Yangon
Why should you visit Yangon ?
Yangon was the British colonial capital until Burma’s independence in 1948, and it was the independent country’s capital until 2005 (the official capital is now Naypyidaw). Located at the confluence of two rivers just before they empty out to the Andaman Sea, it has a large harbour — the country’s principal port — and enjoys a much-needed coastal breeze. The city can get very hot and very wet; the hot season sizzles from February till June, with average high temperatures close to 40 degrees Celsius, while the monsoons hit from June until October. November through February sees an average temperature of around 30 degrees Celsius and, weather-wise, is by far the best time to visit.
The city hosts the largest number of intact colonial buildings in Asia, although some might argue about the definition of “intact”. The poorly maintained, crumbling buildings reflect a colourful history while providing a backdrop to the vibrant energy of Yangon’s daily street life, bustling at their foundations. Yangon’s tourist infrastructure is straining, while power outages remain common, footpaths mimic rubble and essentials elsewhere such as access to the internet remain unreliable luxuries at best.
Buddhist monks and nuns somehow blend into the crowded streets, drawing attention during their morning alms walks, with their sometimes block-long lines. Pagodas are abundant, but none is so famous as the one sitting atop a hill in the middle of Yangon: Shwedagon Pagoda is a must-see.
Housing one of the two main airports to fly into Burma, Yangon may provide a bit of culture shock and awe. For one, you may be shocked at how awful the traffic is; the poor roads are made worse by an old law that makes two-wheeled vehicles illegal in the city. That’s right: an Asian city of nearly 5 million people does not allow motorbikes or bicycles to be legally ridden, though crazy foreigners seem to be exempt from the rule. Bicycle rentals are now possible but taxis rule as the dominant vehicle. Traditional trishaws eke out an existence and buses are packed with nervous commuters as privatised bus companies race each other to the next stop.
Yangon does not have much of a nightlife; the culture is conservative, though comparatively Yangon holds many more opportunities to unwind than even places such as Mandalay. 19th Street Chinatown teems with good spirited patrons at tables full of empty mugs and many restaurants now double as bars, with a couple of scattered clubs to be discovered.
For those who can’t handle cities for too long, daily and weekend excursions can be undertaken, such as a mountain-bike treks through rubber tree plantations, villages and to the faux Golden Rock pagoda an hour outside of town. Take the ferry out to Dala for a look at the countryside
How to get to Yangon ?
How to get to Yangon
For most international travellers arriving to Burma, Yangon is the first destination. From outside of Burma, the city can only be reached by air. From within the country, the city is connected by air, bus and train.
The people of Myanmar alone make a visit worthwhile. The average Yangoonie is curious, open and ready for a joke. You will still meet people who are genuinely interested to meet you and share their stories; sometimes at an alarmingly quick rate you’ll find out their political views and history.
Air
Most foreign tourists will arrive to Yangon as the point of entry to the country. Yangon international airport just North of the city is served by all Burmese airlines as well as a number of foreign airlines, most of which Asian. There is one terminal for domestic and another one for international flights. One of the major destinations is Bangkok, which is served by among others Bangkok Airways, Air Asia and Thai Airways. A ride from the airport to downtown Yangon takes between 30 to 45 minutes and costs between US$ 8 to 10.
Bus
There are no international connections by bus to Yangon, air travel is the only option. Destinations within Burma are served from two bus terminals. The Aung Mingular Highway Bus Center is located a little North East of the airport. Most major destinations are served from this bus station, including Mandalay, Bagan, Bago and Taunggyi (for Inle Lake). The Hlaing Thar Yar Bus terminal is located North West of downtown Yangon, on the other side of the river in Hlaing Thar Yar township. This station serves a number of beach destinations on the Bay of Bengal West of Yangon as well as Kyaikto (for the Golden Rock/Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda).
Train
There is no train connection between Thailand and Yangon. Domestic destinations are served from Yangon’s central railway station located in the Southern part of the city.
The service from Yangon to Mandalay (via Bago) is fairly comfortable. The trip takes around 14 to 15 hours, sleeping cars are available. There is a daily direct service from Yangon to Bagan, which takes around 16 hours. There is no direct train connection between Yangon and Nyaung Shwe (Inle Lake). To get there, take a train from Yangon to Mandalay and get off at Thazi. From Thazi, either take a bus (around 5 hours) or the slow train via Kalaw, which takes around 10 hours.