Tour Yangon now! Welcome to Rangoon (also known as Yangon), with its amazing golden Shwedagon Temple, traditional architecture, and ubiquitous tearooms. WoWasis visitors will find Rangoon to be a fascinating, rambling city mixing new and old. At night you’re likely turn a corner to find a street taken over by a raucously fascinating puppet theatre accompanied by with traditional Burmese music. Interesting street vendors and ancient buses and trishaws make Rangoon a treat for the senses.
Top 5 in Rangoon
1) Don’t fail to see the Shwedagon Paya, the most sacred of all Burma’s temples. Towering over Rangoon, the Golden stupa is accessible by stairs, and soars nearly 100 meters above its base. Numerous shrines surround the stupa, and ordination parades of young novices are constantly occurring. The meticulous platform is constantly swept by a yellow-clad team, adding to the riot of colors and activity.
Shwedagon Paya
Between People’s Park and Arzarni Road, north of the central city
Open daily
2) The Sule Paya is a wonderful octagonal temple located in the center of Rangoon. Unlike the austere Shwedagon, Sule is a vital part of the everyday life of the city. Here you’ll find small shops selling all matter of goods completely unrelated to the spiritual world.
Sule Paya
Mahabandoola Road at Sule Paya Street
3) The National Museum has wonderful exhibits of Burmese arts and crafts. Especially interesting are the dozens of mannequins featuring the colorful clothing of Burma’s traditional cultures, and the collection of wigs depicting hairstyles from Burma’s past. He you’ll also find court costumes, royal furniture, and musical instruments.
National Museum
Pyay Road
Open daily, 10 am – 4 pm
4) The Bogyoke Aung San Museum, located in a beautiful traditional house, was the home of the revered general, assassinated in 1947. His daughter Aung San Suu Kyi grew up here, where happy times were tempered by tragedy (one of her brothers drowned in the swimming pool, while a child.)
Bogyoke Aung San Museum
Bogyoke Aung San Museum Street, Bahan Township
Open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am – 3:30 pm
5) WoWasis’favorite place to buy all things Burmese is the Bogyoke Aung San Market, where you can buy traditional Burmese clothes, jewelry, and antiquities. Plan for at least half a day here, as you may find items here that you’ll not easily find outside the capital.
Bogyoke Aung San Market
Bogyoke Aung San Road, across from 29th Street
Open mornings Tuesday through Sunday, until 5 pm
Rangoon also has several Resort/hotel spas.
Getting to Rangoon from the airport: the airport has a taxi kiosk, where you can order a taxi to your hotel for roughly seven dollars. The folks at the kiosk speak English, and will direct the driver to your hotel. If you proceed outside the front door, taxi drivers will approach you, and do the job for $3-$5, but may not know the directions to smaller hotels. Take a fascinating one day tour of Yangon (Rangoon)!
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