THE GUIDE - The Rough Guide to Myanmar - page 145

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Banks There's a growing number of ATMs around the city (although only about fifty per-
cent of them ever seem to be working at any particular time); most accept both Visa and
MasterCard. Useful machines can be found by the main entrance to Bogyoke Market; by
the entrance to the Sakura Tower at the junction of Sule Pagoda and Bogyoke Aung San
roads and inside the nearby Nay Pyi Taw Cinema on Sule Pagoda Rd; in the basement of
the FMI Centre (Parkson Building); opposite the west side of Mahabandoola Gardens; in-
side the Strand Hotel ; and at the main railway station. Moneychangers are also easy to find.
The most convenient place in the city centre is Bogyoke Market, where many shops double
as moneychangers; there's another handy moneychanger opposite the western side of Ma-
habandoola Gardens. In eastern downtown, try Swan Htet Yee, a few doors south of the
Hninn Si Guesthouse ,orFarmerPhoyarzarmoneychangeroppositethe Eastern Hotel onBo
Myat Htun St.
Embassies Australia, 88 Strand Rd ( 01 251810, www.burma.embassy.gov.au ); China,
1 Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Rd ( 01 221280, mm.china-embassy.org ) ; New Zealand, c/o Em-
bassy of New Zealand, M Thai Tower, 14th Floor, All Seasons Place, 87 Wireless Rd,
Pathumwan,Lumpini,Bangkok,Thailand( [phone], nzembassy.com/Thailand ) ;
Republic of Ireland, c/o Embassy of Ireland, 2nd floor, Sentinel Place, 41A Ly Thai To,
Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, Vietnam ( [phone], embassyofireland.vn ) ; South
Africa, c/o South African Embassy, 12th A Floor, M Thai Tower, All Seasons Place, 87
Wireless Road, Lumpini, Bangkok, Thailand ( [phone], dirco.gov.za/Bangkok );
Thailand, 94 Pyay Rd ( 01 222784, thaiembassy.org/yangon/en ) ; UK, 80 Strand Rd
( 01 380322, gov.uk/government/world/organisations/british-embassy-rangoon ) ; USA,
110 University Ave ( 01 536509, burma.usembassy.gov ) .
Golf The Pun Hlaing Golf Club ( 01 687660, punhlainggolfestate.com ) is probably the
best course in Myanmar, with eighteen immaculate holes laid out to a Gary Player design.
It's located around 15km northwest of the centre.
Hospitals and health clinics Standards of healthcare are abysmally low in Myanmar. The
city's main hospital, the Rangoon General on Bogyoke Aung San Rd, is one of the best in
thecountry,butstillworthavoidingifpossible.Inanemergencyyou'rebetteroffcontacting
eithertheMyanmarbranchofInternationalSOS, Inya Lake Resort ,37KabaAyePagodaRd
(Mon-Fri8.30am-5.30pm,Sat8.30am-12.30pm; 01657922, internationalsos.com ) ,or
the private Asia Royal Hospital (14 Baho St; 01 538055, asiaroyalmedical.com ) .
Internet There's a decent number of internet cafés around town, most charging around
K500/hr. In the centre, the best place is NetSky (158 Mahabandoola Garden St; daily
8am-10pm; K600/hr), a huge, a/c place with around forty machines with (by Myanmar