*Update: My trip to Myanmar was prior to the military coup that took place shortly thereafter and the country is now off limits to tourists for the time being.

My visit to Yangon was sort of last minute so I didn’t have a ton of time to research places to see before I went.  I ended up sticking with the ones that were on everybody’s lists online that had visited the city and then ended up finding some hidden gems while I was out and about exploring on my own.  The city is pretty big, holding 7 million people, but it didn’t feel like a massive place and seeing it is pretty easy actually in a couple of days.  Most of the areas you’ll want to see are in a couple distinct areas of the city.

I spent two days covering most of the city and then went back to some favorite areas on the third day.  In terms of getting around, I chose to take taxis the majority of the time, as it gets too hot to walk long distances. Take a look at my recent blog posts for more info on taking taxis – you’ll want to be prepared to know how much they should cost as taxis in Yangon don’t use meters.  I was even in Myanmar during the coolest month of the year in December and by Noon, it was too hot to do much of anything outside.  So plan your trip accordingly to know how you’ll be getting around, especially in the afternoon heat.  Taxis, I found, were super easy and cheap and available everywhere, which is why they became my primary mode of transportation.

I would also recommend, however, to go out exploring early in the morning and take advantage of the early morning hours to explore a little on foot before it gets too hot.  Taxis are great to get around Yangon in the afternoons, but I loved my mornings exploring on foot while it was still cool to really see more of the city and take in the atmosphere.  I left my hotel most mornings about 6am and spent the first few hours exploring on foot, which allowed me to see some really cool areas that I wouldn’t have seen just going to and from a destination in taxis.

All in all, I loved Yangon and it easily became one my favorite SE Asian cities.  It’s a really unique blend of different Asian cultures and the history of Burma is a really fascinating one to learn more about.  The city is also rapidly changing and much of the information that I had read before I went to Myanmar, was already out of date.  The city is equal parts brand new and extremely old, run down and shiny and gold.  It’s an interesting mix of cultures, of people, of Asia in general.  The British colonial shadow that still hangs over Myanmar is visible almost everywhere, from the colonial buildings to the locals still speaking English.  It’s entirely different than any place I’ve been in Asia so far and while it felt like little pieces of different places I’ve been all put together, I found the aura of Yangon to be really incredible.  Overall, after three days there, here is my guide to visiting Yangon, Myanmar and everything I would recommend you see while in the city!

Sule Pagoda 

This golden pagoda temple in the middle of a roundabout in the old town part of the city was one of my favorites.  It’s fairly small but it rises out of modern buildings in the center of the city as a sort of landmark, surrounded by large modern roads and high rises.  The best views of the pagoda are actually from the sidewalks on the opposite sides of the street and from the large public park on one side of it.  My advice: go in the early morning while the sun has just risen, especially on a hazy day, the early morning light seems to glow around the golden pagoda and make it that much more magical.

*A note here on crossing the streets in this area (and all areas of the city) – there aren’t really many crosswalks so you’ll just have to gauge when is the right time and go lane by lane to cross the street.  This was another reason I liked exploring more early in the morning as there was less traffic!

Colonial Downtown

This was actually my favorite part of the city and an area that I returned to on my third day. This area encompasses the 5th and 6th wards and basically creates a large circle of an area around the Sule Pagoda. The Colonial downtown of Yangon still holds a lot of old British colonial buildings from when Burma was part of the England’s territory.  While many of them are run down, some are being renovated and updated.  Whether updated or not though, the buildings themselves are beautiful and hold so much history that they are well worth seeing.  My advice for this area is to just wander.  I started at the Sule Pagoda, wandered down to Strand Road and then made a big loop back to Sule Pagoda on foot.  This area is full of locals, setting up markets and going to work and it really gave me a true sense of the city.

Most of this area also has great free public wifi which is pretty incredible considering the history of internet in the country.  I called Nick on FaceTime from the park across the street from the Sule Pagoda and had an amazing connection.

Rangoon Tea House

I was taken to this spot by a local on my third day and after reading about it previously, I was so excited to try it out.  This updated, very hip teahouse is a must visit in Yangon.  It feels like a hip restaurant out of New York City and the food was really incredible.  The idea is taking Burmese street food and updating it, making it more modern and enjoying a meal with shared plates.  We ordered a bunch of items but the potato samosas and the butterfish were two of my favorites.  Also try the Burmese milk tea here, ranging from really sweet to more bitter, I much preferred the more bitter end of the spectrum but order a few different types and try them all!

The Secretariat

This old colonial building that used to house the Burmese government and parliament is a must see.  Do the 45 minute tour here and you’ll learn so much about Burmese history.  I’m not usually a tour person, so I don’t say this lightly, but it was well worth the experience for me to learn more about a country that I didn’t know all that much about.  This building is undergoing a massive USD $50 million renovation at the moment, so only part of it is finished, but our tour guide took us through the sections that are still yet to be renovated and the details in the building, even before renovation, are simply stunning.  I’d love to go back in 2024, when it’s slated to be finished and see the final renovation because I think it’s going to be incredible.

Shwedagon Pagoda complex

I went to the Shwedagon Pagoda complex twice, once by myself and the second time with my parents (who met me in Yangon on the third day) and our local hosts.  I went by myself shortly after sunrise and with my parents around sunset and I will say, I much preferred earlier in the morning versus later in the day.  It was much quieter in the morning and there were way less people which made it more enjoyable to really take in everything.  This Pagoda is enormous and honestly, even visiting twice, I didn’t see even close to the whole thing.  My favorite part though, just wandering, taking it in.  Hearing the monks chanting early in the morning, watching people praying… those are the moments I live for when traveling.

A note on this complex – you’ll have to visit through the Foreigners entrances, which you can get to at any of the four entrances.  You’ll need to have your shoulders and ankles covered also.  I wore long maxi dresses both times I went and didn’t have an issue.  You’ll also have to take your shoes and socks off and leave them at the entrances or put them in your purse and go barefoot inside the temple.  It costs 10,000 kyat to enter and you’ll then go up (either stairs, escalator or elevator depending on which entrance you take) to the pagoda itself.  I went in the South and the West entrances on my visits and the West was way easier as it has escalators all the way up.  A final note as well, I was basically the only foreigner inside the complex when I went in the morning and when I returned in the evening the next day, there were lots of foreigners there at the end of the day.  So if you don’t feel comfortable being the only non-local there, go later in the day versus in the morning or vice versa.

Inya Lake

Inya Lake is a huge lake in the center of Yangon and offers beautiful views.  I stayed right on the Lake at the Lotte Hotel on the West side of the lake but I also explored the East side of the lake where high rises dot the sky as well.  Both sides are beautiful and it’s well worth a visit to each side just to see it. There are beautiful parks and walkways on both sides to take in the views.  Go at sunrise or sunset for spectacular color in the sky reflecting in the still water.

Parks

All around the city, there are a ton of parks and green spaces and it really was one of the first things I noted during my time in Yangon.  From the Mahabandula Park across the street from Sule Pagoda to the huge People’s Park and the General Aung Song Park on Kandawgyi Lake, the green spaces in Yangon are beautiful!

Looking for more information on Myanmar?

Read all of my posts on the country.

*Update: My trip to Myanmar was prior to the military coup that took place shortly thereafter and the country is now off limits to tourists for the time being.

I fell in love with Myanmar on my recent trip to Yangon and while I did a lot of research before my visit, I was still blown away by the city and found very quickly that a lot of the information I had read was already out of date.  Yangon is changing rapidly and in that change, the city is moving forward very quickly.  Granted, if you are going to other areas of Myanmar, you’ll most likely find it very different than Yangon but if you’re headed to the largest city in Myanmar, here’s everything you need to know about visiting Yangon.

You’ll need a visa to enter the country.

Myanmar requires visas for most nationalities to enter the country of Myanmar.  As an American, I’ll tell you the steps I took for my visa but if you’re coming from a different country, be sure to do your own research for requirements.  There are two ways you can get a visa for the country: online before your visit or visa on arrival.  I am not entirely sure if you can do tourist visas on arrival, but I do know that you can do work visas on arrival with the proper documentation.  I opted for the online visa and I applied for it a couple weeks before my visit.  I went through this website and I had my emailed visa within 3 business days.  The process was super easy and efficient.  When you arrive in Myanmar, you’ll go to the Foreigners line and they’ll just scan your visa (make sure you have it printed out) and you’ll be on your way.

The Water Issue + Risk of Food Poisoning

Like many places in the world, it’s still not safe to drink the water in Yangon and Myanmar in general.  Stick to bottled water during your trip and you should be totally fine.  As far as the risk of food poisoning, it’s generally high in this part of the world so take precautions.  Don’t have tap water or ice in your drinks if you can help it (though I did have several iced drinks from reputable restaurants and was totally fine).  Try not to eat salads or foods that would have been cleaned in water and stick to hot foods cooked fresh whenever possible.

Also, in case food poisoning does strike, be sure to bring both Imodium and Pepto-Bismol tablets just in case!

Sidewalks are prevalent almost everywhere, but watch where you step.

I walked a lot while in Yangon and there are sidewalks almost everywhere which is a great, particularly for this part of the world where often you’ll be walking in the streets.  However, you’ll want to really watch where you’re going as there are spots where the concrete is broken or missing and it would be easy to twist an ankle.  I never had an issue, but just watch where you’re going which is advice I’d give to you for most places in the world.

Taxis are super easy to use and are super cheap.

I took taxis everywhere, all over Yangon.  Before my visit, I had read that most people use Grab, an app similar to Uber that’s popular in SE Asia.  However, as I was keeping my phone on airplane mode, I decided to just hail taxis the old fashioned way when I needed them and that worked totally fine.  There are taxis everywhere and you’ll always be able to find one.  Most of the taxis I took were fine for a short drive, though most didn’t have AC and with only the windows down to ventilate, I wouldn’t probably take them a super long distance.  They were however really cheap, costing only about $3 or 5,000 kyat for a 15 minute ride.  Most of my taxi drivers spoke at least a little English, some more than others, but they were always able to understand where I was headed. 

You will need to negotiate a price up front though as they don’t use meters.  I used Grab in my hotel to look up how much the price would be for certain destinations to see an approximate amount and then when my hotel would hail me a taxi when I was leaving, they’d help me figure out an appropriate amount.  I then used the amount I paid driving to that destination to figure out how much my ride back to the hotel should be.  Most of my rides were around 10-15 minutes and they cost anywhere from 3,000-5,000 kyat, depending on traffic and time of the day.  I will say that most of the taxi drivers picking me up at the hotel charged me more than those I caught out and about in the city as I’m sure they figured they could get more money from me if I was staying at a high end hotel.  I didn’t mind paying a little more as they were so cheap anyways, but it’s something to be aware of.

Locals are friendly and won’t hassle you. 

One of my least favorite things about several Asian countries is how they try to hassle you to come into their shops or take their taxi.  I had none of that in Myanmar and in fact, it was the opposite. Everyone was very nice and greeted me warmly as I wandered around.  The Burmese people are incredibly friendly and love Westerners.  I had multiple people say “good morning” to me as I wandered around downtown and offered a kind smile.  Overall, the people were lovely.

I will also add that while I went into this trip fully expecting not many people to speak English, I found almost everyone spoke a little bit of English and I had no issues with language barriers on this trip!

You can pretty much buy any American product you might need at the Yangon supermarkets. 

I wasn’t sure what types of items you’d be able to get in Yangon as the country has been closed off to tourists for so long until recently but I found that the import business is alive and well here in Myanmar.  CityMart is a chain supermarket all over Yangon and is basically an American supermarket.  They even had Oreos and Norwegian salmon…. so yea, you can get anything you need from the West if need be.

Exchanging money is an interesting experience. 

First off, you can only get Myanmar kyat currency inside of Myanmar so you’ll have to wait until you arrive to exchange money.  I had read before my trip that they will only take the crispest of USD $100 and $50 bills to exchange.  I brought with me (2) $100 bills, super crisp and new from my bank back home and (5) $10 bills.  You’ll want to exchange your money at the airport on arrival and they ended up not taking one of my $100 bills, saying it was a weird color.  Ok…. In the end, they exchanged (1) $100 bill and my (5) $10 bills just fine and that was all I needed (actually more than I needed) for my 3 days in Yangon.  I ended up only spending about USD $50 for 3 days for taxis, entry fees to pagodas and food.

Credit Cards

Another thing I had read a lot about before my trip was that nobody in Yangon would accept credit cards.  That wasn’t an issue for me at all as everywhere I went had signs that they accepted at the very least, Visa cards.  Some also accept Mastercards.  I ended up paying for most things in cash anyways, but I usually do that when I travel regardless of where I am.  In the end, I’d say still bring USD to exchange into Myanmar Kyat upon arrival into Myanmar but your Visa credit cards should work just fine too.

Mosquitos

I had read a lot of blog posts about people lamenting about the mosquitos in Myanmar.  While in the city of Yangon, I didn’t have a lot of issues with them, I did coat myself in this mosquito repellent lotion, a staple that I found really useful a few years back when I went to Peru.  It worked for me in Yangon too, especially around Inya Lake, where most of the mosquitos I encountered were.

Power Outages

Another thing I read about a lot in Yangon and Myanmar in general is that their power grid still suffers from rolling blackouts at times.  I did have the power go out at one point while at my hotel in Yangon, but it kicked back on in about 30 seconds which I’m assuming was due to the hotel having generators.  It’s good to know that even as the country progresses forward, even at 5 star hotels, you might still have a power outage or two while there.

Mingalabar

This phrase to greet people, pronounced “min-ga-la-bah” means “auspicious wishes” and will be heard all over.  It’s wonderful to be able to say it back to people or to greet people while out and about and the locals will love your effort so practice it before you go.

Political Situation and Safety in Myanmar

I didn’t know much about Myanmar before my visit other than the situation that we’ve seen a lot on Western news channels about the conflict between the Burmese and the Rohingya people there.  And while I won’t pretend to be an expert on the situation, I believe the conflict is still ongoing and is a very sad situation from every perspective.  I did find though that the more I read about it and researched it, the viewpoint that we’re getting in the Western news isn’t entirely accurate.  This Youtube video offers a great informative view of what’s going on if you’re interested in learning more.  While that very sad conflict is ongoing, it’s happening far from the main cities of Myanmar and as tourists, the conflict won’t affect your safety in the country.  The country is actually very safe in general and as a solo traveler, I never felt unsafe during my time there.  I walked around alone and took taxis alone and had zero issues, in fact, I felt a lot safer than I have in many Western countries.

Looking for more information on Myanmar?

Read all of my posts on Myanmar.