Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Yangon & Around
01 / POPULATION C4,447,000
Why Go?
'A city of blood, dreams and gold' is how Pablo Neruda described Yangon. Nearly a cen-
tury after the Chilean poet lived in what was then known as Rangoon, the former capital is
emerging from bloody and neglectful military rule into an era of glittering possibilities.
Exiles are returning and foreign investors and adventurers flooding in, triggering a blos-
soming of new restaurants, bars, shops, building sites and traffic jams.
Yangon's awe-inspiring Buddhist monument Shwedagon Paya is the one sight in Myan-
mar you cannot miss. Vibrant streets lined with food vendors, colourful open-air markets,
evocative colonial architecture - some of the most impressive you'll find in Southeast
Asia - are reasons for lingering. It's also easy to make day trips or go further afield to the
charming city of Pathein (Bassein) or the relaxed beach resorts of Chaung Tha and Ngwe
Saung.
When to Go
Nov-Feb
Best time to visit; the heat of the day is tolerable and the evenings are often
cool.
