Yangon
Yangon
State
Country
Myanmar
Continent
Asia
Size
576 KM2
Population
5,332,000
Spending Budget
$538 - $1,925
Famous For
- The city is famous for having a mix of gorgeous colonial architecture which is located alongside traditional pagodas covered in gold leaf and studded with jewels.
Best Time to Visit
- January
- February
- November
- December
History
The name ‘Yangon’ is a combination of the words yan [enemies] and koun [run out of]. It has also been translated as ‘the end of strife’. The name Rangoon came from the British pronunciation of Yangon. In the early 11th century (1028–1043CE) the Mon dominated Lower Burma. Yangon was a small Mon fishing village centred on the Shwedagon Paya, and was called Dagon. However, King Alaungpaya conquered Dagon in 1755, renamed it Yangon. The British captured Yangon during the First Anglo-Burmese War of 1824–26, but it was returned to Burmese administration after the war. Then the British again seized Yangon, and all of Lower Burma in the Second Anglo-Burmese War of 1852, and established Yangon as the political and commercial center of British Burma. The British laid out the new city on a grid plan constructed on a delta, with the Pazundaung Creek on the east, and the Yangon River on the west. In the 1890s, the increasing population and flourishing commerce gave rise to the affluent residential suburbs to the north of Royal Lake Kandawgyi and around Inya Lake. During the colonial period, the British also established hospitals and universities, and Yangon was a mix of colonial buildings and traditional Burmese wooden architecture, with spacious parks with lakes. It is said that by the early 20th century, the infrastructure and public services of Yangon were comparable to those of London. Yangon was known as ‘the garden city of the East.’ After World War I, Yangon became the centre of the Burmese independence movement. In 1920, 1936 and 1938 there were nationwide strikes protesting against British colonial rule which started in Yangon. During World War II, Yangon was under Japanese occupation, and was heavily damaged during the war. The city was retaken by the Allies in May 1945 at the end of the war. Yangon became the capital of the Union of Burma on January 4, 1948 when the country became independent from the British. In the 1990s as the government began to allow private investment, and there was a construction boom with new high-rise buildings being constructed in the city. In 2005 the political capital of Myanmar was moved to Naypyidaw about 230 miles north of Yangon.
Present Day
Yangon is a pleasant city with wide, tree-lined avenues. It is the largest city in Myanmar, and is the country's spiritual, cultural, and business centre, and is where many of the country’s pagodas and temples can be found. The city is a mix of diverse peoples, cultures, and religions, and is a blend of British, Burmese, Chinese and South Asian influences. The atmosphere of Yangon is that of a typical Southeast Asian city, but unlike other Asian capitals, it has not yet been overtaken by rampant development. Due to its slow growth, it still retains much of its colonial architecture, although much of it has fallen into disrepair, and is decaying due to lack of upkeep. Yangon is a unique example of a 19th-century British colonial capital where men and women still wear the traditional lon-gyi, and street vendors, and the sights and sounds evoke an Asian city of the past. It is a city with a population of over five million people, but it is developing slowly. Even though it is a busy and bustling city, it still retains some of the charm of a bygone era.
Future
The Myanmar government has invited investors to submit competing proposals against a Chinese company’s proposal to develop an industrial park and related infrastructure for the New Yangon City project. The Myanmar government’s Swiss Challenge Tender Committee announced that expressions of interest by companies wishing to compete in the “Swiss challenge” tender process to implement the project would be overseen by the German consulting firm Roland Berger. In its announcement, the committee gave interested companies just seven days to submit their expression of interest Yangon — Myanmar says it has received 16 proposals from nine countries, including Japan, Singapore, Italy, Spain and France, to compete against a Chinese company’s proposal for the New Yangon City project, which is part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The proposed project includes public works and infrastructure construction, such as a Yangon River bridge, roads, resettlement, an industrial park, water treatment, sewerage, a power plant and commercial and residential land.
Chaukhtatgyi Buddha
The origin history of this temple is quite interesting. The root cause of the construction of this temple is wealthy Burmese businessman, Sir Po Tha at 1899. Then the construction project was handover to another company at 1907 and finished. But the tragic incident here is, the calmly face of Buddha was depicted as aggressive expression. So, to replace the aggression they planned to recreate the Buddha under the supervisor U Thaung, a master craftsman from Tavoy. The footprint of Buddha consists of 108 marks of signs and zodiacs. Followers of Buddha or Buddhists of Theravada will visit this place for the peace. The monks of the temple will enlighten the people by their orations.
Shwedagon Pagoda
Without doubt, the Shwedagon Pagoda is one of the most important religious sites in Yangon, and all of Myanmar. The golden chedi of the pagoda, which reaches a height of 99 meters, is visible throughout the city, and it shimmers in the sun with its incredibly golden surface. The Shwedagon Pagoda is a very well preserved heritage monument, and a sacred religious pilgrimage site for many Buddhist followers in Myanmar.
The Sule Pagoda
The Sule Pagoda is not only a religious and historical pagoda landmark in Yangon, but it’s also a city navigational landmark as well; It seems that all roads in downtown Yangon eventually lead to the Sule Pagoda. The area is also home to numerous government buildings and offices, and a center for bus and road transportation. The Sule Pagoda is not only recognized and cherished for its long history, but in the more recent history of Myanmar, the pagoda has served as a strategic space for politics, rallies, and protests.
Botahtaung Pagoda
This Pagoda is also affiliated with Theravada Buddhists. The actual Pagoda was completely destroyed by World War II. The famous Pagoda was located at Downtown of Yangon, Myanmar. It lies on the banks of Yangon River. The Pagoda was actually on the site of a hillock near to the Yangon River. The Pagoda was destroyed on November 8, 1943, when the RAF bombarded the nearby locations. After the independence from UK, the renovation was completed at 4 January 1948. The new design doesn’t affect the purity of its ancestor. The Stupa designed by mirrored maze like walkway. The walkway contains the glass showcases which possess the relics and artifacts sealed before.
Taukkyan War Cemetery
Taukkyan War Cemetery adjoins the village of Taukkyan which is about 35 kilometres north of Yangon. It is the largest of the three war cemeteries in Myanmar and contains the graves of 7 Victoria Cross recipients and 1 George Cross recipient, more than any other cemetery. It was begun in 1951 for the reception of graves from four battlefield cemeteries at Akyab, Mandalay, Meiktila and Sahmaw which were difficult to access and could not be maintained. The cemetery now contains 6,374 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 867 of them unidentified. In the 1950s, the graves of 52 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War were brought into the cemetery from the following cemeteries where permanent maintenance was not possible: Henzada, Meiktila Cantonment, Thayetmyo New, Thamakan, Mandalay Military and Maymyo Cantonment. Taukkyan War Cemetery also contains: The RANGOON MEMORIAL, which bears the names of almost 27,000 men of the Commonwealth land forces who died during the campaigns in Burma and who have no known grave.
Kandawgyi Park
The downtown area of Yangon is chaotic, hectic, and there never seems to be a quiet or dull moment. That’s quite the exact opposite from Kandawgyi Park, one of the lush green lake parks in Yangon. There are a couple of different options to take when you visit Kandawgyi Park. On the east side of the park, there are a number of restaurants, including the Karaweik Palace, but also a few other lake-side relaxing restaurants where you can eat and have a drink. The other section of Kandawgyi Park is the lake boardwalk, a nice elevated platform where you can walk or exercise with beautiful views of the lake, the Karawiek Palace, and the Shwedagon Pagoda in the background. If you go in the evening, on a nice day (when it’s not raining), you’ll have a fantastic sunset view of the Shwedagon Pagoda. Visiting Kandawgyi Park is one of the great things to do in Yangon because it’s such a change of pace and a haven of calm in the usually buzzing downtown of Yangon.
999 Shan Noodle
Many visitors to Myanmar don’t realize that the food is simply delicious, as Burmese cuisine has failed to catch on as much as other Asian foodstuffs worldwide. That said, Yangon has an amazing food scene and when you are in town you need to try one of the most famous dishes in Myanmar which is Shan noodles that originated in Shan State. The best place to eat them in the city is in 999 Shan Noodle and this small shop serves up bowls of steaming noodles which are accompanied by vegetables, herbs, and a range of sauces to customize your dish. 999 Shan Noodle is a humble eatery in the city so don’t expect anything fancy but the line of locals eating here proves just how delicious the toothsome delicacy served here really is.
Chinatown
Yangon has a sizeable Chinese population and as you would imagine it also has its own Chinatown. This is one of the best places to visit in the city if you are looking for local markets as well as a whole plethora or barbecue and street food options. Chinatown is located around 19th street in Yangon and this is also one of the best places to not only shop and eat but also take in the pretty architecture in this part of town which is quite different from other locations.
Yangon Lake
If you want to try a favorite local activity in Yangon then you can go down to Yangon Lake (also called Kandawgyi Lake) and feed the resident catfish. This may sound strange but when you get down to the water you will find vendors who sell hunks of bread which you can then throw to the amazing catfish. Be warned that the fish are rather large and if you throw bread to them this will result in a spirited feeding frenzy, but it is also one of the quirkiest activities you can enjoy in the city.
Kaba Aye Pagoda
Kaba Aye Pagoda is one of the prettiest pagodas in Yangon and you will find a peaceful courtyard here that seems a world away from the busy streets of the city. The main reason to come to the Kaba Aye Pagoda is to take in the Buddha centerpiece which is made of silver. Make sure to note that you can’t wear your shoes in the pagoda so you will need to bring a bag with you or leave these outside, which is true of all sacred spots in Myanmar.