Places to visit in Yangon

This spectacular 65 meter long and 16 meters high sculpture of a reclining Buddha is sure to leave you spell bound. Also known as the “Sweet- Eyed” Buddha, this statue has a porcelain face and incredibly expressive eyes. There are about 108 sacred Buddhist symbols etched on the feet of the sculptor. This magnificent sculptor is surrounded by separate Buddhist shrines, each depicting a day of the week. The pagoda is every day of the week from 6 am till 8 pm.

Rich in culture and heritage, Yangon has many famous landmarks. The Strand Hotel, of the old Colonial time holds testament of the then architecture. Shwedagon Pagoda, Maha Pasana Guha, Taukkyan War Memorial are some of the famous landmarks of the place. The Golden Rock pagoda is perhaps the most famous landmark in Yangon.

Rich in culture Yangon has different museums and concert halls all over the city. The National Theater stages different cultural programs. There is Burmese classical dance, marionette troops perform at many such places. Karaweik is a grand reproduction of the royal freight placed near the Kandawgyi Lake. Traditional music and dances are performed at every concert hall and hotels.

Known for its natural beauty, Yangon has some of the natural attractions. Kandawgyi Nature Park and its lake give you the perfect respite into nature. Spread of 69.25 acres, this vast plane is a store house of different species of flora and fauna and the Yangon zoological garden is a place for your visit.

Home to different artefacts and documents this five storey building has all the historic relics of the country. It also houses the Lion Throne of the last king of Myanmar.

Dedicated to the Burmese revolutionary General Aung San who is also the founder of the modern Burmese army, this museum is established in the house he occupied with his family in the year 1920. The different items used by the general in his life time are on display here.

Yangon has a culmination of different religious places of worship- Hindu temples, church, mosque, synagogue, Buddhist temples. Shwedagon Pagoda, is the most sacred place for the people of Myanmar. This 99 meters tall monument is plated with around 21,841 gold bars. The pagoda also has diamonds and sapphires encrusted at its tip. Shwedagon Pagoda, Botataung Pagoda are some of the other prominent pagoda in this region. Shri Kali Hindu temple is one of the famous Hindu temples in the area. Other religious places include the Moseah Yeshua synagogue, St John the Baptist Armenian Apostolic church, St Mary’s Catholic cathedral, Bengali Sunni Jamae and Narsapuri Moja Sunni Jamae mosques.

Yangon will neither bore your kids nor you. Yangon has a wide range of activities for all ages. Take your kids to a traditional Marionette shows and they will be spell bounded by its magnificence. Happy World Playground located in the Kandaw Mingalar Park has wide range of games and rides for your little ones. Mya Kyun Thar Playground in Yangon offers a bag full of interesting activities for the kids. Bumper cars, a Ferris wheel, a carousel, water slides and indoor games adorn this park. 50 miles from Yangon is the View Point Amusement Park. Your kid is sure to enjoy in this amusing place. From water slides to rollercoaster, this is an all in one amusement park. Located beside the Kandawgyi Lake is the Yangon Zoo was established in 1951.This 70-acre area has more than 1,100 animals. There are about 200 rare and endangered species of animals, birds and reptiles. The Asian elephant, Royal Bengal tigers, hornbills, etc. are some of the rare species that this place boasts of.

Known as the Great Cave, it contains the sixth synod of Buddha. Used for different religious ceremonies this enormous cave can hold up to 10,000 people.

Also known as the “World Peace Paya” is 112 feet high. With a hollow interior this pagoda has statues of Buddha all around. With free entry, it is open from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm.

This culturally significant pagoda is believed to have been built during Gautam Buddha’s time. Like any other pagoda, it too has a hair relic of Gautam Buddha. Located at the middle of an extremely busy and crowded commercial district, this monument is of extreme importance to the people.

This spectacular pagoda is located at the edge of a cliff, 1,100 meters high above the sea level is the best tourist place. This golden rock in itself is 5.5 meter high and has pagoda on its top. This place is open to visitors throughout the year but the best time to visit is from October to April.

This beautifully crafted Pagoda is one of the three famous worship places in the country. The name Botahtaung means “one thousand generals”. Located at the banks of the river Yangon, this gilded pagoda, unlike any of its kind, is hollow inside, thus facilitating tourists with a spectacular view of the inside of the pagoda. The reason for this place to be considered sacred is because there is a relic of Buddha’s hair in a glass case.