Yangon Division

About Yangon

Yangon, the capital city is the gateway to Myanmar. It has many evergreens, cool tropical trees, shady parks and beautiful Lakes. Yangon was founded by king Alaungpaya on the site of a small village called Dagon when he conquered Lower Myanmar in 1755.The name Yangon means "End of Strife". The name was later anglicized to "Rangoon". The present day Yangon covers over 350 sq.km. and has a population of over 5 million people.

Shwedagon Pagoda

Shwedagon Pagoda is one of the ancient wonders of the world, with a 98- meters high golden stupa rises majestically over the city like a beacon of glory. When it was built 2,500 years ago, the Shwedagon was enshrined with hair relics of the Buddha. The glory of the Shwedagon comes not from it's material wealth but rather from it's 100 pavilions and shrines of traditional architectures clustered on it's platform and the reverence of the devotees. Towering almost 100 meters above the green cityscape of Yangon, the Shwedagon Pagoda is the Landmark visible from miles around.

Botataung Pagoda

The Botataung Pagoda was named after the thousand military leaders who escorted relics of the Buddha brought from India over two thousand years ago. The meaning of Bo is "leader" and tahtaung is "a thousand". It was built almost in the same time as Sule Pagoda and Shwedagon Pagoda over, 2500 years ago. Botataung Pagoda is unique because it is hollow pagoda. There are many ancient artifacts and relics see when visiting the Botataung Pagoda.

Sule Pagoda

The Sule Pagoda is an excellent landmark. It is said to be over 2,000 years old. The pagoda is said to enshrine a hair of the Buddha: its Mon name, Kyaik Athok translates as "the pagoda where a Sacred Hair Relic is enshrined". The golden pagoda is unusual in that its octagonal shape continues right up to the bell and inverted bowl. It is surrounded by small shops and all the familiar non-religious services such as of astrologists, palmists, and so on.

Chauk-htat-kyi Pagoda

Chauk Htat Gyi is standing for the 6-Storey-High Buddha Image. The Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda is famous for its huge image of Reclining Buddha, built in 1966 replacing the old image built in 1907 by Sir Hpo Thar. But it was suffered damage due to climate and world war-2 over the years. In 1957 it was demolished and rebuilt to this structure in 1966. It measures 72 meters and is housed in an iron structure with corrugated iron sheets roof of six layers.

Mae Lamu Pagoda

A wonderful land of spire pagodas and sculptured figured located in North Okkalapa, a satellite town about 20 minutes drive from the city centre. Maelamu Pagoda is famous for the giant images of depicting Buddha’s earlier lives.

National Museum

National Museum exhibits including the lion throne of the last Burmese King Thi Baw and the Mandalay Royal Regalia, a collection of gem-studded swords, jewelry, bowls and many other old cultural things .You can see 19th century Yadanabon Period’s clothing fashions, furniture and other household articles of that time. There is also a palanquin used by king Thibaw's Chief monk. It has a gilded roof with three spires.

Aung San Market (Scott Market)

Bogyoke Aung San Market is situated in the heart of Yangon, on Bogyoke Aung San Road. The market was first built and inaugurated on the present premises in 1926. It was named Scott Market after Mr. C. Scott, the then Municipal Commissioner. Nowadays, it is called Bogyoke Aung San Market in honor of our national leader General Aung San who was assassinated in 1947. Aung San Market is the most popular market and a great tourist destination in Yangon. It is one of the precious colonial buildings you can find in Yangon. This place is noted for it’s variety handicrafts, gems & jewels , other items and become an excellent place for shopping.

Kandawgyi Garden or Kandawgyi Nature Park

The Kandawgyi lake placidly reflect the sky changing color with the time of the day, and the golden spire the Shwe Dagon Pagoda over the tops of the green woods lining its banks. At dawn, the lake is silver, shrouded in pearly grey mists tinged with the pink of the first sunbeams. At sunset, the water looks like liquid-gold, with depths of red fire. To combine the natural beauty of the lake and the sublime beauty of Myanmar traditional architecture, the Government of the Union of Myanmar built a royal barge in the form of Karaweik (mythical bird) in 1972. In ancient times, the barges were used in royal parades, to transport Buddhist Scriptures or covey some regal missive to a distant outpost. Now this become the famous restaurant (for dinner) with Myanmar Traditional culture show known as Karaweik Palace.

Kaba Aye Pagoda

The name “Kaba Aye” in Myanmar means “World Peace” .This is pagoda' name is dedicated. It stands about 11km north of city center. Kabar Aye Pagoda was only built during 1952 for the Sixth World Buddhist synod, which was held in 1954-56.The purpose of such synod is to standardize Buddhist scriptures through international consultation.

Gem Museum

The Gem Museum, as well as being a museum, has many jewelry and gems shops. The museum also holds gem auction several times a year.

Lawka Chantha Abbaya Laba Muni

Lawka Chantha Abbaya Laba Muni is the biggest marble Buddha image curved from single solid marble in Yangon.It was located on Min Dhama Hill and stands 37 ft. high and 24 ft. wide and 12 ft. thick.The official title of the image is the Lawka Chantha Abhaya Lahba Muni Image, meaning "The Great Image to Protect the World from Strife and Bring it Joy and Prosperity".

Allied War Memorial Cemetery

It is located at Htaukkyant, which is about 32 km from Yangon. There are 27,000 tombstones of Allied soldiers who lost their lives in Myanmar during the World War II. Htauk Kyant war cemetery is the largest of the three war cemeteries in Myanmar. It was built in 1951 for the reception of graves from four battlefield cemeteries at Akyab(Sittwe), Mandalay, Meiktila and Sahmaw which were difficult to access and could not be maintained. The last was an original 'Chindit' cemetery containing many of those who died in the battle for Myitkyina. The graves have been grouped together at Htauk Kyant to preserve the individuality of these battlefield cemeteries Burials were also transferred from civil and cantonment cemeteries, and from a number of isolated jungle and roadside sites. Because of prolonged post-war unrest, considerable delay occurred before the Army Graves Service were able to complete their work, and in the meantime many such graves had disappeared. However, when the task was resumed, several hundred more graves were retrieved from scattered positions throughout the country and brought together here. The cemetery now contains 6,374 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 867 of them unidentified.

Thanlyin / Syriam

Thanlyin / Syriam is a one hour drive from Yangon across Myanmar Long Bridge. The ruins of an 18th century Portuguese church is found in the town of Thanlyin.Also of interest is the Yelepaya Pagoda, which is unique because it is located tiny island in the middle of a river.

Lekhokone

Lekhokone has some of Myanmar's most unspoiled and beautiful beach resorts.They are close to Yangon.

Twante

Twante is a small town noted for its pottery and cotton-weaving and for the Mon Pagoda complex. Twante is situated on the Twante Canal. The town, which is an easy day-trip from Yangon, is an interesting glimpse of life on and along the famous Twante canal, which was dug during the colonial era as a short cut across the Ayeyarwaddy. river.