgtTosSn for its carved wooden backdrop alone. treetop observation platforms linked by fun A lovely approach to the temple is to walk swinging bridges. up via the monasteries scattered along Bogy- More quirky aspects include a decommis- oke Aung San Museum Lane. sioned Myanmar Airways Fokker you can climb inside, a fighter jet, an old steam train oChaukhtatgyi Paya BUDDHIST TEMPLE and a planetarium. (ေျခာကထ္ ပႀ္ ကးီ ဘရု ား; Map p48; Shwegondine At the park’s northwest corner is the Rd, Tamwe; h6am-8pm) Housed in a large metal-roofed shed, this beautiful 213ft-long Natural World Amusement Park (%09 862 2249; www.naturalworldamusementpark.com; reclining Buddha is hardly publicised at all Ahlone Rd, Dagon; incl with People’s Park; h7am- even though it’s larger than a similar well- known image in Bago. The statue’s placid 7pm) with rides such as bumper cars and a log-flume roller coaster. Facing onto Dham- face, with glass eyes, is topped by a crown mazedi Rd is the kid’s amusement park encrusted with diamonds and other precious stones. Happy Zone (h9am-9pm). Also with an entrance on Dhammazedi Close to the Buddha’s feet is the small Rd is Resistance Park (ေတာ္လနွ ေ္ ရးပန္းျခ;ံ shrine to Ma Thay, a holy man who has the U Wi Za Ra Rd, Dagon; h7am-7pm) F; walls power to stop rain and grant sailors a safe journey. separate this area from People’s Park. Attached to the temple complex is the Kandawgyi Lake LAKE Shweminwon Sasana Yeiktha Medita- (ကန္ေတာ္ၾကီး; Map p48; Kan Yeik Thar Rd, tion Centre, where large numbers of locals Dagon; K3000) Also known as Royal Lake, gather to meditate. It’s not hard to find this artificial lake, built by the British as someone to show you around the adjoining a reservoir, is most attractive at sunset, monasteries. when the glittering Shwedagon is reflected DALAH Until the bridge is completed in 2020, the quickest way to access Dalah is to make the 10-minute ferry (Map p38; 1-way/return K2000/4000; h5.30am-9.30pm, every 15min) jour- ney across the river from downtown Yangon. The contrast between the city’s grand co- lonial edifices and urban buzz, and Dalah’s sleepy, rural Myanmar atmosphere couldn’t be more acute, and is a large part of the attraction of a visit. Travellers often go straight from Dalah to the pleasant town of Twante (p88), a 30- to 45-minute drive west into the delta. However, there’s plenty to see in Dalah including a lively daily market, a shipbuild- ing yard and the great social enterprise Chuchu (%09 79258 2795; www.facebook.com/ kyutkyutmm; 507 Khaye Rd, Kamaksit; h9am-5pm). The fun starts on the ferry. Along with city and river views, there’s a lively scene on board as hawkers sell everything from sun hats and paan (areca nut and/or tobacco wrapped in a betel leaf and chewed as a mild stimulant) to bags of speckled eggs and sweet snacks. Almost certainly you’ll be approached by touts for the trishaw and motor bike taxis in Dalah – even in the terminal before boarding the ferry. Beware as these touts have a reputation for scamming unsuspecting travellers when negotiating hourly rates for rides. The going rate is K5000 per hour for either a trishaw or a motorbike taxi. To avoid such problems sign up for a tour: an excellent cycling tour is offered by Un- chartered Horizons (p58) that includes nearby Seikgyi island, which is even more rural than Dalah; or you could improve your photography immensely with Myanmar Photogra- phy Tours (p79), led by expat snapper Don Wright.
52 e# 0 1 km 0 0.5 miles Inya Lake & Greater Yangon C D AB æ# 3 1 Ú# 2 1 2 Ya n go n SYaiIgGnHhgtTosSn 2 27 #ú 18 MAYANGONE #þ ILnayya Rd HLAING Lake Parami 32 #ú 22 #íØ# 6 #ú 21 2#þ8ÿ#9 # 34 3 12 #ÿ 7 # Pyay Rd #û 24 10 ÿ# YANKIN #î 31 #ú 17 Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd 3 8 æ# 1 #Ø Inya Kanbe Rd Rd 5 Insein Rd Ø# Inya Lake 20 4 4 #ú University #ÿ 11 #ÿ 13 30 of Yangon # #þ25Thirimingalar St University Ave Rd 35 16 Aung San #þ 26No (1) Industrial 23 #ü#í #ú Suu Kyi's 5 Tha Tone Rd #â House #í NarnSatttawPyay Rd 33 #ú Rd Inya Myaing Rd 29 UAnviveeRrsdity A Than Lwin Rd 15 #í 5 â# #ú 19 BAHAN 4 #ú 14 B CD in its calm waters. The boardwalk, which and Karaweik Palace (p78), a reinforced con- runs mainly along the southern and west- crete reproduction of a royal barge. There are ern sides of the lake (and which is free to plenty of lakeside cafes here, good spots for a wander), is also an ideal place for an early- drink at sunset. morning jog or stroll. On the lake’s north side, the quirky Uto- Just east of the Kandawgyi Palace Hotel, pia Tower (Kandawgyi Lake, off Nat Maukt Rd, on the southern side of the lake, floats a Tamwe; viewing deck K200; h10am-10pm) is a Shin Upagot shrine. Upagot is a Bodhisat- giant pile of artificial rocks housing bars, tva (Buddhist saint) who is said to protect karaoke, a massage parlour and, on the 5th human beings in moments of mortal danger. floor, a viewing deck. On the ground floor, Summit Art (%09 500 5849; h9am-5.30pm) The eastern side of the lake, for which showcases the impasto canvases of owner- you’ll have to pay the admission charge, is painter Myint Soe and other local artists. dominated by a small park, a kids’ playground
53 Inya Lake & Greater Yangon 18 Minn Lane Rakhaing Monte & Ya n go n SYaIi gGnhHgtTosSn Fresh Seafood ..................................... B1 æ Sights 1 Inya Lake ................................................ B4 19 Parami Pizza...........................................D5 2 Kaba Aye Paya ........................................D1 20 Sabai@DMZ ............................................C4 3 Mahapasana ...........................................D1 21 Shwe Sa Bwe ..........................................C2 4 State Fine Arts School .......................... D5 22 Taing Yin Thar ........................................ B1 û Drinking & Nightlife Ø Activities, Courses & Tours 23 Fuji Coffee House ...................................C5 5 Aqua Inya Golf Driving Range ............... C4 24 GTR Club.................................................D2 6 Bike World Explores Myanmar ............. A3 þ Shopping 7 Chanmyay Yeiktha Meditation 25 Augustine's Souvenir Shop ...................A5 Centre.................................................. D2 8 Yangon Sailing Club .............................. B4 Elephant House .............................(see 15) 26 Myanmar Plaza.......................................D4 ÿ Sleeping 27 Nagar Glass Factory ..............................A2 Bike World Explores Myanmar 28 Vestige ....................................................D2 Inn ................................................. (see 6) ï Information 29 Cambodian Embassy.............................D5 9 Hotel Parami .......................................... D2 30 Good News Travels ................................D4 10 Inya Lake Hotel ...................................... C3 31 International SOS Clinic ........................C3 11 Sedona Hotel ......................................... D4 32 Israeli Embassy ......................................A3 12 Super Hotel ............................................ D2 33 Korean Embassy ....................................C5 13 Thanlwin Guesthouse............................ D4 34 Myanmar Trekking .................................D2 35 US Embassy ...........................................C5 ú Eating 14 Acacia Tea Salon ................................... D5 15 Green Elephant ...................................... C5 16 Le Planteur ............................................. C5 17 L'Opera Restaurant ............................... C3 Maha Wizaya Zedi BUDDHIST TEMPLE Khruschev to John Lennon and Yoko Ono. There’s also some video footage of him giv- (Map p48; U Htaung Bo St, Dagon; K200; h5am- ing speeches. The house and its gardens are 9pm) This well-proportioned zedi, built on also used for lectures and events. General Ne Win’s orders in the early 1980s to commemorate the unification of Theravada Buddhism in Myanmar, is connected by a Bogyoke Aung San Museum MUSEUM pedestrian bridge to the southern gateway to (ဗလုိ ခ္ ်ဳပေ္ အာငဆ္ နး္ ျပတကုိ ;္ Map p48; 15 Bogy- Shwedagon Paya. The zedi is hollow, its in- oke Aung San Museum St, Bahan; K300; h9.30am- 4.40pm Tue-Sun) The home in which Aung San side decorated with a forest of fake trees and lived with his family for just over two years a beautiful blue dome showing star constel- lations. The king of Nepal contributed sacred before he was assassinated in July 1947 was given a spring clean in time for Martyrs’ Day relics for the zedi relic chamber and General 2016. Newly on display is a car driven by Ne Win had it topped with an 11-level hti – two more levels than the hti at Shwedagon. the general, but you’ll have to work hard to imagine what life was like inside the house, which is sparsely furnished and has old family U Thant House HISTORIC BUILDING (ဥးီ သနေ႔္ နအမိ ;္ Map p48; www.yangonheritage photos and a few personal possessions. trust.org/u-thant-house; 31PanwaSt,Bahan; donation Daw Kin Kyi, Aung San’s widow, and K5000; h10am-5pm Fri-Sun) When his grandson Thant Myint-U discovered his grandfather’s three children, including Aung San Suu Kyi, stayed on living here until 1953 when their house in the old Windermere estate area in second son Lin drowned in the pond in the 2012, the place was a wreck. It has since been colonial mansion’s grounds. beautifully restored by Yangon Heritage Trust and stands as a fitting memorial to U Thant, Drug Elimination Museum MUSEUM the United Nation secretary-general from (မးူ ယစေ္ ဆးဝါးတကုိ ဖ္ ်ကေ္ ရးျပတကုိ ;္ Map p48; %01-505 016; cnr Hanthawaddy & Kyun Taw Rds, 1961 to 1971 and one of Myanmar’s most re- Kamaryut; K5000; h9am-4pm Tue-Sun) This spected international politicians. Fascinating archival photographs hang gigantic time capsule of junta-era propagan- da is a mind-bending experience. It vilifies in the house, showing U Thant with the the effects of class A drugs on Myanmar’s great and good of the era – everyone from
54 Ya n go n SYaIi gGnhHgtTosSn YANGON’S MARKETS Every Yangon township has its own zei (market, often spelt zay) – exploring them can be fun, educational and a chance to interact with locals. The most tourist-friendly market is Bogyoke Aung San Market (Map p42; Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Dagon; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun). Half a day could easily be spent wandering around this sprawling covered market, sometimes called by its old British name, Scott Market. It has more than 2000 shops and the largest selection of Myanmar handicrafts and souvenirs you’ll find under several roofs, from lacquerware, Shan shoulder bags and velvet slippers, to puppets and jewellery. It’s also a good place to find tailors. Pick up some nice slippers here, convenient for all the on-and-off demanded by paya protocol, and a longyi (sarong-style lower garment); U Maung Maung in the main hall has a good selection ranging from cotton ones from K5500 to silk-mix ones from K9500. Covering several blocks of downtown Yangon, Theingyi Zei (Map p42; Shwedagon Pa- goda Rd, Pabedan; h9am-7pm) is popular with locals for household goods and textiles, but it’s also renowned for its large selection of traditional herbs, cosmetics and medicines, which can be found on the ground floor of the easternmost building. Traditional herbal shampoo, made by boiling the bark of the Tayaw shrub with big black kin pun (acacia pods), is sold in small plastic bags; this is the secret of Myanmar women’s smooth, glossy hair. Fresh produce in attractive, colourful piles is sold along 26th St, adjacent to Theingyi Zei. You’ll need to get up very early (or not bother going to bed) to catch the San Pya Fish Market (စျံ ပငါးေစ်း; Kye Myin Daing Kannar Rd, Kye Myin Daing; h24hr) at full throttle. Far from pretty but compulsively fascinating, Yangon’s wholesale fish market is a heady as- sault on the senses and best experienced between 2am and 8am when boats unload their catches and deals are done with market traders and buyers for restaurants and hotels. Far less smelly and a great daytime attraction is the nearby Coconut & Banana Wholesale Market (အုန္းသီး၊ငွက္ေပ်ာသီးလက္ကားေစ်း; Kyemyindaing Jetty, Kyemyindaing Strand Rd, Kyemyindaing; h24hr). Whole branches of bananas, towering piles of coco- nuts, bales of sugar cane and, in season, mammoth amounts of mangoes, make an eye-catching display beside the Hlaing River. society while also glorifying the role of the At that time the ex-emperor’s shrouded military in supposedly stamping out their corpse was hastily buried in an anonymous production and trade. Cue, dioramas of the grave in his prison enclosure. A mausoleum opium wars, a huge life-sized poppy field, and was later built on the location of the prison, ghastly depictions of addiction set against the but the grave itself remained a mystery un- triumphant efforts of the Tatmadaw. Keep in til 1991 when workmen discovered it 3.5ft mind as you wander the vast, three-floored underground during excavations for a new building (with pigeons flying around through structure at the site. gaps in the roof) that Myanmar remains the The mausoleum is part of a functioning world’s second-largest producer of opium. mosque. You can read more about Bahadur Shah Zafar’s life and death in William Dalry- Dargah of Bahadur Shah Zafar MAUSOLEUM mple’s The Last Mughal. (Map p42; Ziwaca St, Dagon; h8am-8pm) F Covered in silks and strewn with sweet- State Fine Arts School HISTORIC BUILDING smelling petals, the mausoleum of India’s (Map p52; 131 Kaba Aya Pagoda Rd, Bahan; h9am- last Mughal emperor is place of pilgrimage 4.30pm Mon-Sat) Built in the early 20th centu- for Indians, Muslims and others interest- ry as the grand home of shipping and rubber ed in the history of the Raj. Bahadur Shah magnate Lim Chin Tsong, this is another de- Zafar II, who had a reputation as a talent- caying but highly evocative slice of Yangon’s ed Urdu poet, was exiled to Rangoon along architectural heritage. On the ground floor, with his wife (who is also buried here) and beneath the pagoda-like tower, is a gallery family in 1858 following the failed Sepoy Re- of student art. bellion in Delhi. He died four years later in Explore upstairs to find murals painted by November 1862. Ernest and Dod Proctor, who later in their
55 careers had their works hung in London’s centre is a statue that has claimed to be the Tate Gallery and National Portrait Gallery. largest Buddha cast from silver in Myanmar. Rangoon War Cemetery CEMETERY Mahapasana CAVE (ရန္ကနု စ္ စ္သခ်ဳႋ ငး္ ; Map p48; www.cwgc.org; off (မဟာပါသနလိုဏ္ဂူ; Map p52; Kaba Aye Pagoda Pyay Rd, Sanchaung; h7am-5pm) The small- Rd, Mayagone; h24hr) F Totally artificial, er of Yangon’s two cemeteries dedicated to this ‘great cave’ is where the Sixth Buddhist the fallen servicemen of WWII in Burma Synod was held in 1954–56 to coincide with is located down a quiet lane near the Jas- the 2500th anniversary of the Buddha’s Ya n go n SYaIi gGnhHgtTosSn mine Palace Hotel. This was the first burial enlightenment. Measuring 456ft by 371ft, ground set up after the liberation of Yangon the cave, which can accommodate up to from the Japanese in 1945. It contains 1381 10,000 people, took only 14 months to build. graves – 86 are unidentified. It helped that there were 63,000 volunteer labourers. Grand religious ceremonies are still held here. 1 Inya Lake & Greater Yangon oMeilamu Paya BUDDHIST TEMPLE National Races Village PARK (မယ္လမဘု ုရား; Thudhamar Rd, North Okkalapa; (Yandar Rd, Thaketa; K5000; h7.30am-5.30pm) Traditional houses of the Kachin, Kayah, h6am-8pm) Situated next to the Nga Moe Kayin, Chin, Bamar, Mon, Rakhine and Shan Yeik creek, this Disneyland-ish pagoda is a hoot. Larger-than-life 3D stucco depictions are dotted around this lush, landscaped com- pound hugging the Bago River, just north of of the Buddha’s life and practice litter the the Yangon side of the Thanlyin Bridge. The compound. A giant crocodile houses a gal- lery displaying the legend of Mei La Mu, the best thing to do here is go for a cycle – the park is large and you can rent a bicycle (K500 girl born from a mangrove fruit, after whom per hour, K1000 deposit) to get around. the temple is named. There are teahouses in the complex over- Beside each house, handicrafts and souve- nirs are sold but they’re all jumbled up and looking the creek and you can take a boat not particularly great quality. across the water to another cluster of stupas. The temple is a short walk from Tadakal- ay Station on the Yangon Circle Line. Thaketa Crocodile Farm FARM (သာေကတမိေက်ာငး္ ေမြးျမဴေရးစခနး္ ; Thaketa Industrial Estate, Tharkyta; K1000; h6am-6pm) Inya Lake LAKE Off the main road from Yangon to Than- (အငး္ ယားကန;္ Map p52) Inya Lake, created by lyin, at the end of a bumpy road leading the British as a reservoir in 1883, is roughly five times larger than Kandawgyi. The best into the Thaketa Industrial Estate, is this government-run farm that breeds rare croc- spots from which to view the lake are the odiles to maintain their population. Some parks running along part of Pyay Rd and Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd. The paths are open to of the saltwater crocs are monsters, grow- ing up to 15ft long. Watching their fanged the sun so bring an umbrella for shade. mouths snap around tossed pieces of fish The lake’s perimeter is one of the most exclusive areas of the city to live; University will send a chill down your spine. Boardwalks keep you at a safe distance Ave Rd, on the lake’s southern side, is the and lead over concrete pools and the man- location of Aung San Suu Kyi’s home, where she spent her years of house arrest, as well groves next to Pazundaung Creek. There’s also a dubious circus-style ‘show’ where as the US Embassy. you may learn some more about the lives of If you’re into sailing, drop by the Yangon Sailing Club (p58), which is open to non- these frightening creatures. members on Friday nights for drinks and Taukkyan War Cemetery CEMETERY has a lovely lakeside setting. (ေထာက္ၾကံ့စစ္သခ်ႋဳငး္ ; www.cwgc.org; Pyay Rd, Taukkyan; h7am-5pm) Eleven miles north of Kaba Aye Paya BUDDHIST TEMPLE Yangon’s airport is this huge, immensely sad (ကမၻာေအးဘရု ား; Map p52; 68 Kaba Aye Pagoda but beautifully maintained cemetery. It con- Rd, Mayagone; K3000; h5am-9pm) This overly glitzy ‘world peace’ zedi, about 5 miles north tains the graves of 6374 Allied soldiers who died in the Burma and Assam campaigns of the city centre, was built for the 1954–56 of WWII. There is also a memorial bearing Sixth Buddhist Synod. The centrepiece is a 118ft-high hollow paya with five gateways, the names of the almost 27,000 soldiers who died with no known grave. Bago-bound buses each guarded by an image of Buddha. In the
56 22City Walk from the Aung Mingalar Bus Terminal all Downtown Yangon pass Taukkyan. Ya n go n AYacCntT IigvVoIi tTniI eEsSThe cemetery was opened in 1951. As you START THONE PAN HLA walk around reading the names of those FINISH GOLDEN TEA who died and the epitaphs commemorating LENGTH APPROX 1.4 MILES; TWO TO them, the heat of the sun seems to fade and THREE HOURS the noise of the road recedes, leaving you alone in the silence of your own thoughts. Kyauk Daw Kyi BUDDHIST TEMPLE (Mindhama Hill, Mingalardon; h6am-6pm) F Start in the cool hours of the morning, with Not far from the airport, this immense seat- ed Buddha was carved from a single piece of a caffeine boost and Burmese-style break- marble found outside Mandalay in 1999. The 1fast atThone<counter-d> Pan Hla (p76), a typical partially finished statue was painstakingly Myanmar teahouse. transported to Yangon by boat and train (on Near the teahouse is the 2200-year-old a specially built track) a year later, events that 2Sule Paya (p37), the geographic and commercial heart of the city, and where are depicted in the complex’s modern murals. the British-designed grid street pattern 2 Activities was centred. Make a circle or two around oKokine Swimming Club the temple to get just the right angle for SWIMMING your photograph; good views can be had (Map p48; 23 Sayar San Rd, Bahan; K10,000; from the pedestrian bridge that rises from h6am-8pm, closed 10am-3pm Mon) Offering two well-maintained 100ft outdoor pools, this the west side of Mahabandoola St to the club for serious swimmers has been going terrace level of the pagoda. since 1904. There are also small gyms at- To the east of Sule Paya is 3City Hall, a colossal lilac- and purple-painted colonial tached to the changing rooms. building adorned with traditional Myanmar Pun Hlaing Golf Club GOLF decorative detail such as peacocks, nagas (http://punhlaingestate.com; Pun Hlaing Golf Es- (serpents) and three-tiered pyatthat turrets. tate Ave, Hlaing Tharya; green fees Mon-Thu US$65, Nip around the back of the building to see Fri US$33, Sat & Sun US$90; h6am-5pm Mon, the Municipal Corporation of Rangoon insig- to 9pm Tue-Sun) Take a glimpse at Yangon’s nia still on the iron gates. elite at this course, designed by Gary Player. On the next corner further east on Maintained by a staff of 300, it’s the verdant Mahabandoola Rd is the 4Ayeyarwady Bank, once Rowe & Co department store, centrepiece of a private housing estate across dubbed the ‘Harrods of the East’. Across the Hlaing River. Hiring a caddy is an extra US$10 and buggy rental K30,000. the street is the 5Immanuel Baptist Church, originally built in 1830, though the present structure dates from 1885. Royal Green River CRUISE Continuing south you’ll pass the Queen (Map p38; Botataung Jetty, Botataung; regular/din- ner cruise US$20/30) The largest of the private Anne–style 6High Court with its bell clock tower and rooftop lion statues. Pop boats offering sunset cruises (Tuesday and Wednesday at 5pm) and dinner cruises (Fri- into the neatly tended Mahabandoola day to Sunday) on the Yangon River. Garden to enjoy the greenery and take a closer look at the 7Independence Mon- Yangon Rhythm CRUISE ument (p40). Exit on Sule Pagoda Rd and (Map p38; %01-206 266; Botataung Jetty, Bo- head towards Yangon River past the mon- tataung; cruise US$10) One of the cheaper private operators running hour-long sunset umental neoclassical 8Yangon Stock Exchange, originally built in 1937 to house cruises from Botataung Jetty (departs 5pm). the Reserve Bank of India. Aqua Inya Golf Driving Range GOLF Turning left, a colonnade of iconic col- (Map p52; %01-657 758; Mya Kyun Thar Amuse- umns stretches along the Strand facade of ment Park, Kabar Aya Pagoda Rd, Mayangone; the former Yangon Region Office Complex; h6am-8pm) Practise your golf swing by at the time of research this was being aiming at targets floating in Inya Lake. This restored as the luxury 9Kempinski Yangon Hotel. Next door is the red-brick wacky concept includes staff rowing out in aCustoms House, built in 1915, and still the lake to recover the balls. Even if you’re
57 Shwe Bontha St 35th St e# 0 200 m Sule Pagoda Rd 36th St 0 0.1 miles &~#1 #3 #4 Ya n go n HYASaIci gGntHhigvTloiSitngihetss #2 Mahabandoola Rd #19 #21 #5 #20 #22 #2'€3 29th St #7 #6 Pansodan St 30th St 37th St Yangon River Bo Sun Pat Rd Mahabandoola 38th St 31st St Garden 32nd St Seikkan Thar St Merchant St 39th St 40th St #8 Bo Aung Kyaw St #18 #17 #9 Bank St #16 #13 #14 #10 #11 #15 #12 Strand Rd functioning for its original purpose as is the Italianate-style building, constructed by the nearly century-old, two-faced bracketed clock Jewish-Baghdadi trader Isaac A Sofaer, still hanging from building’s white tower. has original features such as Manchester On the corner with Pansodan St stands the floor tiles. pastel-coloured bYangon Divisional Court, At the corner with Merchant St and north one of the city’s oldest masonry structures along 37th St are many streetside ibook- dating from around 1900. The bomb damage stalls (p80); the area is known as Yangon’s open-air library for obvious reasons. Turn the building suffered during WWII is still vis- right at the junction of Mahabandoola Rd and ible on the Bank St side of the complex. The head west until you reach the corner of the opposite corner is taken up with the grand block occupied by the jMinisters Office cMyanma Port Authority building with its (p41), a giant red-brick pile also known as the striking square corner tower and bas-relief Secretariat from the times when it was the sculptures of ships on the facade. nucleus of British power in the country. Two blocks further along is the dStrand Return to Sule Paya along Mahabandoola Hotel (p41). The air-conditioned lobby, cafe and bar make a good rest stop. Consider Rd, noting kMyanma Post & Telecommu- writing a postcard and then posting it at the nications; during the 1950s almost 200,000 international cables a year came in and out eCentral Post Office (p82), dating from of this building. West of Sule Paya, continue 1908; note the lovely beaux-arts portico. down Mahabandoola Rd through the cha- Return to turn right on lower Pansodan St. otic Indian and Chinese quarters. Several Monumental buildings line what was consid- mosques are here, including the 1918 ered Yangon’s prime business address a cen- lMogul Shia Mosque and the mSurti tury ago. Several, such as the fMyanmar Sunni Jamah Mosque (p45), Yangon’s Agricultural Development Bank and the oldest Muslim place of worship dating to graceful gInland Waterways Department, the 1860s. End the walking tour with a well- have weathered the passage of time well, while earned cuppa at nGolden Tea (p76). others, such as hSofaer’s Building, are in desperate need of attention. This crumbing
58 not playing, we recommend coming here for Dora CRUISE cheap beers at sunset overlooking the lake. (Map p38; %01-531 313; www.cruiseinmyanmar. com; Botataung Jetty, Botataung; cruise US$45) Yangon Yoga House YOGA Enjoy the scenery along Yangon’s river and (www.yangonyogahouse.com; Rm 4, Yankin Lan harbour on this one-hour cruise (morning Thwe (1), off Yankin Rd, Yankin; classes US$12) Go online to book a place at the drop-in classes or sunset; minimum 10 people). Drinks and snacks are included and the 63ft teak- Ya n go n TYaOonUurgRsoS n at this high-quality yoga studio, a short drive decked boat is handsomely appointed. Day east of Inya Lake. trips to Twante can also be arranged. For a fraction of the cost, you could do a Bike World Explores Myanmar CYCLING return trip on the Dalah ferry (p51). (Map p52; %01-527 636; www.cyclingmyanmar. com; 10F Khapaung Rd, Hlaing; bike rental & guide from K15,000) Contact Aussie expat Jeff Parry Nemita by Lilawadee Spa SPA about his guided bike rides. Explore down- town Yangon on Friday nights (9.30pm to (Map p48; %01-544 500; www.chatrium.com; around midnight) or on Sundays take a half- Chatrium Hotel, Pho Sein Rd, Tamwe; 1hr mas- day ride (from 6.30am) into the countryside. sage US$30; h10am-midnight) International- Thu Ti Leithwei standard spa that offers a full range of treatments including reasonably priced massage and reflexology. Boxing School HEALTH & FITNESS Seri Beauty & Health MASSAGE (%09 25586 3344; www.facebook.com/thutti (Map p48; %01-534 396; 118 Dhama Zedi Rd, Ba- lethwei; 893 Wun Tharet Khitta Lan, off Kaba Aye Rd, Mayangone; 1hr session K5000) Lone Chaw, han; massage per hr K10,000; h9am-6pm) Not Yangon’s most upmarket beauty parlour, but former national champion, runs this school conveniently located. It offers reasonably where you can get fit learning the moves of let-hwei (Burmese kickboxing). Be warned – priced massages and a full range of beautifi- cation services. There’s another branch (Map it’s a high-intensity workout. p48; %01-534 205; 144 Dhama Zedi Rd; h9am- Yangon Sailing Club BOATING 6pm) a few doors down. (Map p52; %01-535 298; www.yangonsailing.com; T Tours 132 Inya Rd, Kamaryut; h9am-8pm) Established in 1924, this sailing club opens its doors to oUncharted Horizons CYCLING nonmembers on Friday nights when it’s a (Map p38; %09 97117 6085; www.uncharted very pleasant lakeside spot for drinks. Tem- -horizons-myanmar.com; 109 49th St, Botataung; porary membership, which will allow you to half-/full-day tour from K42,000/65,000) This do some sailing, is K10,000 per day or, with adventure-tours operation is run by enthu- boat hire, K5000 per hour. siastic and knowledgeable Austrian Jochen Meissner. It offers four biking itineraries around Yangon, including a fantastic trip to Dalah and nearby Seikgyi island, where you’ll pedal around idyllic rural villages. Other half-day tours cover lesser-known HOTEL SWIMMING POOLS parts of Yangon, while the full day is a 43 mile marathon to Twante. The company also Nonguests can use the pools at the runs biking and trekking tours across Myan- following hotels. mar, particularly in Chin State. Belmond Governor’s Residence Yangon Walking Tours WALKING (p64) Free as long as you eat at the restaurant. (http://opening-up-burma-travel.info; tours per per- Chatrium Hotel (p66) US$25. son from US$30, min 2 people) Knowledgeable Hotel Parami (p67) US$10. expat editor and writer Bob Percival and Jasmine Palace Hotel (p67) US$10, other local guides lead a variety of walking including the gym. tours, usually lasting three hours, around Parkroyal Yangon (p65) US$30, downtown Yangon. Themes include heritage including the gym. buildings, religious buildings and George Or- Sule Shangri-la (p65) US$12, 9am to well. Longer tours around the city and fur- 5pm Monday to Friday only. ther afield into the Ayeyarwady Delta region are also available.
59 YANGON CIRCLE LINE Ya n go n CYaOonUugrRsoSenEsS Although it can feel like travelling in a washing machine on spin cycle, the Yangon Circle Line (Map p38; non air-con/air-con carriage K100/200; h6.10am, 8.20am, 8.35am, 10.10am, 10.45am, 11.30am, 11.50am, 1.05pm, 1.40pm, 2.25pm, 4.40pm & 5.10pm) is a fun way to circumnavigate the city. It’s a chance to interact with passengers and vendors on commuter trains and see off-the-beaten-track areas of Yangon. The train is least crowd- ed after 10am and before 4pm, and at weekends. You’re not locked into the full three-hour, 30-mile circuit: disembark at any of the 38 stations and taxi back to the centre once you’ve had enough. You can use the train to avoid congested roads and get close to northern attractions, such as Meilamu Paya (p55). Trains leave from platform 6/7 at Yangon train station, accessed off Pandsodan St; tickets are bought on the platform. Trains go in either direction and some don’t make the full circuit. A long ride on the Circle Line is not advisable if you suffer from travel sickness. Changes are on the way: Japan has provided Myanmar Railways with US$200 million to buy 11 new six-carriage trains and upgrade tracks so that a circuit can be completed in less than two hours. C Courses Mahasi Several monasteries and meditation centres Meditation Centre HEALTH & WELLBEING in Yangon welcome foreigners, although stays of 10 days are generally preferred. (Map p48; %01-541 971; www.mahasi.org.mm; 16 Thathana Yeiktha Rd, Bahan) An English dham- ma (Buddhist teachings) talk (3pm to 5pm) is open to anyone at Yangon’s most famous Dhamma Joti meditation centre, founded in 1947 by the Vipassana Centre HEALTH & WELLBEING late Mahasi Sayadaw, perhaps Myanmar’s (Map p48; %01-549 290; www.vridhamma.org; greatest meditation teacher. For courses, it Ngahtatgyi Paya Rd, Bahan) Following the Vipassana teachings of SN Goenka, this only accepts foreigners who can stay for at simple, peaceful retreat is just a short least one week. walk from Shwedagon Paya and Kandaw- gyi Lake. Meditators must sign up for z Festivals & Events the introductory 10-day course and share Yangon Photo Festival ART accommodation. (www.yangonphoto.com; hMar) With Aung San Suu Kyi as its patron, this celebration Panditarama of photography is held in March at Yangon’s Meditation Centre HEALTH & WELLBEING Institut Française (p75) and other venues (Map p48; %01-535 448; www.panditarama.net; across the city, and includes exhibitions, a 80A Than Lwin Rd, Bahan) Established in 1990 by Sayadaw U Pandita, formerly a chief conference and workshops. meditation teacher at the Mahasi centre, Yoma Yangon Marathon SPORTS this respected facility also runs the Pan- ditarama Forest Meditation Centre at Hse (www.yomayangonmarathon.com; hJan) This international marathon around the city has Main Gon, 40 miles northeast of Yangon been held since 2013. It includes options off the highway to Bago. It has courses in English for visitors prepared to stay for one for a half-marathon, 10km run and 3km fun run. week or longer. Shwedagon Paya Festival RELIGIOUS Chanmyay Yeiktha (hFeb/Mar) Crowds of pilgrims descend on Meditation Centre HEALTH & WELLBEING Shwedagon for the country’s largest paya (Map p52; %01-661 479; www.facebook.com/chan pwe (pagoda festival), which takes place myaymeditation.centreyangon; 55A Kaba Aye Pago- da Rd, Mayangone) Meaning ‘peaceful retreat’, over the last full moon before the Myanmar New Year. Chanmyay Yeiktha was founded by a Mahasi disciple, Sawadaw U Janaka. There is also Botatuang Paya Festival RELIGIOUS a countryside branch at Hmawbi, around a (hearly Jan) This temple festival features market stalls and fairground rides, includ- one-hour drive north of Yangon. One-month ing human-powered Ferris wheels. stays are preferred.
60 ©Lone- Temples of Myanmar Yangon’s Shwedagon Paya, Mandalay’s Mahamuni Paya and Bagan’s plain of temples shouldn’t be missed, but there are also many other lesser known Buddhist religious sites that will impress you with their beauty and spiritual power. MOLPIX / SHUTTERSTOCK © TZIDO SUN / SHUTTERSTOCK ©
61 SEAN PAVONE / SHUTTERSTOCK © 1. Mt Kyaiktiyo (Golden Rock; p107) This gravity-defying gilded rock, set atop a remote hill, is one of Myanmar’s most important pilgrimage sites. 2. Bagan (p156) With more than 3000 temples spread across Bagan, the sheer size of this ancient complex is astonishing. 3. Buddha statue (p361) Gilded statues are found all over Myanmar, decorated with layers of gold leaf applied by devotees. 4. Bronze bells (p191) Pick up a souvenir from the hawkers that line the entrances to the active places of worship in Bagan. 5. Novice monks (p361) The bright red robes of the Buddhist monks are usually reserved for novices under 15. PHUONG D. NGUYEN / GETTY IMAGES © LIGHTRECORDS / SHUTTERSTOCK ©
62 Ya n go n SYaLl nEeeEgpPoIinN Gg FILM FESTIVALS There’s no better city for Myanmar cinephiles than Yangon with several historic cinemas such as Nay Pyi Daw Cinema (Map p38; 242-248 Sule Paya Rd, Kyauktada; tickets from K1000) and Thamada Cinema (Map p38; 5 Ah Lan Pagoda Rd, Dagon; tickets from K1000) clustered downtown and modern multiplexes located in major shopping malls. Tickets start at about K1000 per seat and you can see Myanmar romantic dramas and action features, Bollywood musicals, kung-fu smash-ups and Hollywood blockbusters. For more independent movies and documentaries, both local and international, coin- cide your visit with one of Yangon’s film festivals – tickets are often free. Held at the end of January, &Proud (www.andproud.net; hJan) focuses on LGBT themes. The Human Rights Human Dignity International Film Festival (www.hrhdiff.org; hJun) is a chance to see long- and short-form cinema on human-rights issues. The Wathann Film Festival (www.wathannfilmfestival.com; hSep/Oct) highlights short movies in three cate- gories: short fiction, documentary and new vision. And lastly, Memory! International Film Heritage Festival (www.memoryfilmfestival.org; hNov) dedicated to preserving Asia’s fragile cinematic legacy. Thaipusam RELIGIOUS s/d/tw K25,000/65,000/78,000/91,000; aiW) This hostel has high-quality, bunk-bed dorms (hJan or Feb) Held at Yangon’s Hindu tem- with privacy curtains and spacious, simply ples, Thaipusam involves colourful proces- designed private rooms. There are good facil- sions and ritual piercings of the flesh. The ities too, including a DIY laundry and pano- date depends on the lunar calendar. ramic rooftop bar, which give Yama the edge in the budget stakes. Martyrs’ Day CULTURAL (h19 Jul) Commemorates the assassination of Bogyoke (General) Aung San and his com- rades. Events are held at the Martyrs’ Mauso- Scott HOSTEL $ (Map p42; %01-246 802; www.scottmyanmar. leum (p45) and Ministers Office (p41). com; 198 31st St, Pabedan; dm/tr US$12/15; aiW) You’ll need the thighs of a moun- Water Festival (Thingyan) CULTURAL tain climber to negotiate the stairs up to the (hApr) The Myanmar New Year is celebrated dorms and the upper-level bunks in this ap- in wet pandemonium. pealing hostel opened in 2015. It’s just steps from the old Scott Market after which it’s Buddha’s Birthday RELIGIOUS named. The conversion of the old warehouse (hApr/May) Celebrate the Buddha’s enlight- has bags of charm, including a flock of wood- enment at temples across Yangon. en birds presiding over the ground-floor cafe. Independence Day CULTURAL (h4Jan) Includes a seven-day fair at Kandaw- Chan Myaye Guest House GUESTHOUSE $ (Map p38; %01-382 022; www.chanmyayeyangon. gyi Lake. com; 256/276 Mahabandoola Garden St, Kyaukta- 4 Sleeping da; s/d/tr/q US$22/32/42/60; aW) Encourag- ing signs greet you on each landing as you Many new hotels and hostels have opened climb the stairs to the 4th floor to this spick in Yangon and more are on the way. There and span guesthouse. Most rooms don’t are options to suit all budgets, but quality have windows, but a lovely big family room places with individual character and style sleeps four at the front. It has a commu- remain rare. The widest choice is in down- nal balcony with classic downtown Yangon town Yangon, but Bahan or Sanchaung is a views and friendly staff. generally quieter base, convenient for walk- ing to Shwedagon Paya and Kandawgyi Lake. May Fair Inn GUESTHOUSE $ 4 Downtown Yangon (Map p38; %01-253 454; [email protected]; 57 38thSt,Kyauktada; s/d/trK25,000/40,000/45,000; aW) Family-run, and ever reliable, this oYama Dormitory HOSTEL $ old-fashioned place is best for the traveller (Map p38; %01-203 712; www.yamadormitory yangon.com; 195 Bo Myat Tun Rd, Botataung; dm/ looking for tranquillity rather than a party.
63 Agga Youth Hotel HOSTEL $ Don’t expect windows, but the dorms are (Map p42; %01-225 460; www.aggayouthhotel. clean, if compact, with comfortable beds. com; 86 12th St, Landmadaw; dm/s/d with shared There’s a small communal area and kitchen, bathroom from US$8/16/26, s/d/tr with private and the staff are eager to please. bathroom US$20/30/40) Of the several back- packer hostels that have sprung up in the New Yangon Hotel HOTEL $ (Map p42; %01-210 157; www.newyangonhotel. Chinatown area, this one offers the most com; 830 Mahabandoola Rd, Lanmadaw; r from spacious and well-kept dorms. Rooms have Ya n go n SYaLl nEeeEgpPoIinN Gg balconies, it’s professionally run and the US$40; aW) Not many of the rooms in this modern hotel, close by Lan Thit Jetty, offer rooftop restaurant is a plus. The group runs views of the river. Never mind; the rooftop a couple of other nearby properties. breakfast room and bar does, and that’s the main reason to stay here. Okinawa (2) Guest House HOSTEL $ (Map p42; %01-385 728; 89 32nd St, Pabedan; d US$28, dm/s with shared bathroom US$10/20; Beautyland Hotel II HOTEL $ (Map p38; %01-240 054; www.goldenlandpages. aW) The second branch of Okinawa offers com/beauty; 188-192 33rd St, Kyauktada; s/d simple, cramped but clean rooms and a key location steps from Sule Paya. US$30/40; aW) Tidy and decent-sized, if old-school, rooms, and efficient staff make this a reliable budget choice. The cheapest Three Seasons Hotel GUESTHOUSE $ (Map p38; %01-901 0066; threeseasonshotel7@ gmail.com; 83-85 52nd St, Pazundaung; s/d/tr rooms don’t have windows, while the more expensive ones boast heaps of natural light. US$25/30/40; aiW) The nine rooms in this homey guesthouse are old-fashioned but spa- Okinawa Guest House GUESTHOUSE $ (Map p42; %01-374 318; 64 32nd St, Pabedan; d cious and spotless and come with big bath- US$28, dm/s with shared bathroom US$10/20; rooms. The outdoor terrace, with tree shade, is a decent place to sit and watch the world aW) The interior of this bougainvillea- fronted guesthouse is a bizarre hotchpotch cruise by. Staff are very friendly and helpful. of decorations and building styles that blend It is located on a block that is quiet at night, so you should be able to sleep undisturbed. wood, bamboo and red brick. The rooms are small and dark but very clean. Noise can be an issue. If full, its second branch, Okinawa Mother Land Inn 2 HOTEL $ (Map p38; %01-291 343; www.myanmarmother landinn.com; 433 Lower Pazundaung Rd, Pazu- (2), is nearby. ndaung; s/d US$30/35, dm/s/d with shared Willow Inn HOSTEL $ (Map p42; %09 77386 6383; www.thewillowinn bathroom US$12/27/30; aiW) Rooms are myanmar.com; 1st fl, 644 Merchant Rd, Pabedan; clean and reasonably sized, although a lit- tle old-fashioned, and it’s a long walk or a dm/s/d with shared bathroom from US$15/25/49, d with private bathroom US$59; aW) Noise from short taxi ride from the heart of downtown, the busy street is an issue and there’s no sign but staff are helpful and pleasant and offer sound travel advice and services. The free outside, but otherwise this small hostel in a heritage building offers a modicum of style airport transfer and a solid breakfast are and is well maintained. A simple breakfast other pluses. is served on the building’s spacious balcony. MGM Hotel HOTEL $ White House Hotel HOTEL $ (Map p42; %01-212 455; www.hotel-mgm.com; 160 Wadan St, Lanmadaw; s/d/tr US$35/40/45; aW) (Map p42; %01-240 780; www.whitehousehotel yangon.blogspot.com; 69/71 Kon Zay Dan St, Pabe- Solid digs on the western edge of downtown. dan; s/d with air-con US$18/24, with fan & shared Rooms vary in size, from the very large to the less spacious, but all are well maintained and bathroom from US$7/11; aW) Pluses are the gen- erous breakfasts, rooftop terrace and useful come with windows and reasonable bath- travel desk. The negatives are a thigh-burning rooms. Staff can book bus tickets and the wi- fi connection is reliable. number of stairs, small and (at the cheapest rates) windowless rooms and basic bath- rooms. There’s also a curfew from midnight 4 Rivers Youth Hostel HOSTEL $ (Map p42; %09 79988 7215; www.fourrivers hostels.com; 79 12th St, Lanmadaw; 3-/8-bed dm to 5am, so it’s not for late-night revellers. US$10/9; aW) Dorms only at this hostel in a oLoft Hotel HOTEL $$ (Map p42; %01-393 112; www.theloftyangon. two-storey house in the heart of downtown. com; 33 Yaw Min Gee St, Dagon; s/d/ste from
64 US$160/180/280; aiW) Designer fairy Panda Hotel HOTEL $$ dust has been cast over a 1960s warehouse (Map p42; %01-212 850; www.myanmarpanda transforming it into this appealing boutique hotel.com; 205 Wadan St, Lanmadaw; r from US$75; hotel in a very handy location. New York aiW) This 13-storey high-rise west of the City–style loft rooms and split-level suites city centre offers bright, old-fashioned yet sport exposed-brick walls, floor-to-ceiling enticing rooms with decent bathrooms. It’s windows, arty black-and-white prints and in a peaceful residential area and is popular Ya n go n SYaLl nEeeEgpPoIinN Gg contemporary furnishings. The garden area with tour groups. to the rear is a small oasis. East Hotel HOTEL $$ (Map p38; %01-7313 5311; www.east.com.mm; Hotel @ Yangon Heritage HOTEL $$ 234-240 Sule Pagoda Rd, Kyauktada; r US$90; (Map p38; %01-398 262; www.hotelyangon heritage.com; 184/186 Sule Pagoda Rd, Kyaukta- aiW) A dash of contemporary style helps da; s/d/tr US$55/60/80; aW) Some design this hotel stand out from the downtown thought has been put into the conversion of midrange crowd. Take note, though, if you this grand old building into a small hotel. prefer your ablutions to be private from your Walls are painted a tasteful grey, setting off a room buddy: the bathrooms are not sealed sprinkling of colourful local crafts, and some off from the rest of the bedroom. original features such as pillars feature in rooms. It has stairs only (and they’re steep) Panorama Hotel HOTEL $$ (Map p38; %01-253 077; www.panoramaygn. and the front rooms suffer from street noise. com; 294-300 Pansodan St, Kyauktada; s/d from The 4th-floor bar with a view is a plus. US$80/90; aiW) Old-fashioned it may be, but the centrally located, 10-storey Panorama RGN City Lodge HOTEL $$ lives up to its name with rooms offering dis- (Map p42; %01-230 0150; www.rgncitylodge. com; 142C Min Ye Kyaw Swar Rd, Lanmadaw; r from tant views towards Shwedagon Paya. Rooms US$60; aW) This appealing hotel with a are vast and generally well appointed. modern look and friendly staff is in a quiet downtown location. Colour-tinted old pho- New Aye Yar Hotel HOTEL $$ (Map p38; %01-256 938; www.newayeyarhotel. tos of Rangoon contrast nicely with the gold com; 170-176 Bo Aung Kyaw St, Botataung; s/d from and white colour schemes of the rooms; the deluxe ones sport nice wicker furniture, too. US$70/75; aiW) This high-rise midrange has avoided the tropical rot that has struck The buffet breakfast has a choice of Euro down so many of its cousins. Rooms are a pean, Burmese and Chinese dishes. decent size, bathrooms have baths as well as showers, and there are views at the higher May Shan Hotel HOTEL $$ levels. (Map p42; %09 79969 9430; www.may shan.com; 115 Sule Paya Rd, Kyauktada; s/d/tr US$45/55/79; aiW) The single rooms are Aung Tha Pyay Hotel HOTEL $$ (Map p38; %01-378 663; www.aungthapyay pretty tight and lack windows, but the com- hotel.com; 74-80 38th St, Kyauktada; r/ste bination of convenient location, gracious service and ample amenities make the May US$65/75; aiW) This appealing place of- fers simply decorated, spruce rooms that Shan a top option in this area. The triple are functional and spacious. The attached rooms (ask for room 601) are spacious and overlook Sule Paya. There’s a great rooftop bathrooms have shower only. It’s not worth paying extra for the suites, which offer little terrace to hang out and enjoy the view. more than the standard rooms. Best Western Chinatown Hotel HOTEL $$ oBelmond (Map p42; %01-251 080; www.bestwesternasia. com; 127-137 Anawrahta Rd, Latha; r from US$80; Governor’s Residence LUXURY HOTEL $$$ aiW) Swathes of dove-grey marble and (Map p42; %01-229 860; www.belmond.com/govern some contemporary furniture give a good ors-residence-yangon; 35 Taw Win St, Dagon; r/ste first impression of this appealing hotel, from US$600/900; aiWs) The epitome of opened in 2015. It’s in a handy location too. colonial luxury, the Governor’s Residence in The furnishings in the compact room are not the 1920s was a guesthouse for important na- top quality but some effort has been made tionals of the Kayah ethnic group. The hand- with the design, placing it a cut above the some rooms have ever-so-lightly-perfumed run-of-the-mill competitors. Front-facing air, teak floors, cloudy soft beds and stone rooms offer direct views towards Shwedagon. baths with rose-petal water. The pool merges
65 gently into the lawns and sparkles in reflected to stay, visit for a drink in the bar, high tea in beauty. A major plus is the excellent range of the lounge or a splurge lunch at the cafe. free daily activities including bike rides and cooking classes. Parkroyal Yangon HOTEL $$$ (Map p42; %01-250 388; www.parkroyalhotels. oSule Shangri-la com; 33 Ah Lan Pya Paya Rd, Dagon; r from US$220; HOTEL $$$ aiWs) This well-run, centrally located (Map p42; %01-242 828; www.shangri-la.com; 223 Sule Pagoda Rd, Pabedan; s/d/ste from business hotel offers rooms featuring all the amenities you’d expect at this price. It Ya n go n SYaLl nEeeEgpPoIinN Gg US$236/253/347; aiWs) Still common- also has a good pool, tennis courts and gym ly known by its former name Traders, this well-established and professionally run ho- including aerobics and yoga classes (US$30 for nonguests). Breakfast is not included. tel has been upgraded to the luxe Shangri- la brand. The rooms sport decor in gold and burgundy, it has excellent in-house 4 Shwedagon Paya & Around dining and drinking options, as well as a decent-sized outdoor pool. oPickled Tea Hostel HOSTEL $ (Map p48; %09 25090 3363; www.pickledtea hostel.com; 11 Myaynigone Zay St, Sanchaung; Strand Hotel HOTEL $$$ (Map p38; %01-243 377; www.hotelthestrand. com; 92 Strand Rd, Kyauktada; r from US$488; dm/s/tw with shared bathroom from US$20/38/54; aW) On the edge of happening Sanchaung aiWs) Yangon’s most storied hotel was and a 15-minute walk from Shwedagon undergoing a major head-to-toe renovation during our latest visit. The original build- Paya, this appealing hostel has large and posh dorms, with proper beds and lockers. ing’s 31 suites will be upgraded with new There’s also an attractive outside terrace and air-conditioning, sound and communica- tions systems, as well as a dash of contem- small communal area inside. porary styling in the decor. Business Alliance Hotel BUSINESS HOTEL $ (Map p48; %01-524 844; www.businessalliance The new wing, to the rear, will include hotelygn.com; 126A Dhama Zedi Rd, Bahan; dm/d more suites, a pool and spa. If you can’t afford RESTORING OLD YANGON Set up in April 2012, the Yangon Heritage Trust (p43) is the chief guardian of the city’s ar- chitectural legacy, under threat from a double whammy of decades of neglect combined with landowners eager to take advantage of the booming property market and sell to developers who have little to no interest in heritage preservation. Only 189 properties – all publicly owned – are currently listed as historically significant by the Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC). Listing provides no legal protection, so YHT is pushing for laws and public policy to sensitively develop the city. It’s working with both the Yan- gon Region government and YCDC to ensure best-practice conservation methods are adopted – and having small measures of success. One inspiring example is 491–501 Merchant St (Map p38; http://turquoisemoun tain.org/project-entries/turquoise-mountain-myanmar; 491-501 Merchant St, Kyauktada), a collaboration between YHT and the nonprofit Turquoise Mountain on the restoration of a two-storey colonial building occupied by around 80 residents from 12 families spanning the city’s multiethnic and religious population. The residents and their businesses, which include traditional tea shops, a barber and paper recycling, stayed in place during the restoration, which took 10 months from the start of construction in 2015. Around 250 workers were trained in restoration skills – some are now employed on other projects across the city such as the historic Yangon General Hospital. Under One Roof, a video about the project, can be viewed at www.vimeo.com/171511836. Merchant St is among the growing number of buildings around Yangon affixed with a YHT ‘blue plaque’ listing its history and significance in Bamar and English. The next collaboration with the city and Turquoise Mountain is set to be the former Ministry of Hotels & Tourism building (Map p42; 77-91 Sule Pagoda Rd, Pabedan). The plan is to turn this stately, but dilapidated, 1905-vintage construction, which has been empty for a decade, into a centre for tourism businesses and workshop space for traditional crafts.
66 US$20/60; aiW) You wouldn’t expect to teak floors with tasteful black-and-white find dorm rooms (four beds in each) in this photos for decoration. business-oriented hotel, and they’re not ad- vertised on the website. The dorms have no My Hotel HOTEL $$ windows, but otherwise they’re fine and the (Map p48; %01-230 4445; www.myhotelmyanmar. location is a short walk from Shwedagon. com; 275 Bargayar Rd, Sanchaung; r from US$90; aiW) Traditional woven fabrics add a oAlamanda Inn nice touch to pillows and bed runners in the Ya n go n SYaLl nEeeEgpPoIinN Gg BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$ spacious rooms at this pleasant hotel on the (Map p48; %01-534 513; http://hotel-alamanda. com; 60B Shwe Taung Gyar Rd/Golden Valley Rd, fringe of Sanchaung. Many rooms and the Bahan; s/d from US$110/120; aiW) Set in a top-floor restaurant have superb views of blissfully quiet compound, the Alamanda Shwedagon across nearby People’s Park. combines 10 spacious and attractively dec- orated rooms. The most expensive room is Hotel Esperado BUSINESS HOTEL $$ (Map p48; %01-861 9486; www.hotelesperado. the suite in the old servants’ quarters, with com; 23 Kan Yeik Thar Rd, Mingalar Taung Nyunt; r/ its own private garden. There’s an excellent attached French restaurant and bar. ste from US$130/280; aiW) It’s worth pay- ing a little extra for the front-facing rooms at this modern business hotel as they offer Savoy Hotel BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$ spectacular views across Kandawgyi Lake (Map p48; %01-526 289; www.savoy-myanmar. com; 129 Dhama Zedi Rd, Bahan; s/d US$190/260, towards Shwedagon. Everyone gets to see ste s/d US$280/390; aiWs) Everything in- this beguiling panorama from the roof- side the Savoy is done well. Hallways, rooms top restaurant and bar where breakfast is and even the lavish bathrooms are stocked served. If you like the art displayed in the with photographs, antiques, handicrafts and hotel corridors, it’s all for sale. sculptures, and it takes little imagination to feel as if you are some Raj-era royal. The Hotel M HOTEL $$ restaurant and bar are popular with expats. (Map p48; %01-230 6227; www.hotelminmyan mar.com; 29 Kanbawza St, Bahan; r from US$170; aiWs) With all the images of Marilyn Winner Inn HOTEL $$ Monroe plastered around this new, reason- (Map p48; %01-535 205; www.winnerinnmyan ably chic property, you’d be forgiven for mar.com; 42 Than Lwin Rd, Bahan; s/tw/d from thinking the owners had named it after the US$50/60/70; aiW) This low-slung build- Hollywood actress. Rooms are a decent size ing is in a quiet, leafy suburb and has spot- and there’s a nice pool set in a leafy garden, less rooms with old-fashioned desks and plus a small gym. pictures on the walls. The communal areas have plenty of well-positioned chairs waiting for you to collapse into them with a book. Classique Inn HOTEL $$ (Map p48; %01-525 557; www.classique-inn.com; 53B Shwe Taung Gyar Rd/Golden Valley Rd, Bahan; Merchant Hotel HOTEL $$ r from US$70; aiW) Located in a secluded (Map p48; %01-544 426; www.merchantyangon. villa in the posh Golden Valley neighbour- com; 67/71 New Yaytershay Rd, Bahan; r from hood, this leafy, family-run place offers 11 US$65; aiW) While there are plenty of cosy, attractive rooms, which vary greatly in colourful canvases decorating the corridors size. Deluxe rooms have teak and bamboo and rooms of this self-styled ‘contemporary furnishings. Warm service (including travel art boutique’ hotel, the overall feel is tacky, arrangements), good breakfast and a homey reinforced by walls of fake greenery in the atmosphere are all pluses. restaurant area. Still, it’s a great location and offers an expansive astro-turfed roof with close-up Shwedagon views. The cheapest Chatrium Hotel HOTEL $$$ (Map p48; %01-544 500; www.chatrium.com; rooms are windowless. 40 Natmauk Rd, Tamwe; r/ste US$299/500; Rose Garden Hotel HOTEL $$ aiWs) Since Hilary Clinton stayed (Map p48; %01-371 992; www.theroseyangon. here there’s been a steady stream of VIPs com; 171 Upper Pansodan Rd, Dagon; r/ste from checking in. It’s easy to see why. It might US$160/250; aiWs) After standing half- not be Yangon’s most historic or charming built for years, the mammoth Rose Garden hotel, but it’s professionally run and offers is up and running and offering decent stand- more style than most at this price point. ard rooms and facilities on a rather grand The large pool, gym and excellent spa are scale. Rooms offer big walk-in showers and other pluses.
67 YANGON FOR CHILDREN Ya n go n SYaLl nEeeEgpPoIinN Gg While you might think twice at pushing a pram along downtown’s crowded and cracked pavements, Yangon isn’t such a bad place for a family vacation. You’re likely to find baby-c hanging facilities at major shopping malls and top hotels. Kids of all ages will need some ground rules about hygiene, and should avoid approaching any of the many stray dogs you’re likely to encounter. There are good free outdoor playgrounds in Mahabandoola Garden (p40), People’s Park (p51), where you’ll also find the amusement park Natural World (p51), and at the Nat Mauk Rd end of Kandawgyi Lake (p51). A short taxi ride east of downtown there’s a chance to splash around at Yangon Waterboom (%09 190 616; www.yangonwaterboom. com; Shu Khin Thar Park, Yamone Nar Rd, Dowpone; adult/child Tue-Fri K20,000/15,000, Sat & Sun K25,000/20,000; h9am-7pm Tue-Sun) and go tenpin bowling at Asia Point Bowling Centre (%09 79855 9233; View Point Amusement Park, Thaketa Shukhintha, Dawbon; K2500; hnoon-11pm). If you have a skateboard handy, then head over to the international- standard Mya Lay Yone Skatepark (www.facebook.com/pushingmyanmar; off Ba Yint Naung Rd, Kamayut) F where your kids can join local children and teens learning to skateboard. Families recommend Parami Pizza (Map p52; %01-860 4809; www.paramipizza.com; 56 Sayar San Rd, Bahan; pizza K8000-17,000; h11am-11pm; WEc) not only for its food but also for its supervised indoor fun gym; the Ottoman Room in the nearby Acacia Tea Sa- lon (p74) is covered with cushions, doubling as a romper room for energetic kids. Summit Parkview HOTEL $$$ Hotel Parami HOTEL $$ (Map p48; %01-211 888; www.summityangon. (Map p52; %01-658 118; www.hotelparamiyangon. com; 350 Ahlone Rd, Dagon; s/d from US$127/130; com; 2 Parami Rd, Mayangone; r/ste US$150/260; aiWs) Some of the ageing Summit’s aiWs) It’s a shame that a new condo ris- rooms have been refurbished; the best ones, ing beside Inya Lake now blocks this stylish for which you’ll pay a small premium, over- hotel’s view towards Shwedagon. However, look nearby Shwedagon Paya. The beds are the surroundings are very leafy and there’s a big and the rooms sizeable by Yangon stand- pleasant rooftop pool and bar to compensate. ards. The pool area was out of commission Rooms are nicely designed and spacious. on our most recent visit. The upgrade is ex- pected to be ready by the end of 2017. Jasmine Palace Hotel BUSINESS HOTEL $$ (Map p48; %01-230 4402; www.jasminepalace hotel.com; 341 Pyay Rd, Sanchaung; r from US$95; 4 Inya Lake & Greater Yangon aiWs) You can’t miss this golden tower Thanlwin Guesthouse GUESTHOUSE $ looming over Pyay Rd and housing 255 spa- cious rooms, the best with views towards (Map p52; %01-542 677; www.thanlwinguesthouse. Shwedagon. Aimed at the business traveller, com; Y25 Pyinnyawaddy Estate, Yankin; dm/r with shared bathroom from US$17/40, r with private it’s handily located midway between the air- port and downtown. It offers good facilities bathroom US$50; aW) Hidden away in a pri- including a partly covered pool, spa and gym. vate housing estate behind the Sedona Hotel is this small, relaxed guesthouse with a good range of quality rooms. Parquet floors and Inya Lake Hotel HOTEL $$ (Map p52; %01-966 2866; www.inyalakehotel. ethnic photos on the two-storey house’s walls com; 37 Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Yankin; r/ste from add character, as does the bamboo-covered dining area in the garden where breakfast US$140/260; aiWs) If you’d prefer chill- ing out in a serene lakeside location, this is served. mammoth property, designed by a Russian Yangon Airport Hotel HOTEL $ in the 1950s, offers big, light-filled rooms with wooden floors and balconies with ele- (%01-533 354; www.yangonairporthotel.com; 45- gant minimalism. There’s a good-sized pool 55 Airport Rd, Insein; r US$50; aW) If you need to be close by the airport, this no-frills but and tennis courts. perfectly pleasant and clean hotel will serve Super Hotel BUSINESS HOTEL $$ your needs. It also provides free transfers to the airport around half a mile away. (Map p52; %09 79720 9000; www.superhotel.co.jp; 51D KabaAye Pagoda Rd,Mayangone; r from US$110;
68 aiW) This is super indeed and geared to oNilar Biryani & Cold Drink INDIAN $ Japanese businesspeople, with Japanese (Map p42; 216 Anawrahta Rd, Pabedan; biryani from breakfast and rooftop communal bathing K2600; h4am-11pm; E) Giant cauldrons full pools, both indoor and out. There’s a choice of spices, broths and rice bubble away at the of pillows and pyjamas for guests and many front of this Indian joint. It’s always packed rooms have good views over Inya Lake. and with good reason: for this price, these Ya n go n EYaAtnT iIgNnogGn Sedona Hotel HOTEL $$ biryanis are probably among the best your (Map p52; %01-860 5377; www.sedonahotels. lips will meet. There are plenty of other de- com.sg; 1 Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Yankin; r/ste from licious options on the picture menu at the US$150/260; aiWs) You know exactly counter – your meal will be brought to you. what you’ll be getting at the Sedona: peace, Danuphyu Daw Saw quiet and professional service. The new Inya Yee Myanma Restaurant BURMESE $ wing offers the spiffiest rooms, some with (Map p42; %01-248 977; 175-177 29th St, Pabedan; great views across to Inya Lake. dishes from K3500; h9am-9pm; E) This tra- Bike World ditional shophouse restaurant is the local’s choice for decent Burmese food downtown. Explores Myanmar Inn GUESTHOUSE $$ It’s a little more expensive than similar plac- (Map p52; %01-527 636; www.bwemtravel.com; 10F es, but the various curries are tasty and all Khapaung Rd, Hlaing; s/d US$50/70; aiW) In a dishes are served with sides of soup (the secluded location, and run by an Australian- sour vegetable soup is particularly good) Burmese couple as an extension of their and ngapi ye, a pungent dip served with bicycle-tour company, this inn offers func- parboiled veggies and fresh herbs. tional private rooms. The singles are a little cramped, but the overall ambience is pleas- There’s a brief English-language menu, ant. There is a common room for hanging out but your best bet is to choose directly from in. A plus is the on-site pizza-delivery service. the selection of dishes behind the counter. 5 Eating 999 Shan Noodle Shop NOODLES $ (Map p38; 130/B 34th St, Kyauktada; noodle dish- Yangon’s dining scene is the best in the coun- es from K1500; h6am-7pm; E) A handful of try for quality and diversity. You’ll find all the tables are crammed into this tiny, brightly regional Myanmar cooking styles, such as coloured eatery behind City Hall. The menu Shan and Rakhine, plus an ever-expanding includes noodles such as Shàn k’auq swèh selection of international restaurants, in- (thin rice noodles in a slightly spicy chicken cluding Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, broth) and myi shay (Mandalay-style noo- Italian and Indian. Eat early – by 10pm all dle soup), and tasty non-noodle dishes such but a handful of places will be closed. as Shan tofu (actually made from chickpea flour) and delicious Shan yellow rice with Few of Yangon’s top-end restaurants tomato. can justify their high prices when it comes to value for money. If a restaurant’s menu Myaung Mya Daw Cho BURMESE $ quotes prices in US dollars, the bill will still (Map p38; 149 51st St, Pazundaung; noodles K700; be payable in kyat. h6-9.30am) There are indoor seats but pa- 5 Downtown Yangon trons here usually sit outside where the deli- cious mohinga – thin rice noodles in a spicy fish broth, topped with fresh coriander – oFeel Myanmar Food BURMESE $ is prepared and dished up every morning. (Map p42; %01-511 6872; www.feelrestaurant. com; 124 Pyidaungsu Yeiktha St, Dagon; dishes from There’s another branch near Shwedagon Paya. K1500, curries from K3800; h6am-11pm; W) This long-running operation is a fine place to start discovering Burmese cuisine. There’s a big Myaung Mya Daw Cho BURMESE $ (Map p48; %01-559 663; 118A Yay Tar Shay Old St, choice of freshly made dishes on display – Bahan; noodles K700; h5-11am) This famous just go up to the counter and point out what you’d like. All meals come with soup, a plate place is a great breakfast stop before or af- ter visiting Shwedagon Paya, specialising in of salad veggies and a small dessert. Outside, mohinga. You can eat the fish-soup noodles more stalls sells sweets and other takeaways. It’s very popular at lunchtime with locals inside or get them as takeaway outside for K300. and foreign-embassy staff.
69 Aung Mingalar from a Singaporean coffee-shop chain. The NOODLES $ laksa noodles are perfectly fine, if not amaz- Shan Noodle Restaurant (Map p42; Bo Yar Nyunt St, Dagon; mains K2000; ing, and you can also enjoy light bites such as h7am-9pm; E) Open to the street on two kaya (coconut jam) on toast. sides, this is an excellent spot to indulge simultaneously in people-watching and Kosan Cafe INTERNATIONAL $ noodle-slurping. It’s a simple and easygoing (Map p42; %09 42803 8032; www.kosanmyanmar. restaurant with a cafe-like feel. com; 108 19th St, Latha; h1-11pm; W) The orig- inal Kosan has restyled itself into an all-day Ya n go n EYaAtnT iIgNnogGn cafe serving snacks such as banana and hon- Nam Kham Family SHAN $ ey toast and pancakes, since it’s opened its Shan Restaurant (Map p38; %09 3035 9584; 134 37th St, Kyauktada; Kosan Double Happiness Bar (p76) up the noodles from K1000; h6am-6.30pm Mon-Sat) street. However, you can still just get a rea- This tiny restaurant split across two neigh- sonably decent mojito here for K1000 and bouring units serves the usual Shan noodle draught beer is K800. dishes plus a variety of point-and-choose curries, soups, stir-fries and other dishes Ingyin New South served over rice. India Food Centre SOUTH INDIAN $ (Map p42; 232 Anawrahta Rd, Pabedan; mains from VIETNAMESE $ K800; h5am-10pm; E) The cheery staff here Cyclo (Map p42; %01-251 062; www.cycloresto-yangon. do the crispiest and tastiest dosai (savoury com; 133 Lanmadaw St, Lanmadaw; pho from pancakes) in central Yangon. It’s a good K3200; h7am-10pm; WE) One of the best place for a thali as well, and it has tea and places in town for a nourishing bowl of pho Indian sweets if you require dessert. (noodle soup). The many options have a rich broth and you can choose from a variety of Bharat Restaurant SOUTH INDIAN $ noodles. The menu also features spring rolls, (Map p38; %01-382 253; 356 Mahabandoola Rd, salads and a number of more expensive Kyauktada; mains from K800; h6am-8.30pm; grilled meat and hotpot dishes. This is also a E) Specialising in southern Indian dishes, fine spot for real Vietnamese coffee (K2000). Bharat’s tidy interior and marble-topped tables make a nice change from the long BURMESE $ cafeteria-style tables at the Indian places on Cherry Mann (Map p42; 80 Latha St, Latha; mains from K3000; Anawrahta Rd. h10.30am-11pm; E) Excellent and friendly Muslim restaurant; a fine spot for kebabs, oRangoon Tea House BURMESE $$ curries and biryanis, with paratha (Indian- (Map p38; %01-122 4534; www.facebook.com/ style bread) to accompany them. The kebabs rangoonteahouse; 1/F 77-79 Pansodan Rd, Kyauk- are especially fine, but all the food is clean tada; mains from K4500; h8am-10pm; WE) and tasty. You may have to wait for a table at This stylishly designed hipster teahouse is busy times. No alcohol is served. as popular with locals as it is with travellers. It serves traditional Burmese cuisine, locally New Delhi INDIAN $ inspired cocktails, and curries and biryanis. (Map p42; %09 7320 1518; 274Anawrahta Rd,Pabe- All the usual teahouse snacks are available – dan; curries from K2500; h5.30am-9.30pm; E) tea-leaf salads, samosas, paratha (Indian- It looks unprepossessing, but the Muslim- style bread) and bao – but in bigger portions influenced South Indian dishes, such as a (hence the higher prices). And they’re less rich mutton curry, taste great. There are oily than you’ll get elsewhere. also meat-free options including puris The drinks are equally good, with the (puffy breads), idli (rice ball), various dosai Mandalay rum sour especially potent. (savoury pancakes) and banana-leaf thalis Cocktails start at K6500, but are half-price (meals; K1500). during daily happy hour from 4pm to 7pm. Craft SINGAPOREAN $ If you just want a cup of tea, you can get that (Map p42; %09 96060 8333; www.facebook.com/ too, although it will set you back K1500. craftmm; 33 Nawaday St, Dagon; mains K1500-4000; oPansuriya BURMESE $$ h7am-11pm; WE) Of the several new cafes (Map p38; %09 77894 9170; www.facebook.com and eateries that have sprung up around this /pansuriyamyanmar; 102 Bo Galay Say St, Botataung; busy corner in the Yawmingyi district, this is h7am-10pm; E) An inspired addition to Yan- the largest and slickest – as you might expect gon’s modern Burmese restaurants, Pansuriya
70 Ya n go n EYaAtnT iIgNnogGn YANGON’S STREET EATS Yangon’s street-food options can be both overwhelming and challenging (pork offal on a skewer, anyone?). Here are the best places to sample some of our favourite street eats. Samusa Thoke Vendor (Map p42; Merchant St, Pabedan; K500; h7am-6pm) Get samusa thoke – tasty samosas chopped up and served with fresh herbs and a thin lentil gravy – from this vendor near Mahabandoola Park. Bein Mont Vendor (Map p38; cnr Bogyoke Aung San & Yay Kyaw Rds, Pazundaung; pancakes K200; h6.30-10.30am) Head to this vendor for bein mont – delicious sweet pancakes topped with nuts and seeds. They are served fresh off the grill by an amay (mother) who reputedly makes the best ones in Yangon. Ideal for breakfast on the go. Mote Lin Ma Yar Vendor (Map p38; cnr Anawrahta Rd & 37th St, Kyauktada; K300; h8am- 9pm) Come here for mote lin ma yar, nicknamed the ‘couple’s snack’ because the two small mounds of the sticky rice flour, ginger, salt, onion and sugar mixture are grilled separately then combined into a single piece. Grilled Snack Stalls (Map p42; 19th St, Latha; BBQ skewer from K400; h5-11pm) Every night, the strip of 19th St between Mahabandoola and Anawrahta Rds hosts dozens of stalls and open-air restaurants serving delicious grilled snacks. Shwe Bali (Map p42; 112 Bo Sun Pat Rd, Pabedan; lassi from 600K per glass; h10am-10.30pm) Deliciously curdy glasses of the Indian yoghurt drink, lassi, are served here. Buthi Kyaw Vendor (Map p38; cnr Anawratha & Thein Byu Rds, Pazuntaung; K1000; h4-9pm) For some of Yangon’s crispiest battered and deep-fried chunks of gourd, head to this vendor. The snack is served with a spicy/sour tamarind dipping sauce. Burmese Sweets Vendors (Map p42; Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Dagon; from K50; h9am-5pm Tue-Sun) In front of FMI Centre, a handful of streetside vendors sell delicious Burmese sweets ranging from shwe-t’aumi’n (‘golden’ sticky rice) to mou’n-se’in-ba’un (a type of steamed cake topped with shredded coconut). trades on its evocative building’s heritage and oGekko JAPANESE $$ is plastered with memorabilia and art, some (Map p38; %01-386 986; www.gekkoyangon.com; of it for sale. The curries and salads (try the 535MerchantSt,Kyauktada; mainsUS$8-12; h11am- tamarind-leaf one) are excellent. 11pm; WE) This justly popular and stylish oGreen Gallery THAI $$ restaurant and lounge bar is on the ground floor of the historic Sofaer building. Japanese (Map p38; %09 3131 5131; www.facebook.com/ dishes, such as sushi and grilled skewers of yangongreengallery; 58 52nd St, Botataung; hnoon-3pm & 6-9pm Tue-Fri, 1-3pm & 6-9pm Sat & meat and veg, prepared in the open kitchen, are the mainstay. There are some Korean and Sun; WE) So popular it’s a good idea to book Vietnamese foods on the menu, too. The best ahead, this hole-in-the-wall place has bags of atmosphere and is run by Bo, a friendly vibe is in the evenings, with live jazz every Friday from 7pm until 10pm. young Myanmar woman who used to live in Thailand. The food, including curries, soups and salads, is superfresh, authentically spicy Menya Koi Nobori JAPANESE $$ (Map p38; %09 79527 4691; 285 Mahanban- and comes in generous portions. doola Garden St, Kyauktada; mains K3900-6500; h11am-midnight; E) Although it doesn’t look oShan Yoe Yar SHAN $$ too promising, this humble izakaya (Jap- (Map p42; %09 25056 6695; www.facebook. com/shanyoeyar; 169 Wadan St, Lanmadaw; anese gastropub) serves some great food, including sashimi and sushi. Try the tsuke- mains K2500-13,000; h7am-10.30pm; WE) A men – ramen (wheat noodles) served dry to century-old wooden mansion has been ex- pertly renovated into Yangon’s most upmar- be dipped in broth and finished with all kinds of toppings. ket Shan restaurant. Among the delicious dishes on the menu are a luscious Mine Gringos Chalingos MEXICAN $$ (Map p38; %01-245 631; www.facebook.com/gringos Tauk aubergine curry and Inlay-style pork chilangos; 257 Bo Aung Kyaw St, Kyauktada; mains curry. Set menus start at K7000.
71 K3000-5000; h11am-11pm; WE) There has Dagon; mains K7000-15,000; h11am-11pm; WE) Ya n go n EYaAtnT iIgNnogGn been a rash of Mexican restaurants breaking Padonmar (meaning ‘lotus flower’) may be out across Yangon recently. This is our fa- geared to the coach-tour crowd, but still vourite, serving delicious, freshly made tacos, serves high-quality, value-for-money food salads, tortas (sandwiches) and the like from with set menus from K9000. In good weath- an open kitchen. It’s a stylish, two-level place er you can dine in the garden, but the in- with a long bar where you can enjoy beer terior, painted with traditional scenic and cocktails and other drinks. Happy hour runs figurative murals, is also lovely. from 5.30pm to 7.30pm Monday to Friday. Be Le CHINESE $$ (Junior Duck; Map p38; %01-249 421; Pansodan Bijin JAPANESE $$ (Map p42; %09 97065 3966; 26B Yaw Min Gyi St, St Jetty, Kyauktada; mains from K2000; h11am- Dagon; mains K3000-6000; h5.30-11pm; WE) 10.30pm; E) Occupying one of the old ferry Look for the low white door to enter this terminals, this pleasant Chinese restaurant is convivial izakaya (Japanese gastropub), one the best places in town to soak up a river popular with Japanese expats. Sake and Ki- view (not that it has much competition!) and rin draught beer go nicely with the range of some breezes. The food is decent; most go for tasty small plates, including grilled auber- the roast duck (K8300 for a small portion). gine with miso paste and minced chicken It’s part of the Golden Duck chain of res- patties. Also try the oden, various foods sim- taurants, which also has a branch (Map p48; mered in a light stock. %01-240 216; Kan Taw Mingalar Garden, Shwed- agon Pagoda Rd, Dagon; mains K2000-10,000; Rasa Lasa MALAYSIAN $$ h10am-10pm; WE) with a great view of the (Map p38; %09 79884 4191; www.facebook.com/ rasalasa.mm; 462 Thein Phyu Rd, Mingalar Taung south of Shwedagon Paya. Nyunt; mains K4500; h8am-11pm; WE) This Monsoon SOUTHEAST ASIAN $$ two-level, brightly decorated joint is the place (Map p38; %01-295 224; 85-87 Thein Byu Rd, to come for authentic and tasty Malaysian Botataung; mains from K3000; h10am-11pm; hawker food. On the menu are dishes such aWE) Located in an airy colonial town- as the rice meal nasi goreng, curry laksa, stir- house, Monsoon is perfect for those intim- fried carrot cake and the dessert cendol. idated by Yangon’s more authentic options. The menu also spans the rest of mainland The Taj INDIAN $$ Southeast Asia, with sections from Thailand, (Map p38; %09 97266 2518; www.facebook.com/ the-taj-777003445715431; B9 Aung San Stadium Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. North Stand, Upper Pansodan Rd, Mingalar Taung; Fat Ox Bar PUB FOOD $$ mains K5000-12,000; h11.30am-10pm; E) Some (Map p38; %09 97580 0552; www.facebook. Indian expats swear the Taj’s biryanis are com/the-fat-ox-bar-yangon-507435879416989; 81 the best in town: the chicken one we or- 50th St, Botataung; mains K11,000; h10am-1am; dered was certainly packed with meat and WE) Run by a British expat, this gastropub flavourful spices and nicely presented. An- is roomy and has a convivial feel. It’s likely other great dish was the ma ki dal, a creamy the only place in Yangon you’ll find a Cor- and moreish cup of stewed red lentils. nish pasty and it also makes its own pies and sausages. You can even get an all-day English Kaung Myat BURMESE $$ breakfast. Head here Sunday for a full-on (Map p42; %09 3000 2687; 110 19th St, Latha; mains from K4000, barbecue from K400; hnoon- roast lunch with pud. Note it’s one of the few bars in the town that stays open after 11pm. 11.30pm; E) One of the most popular of the many barbecue restaurants on busy 19th St: oRau Ram this is where Anthony Bourdain dined when FUSION $$$ (Map p38; %09 45516 0657; www.rauram.com; he passed through Yangon. Pick from the 64B Yay Kaw St, Pazundaung; mains K12,000- skewers on display, which include meat, sea- food and veggie options, or order dishes from 25,000; h5-11pm Tue-Sun; WE) Effortlessly channelling Southeast-Asian chic, this place the menu. Draught beers for K750 and bottles east of downtown hits the mark with its for K2000 also pull in the traveller crowd. Vietnamese-inspired menu made for shar- ing. The Hokkaido scallop crudo is a refresh- Padonmar BURMESE $$ ing starter, the root-vegetable rendang and (Map p48; %01-122 0616; www.myanmar-r es taurantpadonmar.com; 105-107 Kha Yae Bin Rd, bo kho (beef brisket and oxtail stew with garlic bread) both satisfying mains.
72 Summer Palace CHINESE $$$ Agape BURMESE $ (Map p42; %01-242 828; www.shangri-la.com/ (Map p48; %01-518 239; 18 Shwe Pyi Aye St, yangon/suleshangrila/dining/restaurants/summer- Sanchaung; mains K1000; h9am-8.30pm Mon- palace; Sule Shangri-la, Sule Pagoda Rd; mains Sat; E) The Sanchaung area is home to many US$5-15, dim sum buffet US$25; h11am-2.30pm Kachin people and this no-frills restaurant, & 5-10pm; WE) This high-quality lunchtime near the Kachin church, serves the hearty, Ya n go n EYaAtnT iIgNnogGn dim-sum buffet is an absolute steal. It has mildly spicy dishes typical of the northern an extensive and delicious range of tradi- Myanmar state. The minced chicken, noo- tional Chinese dumplings and sweet and dles and dumplings are recommended. savoury snacks. And the deal also covers the full menu, which includes soups and main Aung Thukha BURMESE $ dishes. Even better is that the price drops to (Map p48; %01-525 194; 17A 1st St, Bahan; curries US$19 from June to September during rainy from K3000; h10am-9pm) This long-standing season. institution is an ideal place to sample a wide range of Myanmar food – everything from rich, meaty curries to light, freshly made Union Bar & Grill INTERNATIONAL $$$ salads. It’s almost constantly busy, but man- (Map p38; %09 42010 1854; www.unionyangon. ages to maintain gentle, friendly service and a com; 42 Strand Rd, Botataung; mains K9000- palpable old-school atmosphere, making the 33,000; hrestaurant 10am-11pm, bar to 2am; WE) Occupying a corner of the Red Cross experience akin to eating at someone’s home. Building, this restaurant and bar oozes urban sophistication with nods to its dockside loca- Sharky’s INTERNATIONAL $$ tion in the artwork. The brasserie-style menu (Map p48; %01-524 677; 117 Dhama Zedi Rd, Ba- of appealing pizzas, burgers, smoked meats, han; pizza from K11,000; h8am-10pm; WE) Ye and salads is high-quality comfort food. Htut Win (aka Sharky) worked in catering for 20 years in Switzerland before returning to Yangon with the dream of making cheese Tin Tin MEXICAN $$$ and other quality eats. The result is this (Map p38; %09 97559 9856; www.facebook.com/ gourmet heaven – part deli, part restaurant tintinyangon; 116-118 Bo Galay Za St, Botataung; serving excellent thin-crust pizza and other mains K7000-19,500; h11am-11pm; WE) Mexi- can food is the flavour of the moment for the dishes with Sharky’s own fine ingredients. moneyed and expats of Yangon. The team The tempting selection of gelato is reason behind Union Bar & Grill and Gekko (p70) enough to make a beeline here. There’s also have been quick to pick up on the trend. a branch (Map p38; %01-252 702; 81 Pansodan They bring their sophisticated style to this St, Kyauktada; pizza from K11,000; h8am-10pm; narrow, two-level space where they serve de- E) on Pansodan St. cent renditions of tacos, burritos etc. House Le Petit Comptoir FRENCH $$$ of Memories BURMESE, INTERNATIONAL $$ (Map p42; %09 97472 5870; http://lepetitcomp (Map p48; %01-525 195; www.houseofmemories toir.strikingly.com; 42 Yaw Min Gee St, Dagon; mains myanmar.com; 290 U Wi Za Ra Rd, Bahan; mains K7000-16,000; h11am-10pm Tue-Sun; WE) A K6500-12,000; h11am-11pm; WE) Located off little rough around the edges, but that suits U Wi Za Ra Rd, in a mock-Tudor colonial vil- the relaxed style of this bistro specialising in la stuffed with antiques and old photos (and simple home-style French cooking (several including an office where General Aung San menu items hail from other parts of Europe, once worked), this is an interesting place to such as gazpacho and Greek salad). If you dine on dishes such as hearty beef curry and want to go traditional, stick with the beef an authentically smoky-tasting grilled-eggplant bourguignon and luscious lemon tart. salad. There’s live music in the piano bar downstairs on Friday and Saturday evenings. 5 Shwedagon Paya & Around Rih Lake BURMESE $$ Xi Yang Yang TAIWANESE $ (Map p48; %01-502 761; www.facebook.com/ (Map p48; %01-502 582; 4 Nyaung Tong Rd, pages/therihlake; 67B Dhama Yone St, Sanchaung; Sanchaung; dumplings from K2000; h8am-10pm; mains K3000; h9am-8pm; E) Named after a E) You can see the top-quality Taiwanese- heart-shaped body of water in Chin State, style soup dumplings (xiao long bao) being the Rih Lake serves the tasty cuisine of made on the ground-floor kitchen of this the Chin, and also sells Chin costumes and superp opular Sanchaung eatery. fabrics. The excellent and nicely presented
73 SOCIAL ENTERPRISE RESTAURANTS & CAFES Ya n go n EYaAtnT iIgNnogGn Yangon has several restaurants and cafes set up as social enterprises or self-sustaining charitable businesses to help those in need. LinkAge (Map p38; %09 4958 3618; 1st fl, 141 Seikkan Tha St, Kyauktada; meals K1000- 3000; h10am-10pm; aE) This colourful restaurant and art gallery is run by the social- development project Forever that helps train street kids and generates income for a shelter as well as other projects. Multicourse set Myanmar meals are a good deal at K6000 to K8000. Yangon Bakehouse (Map p48; www.yangonbakehouse.com; Pearl Condo, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Bahan; sandwiches & salads K2500-5000; h7am-5pm Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm Sat; WE) A model enterprise of its kind, the Bakehouse works with disadvantaged women who have fallen on hard times because of debt or family problems. It pays its trainees twice the going monthly wage as well as providing counselling and work skills. The newer branch (Map p48; %09 97711 7932; 30 Inya Rd, Kamayut; mains from K4000-8250; h7am-7.30pm; WE), tucked off Inya Rd (look for the sign near the Inya Hotel), is a chilled spot, perfect for a lazy breakfast, lunch or light bite of sandwiches, cakes and snacks. Shwe Sa Bwe (Map p52; %09 42100 5085; www.facebook.com/shwesabwe; 20 Malikha St, Mayangone; lunch/dinner from K19,000/32,000; hnoon-2pm & 6.30-9.30pm Tue-Sun, closed Jul & Aug; WE) Based in a beautifully decorated mansion, this restaurant and catering training school is the best fine-dining in Yangon for the price. No wonder the graduates go on to work at the city’s best hotels and restaurants. You can choose from set meals of two or three courses. There’s an intake of 22 students per year chosen from across Myanmar and coming from disadvantaged (but not destitute) backgrounds. Training is provided in both front-of-house and kitchen skills under the supervision of French chefs. As a prelude to a meal you can tour the premises and learn about the aims of the venture. Cafe Genius (Map p42; www.cafe-genius.com; 220 31st St, Pabedan; h10am-7pm; W) This cute cubbyhole of a cafe offers decent Fair Trade coffee, tea, smoothies and sandwiches. Its coffee is sourced from the highlands of Shan State. Beans can be bought by the bag with 10% of sale proceeds donated to schools in the villages of farming families. platter (K6500) is the way to go and features tempura. Sit at the counter and watch the sa buti (corn soup) and millet plus rice. chefs at work, or get some privacy in one of the whitewashed mansion’s several rooms. Garden Bistro INTERNATIONAL $$ (Map p48; %01-546 488; www.edenhotelsand Onyx Wine Tree Restaurant STEAK $$ resorts.com; Kandawgyi Relaxation Zone, cnr Bahan (Map p48; %01-542 543; www.facebook.com/ & Kan Yeik Thar Sts, Bahan; mains K4000-11,000; onyxmyanmar; 12B Bogyoke Museum Rd, Bahan; h7am-10.30pm; WE) Popular for breakfast mains K8500-20,000; h11am-11pm; WE) Good meetings with the embassy and business quality, value-for-money steak and oth- crowd (it does excellent dim sum until 2pm), er meat dishes are the order of the day at the Garden Bistro is also a pleasant spot for Onyx, housed in a stark, contemporary prem- a light meal or afternoon tea overlooking ises opposite the German embassy. Korean Kandawgyi Lake. There’s direct access to management means there are some Korean the lakeside boardwalk here without having dishes (bulgogi and steamed ribs) on the to pay the K300 entry fee applicable at the menu, too. There’s live music from 7.30pm eastern end of the lake. to 10.30pm on Sunday. Edo Zushi JAPANESE $$ Mañana MEXICAN $$ (Map p48; %09 25904 0853; http://sagittarius- (Map p48; %09 77739 3316; www.facebook. myanmar.com; 290B UWi Za Ra Rd,Kamaryut; mains com/mañana-407737416082072; GA-15 Pearl Con- US$6-15; h11am-11pm Mon-Sat, 5-9pm Sun; E) do D, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Bahan; mains K2000- This is one of Yangon’s better Japanese res- 7000; h9am-10pm; WE) Mexican owner taurants and it’s a stylish and relaxed place Nidia Amaya brings an authentic touch to sample good sushi, noodles, rice bowls and to Mañana’s food and decor. All the usual
74 south-of-the-border favourites are on the wide range of ethnic dishes that you’re un- menu including tacos, tostadas and burri- likely to find elsewhere, including plenty of tos. Some recipes veer less successfully into vegetarian options. fusion territory. Happy hour for both food and drinks runs 3pm to 6pm. It also claims to not use MSG, and to cook with pure peanut oil. Acacia Tea Salon PASTRIES $$ Minn Lane Rakhaing (Map p52; www.acaciateasalon.com; 52 Sayasan St, Ya n go n EYaAtnT iIgNnogGn Monte & Fresh Seafood SEAFOOD $$ Bahan; mains from K8000; hbakery 7.30am-9pm, (Map p52; %01-656 941; 16 Parami Rd, Mayan- cafe 8.30am-10pm; WE) This colonial-style gone; mains from K4500; h11am-10pm) Spice tea salon, patisserie and restaurant occu- lovers should skip Thai and head directly pies a chic whitewashed mansion. There’s to this boisterous Rakhine-themed grilled- a takeaway section stocking all the lovely seafood hall, popular with local families on cakes, biscuits and savouries made here. For a night out. The eponymous monte (actually an indulgent time, treat yourself to one of its moún-di) is a noodle soup (K600) featur- afternoon teas (K15,000 or K25,000). Its Mo- ing rice noodles and an intensely peppery roccan room, covered in warm-coloured soft broth. There’s all manner of grilled fish and cushions, is a lovely chill-out space. seafood, too, for reasonable prices. If you prefer your pepper on the side, order Rakh- SK Hot Pot CHINESE $$ ine salad, a spicy noodle salad. (Golden Happy Hot Pot; Map p48; %01-559 339; 18 Ko Min Ko Chin St, Dagon; mains K900-2300; h10.30am-11pm; E) This vast hall is Yan- Green Elephant BURMESE $$ (Map p52; %01-537 751; www.greenelephant gon’s most famous and most popular hot- -restaurants.com; 37 University Ave Rd, Bahan; pot joint. Join hundreds of other diners in mains K9000-15,000; h11am-11pm; WE) Pop- choosing the raw ingredients (on platters ular with tour groups, the Green Elephant that are colour coded for their price, start- is a safe but tasty-enough introduction to ing at K800 for vegetables) from the bank of Myanmar cuisine. Four-course set menus freezers then cooking them in vats of a spicy start at K12,000 and it also does Thai and Sichuan-style broth (K3800). A meal should Chinese food. You’ll also find a small crafts be less than K6000. shop here. Although it’s open during the day, it’s most fun to come at night when the main Sabai@DMZ THAI $$ (Map p52; %01-860 5178; Mya Kyun Tha Park, dining hall is packed. Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Yankin; mains from K3500; 5 Inya Lake & Greater Yangon h11.30am-2.30pm & 5-9.30pm; E) The serene lakeside location of this Thai-owned place is oLe Planteur the main draw, with dining on an open ter- INTERNATIONAL $$ race in good weather. The menu is extensive (Map p52; %01-514 230; http://leplanteur.net; 80 University Ave Rd, Bahan; mains bistro/restaurant and appetising. The range of salads is par- ticularly impressive if you’re craving a light from K10,000/39,000; h11am-2pm & 6-11pm; lunch in the heat of the day. WE) Le Planteur offers stylish dining in a serene location beside Inya Lake. There’s a There’s a second branch (Map p48; %01- 525 078; 30 Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Bahan; mains choice between the affordable bistro and the from K3500; h11am-2.30pm & 5.30-9.30pm; E) fancier, higher-priced restaurant, as well as a wine bar. The quick lunch deal (two/three tucked away in a leafy valley further south along Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd. courses US$12/18) is a great way to sample the food, or come for afternoon tea (2pm to 5.30pm, from noon Sunday). There’s also Alamanda Inn FRENCH $$$ (Map p48; %01-534 513; http://hotel-alamanda. a branch of souvenir shop Yangoods (p81) com; 60B Shwe Taung Gyar Rd/Golden Valley Rd, here. Bahan; meals K9000-16,000; h7am-11pm; WE) In a quiet residential neighbourhood, this oTaing Yin Thar BURMESE $$ breezy open-air restaurant and bar under a (Map p52; %01-966 0792; www.taingyinthar.com. mm; cnr May Kha & Parami Rds, Mayangone; mains covered patio is a relaxing place to put the cares of Yangon behind you. The house spe- K3000-6000; h10am-midnight; WE) An airy cialities are tagines and couscous, but it also wood-beamed dining hall with verandahs for outdoor dining is the setting for this does good steaks and sandwiches, and killer cocktails. pan-Myanmar restaurant. On the menu is a
75 L’Opera Restaurant ITALIAN $$$ from K6000; h4-11pm; W) Giant paintings of (Map p52; %01-665 516; www.operayangon.com; Myanmar girls, faces daubed in thanakha, 62D U Tun Nyein St, Mayangone; mains K16,000- dominate the walls of Blind Tiger’s new, room- 85,000; hrestaurant 11am-2pm & 6-10pm, cafe ier digs. The onetime speakeasy has emerged 8am-5pm; aWE) One of Yangon’s most from the shadows to lead the way as one of elegant restaurants, L’Opera is staffed by Yangon’s top cocktail bars. All drinks are half- well-trained and smartly dressed waiters, price during daily happy hour from 5pm to but more important is the Italian owner and 7pm. It has great burgers and tapas too. Ya n go n DYarRniI nNgkKoIinN gG & N Ii gG HhtT LlIi FfeE chef’s meticulous preparation. The outdoor garden seating is a bonus in good weather. o7th Joint Bar & Grill BAR Next to the bakery at the front of the proper- (Map p38; %09 26060 0552; www.facebook. com/7thjoint; 47th St, off Mahabandoola Rd, Bo- ty is the small cafe Il Fornaio. tataung; h5pm-1am) Did someone say reggae? 6 Drinking & Nightlife Guess so, from all the posters of Bob Marley and reggae-inspired graffiti on the walls of As with its restaurant scene, Yangon is ex- this hopping bar. It’s become infamous as one periencing a boom in drinking and nightlife of the handful of downtown watering holes to options with some highly stylish places com- keep late hours. Check its Facebook page for ing online. However, the vast majority of bars details of live gigs and open-mic nights. close by 11pm. Locals prefer hanging out in a Look for the scrum of taxi drivers on Ma- teahouse, air-conditioned cafe, or a ubiqui- habandoola Rd and you’ll know you’re at the tous beer station, the favourite place to catch right place. satellite-TV broadcasts of soccer matches. oYangon Yangon BAR There are several social events that, should you be in town at the right time, (Map p38; %01-255 131; www.facebook.com/yang- provide an opportunity to mingle with the onyangonrooftop; Sakura Tower, 339 Bogyoke Aung local and expat population. There’s a free San Rd, Kyauktada; h4-11pm; W) Its tag line is drinks party every Tuesday night from 7pm ‘250ft in the sky’ and you’ll certainly know it at Pansodan Gallery (p80). It’s a friendly when you step out on to the Sakura’s Tower’s scene with gallery owner Aung Soe Min open rooftop with powerhouse views across and his expat wife helping the crowd con- downtown Yangon. A great spot to catch sun- nect with local culture and art. The couple set and party on into the night. also run Pansodan Scene (Map p38; www.pan sodan.com; 144 Pansodan St, Kyauktada; h10am- oFahrenheit GAY & LESBIAN 6pm), a community art space further down Pansodan St where larger events and vari- (Map p38; %09 78063 5844; www.facebook.com/ ous launches happen. Cultural centres are fahrenheitygn; Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Pazundaung; also big on the events scene with both In- h5-11pm, from 4pm Fri; W) Fahrenheit has stitut Française (Map p48; %01-536 900; created a buzz as a LGBT-friendly bar with http://institutfrancais-birmanie.com; 340 Pyay Queer Tuesday earmarked as an informal Rd, Sanchaung; hlibrary 9am-12.30pm & 2-6pm meet-up. It’s a slickly designed space in Tue-Sat; W) and Goethe Villa (Map p48; www. which to sample Tex-Mex food and sip quirky goethe.de/ins/mm/en/index.html; 8 Komin Kochin cocktails such as the Beer-Rita, a beer com- Rd, Bahan) hosting lectures, movies, exhibi- bined with a frozen margarita. During Friday tions and concerts; the latter’s ‘Berlin Berlin’ happy hour you can get cocktails for K3000. club nights shouldn’t be missed. The owners also run the popular FAB club nights (www.facebook.com/eventsyg) For more information on Yangon’s nightlife for the LGBT community, currently hosted and entertainment scene check out Myan- at J-One Music Bar (p77). more (www.myanmore.com), which publish- es a free, weekly pamphlet guide, available Black Hat BAR in several bars, cafes and restaurants around town, and the monthly magazine In Depth. (Map p42; %09 97027 0079; 143-149 Sule Pago- da Rd, Kyauktada; h11am-11pm; W) Burmese and Hollywood stars from the golden age of movies gaze down on customers at this 6 Downtown Yangon quirky retro-styled ‘wine bar and Burmese oBlind Tiger COCKTAIL BAR tapas restaurant’ that is actually best visited for its reasonably priced cocktails, mocktails (Map p38; %09 78683 3847; www.blindtiger-yangon. or juices. com; 93/95 Seikkan Thar Rd, Kyauktada; cocktails
76 Ya n go n DYarRniI nNgkKoIinN gG & N Ii gG HhtT LlIi FfeE YANGON’S TOP TEAHOUSES The following is our shortlist of Yangon’s traditional teahouses – more than just places to sample a reviving brew, they’re also great for breakfast, a snack or a light meal. Lucky Seven (Map p38; 49th St, Pazundaung; snacks from K500; h6am-5.30pm Mon-Sat, to noon Sun; E) The most central of this small chain of high-class traditional tea shops, Lucky Seven is more than a cuppa pit stop. Its streetside tables are fringed by greenery and an ornamental pond. The mohinga (K600) is outstanding – order it with a side of crispy gourd or flaky-pastry savoury buns. Thone Pan Hla (Map p42; 454 Mahabandoola Rd, Pabedan; snacks K400-600; h6am- 7.30pm; E) Close to Sule Paya Thone, this is a good place to stop as you wander the downtown area. There’s an English-language menu of teahouse staples including fried rice for breakfast. Shwe We Htun (Map p38; 81 37th St, Kyauktada; snacks K300; h6am-6pm, to 1pm Sun) This buzzing old-school teahouse on the bookstall street serves better-quality food than most. Man Myo Taw Café (Map p38; 347 Mahabandoola Rd, Kyauktada; snacks K500; h5am- 8pm) Representing the Chinese end of the teahouse spectrum, this tidy place offers good steamed buns (both barbecued pork and bean), coffee and the usual range of Burmese teas. Golden Tea (Map p42; %09 514 3197; 99 Bo Sun Pat Rd, Pabedan; snacks from K300; h6am- 9pm; E) This centrally located Muslim-run place is a good choice for breakfast; later in the day it serves tasty s’uanwi’n-mauk’in (semolina cakes). Yatha Teashop (Map p38; 353 Mahabandoola Rd, Kyauktada; snacks from K200; h5.30am- 8.30pm Mon-Sat, to 12.30pm Sun) This classic Muslim-style teahouse provides fresh samo- sas and paratha (fried flatbread). Golden Bell (Shwe Khaung Laung; Map p42; 365 Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Pabedan; snacks K450) You can get decent steamed buns, noodles, baked cakes and pastries, as well as the usual range of teas here. It’s a handy rest spot when visiting Bogyoke Aung San Market. See p383 for more about ordering food and drinks in teahouses. Hummingbird COCKTAIL BAR Kosan Double Happiness Bar BAR (Map p42; %09 96365 1501; www.facebook.com/ (Map p42; %09 42803 8032; www.kosanmyanmar. hummingbirdyangon; 76 Pongyi St, Lanmadaw; com; 19th St, Latha; h11am-1am) At the quieter h11am-11pm) Hands down the coolest bar northern end of 19th St, this second branch of in Chinatown, Hummingbird occupies a Kosan is more a traditional cocktail bar than whitewashed three-storey colonial build- its original nearby venue (p69). Cheap beers ing. It was closed for renovations when and cocktails draws in locals and travellers to we dropped by but should be back in busi- create a double-happy atmosphere. ness now, serving up cocktails and South American–inspired food, and hosting the Wadan Jetty Beer Station BAR occasional club night. (Wadan Jetty, Lanmadaw; h6am-9pm) Entering the docks from the main road, turn right at the waterfront to find this small beer station 50th Street Bar & Grill BAR (Map p38; %01-397 060; www.50thstreetyangon with a cluster of outdoor seating. It’s a great .com; 9-13 50th St, Botataung; h11am-midnight; spot for sunset drinks when you can also W) One of Yangon’s longest-established watch (or join in) with locals playing foot- Western-style bars, in a handsomely re- ball or the local sport of chinlon. stored colonial building, 50th Street contin- ues to draw in a largely expat crowd with Bar Boon BAR its mix of event nights, free pool table and (Map p42; www.facebook.com/barboonmyanmar; FMI Centre, 380 Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Pabe- sport on the TVs. Happy hour is 8pm to dan; h7.30am-9pm; W) Recharge at this 10pm Monday to Friday and all day Sunday. contemporary-styled cafe serving up great
77 coffee, iced tea and Dutch beer along with strong cocktails, too, with happy hour run- tasty but pricey snacks and pastries. The out- ning 5.30pm to 7pm daily. The tapas dishes, door terrace offers decent people-w atching including chorizo and potatoes, tortilla and near Bogyoke Aung San Market. garlic prawns etc, are also worth sampling. Press Office CAFE Roof Alchemy COCKTAIL BAR (Map p42; %09 26178 0491; www.thepressofficecafe. (Map p48; %09 25427 2460; www.facebook.com/ com; 31-4 Plaza 31, Bo Yar Nyunt St, Dagon; h8am- roofalchemy; Yangon International Hotel Com- 8pm Mon-Fri, 9am-8pm Sat & Sun; W) There’s stiff pound, 330 Ahlone Rd, Dagon; h5pm-2am) If Ya n go n DYarRniI nNgkKoIinN gG & N Ii gG HhtT LlIi FfeE competition for the top indie coffeehouse in you’d rather photograph your drinks than the Yaw Min Gee area. This unpretentious actually drink them, then this is place for place, favoured by expats and hipster Yango- you. A ‘cocktail professor from Amsterdam’ nites, gets our vote with its good selection of designed these crazy concoctions, involving drinks, scrummy cakes and bakes, and sup- smoke, homemade infusions and syrups, ice port for local artists. There’s plenty of table baking and other molecular monkey busi- space upstairs to perch your laptop too. ness. However, few live up to their visual promise on the menu – the lurid green- Strand Bar BAR hued, rum-based ‘Lonely Planet’ included. (Map p38; www.hotelthestrand.com; Strand Hotel, Still, it’s a fun place and popular with a 92 Strand Rd, Kyauktada; h10am-11pm; W) Pri- marily an expat scene, this classic bar inside local crowd keen to have a good night out. the Strand Hotel (p41) offers an impressive Vista Bar COCKTAIL BAR range of foreign liquors behind its polished (Map p48; www.facebook.com/vistabaryangon; wooden counter. 168 Shwegondine Rd, Bahan; h4.30pm-12.30am; W) The knockout view of glowing golden Shwedagon Paya by night is the big draw of 6 Shwedagon Paya & Around this rooftop bar which has recently expand- oRough Cut BAR ed its floor space. The cocktails, which start (Map p48; %09 42116 7423; www.facebook.com/ at K4000, are pretty decent, too. theroughcut.ygn; 19 Min St, Saunchaung; h10am- 10pm; W) Cafe by day, bar by night and art Cask 81 BAR space throughout, this compact, comfy space (Map p48; %09 79981 8181; www.facebook.com/ cask81; 81 Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Bahan; h8am- is a home-from-home for Yangon’s hipsters. midnight; W) Cafe by day, this two-level place, Regular evening events that draw in a mixed local and expat crowd are Thursday’s open- tucked off the main road, morphs into a so- phisticated bar specialising in whiskey by mic night and Sunday’s indie movies screen- night. Its comfy leather sofas will help cush- ings. Arty photography hangs on the wall and it sells local indie-music CDs. ion the impact of the hefty bill. Happy hour is 6pm to 8pm daily. oPenthouse COCKTAIL BAR J-One Music Bar CLUB (Map p48; %09 77123 9924; www.facebook.com/ (Map p48; %01-546 954; http://jonemusicbar. the-penthouse-201548120201732; 271-273 Bargar- yar St, Sanchaung; h11am-1am; W) At the time com; 11F Bocho St, Bahan) This venue is cur- rently used by YG Events (www.facebook. of research, this sophisticated rooftop space com/eventsyg) to host its FAB LGBT-friendly was one of the coolest spots to see and be seen in Yangon. You’ll have to cram into one parties, usually on the last Saturday of the month from 10pm to 2am. Entry is K5000. small corner of its spacious outdoor area to Follow the signs pointing behind the Union get a view of Shwedagon but otherwise the soft-cushioned horseshoe seating around Business Centre. low tables creates a mellow vibe for cocktail Winstar BEER STATION sipping and Myanmar star-spotting. (Map p48; %09 862 2100; 17-20 Sanchaung St, Sanchaung; h10am-11pm) Very much a local Lab Wine & Tapas Bar WINE BAR party scene, this street of beer stations and (Map p48; %09 25067 5289; www.facebook.com/ small restaurants is a short walk north of thelabyangon; 70A Shwegondaine Rd, Bahan; tapas from K6000; h5.30pm-midnight) The Lab has People’s Park. Winstar is the biggest beer sta- tion along the strip. It has an English menu Tunisian owners so you’ll find some Tunisian and a relaxed vibe popular with all ages. It’s wines on the menu alongside the usual Eu- ropean suspects. It serves a decent range of a great place to watch a soccer match.
78 Nervin Cafe & Bistro CAFE front living room. They’ve travelled the world and won awards for their shows, which last (Map p48; www.nervincafe.com; Karaweik Oo-Yin around an hour. The shows include English Kabar, Kandawgyi Nature Park, Mingalar Taung explanations and you can inspect and play Nyunt; mains K5000; h10am-10pm; W) The with the beautiful puppets. most contemporary of the cluster of cafes and restaurants at the east end of Kandaw- If you’d like to buy one of the puppets – gyi Lake – an area you have to pay K300 to far superior in quality to those found in Yan- Ya n go n YEanNntTeEgrRotTnaA Ii NnmMeEnNtT enter. Nervin offers caffeinated drinks and gon’s tourist markets and shops – Htwe can smoothies along with light meals such as arrange this with the master puppet maker club sandwiches with fries and fresh salads. for around US$60. Coffee Circles CAFE oThein Byu (Map p48; www.thecoffeecircles.com; 107 Dha- Indoor Stadium SPECTATOR SPORT ma Zedi Rd, Bahan; mains K3650-5000; h7am- midnight; W) Located in front of Guest Care (Map p48; Thein Byu Rd,MingalaTaung Nyunt) Ven- ue for fast, and sometimes furious, myanma Hotel, this chic cafe-bar serves real coffee let-hwei (traditional kickboxing) matches – and has a menu ranging from Thai to burg- ers. There’s an outdoor section on the roof which are well worth attending. Depending on the contest, admission can range from from where you might just glimpse the tip free to K15,000 for general seating and up to of Shwedagon Paya. K50,000 for VIP seating. 6 Inya Lake & Greater Yangon Bogyoke Aung San Stadium SPECTATOR SPORT GTR Club CLUB (Map p38; %09 97207 6383; Gyo Phyu St, Dagon) (Map p52; %09 513 5061; www.facebook.com/gtr This ageing 40,000-seat stadium, opposite club; 37 Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Mayangone; h9pm- 3am) If you fancy mingling and dancing with Yangon Train Station, is the home ground for Yangon United FC and used for soccer Yangon’s elite youth, this is the place to do matches in the Myanmar National League it. There’s a good sound system, drink prices (www.themnl.com). are reasonable and there’s usually no cover charge. Karaweik Palace DANCE (Map p48; %01-295 744; www.karaweikpalace. com; Kandawgyi Park Compound, Mingalar Taung Fuji Coffee House CAFE (Map p52; %01-535 371; 116 University Ave Rd, Nyunt; dinner & show advance booking/at the door Kamaryut; h7.30am-10.30pm; W) Next to the US Embassy, this classy lounge-cafe has the K33,000/37,000; h6-9pm) Although the buf- fet meal served is universally slated, the atmosphere of an upmarket-hotel lobby. stage inside this concrete replica of a Bur- mese royal barge is the only place in Yangon 3 Entertainment where you can watch a cultural show of tra- ditional dance and music. Decades of political repression have taken their toll on Yangon’s rock and alternative National Theatre THEATRE live-music scene. The movement Jam It! (www.facebook.com/jamitmyanmar) aims (Map p42; Myoma Kyaung Rd, Dagon) Opened in to give young Burmese musicians and artists 1991, the National Theatre is a boxy modern a voice and platform at acoustic gigs around structure, which little reflects traditional the city – see their Facebook page for details. Burmese architecture. That said, the venue A compilation CD of Jam It! artists is for sale is increasingly being put to good use for a at the Rough Cut (p77), which is one of a variety of shows, including international handful of venues to hold regular open-mic dance, drama and music, so it’s worth in- nights; others include 7th Joint Bar & Grill quiring what’s on while you’re in Yangon. (p75) and 50th Street Bar & Grill (p76). 7 Shopping oHtwe Oo Myanmar Yangon has plenty of interesting art, furniture and antiques for sale, but much of it’s too Traditional Puppet Theatre PUPPET THEATRE bulky for travellers and there are few bargains (%01-211 942; www.htweoomyanmar.com; 1st fl, 12 to be had. Prices for tailor-made clothes, how- Yama St,Ahlone; adult/child K10,000/5000,minimum ever, are among the lowest in Southeast Asia 2 people) Book ahead for this utterly charming and there’s a growing number of outlets for cultural experience by Htwe and his family quality traditional and contemporary crafts. who stage traditional puppet shows in their
79 7 Downtown Yangon and bags. The colour palette is a range of or- ganic blues and browns derived from herbs, oHla Day tree bark and other botanicals. ARTS & CRAFTS (Map p38; %09 45052 1184; www.hladay Shinon Myanmar ARTS & CRAFTS myanmar.org; 1st fl, 81 Pansodan St, Kyauktada; h10am-10pm) Meaning ‘beautiful’ in Bur- (Map p42; %09 42026 3133; 5/6 East A-block, Bogyoke Aung San Market, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, mese, Hla Day is a welcome addition to Dagon; h9am-5pm Tue-Sun) Prettily packaged Yangon’s growing band of social-enterprise Ya n go n SYaHhnOogPpopP IinnN gG shops. It offers quality contemporary and small souvenirs such as soaps, local teas, incense sticks and traditional cloth pouches traditional handicrafts sourced from local are sold at this stall in the front block of the producers often struggling to overcome disability, exclusion and poverty. You’ll find market. colourful women’s and kids’ clothing, soft Heritage Gallery ANTIQUES toys, stationery, jewellery, homewares and (Map p42; 1st fl, front block, Bogyoke Aung San more here. Market, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Dagon; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun) Offers a good selection of authentic oPomelo for Myanmar ARTS & CRAFTS and reproduction antiques and retro items with an emphasis on lacquerware. Some lo- (Map p38; www.facebook.com/pomeloformyan cal interest books, too. mar; 89 Thein Pyu Rd, Botataung; h10am-9.30pm) One of the best selection of contemporary handicrafts in Yangon – and all produced by Run YGN FASHION & ACCESSORIES projects supporting disadvantaged groups (Map p38; %01-245 527; www.facebook.com/ in Myanmar. Fall in love with the colourful run-ygn-clothing-offical-page-319873458182074; papier-mâché dogs and bags featuring bold 335 Bo Aung Kyaw St, Kyauktada; h10am-8pm) graphic images, as well as the exquisite Chin Local hip-hop star SZ is the owner of this weavings and jewellery made from recycled hip streetwear brand. It offers high-quality materials. T-shirts, tank tops, caps and backpacks em- blazoned with bold and colourful Myanmar- oMyanhouse ARTS & CRAFTS themed designs. (Map p38; %09 7316 9056; www.facebook.com/ myanhouse-1568180660136840; 56-60 Pansodan St, Kyauktada; h9am-7pm) Like a compact Bagan Book House BOOKS Bogyoke Aung San Market, this downtown emporium offers a wide range of handicrafts (Map p38; %01-377 227; 100 37th St, Kyauktada; including puppets, rosewood boxes, woven h8.30am-6.30pm) This Yangon institution baskets and an excellent range of local fab- has one of the most extensive selections of rics and longyi from across Myanmar. English-language books on Myanmar and Southeast Asia. Genial owner U Htay Aung really knows his stock, which includes tomes dating to the 19th century. oYo Ya May ARTS & CRAFTS Wired on 39 PHOTOGRAPHY (Map p42; 1st fl, front block, Bogyoke Aung San (Map p38; %09 25437 7278; www.donwright Market, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Dagon; h10am- 5pm Tue-Sun) There’s a wonderful array of images.com; 200 39th St, Kyauktada; h10am- 6pm) Photographer Don Wright sells his hill-tribe textiles at this long-running stall appealing images of Myanmar people and in Bogyoke Aung San Market (p54). As well as weavings produced by the Karen and places here along with his wire sculptures. Also here are locally tailored dresses and Kachin, you’ll find colourful works of Chin skirts made from fabrics sourced from var- State, such as blankets and shawls embroi- dered with scenes of village life. ious regions of Myanmar. Don runs his photography courses and It also has more stock in its Chin Chili tours (1/2/3 or more people K50,000/45,000/ stall further along the hall. 40,000) from the gallery. Myanmar Yanant Textile CLOTHING (Map p42; www.facebook.com/myanmaryanant; 24 Turquoise Mountain Jewellery JEWELLERY West B Bogyoke Aung San Market, Bogyoke Aung (Map p42; http://turquoisemountain.org/project San Rd, Dagon; h9am-5pm Tue-Sun) Hand- -entries/turquoise-mountain-myanmar; Belmond woven and naturally dyed cotton from Governor’s Residence, 35 Taw Win St, Dagon) A Meikhtila is the base for these traditional nonprofit NGO, Turquoise Mountain aims clothes and accessories such as scarves, caps to help revive traditional crafts. Its first venture has been in jewellery, where local
80 Ya n go n SYaHhnOogPpopP IinnN gG CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERIES Even if you’re not in the market for a new piece of art, Yangon’s galleries are great places to browse a varied range of exhibitions. Lokanat Gallery (Map p38; %01-382 269; www.lokanatgalleries.com; 1st fl, 58-62 Pansodan St, Kyauktada; h9am-5pm) F The grand dame of the art scene has been hosting shows, which change weekly, since 1971. It’s worth visiting for a chance to peek inside the historic Sofaer’s Building. Pansodan Gallery (Map p38; %09 513 0846; www.pansodan.com; 1st fl, 286 Pansodan St; h10am-6pm) Owner-artist Aung Soe Min stocks a huge variety of Myanmar contempo- rary and antique art, the latter including some truly unique antique prints, advertise- ments and photos that make wonderful souvenirs. Myanmar Deitta (Map p38; %0-93173 6154; www.deitta.org; 3rd fl, 49 44th St, Botataung; hnoon-5pm Tue-Sun) Named for the pali word for ‘in front of one’s eyes’, Deitta is a non- profit working with local and international documentary photographers, filmmakers and multimedia artists. There’s some fascinating work shown here that illuminates daily life in contemporary Myanmar in all its grit and glory. Myanm/art (Map p38; https://myanmartevolution.com; 3rd fl, 98 Bo Galay Za St, Botataung; h11am-5pm) This cutting-edge gallery, reading room and exhibition space also stocks some great reproductions of vintage tourism posters for Burma. River Gallery (Map p38; %01-378 617; www.rivergallerymyanmar.com; Chindwin Chambers, 33/35 37th St, Kyauktada; h10am-6pm) Started by New Zealander Gill Pattison in 2005, this classy gallery, with entrances both on 37th and 38th St, features the works of some 50 leading and emerging artists. Works, priced in US dollars, range from postcard sets to major sculptural installations. New Zero Art Space (Map p42; www.newzeroartspace.net; 1st fl, 202 United Condo, Ah Lan Pya Pagoda Rd, Dagon; h10am-5pm Tue-Fri) F Aiming to empower a new generation of artists, New Zero promotes edgier works in a variety of forms including sculptures, video, performance art and photography. Gallery Sixty Five (Map p42; %01-246 317; www.gallerysixtyfive.com; 65 Yaw Min Gee St, Dagon; h10am-6pm) On the ground floor of a colonial-era mansion, this private gallery is dedicated to revolving exhibits of contemporary creations. KZL Art Studio & Gallery (Map p48; %01-230 4105; http://kzlartgallerymyanmar.com; 184/84A Shwe Tuang Gone/Golden Hill Rd, Bahan; h10am-6pm) The home of artist Khin Zaw Latt, who has an international reputation, has a gallery of his and other artists’ works, plus his studio space. artisans are trained to produce pieces de- Globe Tailoring FASHION & ACCESSORIES signed by ethical jeweller Pippa Small using gold and semiprecious stones. (Map p42; %01-253 924; 367 Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Pabedan; h9.30am-5.30pm) Well regarded You can observe the artisans at work in by local expats for women’s and men’s tailor- their small workshop next to the Loft Hotel ing, this tailor is run by U Aung Soe. A shirt (p63). The beautiful pieces are sold at a stall without/with fabric costs K10,000/15,000, within the hotel. trousers with fabric K30,000 and a suit around US$120. Bookstalls BOOKS (Map p38; 37th St, Kyauktada; h9am-8pm) Old Tip-Top Tailors FASHION & ACCESSORIES hardbacks, paperbacks and textbooks are (Map p38; %01-245 428; 287 Mahabandoola Rd, Botataung; h9.30am-6pm Mon-Sat) Three gen- jumbled on the ground and at stalls along erations of the same family have run this this street near the junction with Merchant St and around the corner to Pansodan St. reliable tailor shop. Bring them your own Several stalls have novels and nonfiction fabric and they can craft a shirt from as little books in English and a few other European as K6000. Trousers cost K13,000. languages.
81 7 Shwedagon Paya & Around titles), and Ananda Coffee & Cocoa, selling locally produced coffee. oFXB Showroom ARTS & CRAFTS (Map p48; %01-556 324; www.fxb.org/programs/ 7 Inya Lake & Greater Yangon myanmar; 294/3 Shwe Gon Daing Rd, Bahan; h9am-5.30pm) The showroom of this interna- Augustine’s Souvenir Shop ANTIQUES tional NGO, dedicated to fighting poverty and (Map p52; %01-524 052; www.augustinesouvenir. com; 25 Thirimingalar St, Kamayut; h11.30am-7pm AIDS, has products made from locally woven Mon-Fri, 2-7.30pm Sat & Sun) One of Yangon’s Ya n go n SYaHhnOogPpopP IinnN gG cotton in myriad colours, including adorable soft toys, cushions, rugs and other crafts. It most captivating shopping destinations is split between the narrow tall white house also sells furniture. Profits are used for train- and the store room opposite. A virtual muse- ing, education and community programs. um of Myanmar antiques, there’s a particu- lar emphasis on wooden items, including Yangoods FASHION & ACCESSORIES carved figures, chests and wall hangings. (Map p48; %09 26107 6370; www.yangoods.com; 62 Shan Gone St, Sanchaung; h11am-8pm) This accessories and souvenirs brand is known Elephant House ARTS & CRAFTS for its sepia portraits and images of old Bur- (Map p52; www.elephant-house.com; 37 Universi- ty Ave Rd, Bahan; h10am-9pm) Alongside the ma jazzed up with pop-art colours. It offers Green Elephant (p74) restaurant, this shop high-quality bags, pouches, cushions and stationery among other things. sells a small selection of Burmese housewares, primarily high-quality and attractive lacquer- This is its main branch but it also has out- ware and rattan baskets, bowls and the like. lets in Bogyoke Aung San Market (p54) and Le Planteur (p74). Myanmar Plaza MALL Nandawun GIFTS & SOUVENIRS (Map p52; 92 Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Yankin; h9am- 9pm) Anchoring a new business tower and (Map p48; %01-221 271; www.myanmarhandi hotel complex, this five-floor shopping mall crafts.com; 55 Baho Rd, Ahlone; h9am-6pm) This house-bound shop spans two storeys and just is the place to head if you’re in search of bland international brand-name anonymity about every Myanmar souvenir, from lacquer and a bunch of eating and cafe options. vessels to replicas of antique scale weights. The upstairs bookshop has a good selection Fashion and souvenir brand Vestige has an outlet with a so-so cafe here. of titles on obscure Myanmar topics. Monument Books BOOKS, TOYS Vestige FASHION & ACCESSORIES (Map p48; %01-536 306; www.monument-books. (Map p52; %09 25107 7462; www.vestigemyan mar.com; 12 Parami Rd, Mayangone; h9am-5pm) com; 150 Dhama Zedi Rd, Bahan; h8.30am- Vestige stocks Myanmar-themed T-shirts, 8.30pm) A modern and well-stocked book- shop. In addition to a good selection of books bags, stationery, tea and other souvenir goods that mix contemporary and tradition- on local and international topics, there’s a al styles. It also sells Portuguese wines. reasonable selection of Western toys on the 2nd floor. Nagar Glass Factory GLASS Patrick Robert HOMEWARES (Map p52; %01-526 053; 152 Yaw Gi Kaung Rd, Hlaing; h8am-4pm) In operation from 1957 (Map p48; %01-513 709; Mangosteen Mansion, 24 until 2008, when Cyclone Nargis destroyed Inya Myaing Rd, Bahan; h10am-5pm Mon-Sat) The former home of the French designer who re- its production facilities, the factory still has an enormous stock of glass in shades stored the Governor’s Residence in the 1990s of green, blue, white and red (the most ex- has a large showroom offering many attrac- tive gifts and decorative home items. Most of pensive) scattered in heaps throughout its jungly grounds. It’s an extraordinary place the pieces are locally made and use materials to explore but do douse yourself in mosquito such as mother-of-pearl, lacquer and teak. repellent before entering. Marketplace by CityMart FOOD & DRINKS Junction Square MALL (Map p48; Dhama Zedi Rd, Bahan; h9am-9pm) (Map p48; http://junctioncentregroup.com/junction- One of the best-stocked outlets of Yangon’s top supermarket chain offers a complex that square.html; Kyun Taw Rd, Hliang; h9am-10.30pm; W) One of Yangon’s fanciest shopping malls also sports the Popular bookstore (with a is worth a mooch for fashions and other reasonable selection of English-language items, plus its onsite multiplex cinema.
82 Ya n go n YIINnafFnoOgrRomMnaAtT Ii oO nN 88 Information MEDICAL SERVICES There are several private and public hospitals DANGERS & ANNOYANCES in Yangon, but the fees, service and quality may You are far less likely to be robbed here than vary. There are also some useful pharmacies in almost any other big city in Southeast Asia. in town including ones in CityMart supermar- Having said that, rich foreigners and badly lit kets – you’ll find these at the Parkson Mall side streets at night don’t mix, and you should (Map p42; FMI Centre, 380 Bogyoke Aung San be careful at such times. Rd, Dagon; h 8am-5pm) and Marketplace by CityMart (p81). A far bigger danger is getting hit by a motorist, stumbling on the uneven paving slabs or even AA Pharmacy (Map p38; % 01-253 231; 142- disappearing completely into a sewage-filled 146 Sule Paya Rd, Kyauktada; h 8am-9pm) pothole. Keep your eyes peeled for such obsta- Just north of Sule Paya. cles and carry a torch at night. International SOS Clinic (Map p52; % 01-657 Treat taxi touts and guides on the Dalah ferry 922; www.internationalsos.com; Inya Lake with caution – some, in conjunction with the Hotel, 37 Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Mayangone) trishaw and motorbike-taxi drivers, have been Your best bet in Yangon for emergencies, this known to rip off the unsuspecting. clinic claims to be able to work with just about any international health insurance and has a EMERGENCIES 24-hour emergency centre. Your home embassy may be able to assist with advice during emergencies or serious problems. Pun Hlaing International Clinic (Map p42; % 01-243 010; http://punhlaingsiloamhospi- There isn’t always an English-speaking oper- tals.com; 4th fl, FMI Centre, Bogyoke Aung San ator on the following numbers; you might need Rd, Dagon; h 9am-7pm Mon-Sat, 10am-7pm the help of a Burmese speaker. Sun) Reliable, centrally located healthcare. Ambulance % 192 Yangon General Hospital (Map p42; % 01- Fire % 191 256 112; Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Pabedan) The biggest hospital in Myanmar. Police % 199 MONEY You’ll get the best rates for changing money at GAY & LESBIAN TRAVELLERS the airport and at official bank exchange coun- Same-sex sexual activity remains illegal in ters in places such as Bogyoke Aung San Market Myanmar. The Buddhist faith also takes a dim and Shwedagon Paya. view of homosexuality. Even so, the ongoing political reforms and associated freedoms in There are many ATMs dotted around Yangon media and civil rights have allowed the previ- that accept international Visa and MasterCards; ously superdiscrete LGBT community to be there’s a K5000 charge for using these ATMs. become more visible. Yangon celebrated its first gay pride in 2012 and the &Proud (p62) POST LGBT film festival is a fixed point on the city’s Central Post Office (Map p38; 39-41 Bo calendar. Aung Kyaw St, cnr Strand Rd, Kyauktada; h7.30am-6pm Mon-Fri) Stamps are for sale Social enterprise YG organises the monthly on the ground floor, but go to the 1st floor to Fab Party (www.facebook.com/eventsyg) for send mail. the LGBT community and friends, and Tuesday DHL (Map p42; % 01-215 516; www.dhl.com; 58 is queer night at Fahrenheit (p75). For more Wadan St, Lanmadaw; h 8am-6pm Mon-Fri, to information on LGBT issues in Myanmar, see the 2pm Sat) Courier and logistics company that website of local human-rights project Colours sends parcels and mail worldwide. Rainbow (www.colorsrainbow.com). TOURIST INFORMATION INTERNET ACCESS Ministry of Hotels & Tourism Tourist Nearly all hotels and many restaurants, cafes Information Centre (MTT; Map p38; % 01- and bars offer free wi-fi; there’s even free wi-fi 252 859; www.myanmartourism.org; 118 at Shwedagon Paya. There are also plenty of Mahabandoola Garden St, Kyauktada; h 9am- internet shops around town. It’s inexpensive to 4.30pm) Can answer some of your questions pick up a SIM card and data package for your about Yangon and travel around Myanmar smartphone. and has some official leaflets and free maps. It no longer offers its own tourism products Server speeds have improved, but still tend to and will refer you to other travel agents for be frustratingly slow in comparison to almost specific assistance. any other country – this is not the place to down- load movies.
83 USEFUL WEBSITES Shwe Pyi Tan Express (Map p42; % 01-230 Ya n go n GYaeEntTtgT iIonNngG T hHeErReE & AwWaAyY Coconuts Yangon (http://yangon.coconuts. 3003; www.shwepyitan.com; Phone Gyi St) co) Weekly news snippets from Yangon and Runs daily express boats to Bogalay from across Myanmar. Yangon’s Phone Gyi Jetty. Myanmore Yangon (www.myanmore.com/ yangon) Best source for discovering what’s BUS going on in the city. Also publishes a free There are two major bus terminals that service weekly printed leaflet and the monthly In Depth Yangon: magazine. Aung Mingalar Bus Terminal (Aung Mingalar Yangon Life (www.yangonlife.com.mm) Packed St, Mingaladon) In the city’s northeast and for with plenty of useful info. bus lines leaving for the northern part of My- Yangonite (www.yangonite.com) Expat- anmar, as well as for Kyaiktiyo (Golden Rock), authored site with plenty of listings and other Mawlamyine (Moulmein) and destinations to features. the south. A taxi here from downtown Yangon costs K7000 and takes around 45 minutes to 88 Getting There & Away one hour. Hlaing Thar Yar Bus Terminal (Pathein Rd, AIR Haing Thar Yar) For travel to Ayeyarwady Divi- Yangon International Airport (% 01-533 031; sion and destinations west of Yangon including Mingalardon; W) is Myanmar’s main interna- Chaung Tha Beach, Ngwe Saung Beach and tional gateway and hub for domestic flights. Pathein. By taxi (K7000) the terminal is 45 minutes to one hour west of the city centre Airlines here include Air Bagan (% 01-504 across the Hlaing River. 888; www.airbagan.com), Air KBZ (% 01-372 977; www.airkbz.com), Air Mandalay (% 01-525 Most signs at the bus terminals are in Burmese; 488; www.airmandalay.com), Asian Wings however, English-speaking touts anxious to (% 01-516 654; www.asianwingsairways.com), steer you in the right direction are in abundance. Golden Myanmar Airlines (% 09 97799 3000; To avoid the hassle and attention, make sure www.gmairlines.com), Mann Yadanarpon Air- your taxi driver knows where you want to go and, lines (% in Yangon 01-656 969; www.airmyp. even better, the name of the specific bus compa- com), Myanmar National Airlines (Map p38; ny. Showing the driver your ticket will do; if you % 01-378 603; www.flymna.com; 104 Strand don’t have a ticket, ask a Burmese speaker to Rd, Kyauktada) and Yangon Airways (% 01-383 write the information on a slip of paper. 100; www.yangonair.com). Keep in mind that journey times can differ BOAT immensely from the estimates we’ve given, and There are several jetties along the Yangon River, depend on road conditions and the health of but those interested in travelling by boat only your bus. need to be familiar with three – all other depar- ture points are for cargo or routes that don’t Many hotels and travel agencies can book allow foreign passengers. tickets for you and several agents and bus com- Lan Thit Jetty (Map p42) From here, IWT panies have offices alongside Bogyoke Aung San (Inland Water Transport; Map p42; Wadan jetty) Stadium (p78); expect to pay a couple thousand runs ferries to the Delta towns of Labutta, kyat more here than if you buy tickets at the Myaungmya and Hpayapon. Check here for the stations – a few bus companies offer transfers schedule and to buy tickets. from the stadium to the bus stations, which can Pansodan St Jetty (Map p38; Strand Rd, be handy. Kyauktada) The jumping-off base for ferries to Dalah (p51). Bus companies with offices at the Bogyoke Sin Oh Dan Jetty (Map p42; off Strand Rd, Aung San Stadium: Latha) Used by private ferry boats to delta Elite Express (Map p38; % 09 97783 8644; towns including Bogalay. Aung San Stadium, Dagon) Runs high-quality air-con buses to Bagan, Mandalay, Monywa, A few privately owned companies operate luxury Nay Pyi Taw and Taunggyi. cruises (p422) between Yangon, Bagan and Mandalar Minn (Map p38; % 09 7323 1000; Mandalay. Aung San Stadium, Dagon) Departures for Myanma Five Star Line (Map p38; % 09 5129 Bagan, Mandalay and Pyin Oo Lwin. 5279; www.fasa.org.sg; 132-136 Thein Byu Rd, Shwe Mandalar (Map p38; % 01-706 071; Aung Botataung) Check with this company about San Stadium, Dagon) Departures for Bagan, whether it’s possible to hop on one of their Mandalay and Pyin Oo Lwin. cargo ships heading to other ports around Teht Lann Express (Map p38; % 01-375 939) Myanmar. Departures for Lashio, Mandalay and Pyin Oo Lwin.
84 TRAIN Bogyoke Aung San Rd; h7am-3pm), where you Yangon train station (Map p38; % 01-251 181; can also check the latest timetables. Khun Chan St, Mingalar Tuang Nyunt; h 6am- 4pm) is a short walk north of Sule Paya; advance Major destinations that can be reached by tickets should be purchased at the adjacent daily departures from Yangon include Bagan, Myanmar Railways Booking Office (Map p38; Bago. Kyaikto, Mandalay, Mawlamyine, Nay Pyi Taw, Pyay, Taungoo and Thazi. Ya n go n GYaeEntTtgT iIonNngG T hHeErReE & AwWaAyY YANGON TRANSPORT CONNECTIONS The following shows travel times and costs between Yangon and Myanmar’s main destinations. DESTINATION BUS TRAIN AIR Bago K4000; 2½hr 2hr; ordinary/upper class K600/1200 40min; US$100 Chaung Tha Beach K10,000; 7hr 1hr 10min; US$84 Dawei K15,300; 16hr 4-5hr; ordinary/upper Heho (for Inle Lake & class K1200/2400 1hr 45min; US$136 Kalaw) ordinary/VIP bus 1hr; $100 Hpa-an K7000/15,000; 7-8hr 15½hr; ordinary/ 1hr 25min; US$85 ordinary/VIP upper class/sleeper Hsipaw K15,000/20,300; 15hr K4650/9300/12,750 1hr 40min; US$120 ordinary/VIP 9-11hr; K2150/4300 1hr; US$111 Kalaw K15,000/18,500; 10-12hr 5hr; K8000 9hr; ordinary/ 70min; US$100-110 Kyaikto upper class/sleeper ordinary/VIP K2800/5600/7700 1hr 50min; US$106 Lashio K15,000/20,300; 15hr 16hr; ordinary/ 70min; US$130 (to 19hr; K13,300 upper class/sleeper Heho) Loikaw ordinary/VIP K4500/6000/16,500 Mandalay K11,000/20,500; 9hr 7-8hr; ordinary K1950 50min; US$101 Mawlamyine ordinary/VIP K6000- 7hr; ordinary/ 10,000; 7hr upper class/sleeper Myitkyina ordinary/VIP K2000/4000/12,750 K38,000/48,000; 22hr Nay Pyi Taw ordinary/VIP K7200/9000; 5-6hr Ngwe Saung Beach Nyaung U (for Bagan) K10,000; 6-7hr K15,500; 10hr Pathein Pyay K7000; 4hr Sittwe K5500; 6hr Taunggyi (for Inle K21,000; 24hr Lake) ordinary/VIP Taungoo K15,000/18,500; 12hr K4500; 6hr Thandwe (for Ngapali) K15,000; 14hr
85 Though inexpensive, trains are slow, uncom- distance will be K2000; from downtown to Ya n go n YGaeEntTtgT iIonNnGg A rR oO UunNdD fortable and tend to be plagued by delays. Shwedagon Paya and the southern half of Bahan township will be K3000 depending on the state 88 Getting Around of traffic; from downtown to the Inya Lake area costs K4000. TO/FROM THE AIRPORT Taxi drivers will approach you before you exit From downtown to either bus terminal, drivers the airport terminal. The fare for a ride from the ask for K7000 and the trip takes from 45 min- airport to downtown Yangon (12 miles) is around utes to an hour. You can also hire a taxi for about K8000 and can take up to an hour or more, if K5000 an hour. For the entire day, you should traffic is heavy. expect to pay around K40,000 depending on the quality of the vehicle and your negotiating skills. BUS Be sure to work out all details before you agree Yangon has scores of competing private buses. to a price and itinerary. They tend to be old and packed to the rafters. Routes are confusing and there’s virtually no For all types of taxi, the asking fares usually English, spoken or written. If you’re determined, leap by 30% or so after sunset and on weekends. the typical fare within central Yangon is K100 Late-night taxis – after 11pm or so – often cost (use small bills – bus conductors don’t tend to double the day rate, mainly because the supply have change). Prices often double at night, but of taxis is considerably lower than in the day, so they’re still cheap and still crowded. the drivers are able to charge more. A positive development, however, is the CAR quasi-public Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system Rates for hiring a car and driver and including that started in February 2016. These modern, petrol can be as low as US$19.50 (four hours) or yellow, air-conditioned buses run along two US$32.50 (eight hours) around Yangon with an routes through downtown Yangon and to the online agency such as Flymya (Map p42; % 09 north of the city. Pay the driver, either with the 79797 8881; https://flymya.com; Lanmadaw exact K300 fare or with a prepaid card (K1500 Plaza, Latha) or Oway (Map p48; % 09 45045 before you add credit; can be bought from ticket 0601; www.oway.com.mm; 9th fl Grand Myay Nu centres including at Botahtaung, Myangigon and Tower, 6/38 Myay Nu St, Sanchaung). Cars and Hledan). Unlike private buses, BRT buses should drivers can also be arranged through a travel be boarded at the front and exited through the agent or hotel front desk. middle doors. TRAIN TAXI Yangon Circle Line (p59) loops out north Yangon taxis are one of the best deals in Asia, from Yangon to Insein, Mingaladon and North despite not using a meter. Most drivers speak Okkalapa townships and then back into the city, at least some English (although it’s advisable taking around three hours for the full circuit. to have someone write out your destination in Burmese) and they are almost universally hon- TRISHAW est and courteous. In Myanmar, trishaw passengers ride with the driver, but back-to-back (one facing forward, one All licensed taxis have a visible taxi sign on the backward). These contraptions are called saiq- roof, but many other drivers will let you negoti- ka (as in sidecar) and to ride one costs about ate a fare. K1000 for short journeys. Given the heaviness of downtown Yangon’s traffic during the day, you The following should give you an idea of what may find trishaw drivers reluctant to make long to pay: a short hop (such as from the Strand journeys across town at this time. to Bogyoke Market) will be K1500; double this
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Southwestern Myanmar Includes Why Go? Thanlyin South and west of Yangon is the Ayeyarwady Delta (ဧရာဝတ)ီ , & Kyauktan . . . . . . . . . . 87 a stunning patchwork of greenery floating on rivers, tribu- Bago. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 taries and lakes that stretches to the Bay of Bengal. A key Pathein. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 rice-growing area, the delta is also home to historic towns Chaung Tha such as Pathein, which makes the best base for exploring Beach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 the region, and Thanlyin. In the far west of the delta are the Ngwe beach resorts of Chaung Tha and Ngwe Saung, long-time Saung Beach. . . . . . . . . 102 favourite sea and sand escapes for Yangonites. Best Places to Eat A couple of hours east of Yangon is Bago (ပဲခးူ ), once cap- ital of southern Myanmar and home to many historic pago- ¨¨Shwe Ya Min Restaurant das, monasteries and palaces that date back over a thousand (p101) years. Bago can be visited as a day trip from Yangon, or it ¨¨Ume Restaurant & Bar makes an easy first stop as you set out on your tour of the (p103) country. ¨¨Shwe Ayar (p97) When to Go Rainfall inches/mm Best Places to 16/400 Sleep Southwestern Myanmar ¨¨Akariz Resort (p100) °C/°F Temp ¨¨Amazing Chaung Tha 40/104 Resort (p101) ¨¨Hill Garden Hotel (p100) 30/86 12/300 ¨¨Bay of Bengal Resort 20/68 8/200 (p103) 4/100 ¨¨Emerald Sea Resort (p103) 0/32 MAM J 0 JF J ASOND Mar–May Tem- Nov–Jan The Jun–Oct Rainy peratures can days are comfort- season rice reach scorching. able during the planting makes winter with an the Delta region average high of the greenest part 32°C. of Myanmar.
87 Thanlyin & Kyauktan Under British rule, Thanlyin was known သန္လ်င္/ေက်ာက္တန္း as ‘Syriam’ and was the site of a major oil refinery. POP 268,063 / % 056 1 Sights An easy escape from Yangon is a visit to the historic town of Thanlyin and nearby Kyauk- Kyaik-Khauk Paya BUDDHIST STUPA tan, east of the city across the Bago River – both towns house important pagodas. (က်ိဳကေ္ ခါက္ဘရု ား; Kyaik-Khauk Pagoda Rd, Thanlyin; K2000; hdaylight) A couple of miles The notorious Portuguese adventurer Fil- south of Thanlyin’s centre is this gilded ipe de Brito e Nicote ran his own little king- Mon-style stupa, similar in design to Shwed- dom from Thanlyin in the late 16th and 17th agon and said to contain two Buddha hairs centuries. He sided with the Mon in their delivered to the site by the great sage him- struggle against the Bamar, before dying self. There are stupendous views from its So u th w e s te rn M ya n m a r ST Hi gAhNtLsY I N & K YA U K TA N after being impaled by his enemies in 1613. hilltop location. Thanlyin was a major port, until it was Yele Paya BUDDHIST TEMPLE eclipsed by Yangon in the late 18th century. It was briefly the base of the French East In- (ေရလယ္ဘုရား; Kyauktan; K2000; h1st/last dia Company and the first place in Myanmar boat 6am/6pm) At Kyauktan, 7.5 miles south- to receive Christian missionaries and have east of Thanlyin, is a sparkling floating tem- its own church. The ruins of a Portuguese- ple adrift on a chocolate river. You can feed built church, dating to 1750, can be found the massive catfish splashing about at the not far from the Thanlyin Bridge. temple complex’s edge. To reach the islet, Gwa (37mi) Hinthada Thonze Pyinbongyi Moeyungyi Wetlands Myitnaka RiverOkkan YANGON Ayeyarwady REGION Bay of Yakyi River 2 Bago Bengal Apyauk Chaung Tha Athok 1 Beach Kyaungonn Hmawby Taukkyan Chaung Tha Nyaungdon hein River Ngwe Saung Pyamala RiverKankyidaung Pantanaw Beach AyeyRiavrewra dyEinme Yangon Thanlyin RiBvaegroPatheinMa-ubin MyaMuanwgmlaymayaiAngY-EgWRByYoauEAgknGeaRmIlaWOayNADYHpCaThywaaanpnnoteenlTwTaone RteiveDralahRYivaenrgonGKyualfuokftan PyRaipveorn Mottama MPaowindDtiniamMoonuPtdhaot f Labutta (Martaban) Island the Ayeyar wady 0 50 km 0 30 miles Southwestern Myanmar Highlights 1 Bago (p88) Cycling to make its famed silk and 4 Thanlyin & Kyauktan around the ancient temples, cotton parasols. Exploring the ancient palaces, monasteries 3 Chaung Tha Beach pagodas dotted around and giant Buddhas that (p99) and Ngwe Saung these delta towns. dominate this historic Beach (p102) Riding 5 Shwesandaw Paya former capital. a motorbike taxi along (p88) Joining the locals on 2 Pathein (p94) Basing deserted beaches and jungle their daily commute by riding yourself in this bustling delta tracks between these two the ferry across the Yangon city, where you can admire beach resorts, or just lazing River to visit Twante and this the artistry and skill needed in the sand and surf. 2500-year-old pagoda.
88 catch one of the launch ferries (K5000 re- If you’ve hired a driver, stop at Shwe turn) from the riverbank. Pu Zun (Golden Prawn; %01-553 062; www. shwepuzuncake.com; 14A Minnandar Rd, Dawbon; In the town is a small pagoda perched on desserts from K1100; h8am-8pm; aE), a huge top of a hill beside the river, plus a hectic, modern bakery-cafe, located between Yan- flyblown and rather fishy market, which gon and Thanlyin, specialising in sweets; reaches its climax in the morning. the faluda (mixture of custard, ice cream and jelly; K1200) is famous. 2 Activities Near the Kyauktan ferry landing are sev- Flavours of Myanmar eral simple restaurants and food stalls. Cooking School COOKING 88 Getting There & Around (%09 863 5066; www.myanmargoodnewstravel. com; 4/50 Kyaik Khauk Pagoda Rd,Thanlyin; per per- So u th w e s te rn M ya n m a r ABcatgiov i t i es son US$85, min 2 people) This expertly taught, hands-on Burmese cooking class is held in a The most convenient way to visit both Than- pleasant garden setting just across the Bago lyin and Kyauktan is to hire a taxi in Yangon River from Yangon. The six-hour program (K40,000 for a half-day). By taxi, it takes an covering 10 dishes (various diets can be ca- hour to get to Thanlyin. Kyauktan is another 15 tered for, including vegetarian) includes a minutes’ drive southeast of Thanylin. shopping trip to Thanlyin market and a visit to a local monastery to make a donation. If you’re passionate about Myanmar’s uncom- fortable local transport or are counting kyat, buses Because the classes are outdoors, the to Thanlyin (K300, two hours, 16 miles) leave fre- courses generally run only between October quently throughout the day from Sule Pagoda. and March in dry season. You will have to arrange your own transport to Thanlyin. In Thanlyin, motorcycle taxis can take you to Kyaik-Khauk Paya (K1500) and Yele Paya in Kyauktan (K5000). 5 Eating Bago ပဲခူး POP 254,424 / % 052 Beer gardens line the main road through Thanlyin on the way to Kyaik-Khuak Paya. If it wasn’t for Bago’s abundance of religious Beyond the pagoda is ‘central’ Thanlyin, and sites and the remains of its former palace, it more basic restaurants. would be hard to tell that this scrappy town – TWANTE Twante (တြေံ တး) is a drowsy, spread-out town a 40-minute drive west of Dalah (p51) into the Ayeyarwady Delta past seemingly endless paddy fields. Its main claim to fame is the Shwesandaw Paya (ေရဆႊ ံေတာဘ္ ရု ား; K2000; h6am-9pm), a Mon-built zedi (stupa) that is believed to be as ancient as the Shwedagon (2500 years old) and is said to contain two hair relics of Buddha. One corner of the compound commemorates King Bayin- naung’s defeat of a local rebellion. A 100-year-old sitting bronze buddha in Mandalay style – with eyes staring straight ahead – can be found near the southern entrance. Old bronze buddhas line the western side of the zedi. Also worth checking out are Twante’s Oh-Bo Pottery Sheds (အးို ဘို အိးု လုပင္ နး္ ), which supply much of the delta region with containers of varying shapes and sizes. You can view the process from making the clay, to casting the pots on human-powered wheels and firing in kilns, which can take three to four days. Prices for pots start at K1000 for small ones and up to K35,000 for giant pots used to store rice and water. Worth a detour on the way to or from Twante is Mwe Paya, a temple that is home to scores of sleepy snakes who are tended to by Buddhist nuns. Nearby is a copy of the Mahabodi Pagoda in Bodhgaya, India, where the Buddha gained enlightenment. To get to Twante, first catch the ferry (K2000/4000 one way/return, 5am to 9pm, every 15 minutes) that shuttles between Pansodan Jetty and Dalah. Twante is a 40-minute drive from Dalah and motorcycle-taxi drivers wait on the jetty and charge K10,000 for a return trip, including stops at the sights. A taxi will cost K30,000. A squashed seat in a minivan to Twante is K1000, but they depart only when full.
89 50 miles northeast of Yangon on the old THE HAMSA highway to Mandalay – was once the capital of southern Myanmar. The opening of Myan- In deference to legend, the symbol for mar’s main Hanthawady International Air- Bago is a female hamsa (a mythological port in 2018 is set to revive Bago’s fortunes. bird; hintha or hantha in Burmese) standing on the back of a male hamsa. In the meantime, the great density of At a deeper level, the symbol honours blissed-out buddhas and treasure-filled tem- the compassion of the male hamsa ples makes Bago (formerly known as Pegu) in providing a place for the female to an appealing and simple day trip from Yan- stand in the middle of a lake with only gon, or the ideal first stop when you leave one island. Hence, the men of Bago are the city behind. said to be more chivalrous than men from other Burmese areas. In popular History Burmese culture, however, men joke So u th w e s te rn M ya n m a r SBiagghots that they dare not marry a woman from Bago was reputedly founded in AD 573 by Bago for fear of being henpecked. two Mon princes from Thaton, who saw a female hamsa (mythological bird) standing in the midday haze and glittering perfection on the back of a male hamsa on an island in the evening, the 376ft-high Shwemawdaw in a huge lake. Taking this to be an auspi- Paya stands tall and proud over the town. cious omen, they founded a royal capital The stupa reaches 46ft higher than the called Hanthawady (from the Pali-Sanskrit Shwedagon in Yangon. ‘Hamsavati’, meaning the ‘kingdom of the hamsa’) at the edge of the lake. At the northeastern corner of the stupa is a huge section of the hti toppled by an earth- During the later Mon dynastic periods quake in 1917. Shwemawdaw is a particularly (1287–1539), Hanthawady developed into a good destination during Bago’s annual pago- walled city of 1 sq mile with 20 gates and da festival, in March/April. became the centre of the Mon kingdom of Ramanadesa, which consisted of all south- According to murky legend, the original ern Myanmar. stupa was a small, ramshackle object, built by two brothers, Kullasala and Mahasala, to The Bamar took over in 1539 when King enshrine two hairs given to them by Gauta- Tabinshwehti annexed Bago to his Taungoo ma Buddha. In AD 982 a sacred tooth was kingdom. The city was frequently men- added to the collection; in 1385 another tioned by early European visitors – who tooth was added and the stupa was rebuilt knew it as Pegu – as an important seaport. to a towering 277ft. In 1492 strong winds In 1740 the Mon, after a period of submis- blew over the hti and a new one was raised. sion to Taungoo, re-established Bago as their capital, but in 1757 King Alaungpaya sacked The stupa has collapsed and been rebuilt and utterly destroyed the city. King Bodaw- many times over the last 600 years; each paya, who ruled from 1782 to 1819, rebuilt it time it has grown a little taller and the treas- to some extent, but when the river changed ures mounted in it have grown a little more its course the city was cut off from the sea abundant. The last time it was destroyed was and lost its importance as a seaport. It never in 1930 when a huge earthquake completely again reclaimed its previous grandeur. levelled it, and for the next 20 years only the huge earth mound of the base remained. 1 Sights Shwethalyaung Buddha BUDDHIST TEMPLE To enter Bago’s four main sights (Shweth- alyaung Buddha, Shwemawdaw Paya, Kyaik (ေရႊသာေလ်ာင္းဘရု ား; admission with Bago Ar- Pun Paya and Kanbawzathadi Palace), for- chaeological Zone ticket K10,000; hdaylight) Leg- eigners must buy the Bago Archaeological end has it that this gorgeous reclining buddha Zone ticket (US$10/K10,000). All the other was built by the Mon king Mgadeikpa in the sights are free, although many charge an 10th century. Measuring 180ft long and 53ft additional K300 for camera and K500 for high, the monument’s little finger alone ex- video cameras. Shwemawdaw Paya BUDDHIST STUPA tends 10ft. Following the destruction of Bago in 1757, (ေရေႊ မာေ္ ဓာဘရု ား; Shwemawdaw Paya Rd; the huge buddha was overgrown by jungle admission with Bago Archaeological Zone ticket and not rediscovered until 1881, when a K10,000; hdaylight) A zedi of washed-out gold
90 Bago ABCD #æ 3 15 Ú# 8 66See Enlargement 17 ú# #£ Ú# Main Rd ›# 10 ÿ# 6 #á LReeiskeprvyoair Clock Ú# Tower Ú# 4 2 Bago RiverHindu#Þ Temple D # 16 66 Enlargement Bago River e#So u th w e s te rn M ya n m a r BS iagghots0200 mFootbridgeYangon-Bago Rd 0 0.1 miles £# # Market 663 Mÿ#ain1R2 d1ú#315ú##ìCB Bank Kyaik Pun #ÿ 11 Paya (0.9mi) AB CD 66contractor unearthed it while building the A Japanese war cemetery, Kyinigan Yangon–Bago railway line. Kyaung, can be seen on the grounds of a In 1906 an open-sided pavilion was erect- monastery just north of Shwethalyaung. ed over the statue, and in the 1930s a mosaic was added to the great pillow on which the Hintha Gon Paya BUDDHIST STUPA buddha’s head rests. On the rear side of the plinth, in a series (ဟသၤာကနု ္း; hdaylight) F Located a of 10 murals, the legend of how the buddha short walk behind the Shwemawdaw (p89), came to be built by Mgadeikpa is depicted. this shrine was once the one place in this His reign was marked by corruption and vast area that rose above sea level, and so violence, but one day his son was out hunt- was the natural place for the hamsa to land. ing in the forests when his eye fell upon a Images of this mythical bird decorate the Mon girl who caused his heart to flutter. stupa built by U Khanti, the hermit monk Even though she was a Buddhist and he, who was the architect of Mandalay Hill. like everyone in his father’s kingdom, wor- You can walk here by taking the steps shipped pagan idols, the two became lovers down from the side of the Shwemawdaw and married after he promised her that she from the main entrance. This paya is a ma- could continue to practise Buddhism. jor place of nat worship and festivals, and Back at the court the king was furious with a bit of luck you’ll catch the swirling, when he discovered this and ordered the veiled forms of masculine-looking nat danc- execution of both the girl and his son. Yet ers accompanied by the clanging and crash- when the new bride prayed in front of the ing of a traditional orchestra. pagan idol it cracked and broke. The king was seized with fear and, realising the error Kyaik Pun Paya MONUMENT of his ways, ordered the building of a stat- ue of the Buddha and the conversion of the (က်ဳိ က္ပြန္ဘုရား; Kyikpon Pagoda Rd; admission population to Buddhism. with Bago Archaeological Zone ticket K10,000; Near the huge head of the image stands a hdaylight) Built in 1476 by King Dhammaze- statue of Lokanat (Lokanatha or Avalokites- di, the Kyaik Pun Paya consists of four 100ft- vara), a Mahayana Buddhist deity borrowed high sitting buddhas (Gautama Buddha and by Burmese Buddhism. his three predecessors) placed back to back around a huge, square pillar, about a mile south of Bago, just off the Yangon road.
91 e# 0 1 km Bago 0 0.5 miles E F æ Sights Yangon-Mandalay Rd 1 Hintha Gon Paya ....................................F1 1 2 Kanbawzathadi Palace.........................E2 14 7 1 3 Kya Kha Wain Kyaung .......................... D1 ú# 4 Maha Kalyani Sima ...............................B2 #Ú Ú# 5 Mahazedi Paya...................................... A1 66#ÿ 6 Shwegugale Paya..................................A2 2 7 Shwemawdaw Paya...............................E1 So u th w e s te rn M ya n m a r SBiagghots 662V# 8 Shwethalyaung Buddha....................... B1 9 æ# 9 Snake Monastery.................................. F3 66 E 3 ÿ Sleeping F 10 Hotel Mariner.........................................D2 11 Mya Nanda Hotel ..................................B3 12 San Francisco Guest House................A3 ú Eating 13 Hadaya Café ..........................................A3 14 Hanthawaddy .........................................E1 15 Three Five Restaurant..........................A3 ï Information 16 Sea Sar...................................................C2 ï Transport 17 Bus Station ............................................ D1 Taxi Stand.....................................(see 17) According to legend, four Mon sisters Shwegugale Paya BUDDHIST STUPA were connected with the construction of the buddhas; it was said that if any of them (ေရဂႊ ူကေလးဘရု ား; hdaylight) F A little should marry, one of the buddhas would col- beyond the Mahazedi Paya, this zedi (stupa) lapse. One of the four buddhas disintegrated has a dark gu (tunnel) around the circum- in the 1930 earthquake, leaving only a brick ference of the cylindrical superstructure. outline (since restored) and a very old bride. The monument dates from 1494 and the reign of King Byinnya Yan. Inside are 64 Mahazedi Paya BUDDHIST STUPA seated buddha figures. Many locals venture (မဟာေစတီဘုရား; hdaylight) F The de- out here in the early evening. sign of the Mahazedi Paya (Great Stupa), with its whitewashed stairways leading al- From the zedi, cross a rickety wooden footbridge and you’ll arrive at a nat shrine most to the stupa’s summit, is unusual for with life-sized statues of Ko Thein and Ko southern Myanmar and certainly one of the more attractive religious buildings in Bago. Thant, the nat of the temple compound. Originally constructed in 1560 by King Bay- Kya Kha Wain Kyaung MONASTERY innaung, it was destroyed during the 1757 (ၾကကခ္ တဝ္ ငုိ ္းေက်ာင္း) F The sight of sacking of Bago. An 1860 attempt to rebuild some 500 monks and novices filing out in the early morning from one of largest mon- it was unsuccessful and the great earth- asteries in Myanmar to collect alms is worth quake of 1930 levelled it, after which it re- mained a ruin. This current reconstruction getting up early for. Otherwise, join the tour groups visiting at 10.30am to see the monks was completed in 1982. eating lunch in a giant hall. You’re free to The Mahazedi originally contained a Buddha tooth, at one time thought to be the wander around; most of the monks think it’s hilarious that tourists come and watch them most sacred of all Buddha relics, the tooth of eat, but the atmosphere is a bit zoo-like. Kandy, Sri Lanka. After Bago was conquered in 1539, the tooth was moved to Taungoo and then to Sagaing near Mandalay. Together Maha Kalyani Sima BUDDHIST TEMPLE with a begging bowl supposed to have been (မဟာကလ်ာဏသီ ိမေ္ တာ္ၾကီး; Maha Kalyani Thein; hdaylight) F This ‘Sacred Hall of used by the Buddha, it remains in the Kau- Ordination’ was originally constructed in nghmudaw Paya, near Sagaing, to this day.
92 So u th w e s te rn M ya n m a r BF easgtoi vals & E v ents MOEYUNGYI WETLANDS About an hour northeast of Bago and close to the village of Pyinbongyi is the Moeyungyi Wetlands (မးို ယနွ ်းကြီးအင်း), a 15-sq-mile lake and marsh that is one of Myanmar’s hand- ful of national parks. Sitting on a migration route of birds fleeing the icy Siberian winter and attracting thousands of local waders, the wetlands, which started life as an artificial water-storage reservoir in 1878, will bring a big grin to any birder’s face. The last census revealed some 125 different species including great flocks of egrets, cormorants and white storks, and large numbers of the beautiful swamp hen (purple gallinule), plus sarus cranes with their brilliant red heads. Your best chance of seeing exotic birds is from December to February, either early in the morning or late in the afternoon. During this period, boat tours are available on the lake for US$15 per person. The tour lasts for about two hours and will take you whizzing over to the marshy reed beds in the centre where the birds congregate in vast numbers. Taxis charge K30,000 for a one-day return trip to the wetlands from Bago. 1476 by Dhammazedi, the famous alchemist Kanbawzathadi Palace PALACE king and son of Queen Shinsawpu. Like al- most everything in Bago it has suffered a (ကေမာၻ ဇသာဒနီ န္းေတာ;္ admission with Bago tumbledown history and has been destroyed Archaeological Zone ticket K10,000; h9am-6pm) and rebuilt many a time. Next to the hall are At the heart of ancient Hanthawady was 10 large tablets with inscriptions in Pali and the Kanbawzathadi Palace, the remains of Mon describing the history of Buddhism in which have been excavated just south of Myanmar. Shwemawdaw Paya. The stumps of the huge teak posts that held up part of the palace If you can’t get enough of buddha statues have been left in situ, while the posts them- then across the road from the Maha Kalyani selves occupy a museum that’s a slipshod Sima is the Four Figures Paya, with four reconstruction of the Great Audience Hall, buddha figures standing back to back. An originally dating from 1599. adjacent open hallway has a small reclining Another reconstructed building in the buddha image, thronged by followers, and compound is the Bee Throne Hall. some macabre paintings of wrongdoers be- ing tortured in the afterlife. z Festivals & Events Relaxing in the sun next to these two mon- Shwemawdaw Paya Festival RELIGIOUS uments is the serene Naung Daw Gyi Mya Tha Lyaung, a reclining buddha sprawled (hMar/Apr) This festival attracts huge out over 250ft. It was built in 2002 with pub- crowds of worshippers and merrymakers on lic donations. the full moon of Myanmar’s lunar month of Tagu. Snake Monastery MONASTERY 4 Sleeping (ေျမေြ က်ာငး္ ; hdaylight) F A story goes that Bago’s accommodation options are un- a revered monk had a dream that the python inspired. That should change after 2018, you can see snoozing in this monastery was when Myanmar’s new main airport opens the reincarnation of a nat; another is that it is near here. For now, the best places to stay the reincarnation of the monk himself. are mostly outside central Bago, while the Either way, more than 125 years later, the cheapest are located along the busy and very self-same python has grown to be at least 17ft noisy main road through town, so ask for a long and a foot wide, making it probably one room at the back of these hotels. Most places of the largest snakes in the world. No won- don’t include breakfast and electricity cuts der locals flock here to pay their respects and in and out during the day and night. shower the sleepy snake with gifts of cash. The Shwe Taung Yoe Paya zedi, nearby on a small hilltop, is great for watching sun- Hotel Mariner HOTEL $ (%052-220 1034; [email protected]; sets; however, you have to cross a festering 330 Shwemawdaw Paya Rd; r US$35-45; aW) rubbish dump to reach it. The monastery and zedi are about a mile Newish six-floor property that is the current pick of Bago’s budget accommodation offer- south of Hintha Gon Paya; locals should be ings. The more expensive rooms are big and able to direct you there.
93 light and some offer grandstand views of sine, with a few European dishes. At night, Shwemawdaw Paya. it’s a popular spot for a beer. Bago Star Hotel HOTEL $ Kyaw Swa CHINESE $$ (%052-30066; [email protected]; 11-21 (%052-223 0220; 445-446 Yangon-Bago Rd; mains Kyaikpon Pagoda Rd; tw US$38; aWs) This self- from K4000; h9am-9pm; WE) A few miles styled ‘country-style, bungalow-type hotel’ south of central Bago, this large and popular has a summer-camp feel. Located just off the restaurant serves tasty and reasonably au- highway and only a short walk to the ever- thentic Chinese food in nicer surroundings watching eyes of the Kyaik Pun Paya, it offers than most places in Bago. A-frame cabin-like rooms, a murky small pool and – a big plus – bikes for rent (K3000 Hanthawaddy CHINESE, BURMESE $$ a day). Generators keep the air-conditioning (192 Hintha St; mains from K5000; h10am-9pm; humming. E) The food here isn’t amazing, but it’s sol- So u th w e s te rn M ya n m a r EBatgion g id enough, the place is clean and this is the HOTEL $ only restaurant in central Bago with a bit San Francisco Guest House (%052-22265; 14 Main Rd; r US$10-20; aW) of atmosphere. The open-air upper level is The best of the budget options, if you choose breezy and offers great views of Shwemaw- a double room. Small bathrooms, but they daw Paya. are clean, the owner is friendly and you can rent bicycles (K3000 per day) and mo- 88 Information torbikes (K8000 per day). There’s a curfew from 11pm to 5am. CB Bank (Yangon-Mandalay Rd; h 9.30am- 3pm) Has an ATM that takes foreign cards. Mya Nanda Hotel HOTEL $ Sea Sar (% 09 530 0987; myothitsar86@ (%09 501 9799; 10 Main Rd; r US$10-20; aW) gmail.com; bus station; h 6am-6pm) The Basic but clean rooms in a central location. English-speaking owner is helpful and can book The doubles offer a little more space and onward bus tickets. light. 88 Getting There & Away Han Thar Gardens HOTEL $$$ The following table shows travel times and costs (%09 42175 5282; [email protected]; between Bago and several main destinations. 34 Bullein Tar Zone Village, Yangon-Mandalay Rd; r The range in train fares is between ordinary and US$130-165; aiW) Overlooking fields and a upper class. golf course, this beautifully designed proper- DESTINATION BUS TRAIN ty has environmentally friendly features such Kyaikto as no air-conditioning in the airy 50ft-c eiling Mandalay 3hr; K6000 3hr; K650-1300 rooms of the main building. Run by an Mawlamyine 9-10hr; from 13hr; K2100-8150 overseas-educated Myanmar woman, it also Taungoo K13,000 features an excellent restaurant – worth vis- iting in its own right – serving delicious Bur- Yangon 6hr; K9000 8hr; K1600-3150 mese food, including local specialities such as 7hr; from 5hr; K1450-2900 K6000 pazun chin (pickled-prawn salad). The hotel is a good 20-minute drive out of 2hr; K1000 2hr; K600-1150 Bago, on the way to Yangon. 5 Eating BUS Bago’s scruffy bus station (Yangon-Mandalay Rd) is about halfway between the town centre Hadaya Café TEAHOUSE $ and the Bago Star Hotel, located across from (14 Main Rd; tea & snacks from K300; h3am- the Hindu temple. Many buses passing through 10.30pm) This central teahouse is a popu- Bago can also be waved down from outside lar stop for passing truck drivers, hence your hotel, though unless you have booked a the long opening hours. It has an English- ticket in advance there is little likelihood of speaking owner and a reasonable selection getting a seat. of snacks. Buses to Yangon leave from along the main road opposite the bus station and depart ap- Three Five Restaurant CHINESE, BURMESE $ proximately every 30 minutes from 6.30am to (10 Main Rd; mains from K2000; h7am-9pm; 5.30pm. WE) This shabby but friendly place offers a menu spanning Burmese and Chinese cui- Going south, buses to Kinpun, the starting point for Mt Kyaiktiyo (Golden Rock), leave every
94 hour or so from 6am to 3pm. During the rainy of colonial days in Pathein, which the Brit- season (May to September), most buses go only ish called Bassein, including the central jail as far as Kyaikto, 10 miles from Kinpun. dating from 1879. If you’re heading north, for Mandalay, Taun- Pathein is the unofficial capital of the Ay- goo and Inle Lake, there are a handful of direct eyarwady region and if you’re interested in services from Bago. It’s also possible to hop exploring the villages and towns of the delta, on services coming from Yangon – book ahead this is the logical place to base yourself and with a local agent, such as Sea Sar (p93), which to arrange transport, whether boat or car. has an office at the bus station, or ask your hotel to help. History So u th w e s te rn M ya n m a r GPaetthtei ni ng A r o und TAXI Pathein was the scene of major clashes dur- A convenient travel option is hiring a taxi for ing the struggle for supremacy between the a day trip from Yangon, although it’s more Mon and the Bamar. Later, it became an im- expensive than other transport methods. With portant trading port for goods being moved bargaining this should cost about K80,000 and between India and Southeast Asia. The city’s gives you the additional advantage of having name may derive from the Burmese word transport between sights once you get to Bago. for Muslim (Pathi) – due to the heavy pres- It also saves traipsing all the way out to the bus ence of Arab and Indian Muslim traders station in Yangon. here centuries ago; there’s still a large Mus- lim population in the city. The colonial Brits, One-way taxis from Bago straight to your hotel who set up a garrison here in 1826, corrupt- in Yangon cost K40,000. ed the name to Bassein. A guide and driver for a day trip to Mt Kyaiktiyo Today, Pathein’s population includes large (Golden Rock) can be hired for K55,000 return. contingents of Kayin (Karen) and Rakhine. Once part of a Mon kingdom, Pathein is now Ask about any of these options at the town’s home to only a few Mon. During the 1970s taxi stand (Yangon-Mandalay Rd) or through any and ’80s, the Kayin villages surrounding of the central Bago hotels. Pathein generated insurgent activity that has since ended. TRAIN Bago is connected by train with Yangon and 1 Sights Mawlamyine and stops north towards Mandalay. Most trains do not run to schedule. Pathein’s central sights can be covered on foot, but to get to Tagaung Mingala Zeditaw, 88 Getting Around Mahabodhi Mingala Zedi and Leikyunyin- aung Paya, it’s best to hire a thoun bein or Motorcycle-taxi and trishaw – thoun bein – are motorbike taxi (around K3000). the main form of local transport. A one-way trip in the central area should cost no more than Shwemokhtaw Paya BUDDHIST STUPA K500. If you’re going further afield – say from Shwethalyaung Buddha, at one end of town, to (ေရမႊ ေု ထာဘရု ား; Shwezedi Rd; h6am-8pm) Shwemawdaw Paya, at the other – you should F Looming with grace over Pathein is the hire a trishaw or motorcycle for the day, either of which will cost around K7000. golden bell of the Shwemokhtaw Paya. The hti (stupa pinnacle) consists of a topmost layer Pathein ပုသိမ္ made from 14lb of solid gold, a middle tier of POP 169,773 / % 042 pure silver and a bottom tier of bronze; all Pathein lies at the heart of an area that pro- three tiers are gilded and reportedly embed- duces the finest rice in Myanmar, including pawsanmwe t’ămìn (fragrant rice). It’s a ded with a total of 829 diamond fragments, 843 rubies and 1588 semiprecious stones. thriving, busy city, particularly along the This large complex is unusually well lay- riverfront – Pathein is Myanmar’s most im- portant delta port outside Yangon – and in ered in legend. One states that it was origi- nally built by India’s Buddhist King Ashoka the markets near the Shwemokhtaw Paya, in 305 BC. Standing just 7.5ft tall, this origi- the principal religious site. Most travellers stop here only briefly on nal stupa supposedly enshrined Buddha rel- ics and a 6in gold bar. their way to nearby beaches, but the work- Another legend says a Muslim princess shops in the city’s northeast that produce colourful, hand-painted parasols are worth a named Onmadandi requested each of her three Buddhist lovers build a stupa in her hon- look. There are also architectural remnants our. One of the lovers erected Shwemokhtaw,
95 the others the less-distinguished Tazaung and on the ocean. One landed in Dawei (Tavoy), So u th w e s te rn M ya n m a r PSai gthhtesi n Thayaunggyaung Paya. another at Kyaikkami (Amherst), another at Kyaiktiyo (this one is now at Kyaikpawlaw), Whichever story you choose to believe, and the fourth landed near Phondawpyi, a Bagan’s King Alaungsithu is thought to have fishing village about 60 miles south of Pathein, erected a 46ft stupa called Htupayon over from where it was transferred to Pathein. this site in AD 1115. Then, in 1263, King Sa- modagossa took power, raised the stupa to A marble standing buddha positioned in 132ft and changed the name to Shwemokht- a niche in the fence running along the west- aw Paya, which means Stupa of the Half- ern side of the stupa marks a spot where Foot Gold Bar. Mon warriors once prayed before going off to battle. In the northwestern corner The southern shrine of the compound of the compound is a shrine dedicated to houses the Thiho-shin Phondaw-pyi sitting Shin Upagot, the Bodhisattva who floats on buddha image, which, the story goes, floated the ocean and appears to those in trouble. to the delta coast on a raft sent from Sri Lanka Turtles swim in the water surrounding the during ancient times. According to the legend, small pavilion. an unknown Sinhalese sculptor fashioned four different buddha images using pieces Also in this northwest corner is an unu- from the original Bodhi tree mixed with ce- sual golden Ganesh shrine, dedicated to the ment composite. He then placed the images elephant-headed god worshipped by Hindus on four wooden rafts and set the rafts adrift as the god of wisdom and wealth. MEINMAHLA KYUN WILDLIFE SANCTUARY Since 2012, Fauna and Flora International (www.fauna-flora.org), the world’s oldest conservation organisation, has been working with the Ministry of Environmental Con- servation and Forestry to help promote ecotourism in Myanmar. One of the locations they are focusing on is Meinmahla Kyun Wildlife Sanctuary (မိန္းမလွကၽြန္းေဘးမဲ့ေတာ; %045-45578), a swampy, mangrove-covered island in the south of the Ayeyarwady Delta that can make for an adventurous three- or four-day return trip from Yangon. The 53-sq-mile sanctuary is the premier place in Myanmar to see wild estuarine crocodiles and, if you’re lucky, you may also spot rare Irrawaddy dolphins. Between November and February it’s also the pit stop for vast numbers of migratory waterbirds on the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. On the aptly named Turtle Island, 7 miles south of Meinmahla Kyun, turtles nest and hatch between October and March. It’s possible to take a day trip to this island and camp there overnight. Aside from the wildlife, the great attraction of this trip is experiencing life in the delta, where the main livelihood activities are rice farming, fishing and crabbing. This also makes it a great destination for fresh seafood. The sanctuary headquarters is in Bogalay, 92 miles southwest of Yangon. The fastest and most comfortable way to get there is by an express boat run by Shwe Pyi Tan Ex- press (p83), which leaves daily at 6am from Phone Gyi Jetty (K11,500, six hours). There is an IWT ferry from Lan Thit Jetty daily at 6pm (deck class/private cabin US$5/25), but it doesn’t always run and takes at least 12 hours. Bogalay can also be reached by bus (K4000, five hours) with departures roughly every two hours during the day from Hlaing Thar Yar Bus Terminal. You must first register with the park headquarters in Bogalay – this process will be much smoother and quicker if you let them know you’re coming in advance. From Boga- lay, the park staff will organise return boat transport to Meinmahla Kyun (K70,000, up to eight people). You can also book canoe tours along the mangrove-lined creeks on the island (K30,000 per day, up to three passengers). There is basic accommodation availa- ble in the sanctuary (US$20 per night). Specialist tour operators in Yangon, including SST Tours (Map p38; %01-255 536; www.sst myanmar.com; Rm 5-6, 2nd fl,Aung San Stadium, Mingalar Taung Nyunt), can arrange all-inclusive three-day, two-night round trips to the sanctuary from around US$400 per person.
96 Pathein e# 0 500 m A 0 0.25 miles B C D Ngwe Saung Beach (29mi); Chaung Tha Beach (35mi) Settayaw Paya 600m); Shwezigon Paya St Shwe Sar Umbrella Merchant St Workshop (800m) 1 19 #› D Mingyi Rd 18 Ú# 3 1 Strand Rd #› 2 Yadayagone St 3 So u th w e s te rn M ya n m a r SPai gthhtesi n 7 DMah5a#ÿband#ÿoo#ÿla 15 ü# Clock Rd Tower 8 # Main Jetty #ò î# HospitalMingyi Rd â# Customs House #ÿ 4 11 Pathein City ú# 2 Hall Jail # Ú# 1 12 17 13 ú# Sú#hw#›ezedi Rd #› R iver CB Bank #ì St6 #ÿ #ÿ 16 Zegyaung 9 Aung Yadana Budar Rd14(Sú#tation Rd) St hein Ohn ú# 10 Pat #ñ mardandi St 3 #Ü 2 £# ABCD Pathein Tagaung Mingala Zeditaw BUDDHIST STUPA (တေကာငး္ မဂလၤ ာေစတေီ တာ္(တေကာငး္ ဘရု ား); æ Sights Tagaung Paya; hdaylight) F Interesting 1 Shwemokhtaw Paya............................B2 from an artistic perspective, this pagoda 2 St Peter's Cathedral ............................B3 is centred on a graceful stupa that sweeps 3 Twenty-Eight Paya .............................. C1 inward from a wide, whitewashed base to a gleaming silver superstructure. It’s about 2 ÿ Sleeping miles south of the city centre. Look for the 4 Day to Day Motel .................................C2 small squirrel sculpture extending from the 5 Htike Myat San Hotel ..........................C2 western side of the upper stupa, represent- 6 La Pyae Wun Hotel ..............................B2 ing a previous life of the Buddha as a squir- 7 Myanma Koe Hotel .............................. C1 rel. One of the pavilions at the base of the 8 Nay Chi Linn-3 Hotel ........................... C1 stupa contains a large sitting buddha image. 9 Pammawaddy Hotel............................B2 St Peter’s Cathedral CHURCH ú Eating 10 Myo Restaurant ...................................B3 (စနိ ္႔ပီတာဘုရားေက်ာငး္ ; Mingyi Rd) The focal OK-9.............................................. (see 6) point of a Catholic educational compound 11 Shwe Ayar ............................................B2 is this 1872-vintage cathedral distinctively 12 Shwe Zin Yaw Restaurant...................B2 plastered emerald green. If you’re not here 13 Top Star................................................B2 for daily Mass at 6am (also 4pm on Sunday), 14 Zone Pan ..............................................B3 the priest will happily let you peek inside. û Drinking & Nightlife Shwe Sar Umbrella Workshop WORKSHOP 15 Man San Thu ........................................ B1 (%042-25127; 653 Tawya Kyaung Rd; h8am-5pm) Sun shades are made in workshops scattered ï Transport across the northern part of the city, particu- 16 Ayer Shwe Zin ......................................C2 larly around the Twenty-Eight Paya (p97), 17 Bus Company Offices .........................B2 off Mahabandoola Rd. It’s fun to wander the 18 Buses to Chaung Tha Beach .............. C1 area, sticking your head into a workshop here 19 Buses to Ngwe Saung Beach.............. A1 and there to see how they’re made. They’re cheap, and the saffron-coloured ones, made
97 for monks, are waterproof. This family-run fridge. There are English-speaking staff. It’s workshop is particularly welcoming. worth booking ahead. Settayaw Paya BUDDHIST TEMPLE Nay Chi Linn-3 Hotel HOTEL $ (စကေ္ တာရ္ ာဘုရား; hdaylight) F This (%042-22844; 6 Mahabandoola Rd; r incl breakfast charming paya, spread across a hilly green K10,000-25,000; aW) ‘Fresh and clean’ is the setting, is dedicated to a mythical Buddha motto here, and the rooms are spick and footprint left by the Enlightened One dur- span. They’re also compact, with smaller ing his legendary perambulations through bathrooms, and not a lot of light. The cheap- Southeast Asia. The footprint symbol itself est rooms are fan-only. But the price is right is an oblong, 3ft-long impression. and it’s fine for an overnight stop. Twenty-Eight Paya BUDDHIST TEMPLE Day to Day Motel HOTEL $ So u th w e s te rn M ya n m a r FPeatsthievianls & E v ents (ႏစွ က္ ်ိပရ္ စွ ္ဆူဘရု ား; hdaylight) This rec- (%042-23368; Jail St; r K13,000-27,000; aW) tangular shrine contains 28 sitting and 28 This motel is in a quieter part of town, op- standing buddha images. None of them are posite the historic Sikh Temple. It has rea- particularly distinguished except that the sonable rooms for the price, although the latter appear in the open-robe style rather bathrooms are cramped and dark. A big roof than the closed-robe pose that is typical of terrace provides a pleasant place to sit and Mandalay standing images. You may have to take in the surrounding leafy view. There’s ask the caretaker to unlock the building. a decent wi-fi connection. You can only pay At one end of the hall stands a group of in kyat. crude sculptures depicting a scene from the Buddha’s life in which he teaches a disciple Pammawaddy Hotel HOTEL $ (%042-21165; [email protected]; 14A the relativity of physical beauty by compar- Mingyi Rd; r incl breakfast US$15-35; aW) The ing a monkey, the disciple’s wife and a deva (celestial being). unremarkable rooms here are a reasonable size, with small bathrooms, and they im- prove as you go higher up in the building. Leikyunyinaung Paya BUDDHIST TEMPLE (လပိ က္ ၽြ နး္ ညေီ နာငဘ္ ရု ား; hdaylight) This tem- La Pyae Wun Hotel HOTEL $ ple, about a mile directly south of Mahabodhi, was renovated by the miltary regime in the (%042-24669; 30 Mingyi Rd; r US$20-30; aW) Friendly hotel whose imposing white exte- early 1990s to create a facsimile of Ananda rior shrouds plain but comfortable-enough Paya in Bagan. Forced labour was used in the renovation, so many locals avoid praying here. white-tiled twin rooms, with plainer bath- rooms (and cold-water showers). Good wi- fi connection and a central location, but no Mahabodhi Mingala Zedi BUDDHIST TEMPLE breakfast. (မဟာေဗာဓမိ ဂလၤ ာေစတ;ီ hdaylight) West of Tagaung Mingala Zeditaw, a little way towards Htike Myat San Hotel HOTEL $$ the river, stands this temple patterned after (%042-22742; [email protected]; 8 Ma- the Mahabodhi stupa in Bodhgaya, India. habandoola Rd; r incl breakfast US$20-55; aW) z Festivals & Events Rooms here are reasonably modern, spa- cious and well equipped, a combination that Vesakha RELIGIOUS is a rarity in Pathein. But the cheapest ones (hApr/May) The people of Pathein celebrate share (clean) bathrooms. If you want your the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and pass- ing away with a huge paya pwe (pagoda own bathroom and hot water, you’ll need to spend US$35 and up. Efficient staff. festival) during the full moon of Myanmar’s month of Kason. The festival is held at the 5 Eating Shwemokhtaw Paya (p94). oShwe Ayar BURMESE $ 4 Sleeping (32-35 Mingalar Rd; mains from K2300; h8am- 9pm) It doesn’t look like much but this place Myanma Koe Hotel HOTEL $ offers high-quality biryani, which you can (%042-21381; [email protected]; 35 Mahabandoola Rd; r incl breakfast US$35-50; aW) supplement with chicken or mutton. The lentil and bean soup is so delicious you’ll This hotel is the best midrange deal in town. want a second helping. It also does tasty It has big and bright rooms, decent beds and sizeable bathrooms, all with satellite TV and curry sets. Find it opposite Zaw Optical.
98 Top Star CHINESE, BURMESE $ riety than most Bamar curry houses: you’ll (Strand Rd; mains from K3000; h9am-11pm; E) find goat and beef curries, as well as a sar- The best of the beer stations and restau- dine salad. It’s reasonably priced too. rants along the riverfront, Top Star’s menu includes a few Thai and Japanese-inspired 6 Drinking & Nightlife dishes, and the standard Chinese-Burmese ones. The big windows offer river views and A few beer stations line the riverfront, while it’s fine for an evening beer too. teahouses are scattered across the city. Zone Pan BURMESE $ Man San Thu TEAHOUSE (Budar Rd/Station Rd; curries from K2000; h8am- (3 Shwezigon Paya St; tea & snacks from K300; h6am-11pm; W) You can’t miss this bustling 9pm; E) This popular curry place has a de- place, spread over two floors and with a cent range of tasty curries, soups and salads. So u th w e s te rn M ya n m a r DParti nhkei n g & N i g h tl i fe To cut the grease, try the mouth-wateringly bright orange facade. Inside, there’s a small English menu of noodle and rice dishes, plus tart shauk-thi dhouq (lemon salad) or a all the usual teahouse snacks. It has free and pennywort (a local herb) salad. There’s no English sign here; look for the light-blue functioning wi-fi too. shopfront opposite Lucky One Tea Shop. 7 Shopping OK-9 TEAHOUSE $ Aside from the parasol workshops, there is (Mingyi Rd; tea & snacks from K300; h5.30am- a night market that is set up each evening 8.30pm) OK-9 is next to La Pyae Wun Hotel in front of Customs House, where teenagers and is perfect for the breakfasts your hotel cruise, flirt and hang out while vendors pur- doesn’t provide. This shady teahouse pro- vey food, clothing and tools and just about vides plates of freshly baked naan and chick- every other requisite for daily life at low peas (only until 9.30am), as well as other prices. Just south of Shwemokhtaw Paya is snacks and a morning caffeine kick. the Central Market, and just south of that the New Market, with all manner of goods. Myo Restaurant CHINESE, BURMESE $ (5AungYadana St; mains from K3000; h9am-10pm; 88 Information E) It’s rather grungy but this beer station and restaurant has a large and solid menu of Young guide Soe Moe Aung (% 09 25032 2368; Chinese-Burmese dishes, as well as beers and http://traveltopathein.wordpress.com) is worth some barbecue. It shows the football too. tracking down. A mine of local information, he can help arrange all kinds of trips and adventures Shwe Zin Yaw Restaurant BURMESE $ in the area, including boats along the Pathein Riv- (24/25 Shwezedi Rd; mains from K1500; h8am- er; motorbike taxis to Kayin villages and beaches; 9pm; E) The menu here has a little more va- and the necessary permits for Mawdin Point. PATHEIN PARASOLS Pathein is famous throughout Myanmar for the quality of its handmade parasols, used to shade the carrier from the searing sun. Covered in silk or waterproofed cotton, the para- sols come in a variety of bright and natural colours. One type that can be used in the rain is the saffron-coloured monks’ umbrella, which is waterproofed by applying various coats of tree resin; a single umbrella may take five days to complete, including the drying process. Parasols and umbrellas can be ordered in any size directly from the workshops, and are a bargain given the amount of work that goes into making them. Workshops welcome visitors who want to observe this craft, which is a lot more interesting than it might sound. The most centrally located shops are at the southern end of Merchant St, but here you’ll only see the finishing decorative steps of the typical 40-stage process needed to make the best parasols. To see the whole process head to Shwe Sar Umbrella Workshop (p96), the best of several workshops scattered in the vicinity of Twenty-Eight Paya, off Mahabandoola Rd. This workshop has been run by the same family for three generations, and is just around the corner from the Settayaw Paya.
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