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Yangon

Yangon is a historical city and one of the most well-known cities in the country. Yangon was Myanmar’s administrative capital before Nay Pyi Taw was named as the capital city. Yangon is the country’s most prominent commercial centre as well as the largest city of the country with a population of more than 7 million people. The name ‘Yangon’ is a combination of the Burmese words ‘Yan’ meaning ‘enemies’ and ‘Koun’ meaning ‘run out of’. The combination of words commonly translates as ‘End of Strife’. During the colonial era, Yangon was called ‘Rangoon’. Till the mid-1990s, Yangon mostly had a traditional setting. As people started moving in, a necessity to expand the area of the city was felt. The city grew rapidly towards the north where the Yangon International Airport is located now. Bustling and exciting, a visit to the city will take you to colonial structures prominently dotting the landscape in downtown Yangon.

Travel Guides

1. Transportation:

1.2. How to get there?
  • Yangon has a large international airport which is well-connected with the rest of the world. You can fly to Yangon from almost all domestic airports in the country. The flight time from Mandalay is around two and a half hours, Bagan is around an hour and fifteen minutes and Nay Pyi Taw is fifty five minutes.
  • Taxis are available in abundance in Yangon with service companies offering competitive deals and drivers who speak in English. You can take a bus to reach to roam around in Yangon. You can also opt for the environmental-friendly trishaw service.
  • Train services are available from Mandalay (14 hours), Bagan (17 hours) and Inle (more than a day) to Yangon. The Yangon Circular Train takes you through Yangon’s rural landscape in just three hours.

Places Of Interest

Yangon is a multi-faceted city with a lot to explore. We strongly suggest keeping some time in enjoy the beauty of this historic city. Visit the gardens, wildlife parks, lakes filled with various flora and fauna, colonial-era buildings and much more when you are here. Yangon is famous for its colonial-era buildings which are best explored by foot or on trishaws. Yangon has some of the most beautiful churches in the country which you cannot miss. Yangon also houses some of the most famous pagodas of the country. In fact, you will find one pagoda in almost every corner of the city. Myanmar’s most sacred and popular pagoda, Shwedagon Pagoda is located here and is a must visit in any itinerary of Yangon. Be mesmerized by this landmark and also spend some time immersed in the peaceful culture of the pagoda. Yangon also has a number of museums and historical sites where you can witness traditional artifacts and understand the rich culture of Myanmar.

Kandawgyi Lake, The Royal Lake is located in the center of Yangon, to the east of the Shwedagon Pagoda. It is an artificial lake built in the British colonial era. Beautiful scenery and a great place to watch the sunset. The Royal Lake has a circumference of about 5 kilometers, a water depth of 50-115 cm, and an area of 60.7 hectares. It communicates with Inya Lake in the north of the city through underground pipes to supplement the water source. The Royal Lake is mainly used to supply clean water to the urban area. The entire lake is surrounded by the 110-hectare Royal Nature Park (KandawgyiNaturePark) and the 69.25-hectare Yangon Zoo (YangonZoologicalGardens).

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