Yangon Activities

Yangon offers a few playgrounds and amusement parks for children, as well as an aquarium and a zoo. The more popular playgrounds include Mya Kyun Thar and Mahabandoola Garden, while the View Point Amusement Park attracts the largest numbers of visitors. There are traditional games that children can take part in also, which provide an opportunity for meeting local children of the same age.

Happy World Playground
Close to the southernmost stairway at the Shwedagon Pagoda, you’ll come across the Happy World Playground. Located in Kandaw Mingalar Park, the playground features interesting rides and games for children that include the Happy Train, a Ferris wheel, a small maze-type train and the popular Horror Train.

Mahabandoola Garden and Playground
This popular venue for children is located in the centre of the city and provides a good place for families to relax. There are adequate facilities for children to enjoy themselves including a few mechanical rides at the southern end of the playground, and of course plenty of local children to meet.

Mya Kyun Thar Playground
This unique playground boasts a scenic location on an island in the middle of Inya Lake, making a visit here a treat for everyone in the family. For kids, there’s a range of activities on offer including an indoor games area, bumper cars, a carousel, a Ferris wheel and water slides.

Top Spinning
Top spinning pear-shaped wooden tops is a popular pastime with children here. Boys tend to throw the top from shoulder level, while girls often place it on the ground, hold it and use a string to start it spinning. You’ll find tops for sale in most shops. Buy one for your children and encourage them to join in with the local kids.

View Point Amusement Park
It’s a bit of a ride to reach this amusement park, located around 50 miles from Yangon in Thaketa Township, but your kids will thank you for the effort. There are more than a dozen games and rides to choose from here including shooting airguns, racing cars and riding a roller coaster and space cars. The most popular activity is ‘crocodile waterskiing.’ Phone: +95 1 247939.

Yangon Aquarium
Located at the northern end of the city zoo, the aquarium is popular with locals and tourists alike. You’ll find a number of fish tanks here, and although only a few are labelled, bringing a tropical fish guide book with you will encourage kids to try to determine which species they’re looking at. Caretakers are also on hand, who can provide information.

Yangon Zoo
The city zoo is reputedly the best in the country, and is found near Kandawgyi Lake. It’s known particularly for the extensive collections of animals and plants, which have developed significantly since the zoo’s opening in 1906. Elephant and snake shows are held on Sundays and holidays. Phone: +95 1 223995.

Visitors will find a number of galleries and museums throughout Yangon, which are a testament to the rich cultural heritage of Myanmar. Performances of Burmese classical dance are staged at the National Theatre, marionette troupes entertain at venues throughout the city and several hotels offer dinners that feature traditional music and dance. Karaweik is an immense concrete reproduction of a royal barge that’s situated at the east end of Kandawgyi Lake. It’s quite an impressive sight when viewed from across the lake, particularly at night when it’s illuminated. Traditional dance performances are held here in the evenings.

Marionette Shows
Marionette shows have been a significant part of Burmese tradition since the 18th century, and today shows are held at changing venues around Yangon. Local marionette masters usually change venues frequently, but the local papers have listings of upcoming performances and staff at your hotel will be able to provide you with information as well.

National Museum of Myanmar
Although not at the same level of prominence as other national museums across the world, there are collections of artefacts and cultural treasures housed here that make a trip to the museum worthwhile. Some items date to ancient times with highlights including the 25ft Lion Throne (Sihasana), wood carvings and royal regalia. Phone: +95 1 282563.

National Theatre
Performances of traditional Burmese dance and music, known as pwe, are held at the National Theatre, as are concerts by visiting performance artists from around the world. For listings on what is on offer during your visit, check with local newspapers, or with the staff at your hotel.

People's Park and Museum
The People’s Park covers an area of more than 130 acres, stretching from the Shwedagon Pagoda to the National Parliament building. There’s a museum on the grounds that features life-size models of the country’s ethnic minorities in traditional costume and exhibits on the fauna and flora of the country.

Wingaba Art Gallery
One of Myanmar’s largest and most impressive art galleries, the Wingaba Gallery often hosts exhibitions of works by local artists and their students. The gallery, which is expatriate-owned, regularly features works in oil and charcoal as well as photographs and prints. Phone: +95 1 549376.

Yangon offers great variety when it comes to dining out: the restaurants here feature menus ranging from authentic Burmese to fine international cuisine. The venues vary considerably, from street stalls and inexpensive tea shops to restaurants in elegant settings such as five-star hotels. Most restaurants are open until around 22:00, and it’s the norm here to eat early in the evening.

Restaurants featuring cuisines from other Asian countries abound. You’ll find several Thai restaurants along Dhama Zedi road and Chinese restaurants throughout the city. There’s great variety with regards to Chinese cuisine: Cantonese, Hokkien and Szechwan menus are all on offer. If your taste runs to Indian curries, the best place to head is Anawrahta road near Sri Kali Temple. In a number of eateries here, you can enjoy biryani, dosa, roti and various ‘banana leaf’ meals.

Teashops are popular with the locals as they feature good, inexpensive food. Burmese, Chinese and Indian snacks and main dishes are all available at these crowded shops. Street food is readily available also, and some of the best can be found along 19th street, between Anawartha and Mahabandoola roads. International fast food is becoming more popular with local residents, and a number of major franchises are represented.

Shopping is excellent in Yangon, in both quality and variety. The markets here are reportedly the best in the country. Bogyoke Aung San Market is a great place to browse. Housed in an old warehouse that dates from the colonial period, which is connected with other buildings that are filled with shops of all types, the market makes for a great excursion.

In additional to goods you’d typically find at a market, you’ll also find a wide-ranging selection of Burmese products including hand-crafted items such as carvings, lacquer ware, puppets and textiles as well as antiques and gems. If you make sure to haggle over prices, you can come away with some good bargains. Other markets of note include Bayinnaung, Mingalar and Thiri Mingalar markets, while there are numerous market stalls in Chinatown.

If you’re interested in hand-blown glass, the Na-Gar glass factory in Hlaing Township is not far from Yangon, and is worth the drive. Here you’ll see unique pieces on display and ornaments, vases and wineglasses for sale at very reasonable prices. In Yangon, art lovers will find a selection of interesting galleries. New Treasure Art, for example, features local works in oil and watercolour.

For gems and jewellery, you’ll want to head to very popular Myanmar Gems Museum and Market. Underneath the museum are several floors of shops offering gems and jewellery of all types and prices. You can find some decent bargains here, but it’s important to know your stuff or to shop with someone who does.

Outdoor activities that you can enjoy in the Yangon area range from bird-watching to golf to traditional sports. Swimming is also possible here at hotel swimming pools as well as at area beaches. As the weather is warm throughout the year, enjoying your favourite outdoor activity is feasible at any time of year.

Bird-watching
Myanmar is home to many species of rare and endangered birds. One of the best places to visit if you’re interested in bird-watching is the Hlawga National Park, located 22 miles from Yangon. There’s a lake here where you can enjoy a boat ride, and a mini-zoo.

Chinglone
The Myanmar national game is known as chinglone, and is played everywhere. The object is to keep a small cane ball from hitting the ground for as long as you can, using only your only feet and knees. Two teams of six players play. The game is similar to ‘takraw’ which is played in Thailand.

Gonnyin
Another traditional sport is known as gonnyin. In this game, participants throw fruit stones (pips) in an attempt to knock a target off a tall pole. This is played in Yangon, but is even more popular at countryside festivals, where contestants climb a greased bamboo pole to retrieve a prize attached to the top of the pole.

Golf
One of the courses of choice in Yangon is the City Golf Club, also known as YCDC. Alternatively, you can check out the greens at Yangon Golf Club. All courses in the country have a link to the Myanmar military, so players are mostly members of the armed forces and visiting businessmen, particularly from Japan, Singapore and Thailand. Equipment is available for hire at all courses, and visiting golfers will find the green fees quite reasonable compared to those in neighbouring countries.

Horseback Riding
The horseracing track at Kyaikasan in Yangon doesn’t see much action, but it is a place where you can hire a horse and take a riding lesson or go for a ride around the grounds independently. Riding is also offered at Yangon’s Myayeiknyo Hotel. Ask your hotel for further details.

Kick-boxing
Burmese-style kick-boxing is popular throughout the country, and visitors can enjoy watching the sport or having lessons. The YMCA in Yangon offers a series of lessons to get you started, as does the Institute of Myanmar Traditional Advanced Boxing. The Institute’s programmes are held on Saturdays at Yangon University. Phone: +95 1 514908

Running
Yangon’s Hash House Harriers organise a run every Saturday afternoon. The starting point is the Sailing Club at Inya Lake, with the combination walk and run weaving through the streets of the city. As the run lasts for only about 45 minutes, you’ll see lots of children tagging along. Another group sponsors a similar event, departing from the Traders Hotel and continuing on to the city’s zoo and surrounding areas.

Swimming
You’ll find three swimming pools in Yangon that are open to the public which charging a small entry fee. Kandawgyi Swimming Pool is located on Lake road; Kokkin Swimming Club is found at Sayasan Lan; and the National Swimming Pool is located on U Wisara Lan. There are beaches available as well, requiring a drive to the coast. Kanthaya Beach is located on the Rakhine coast; Maung-ma-gan Beach on the Taninthayi coast; and Chaung-tha Beach is situated west of Pathein.