YANGON
Yangon, the most unique of Asian cities is the capital of Myanmar. It was founded by King Alaungpaya on the site of a small settlement called DAGON when he conquered lower Myanmar in 1755. The name YANGON means “ End of Strife ” which was anglicised as Rangoon by the British. Evergreen and cool with lush tropical trees, shady parks and beautiful lakes, Yangon has earned the name “ The Garden City of the East ”.The present day Yangon cover 400 sq.km. and has a population of over 4 million.
SIGHTSEEING IN YANGON
The World Famous Shwedagon Pagoda
The main attraction of sightseeing in Yangon is the world famous Shewdagon Pagoda. Towering almost 100 metres over the city of Yangon is the gold encrusted SHWEDAGON Pagoda--the biggest Buddhist stupa of its kind in the world. Shwedagon Pagoda is the landmark visible from kilometres around Yangon. One of the wonders of the world, it was believed to have built 2500 years ago. According to the legend eight hairs of the last Buddha are enshrined in the great Shwedagon Pagoda.
Shwedagon is studded with more than eight thousand solid gold plates and each plate is of about 30 sq.cm. The tip of the pagoda is set with thousands of diamonds, rubies, sapphires and topaz. A huge emerald sits in the middle to catch the first and last rays of the sun. All this is mounted on and above a 10 metre
hti or umbrella.
From the architectural point of view, Shwedagon is a solid stupa, which has considerably developed in the shape from the great SANCHI stupa in India. Queen Shinsawbu ( 1453-72 ), the Mon queen, is still revered today for giving the pagoda its present shape and form. She gave her weight in gold ( 40 kgm ) to be beaten into gold leaf and used to plate the stupa.
On the pagoda platform are 64 smaller pagodas, innumerable shrines, tazaungs ( prayer pavilons ), zayats ( rest houses ) and the great bells. The Shwedagon Pagoda is open daily from 4 a.m to 9 p.m giving pre-dawn and post-twilight visitors a chance for sightseeing.
Sule Pagoda
Located in the centre of Yangon and surrounded by shops with traffic whirling around it, the eight-sided Sule Pagoda reaches a height of 50 metres. Architecturally, it is a Mon or Lower Myanmar type and solid stupa. It is believed to be built over two thousand years ago and also enshrined with Buddha’s hair.
Kaba - Aye ( World Peace ) Pagoda
The Kaba-Aye Pagoda was constructed in 1952 for the Sixth Great Buddhist Synod
(1954-56 ). The pagoda has a circumference of 95 metres and a height of 35 metres. The Mahapassana Guha or the Great Cave nearby was also built specially for the Sixth Great Buddhist Synod.
Bandoola Park and City Hall
Among the first-grade parks in Yangon, Bandoola Park, named after General Maha Bandoola, is the oldest one ( 1852 ) . The most prominent of the park is the striking Independence Monument laid in 1948. The City Hall, next to Bandoola Park was erected in 1936. It has beautiful stucco arch -pediment in traditional Myanmar architectural style--with impressive figures of peacock, lotus and fire-breathing dragons.
Shopping
Bogyoke Aung San Market ( Scott Market ) is the largest market in Yangon and the best place for souvenir shopping. Myanmar arts and crafts, mostly hand-made, are the best souvenirs. World renowned Myanmar rubies, jade, sapphires and pearls are also available at licensed jewelery shops.
Other attractions
Other places of interests are BOTATAUNG PAGODA, CHAUK-HTAT-GYI Reclining Buddha, KYAUK- TAW-GYI White Marble Image, National Museum, Gems Museum, Karaweik Hall, Zoological Gardens, China Town and Hlawga Wild Life Park.
AROUND YANGON
Bago
Bago, formerly Pegu, located only 80 km. from Yangon, was an ancient capital of Mon Kingdom in the 15th Century. Shwe-Tha-Lyaung Reclining Buddha ( 55 metres long ), Shwe-Maw-Daw Pagoda, Kalayani Sima ( Ordination Hall ), 25 metre high Buddha Images of Kyaik-pun Pagoda and the Place of King Bayinaung are some places of interest in
Bago.
Thanlyin
Thanlyin, known as Syriam in the British Colonial days, was once a trading seaport occupied by the Portugese in the early 17th century. Thanlyin and its surroundings offers many attractions.It is 30 minutes drive from Yangon over the Yangon-Thanlyin Bridge completed in 1992. Kyaik-Kauk Pagoda, Kyauk Tan, which is similar in size and design to Shwedagon and Kyaik-maw-win Pagoda also known as-“ Pagoda in the middle of the water ”-are worth visiting.
Allied War Memorial Cementry
About 32 km. from the heart of Yangon at Htauk-kyant on the road to Bago located the Allied War Memorial Cementry. It was 27000 thombstones of allied soldiers who lost their lives in Myanmar during the Second World War. It is the resting place for naval forces, infantry troops and air fighters of many nations such as Nigerians, Canadians, British, New Zealanders, Australians, French, Americans, Indians etc.
Other places of interest
TWANTE, a small town noted for its pottery and cotton-weaving and LETKHOKKON BEACH the closet beach to Yangon---3-4 hrs drive.
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