This former capital of Yangon is the gateway to Myanmar. Founded in 1755 on a small settle ment called ‘Dagon’, the name Yangon, meaning “End of Strife”, was anglicised to Rangoon after the British annexed Myanmar in 1885. The city is home to several attractions, particularly the ancient Shwedagon pagoda and Sule pagoda.

With some five million populations, Yangon is a charming city laden with colourful markets, old colonial buildings and bouvevards. The city centre offer interesting sights of tea shops, street hawkers and 65 year old Chevy  public buses.

6 Attractions Worth Visiting in Yangon

Shwedagon Pagoda

Believed to be built more than 2500 years ago, Shwedagon Pagoda is the city’s prominent landmark visible from miles away. This elegant bell-shaped pagoda is 326 feet high and enshrines eight strands of Buddha’s hair. It is surrounded by dozens of smaller gilt pagodas and shrines that houses Buddha and deity statues. It is known that the crown at the tip of the pagoda stores 2,317 rubies and 5,448 diamonds (one of them is a 76 carat diamond). The pagoda is one of the most revered places in Myanmar, attracting thousands of Buddhist pilgrims from all over the country and Thailand.

Sule Pagoda

The Sule Pagoda is a located in the heart of downtown Yangon near the City Hall. Standing at 144 foot high, the octagonal-shaped pagoda  is believed to be over 2,200 years old and contain Buddha’s hair. The pagoda was made the centre of Yangon during the British occupation in the middle of the 19th century. Around the pagoda are bronze bells of various sizes and ages with inscriptions of the donors’ names and the dates of their dedication. The area around Sule pagoda is a commercial hub filled with fresh markets and countless shops, making it a main shopping centre of Yangon.

Bogyoke Market

Bogyoke Aung San market is situated just within walking distance from Sule Pagoda. Built by Mr. C. Scott in 1920, it is also known as the Scott market. The name was changed to Bogyoke Market in 1947. It is the largest market in Yangon, covering more than 29,000 sqm and housing hundreds of shops selling handicrafts, jewellery, lacquerware, foods and clothing.  The market is open every day (from 8 am to 5 pm ) except Monday and holidays.

National Museum

This five-storey mesuem has a large exhibition of national artifacts of different periods such as manuscripts, traditional costume of various ethnic groups, musical instruments, Buddha statues, Royal regalia and paintings.  Perhaps, the most impressive piece is the 8-metre-high Lion Throne of King Thibaw Min, the last Myanmar monarch. The heavily guilded throne is made of smooth-grained timber adorned with lions at its base. The museum is located on Pyay road and open daily from 10 am to 4 pm, except Monday.

Kheng Hock Keong Temple

Founded by the Chinese Hokkien community in 1800s, Kheng Hock Keong is the largest and oldest Chinese Buddhist temple in Yangon. The temple was dedicated to the Sea goddess Mazu in appreciation to Mazu for her blessings during their sea voyages as well as for their prosperity and fortune in Burma. Nowadays the temple is maintained by the Hokkien Chinese clan association. Located on Strand Road, it houses statues of several deities such as mazu, Guan Gong and Bao Sheng Da Di. The temple is the main site of Chinese New Year celebration and other major religious events such as birthday celebration of various deities.  It is also a popular place for senior citizens to chat or to indulge in a game of chess with their friends.

Botataung Pagoda

The Botataung Pagoda was a famous landmark on Yangon’s waterfront. Located around Yangon River, the pagoda is another place that houses Buddha relics. Botataung, which means one thousand millitary officers, was named after one thousand Burmese military officers who were drawn up as a guard of honour to welcome the relics of the Buddha brought over from India more than two thousand years ago. The pagoda was damaged by a bomb in 1943 during World War II and rebuilt in 1943. The new pagoda is of original design and about 131 feet high. Unlike many pagoda in Myanmar, Botataung Pagoda is hallow. Within the pagoda’s cavity, worshipers can walk along mirrored maze-like hallway to see the relics and other religious artefacts. Other structures around the pagoda are also an interesting sight to visit as well.

Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda

Chauk Htat Gyi is not known for its pagoda but a huge reclining Buddha enshrined in large iron hall. It was originally built in 1907 and, due to its poor conditions, rebuilt in 1957. The construction cost is funded by donations of local people. The white Buddha statue in saffron robe  is about 72 metre long and reveered by Burmese Buddhists. Located near Shwedagon Pagoda, it is open daily from 6 am to 8 pm.