Top 9 famous places & best things to do in Yangon

Yangon, which formerly known as Rangoon, is like a glittering jewel in the center of Myanmar. It is the capital and largest city in this country, with many historical and cultural monuments. Let’s explore Yangon through top 9 famous places (Yangon places of interest), top and best things to do in Yangon and must do in Yangon travel experiences below.

1. Visit Shwedagon Pagoda

The first and most important religious site of Yangon in Myanmar is Shwedagon Pagoda.The visitors can even see the sparkling stupa of the temple from many locations in the city.

Top tips: Shwedagon Pagoda opens from 4 am – 10 pm every day. Many Buddhist pagodas to worship as well as visitors to visit in the afternoon. This is considered to be a wonderful sunset. When you go to the pagoda, you have to take off your shoes, so bring a bag of footwear and put it in your backpack. You should notice that when visiting the pagoda at noon, this time the heat will make hot brick background extremely hot, you need to be careful when walking barefoot.

Shwedagon Pagoda

Address: Bahan Rd, Yangon, Myanmar
Phone: +95 1 375 767
Opening Hours: 4 am- 10 pm

2. Going around Yangon by circle line train

If you do not have much time to wander around Yangon, go to Yangon Central Train Station (Kunchan Road) and take a train ride around the city. From here, you will have a chance to enjoy the panoramic view of the city and the daily life of the locals. The train was built in the 1950s and it did not change much since then.

Top tips: One thing to note is that there is no bathroom on the boat and you will probably have to get off the train to use the toilet in the cottages in the small villages you pass by, or you can go to the restaurants. Even some restaurants allow you to use the toilet even if you are not a customer. Then you will have to wait about half an hour to 1 hour to board the next train going through.The train journey takes about 3 hours to travel around Yangon, even longer if you stop in some villages. The advice is that you should start early, to have more time to explore. However, it usually takes less than half a day to get back to the city center.

3. Visit Kandawgyi

The beautiful Kandawgyi National Park located in the heart of Yangon is the perfect place to look for peace and tranquility, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Top tips: Beautiful lake views at any time of the day. Even so, the scenery most loved by tourists is still the setting of the sunset when the sky changes to many impressive stripes.

4. Bogyoke Aung San Market

Situated on BoGyoke Road, this market was formerly known as Scott Market, a relic of British imperialism in Yangon. Coming here, besides admiring the architecture of the market, the visitors can also buy many beautiful handmade souvenirs such as jewelry, carpets, paintings and wood carvings

If you just want to experience pure local markets, it is a good idea to visit other markets, such as Thiri Mingalar where there are countless products and fascinating food. As for Bogyoke Aung San, it is also an architectural and historical visit.

Top tips: Traditional markets tend to have more plentiful food in the morning than noon and evening. But Bogyoke Aung San is completely different. Here at any time of the day, you can enjoy great food. However, you must keep in mind that the market closes early, around 5 pm.

5. Visit Sule Pagoda

After visiting Shwedagon Pagoda, surely the second temple you must visit in Yangon is Sule Pagoda. This temple is visited by many local people and revered. Maybe you do not plan to visit Sule Pagoda before, but during your Yangon trip, you will probably be passing by because of its location on the main road in the center of the city. So there’s no reason why you would not visit here.

Top tips: Visitors can visit the Sule Pagoda at any time of the day, however, the advice is still the best time of the day.

Sule Pagoda

Address: Junction of Sule Pagoda Road, Yangon 11141, Myanmar
Phone: +95 1 371 561
Opening Hours: 6am-8pm

6. Taking a walking tour

One of the great ways to discover a new city is to take a tour led by indigenous people. Although the streets in Yangon are not too complicated, you will be surprised by what you find out through the useful information of indigenous people. You can refer to the Yangon Heritage Trust that specializes in providing cheap tours, including walking tours with the guidance of indigenous peoples in Myanmar.

Top tips: The tours take place in the morning and afternoon, so you can flexibly arrange your schedule. You can view the tour dates and bookings on the Yangon Heritage Trust website.

7. Enjoying Mohinga

This is a popular dish in Myanmar, usually eaten at breakfast but visitors can find boutiques in Yangon that sell this dish all day. The main ingredients of Mohinga are: chickpea or grilled rice, garlic, onion, lemongrass, banana, ginger, fish sauce, fish sauce and catfish cooked in saturated water and kept warm in Cauldrons

Top tips: You can find this dish in many street vendors.

8. Strand Hotel

This colonial-style hotel may have spent a great deal of money on the trip but really experienced it fully deserved. The hotel has been in operation for more than a century and you will find that the architecture here is fantastic. Besides food and drink menu, especially, the local beer here is also worth a try.

Top tips: Take the time to feel here at every moment of the day: morning, afternoon and evening.

Strand Hotel

Address: 92 Strand Rd, Yangon, Myanmar
Phone: +95 1 243 377
Opening Hours: 24/24
Website: http://www.hotelthestrand.com/

9. Chinatown

Every Chinatown in different countries is full of interesting things. Yangon also has Chinatown and you should spend some time visiting. In addition to feeling the lives of the people here, there are interesting comparisons with the Chinatown that has arrived, you can also enjoy countless attractive dishes.

Top tips: The best time to explore this place is in the evening, feel the lively living space of the quarter and enjoy the delicious food.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to Yangon you can refer to

• Yangon Private Car Charter
• Yangon Walking Tour
• Yangon Highlights Private Tour
• Yangon’s Streets by Night Guided Tour
• Yangon Insider Half Day Private Walking Tour
• Myanmar 4G SIM Card (HK Airport Pick Up)
• 4G GO INTER SIM Card (Siam Center or BKK Airport Pick Up) for Myanmar from DTAC

Are you looking for more Yangon travel guide and top things to do in Yangon: Tours, activities, attractions and other things? Read more: What to do in Yangon? — 10 best, must do in Yangon & top things to do in Yangon.