Last updated on April 16th, 2024
Cleaning, Shwedagon Pagoda
Visit Yangon – Shwedagon Pagoda
Shwedagon Pagoda is the highlight attraction when you visit Yangon. The Shwedagon Pagoda is 2,500 years old. It’s also known as the Great Dagon Pagoda and the Golden Pagoda. Shwedagon Pagodaa is the premier pilgrimage site in Myanmar. Visit this pagoda in the evening too for a special atmosphere, because it’s very popular at night.
Shwedagon Golden Pagoda, © Can Stock / siraanamwong
Beside Shwedagon Pagoda are the People’s Park & People’s Square, Kan Taw Mingalar Garden, Theingottara Park, the Martyr’s Mausoleum, a planetarium, a gallery and several restaurants.
Immediately south of the People’s Park & People’s Square also visit the National Museum and the Tomb of Bahadur Shah Zafar. Bahadur Shah Zafar was the last Mughal emperor of India. He was imprisoned by the British in Yangon until his death.
Karaweik Palace, © Can Stock / SteveAllen
Visit Yangon – Kandawgyi Lake
Kandawgyi Lake is a few blocks east of Shwedagon Pagoda. The lake is bordered by Bogyoke Park, Kandawgyi Nature Park, the Yangon Zoological Gardens and Karaweik Palace.
The Karaweik Palace is a concrete replica of a royal barge. On the Karaweik Palace royal barge, you can enjoy a buffet diner while you watch traditional dance performances. Also along Kandawgyi Lake you will find the Thein Byu Sport Ground and the Kandawgyi Palace Hotel.
Yangon River, © Can Stock / berliner
Visit Yangon – Reclining Buddha
The reclining Buddha at Chaukhtatgyi Buddha Temple is one of the most popular tourist stops in downtown Yangon. The gigantic Reclining Buddha lies on its side. Head the Reclining Buddha after a visit to Kandawgyi Lake. Stop on the way to the Reclining Buddha to see the Bogyoke Aung San Museum and the Five Story Buddha.
Sule Pagoda, © Can Stock / dinhhang
Visit Yangon – Sule Pagoda
Sule Paya or Sule Pagoda is bordered by City Hall and the Maha Bandoola Garden. The Maha Bandoola Garden contains the National Independence Monument. Next to Maha Bandoola Garden is the Yangon High Court.
A few blocks west of Sule Pagoda is the the Bengali Sunni Jameh Mosque and a few more blocks west is the Musmeah Yeshua Synagogue. The Musmeah Yeshua Synagogue is the only synagogue in Myanmar.
Kaba Aye Pagoda, © Can Stock / FrameAngel
Visit Yangon – Tooth Relic Pagoda
The Swal Daw Paya Tooth Relic Pagoda is a reproduction of the Ananda Pagoda in Bagan. The Tooth Relic Pagoda and contains a replica of Buddha’s tooth donated by the Chinese in 1994. The tooth replica is based on the original held at the Kwang Yi Su Temple in Beijing.
Nearby see the Kaba Aye Pagoda, the Myanmar Gems Museum and the man-made Maha Pasana Guha (Great Cave).
Visit Yangon – Hotels
- Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake
- Wyndham Grand Yangon
- The Strand – visit the famous 5 star hotel built in 1901 under British rule. Rudyard Kipling and Somerset Maugham spent time here.
Shwedagon Pagoda, © Can Stock / berliner
Visit Yangon Circular Railway
Ride the Yangon Circular Railway railway on a loop around downtown Yangon. The Yangon Circular Railway is a great way to experience the city the way the locals do. For a guided tour on the railway, try the Yangon by Circular Train: Life Along the Loop.
Five Story Buddha, © Can Stock / FrameAngel
Bogyoke Market is a popular tourist destination on the Yangon Circular Railway Route. Just over a block south of the Bogyoke Market is the Theingyi Market. The Theingyi Market is an even larger and more local market. Visit the Sri Kali Hindu Temple in this area too.
Shwedagon Pagoda, © Can Stock / happystock
Visit Yangon – Other Sights
- Sakura Tower – views of Yangon from the restaurant on the 20th floor.
- St Mary’s Cathedral
- Botataung Pagoda – rebuilt after it was destroyed in World War II.
- Aung San Suu Kyi House – Aung San Suu Kyi is a politician and a Nobel Prize winner for her efforts to bring democracy to Myanmar.
Reclining Buddha, Chaukhtatgyi Temple
Things to See and Do Near Yangon
- Kyaik Khauk Paya is a half hour southeast of Yangon. It is similar in style to Shwedagon Pagodaa. Experts think that Kyaik Khauk Paya is about 2,000 years old. Continue another 15 minutes south to Kyauk Tang Yay Le Pagoda on a small island in Hmaw Wun Creek.
- Travel 2 hours north of Yango to visit Bago and see the Shwe Mawdaw Paya. Shwe Mawdaw Paya is Myanmar’s tallest pagoda.
- Take a 3 hour trip northeast of Yangon to see Golden Rock (Kyaiktiyo Pagoda), which is one of Myanmar’s top pilgrimage sites.
St Mary’s Cathedral, © Can Stock / 2nix
Get to Yangon
You can get to Yangon through Yangon International Airport (RGN). The Yangon airport connects Myanmar with the rest of the world. The international airport is about 30 minutes by cab from downtown. At the Yangon Central Railway Station, the state owned Myanmar Railways provides access to Bagan and Mandalay. Yangon Circular Railway also stops at the Central Railway Station. The Yangon Circular Railway operates a 3 hour loop connecting suburban areas. The Circular Railway is very inexpensive and is a popular means of local transportation.
Yangon Weather
Yangon weather is almost exactly the same all year long. Expect year round average highs in excess of 90 F (32 C). The Yangon weather temperatures from February to April can even be a few degrees higher. Average lows are 77 F (25 C) for most of the year, but drop a few degrees lower than this from December to March.
Shwedagon Pagoda, © Can Stock / seqoya
The main factor influencing Yangon weather is the monsoon season from May to September. During the monsoon season, rainfall can exceed 24 inches (600 mm) in a month. December and January are the best months to visit Yangon for low rainfall and slightly moderated temperatures.
Visit Yangon – Background
More than 5 million people live in Yangon. Yangon was formerly the capital of Burma. The British colonized Burma in the mid 1800s and called Yangon by the name Rangoon. British forces maintained control of Yangon through the mid 1900s. The ancient name of the city was Dagon, which is still present in the name of its famous pagoda, the Shwedagon Pagoda (Great Dagon Pagoda).
Yangon is in the delta of the Irrawaddy River (Ayeyarwady) where it meets with the Yangon River and the Bago River. The Yangon River then enters the Andaman Sea on the Indian Ocean.
Leave A Comment