Yangon Overview

King Alaungpaya chose Yangon as the administrative centre of the lower region of Myanmar in the 18th century, bringing about a measure of peace to the region. After Alaungpaya's death, troops led an attack against Siam, killing the King of Siam in 1776 and annexing lands for Myanmar. more...

Yangon Activities

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. more...

Yangon Events and Festivals

Chinese New Year: celebrations in Myanmar, as elsewhere in the world where this holiday is observed, are held for at least three consecutive days. In Myanmar, the largest celebrations are held in Yangon, accompanied by lion and dragon dances and the sounds of cymbals and drums. more...

Yangon Sightseeing

Located at the heart of Yangon, the Sule Pagoda is reportedly more than 2,000 years old. Until around 200 years ago, the pagoda was encircled by water. The Mon name for the pagoda is Kyaik Athok, which means ‘the temple where a sacred hair relic is enshrined', and it is believed that a hair from the Buddha is enshrined here. The pagoda stands at over 150ft tall. Although tours are not permitted, the architecture alone makes this site popular with photographers. more...

Yangon Transport

Taxis are the easiest way to get around Yangon. You'll see lots of older model white Toyota Corolla taxis throughout the city, which can be hailed on the street. Registered taxis bear red license tags and display the driver's ID card on the dash board. You'll find that most taxi drivers are reliable. Taxis also queue at the larger hotels and at the south entrance to the Shwedagon Pagoda. It's customary to negotiate the fare in advance of your trip. more...

Yangon Travel Tips

Myanmar's currency unit is the kyat, abbreviated as MMR. One kyat equals 100 pyas. The government has linked the kyat to the US dollar, with an official exchange rate of approximately MMR6 to US$1. Banknotes are found in denominations of MMK 5,000, 1,000, 500, 200, 100 and 50; and coins in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 pyas, K1, K5, K10, K50 and K100. From time to time, the government declares certain denominations to be invalid, in an attempt to combat black market trading in the currency. more...