What to See in Yangon - Myanmar's Largest City, Yangon, Myanmar

Yangon (or Rangoon), Myanmar's former capital is still the largest city in the country and important economic as well as cultural center. Comparing to Bagan, Mandalay or the rest of Myanmar, Yangon seems to be a really modern, culturally diverse metropolis with over 5 million inhabitants. You'll find Burmese, British and Chinese influences at every corner. Colonial buildings, pagodas, churches and Chinese markets are strewn around the center. Although the city is huge, you'll be able to see a lot in just one day - the most impressive monuments and sights (like Shwedagon Pagoda or Sule Pagoda) are within walking distance from one another.

Most of travelers usually skip Yangon and instead go straight to Mandalay - the city which has the more "old Burmese" style and is the gateway to the famous ancient site with thousands of temples - Bagan (I've described it here). I came to Yangon by overnight bus from Bagan - you can also choose to travel by train which is supposedly a real adventure. I was warned, however, that it's totally unreliable so me and my friends decided to opt for the bus. The fare was around 15 EUR (16.50 USD). It was one of the most comfortable buses ever. It had only 3 inclinable seats per row - big, soft and comfy. Strangely, the buses for tourists in Asia are really nice, contrary to some opinions on trip advisor etc. - people warning not to use the overnight buses due to road conditions. Luckily, nothing happened during our journey - and it was way more pleasant than traveling on an ordinary coach in Europe! ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).