My last day of the Myanmar trip ends in the capital city Yangon. In my opinion, Yangon is reminiscent of old streets you find in Hong Kong and Singapore. It’s more diverse than any other places I went through in Myanmar. 

Read the previous on: One day boat tour around Inle Lake. Where to stop and what to see?

A little Wiki about Yangon 

Yangon also known as Rangoon, the capital city of Myanmar. Yangon boasts the largest number of colonial era buildings in Southeast Asia, and has a unique colonial-era urban core that is remarkably intact.

The colonial-era commercial core is centered around Sule Pagoda, which is reputed to be over 2,000 years old. Shwedagon Pagoda is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in Myanmar. 

However, it feels like Yangon suffers from inadequate infrastructure. Even though many historic residential and commercial buildings have been renovated throughout central Yangon, my impression is that there is a lot more development needed. 

On the arrival on the overnight bus ride with JJ Express bus

We arrived at 6am outside Yangon, on a motorway. It seemed to be a common stop for travellers to visit Yangon from Inle Lake, but the majority were going straight to the final stop near the airport. 

There were many private cars waiting by the motorway to receive travellers. We didn’t have to negotiate hard since the taxi rate was cheap enough. About 40 mins later, we arrived in the centre of Yangon. 

Traffic in Yangon? 

Early mornings or evenings are good but during the day in the centre of Yangon, I think walking to your destination would be faster than a car! 

How to make the best of a half day in Yangon? 

As there is not much time for me to explore the city properly, here are a list of highlights I think are worth mentioning. 

999 Shan Noodle Shop

130b 34th St, Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)

The best Shan Noodle I had in the entire country, the restaurant was compact, but the food was delicious and cheap. It seemed to be quite authentic however it was really busy when I went there, packed with locals and foreign tourists. 

Walking through Downtown Yangon 

Here in Yangon, I simply loved to see these streets, which for me are a symbol of cultural & religious diversity.

ShweDagon Pagoda 

Also known as the Great Dagon Pagoda or the Golden Pagoda, it is a gilded stupa in central Yangon, the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in Myanmar. It is believed to contain relics of the previous Buddhas of the present Kalpa. 

After seeing so many pagodas throughout the country, I still find this Pagoda impressive, especially if you visit in the late afternoon during sunset. It feels quite peaceful for some reason, even though the site is always full of visitors. The sunset bathed the site in a golden light, enhancing the colours along the sides. I enjoyed sitting beside the open areas between buildings, observing people walking by and watching nuns and monks praying.