Before deciding to visit Myanmar we did quite a bit of research into the potential impact of a visit to this military dictatorship. Starting in the mid-1990s, anti-government activists both inside and outside of Myanmar called for a tourism boycott of the country. Now, however, as things seem to slowly open up in this isolated country, leaders generally encourage outsiders to visit. Aung San Suu Kyi herself, one of the most fiercely anti-government activists in the country, was once in favor of the boycott, but now supports informed, responsible tourism. With this in mind, we were leaning toward visiting this less-visited country. When we found out Patrick’s friend Brett was living in Yangon, our decision was made, and we booked a flight from Kuala Lumpur.
Yangon (formerly known as Rangoon), a sprawling city of 5 million, was the capital of Myanmar until 2005 when the government decided to build a new capital city further north. We were here twice, capping our three weeks in Myanmar. The city is a little grimy and chaotic, but no more so than many cities we visited on the Indian sub-continent, and we liked the lively international feel of the city. Our first time through we went straight to the guesthouse where Brett was staying. After a little catching up we headed to a fundraiser put on by some of Brett’s students benefiting war-torn Kachin communities in northern Myanmar. Through music, art, and comedy young Burmese were standing up for their countrymen. Though mild by international standards, their protests seemed quite brave in a country with a government that has little tolerance for dissent.
We spent our next day visiting the nearby town of Bago, the former capital of the Mon people of southern Myanmar, and its numerous pagodas and temples with Brett. Shwethalyaung, the long reclining Buddha with jeweled feet and Shwemawdaw Paya, an outstanding golden stupa, were some of our favorites.
On our second time through Yangon we did most of our sightseeing. The highlight of Yangon is Shwedagon Paya, which we visited with an entertaining guide. At the center of the complex is the iconic stupa, covered in gold leaf and partially encrusted in diamonds and other gems. The stupa is impressive up close and adds a beautiful silhouette to Yangon’s skyline. The stupa is surrounded by 82 other temples, shrines, and pagodas with lots of hidden gems we wouldn’t have noticed without our guide, “Mr. Kind.”
While in Yangon we also visited Kandawgyi Lake with some of Brett’s students who happily talked to us about their lives as students. We also visited Sule paya, the gold stupa in the heart of downtown Yangon, and Bogyoke Aung San Market, a market full of Burmese souvenirs and everyday household items dedicated to Aung San Suu Kyi’s father, the leader of the movement that gained Burmese independence from the British Empire in 1948. In the evenings, Brett took us to some of his favorite restaurants where we ate great Burmese and Indian food, and bars where we drank the local beer, appropriately named “Myanmar,” among friendly, if often very-underage, Burmese people. It was really great to see Brett and a relief to have an expert to introduce the country to us, including its sometimes strange customs (for example money-changing, which is traded on a black market, involves dodging swarms of street hustlers, and knowing where you can negotiate the best rate!).
Click on the photo below for our Yangon photo album.
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