"Secret Corners" Rangoon by Hewer

Rangoon Travel Guide: 529 reviews and 1,318 photos

Comparisons are inevitable when you visit different cities and here, you'll try to identify what you see and experience with Bangkok, Saigon or even Kolkata. Ultimately you come up empty handed though because Yangon is very much unto its own. Tucked away for so long now, anyone venturing here has usually visited half a dozen big cities in the region already, but it wasn't always so...

Yangon has a population of some 4.5 million people and is usually the first port of call for anyone visiting Myanmar. The city itself makes a very different impression to other cities in South-East Asia. Traffic snakes along the streets and nobody seems to be in much of a rush. There are wide footpaths with shady trees lining the major streets and you can hurry or amble along without having to dodge or weave.

The city doesn't have an atmosphere of teeming chaos that one might expect. As far as capital cities go, it's very quiet. I was up on the 4th floor in the hotel I was staying at and I had a good view out of my window. I could see the streets below and a few shops and teahouses here and there. It felt like I was in the suburbs, but I was actually only a couple of hundred metres from the Central Market.

I stayed in Yangon for three days in January, 2005. The most memorable thing about Yangon for me is the people. There was a consistent barrage of 'hellos' whenever I walked down the street and that in a big city! I had to check this with the front desk of my hotel to make sure it wasn't one big communal in-joke. The people were genuinely friendlier and more curious than in any other places I've been.

Regardless of the time of day and where you are in the city, people will say hello. I sat in restaurants and teahouses and had people ask me to join them. In one case the waiter brought me a note from a group of university students. I thought that was cute. I guess I'd be hesitant to do this in a lot of places but it seemed fairly normal here.

Yangon was also a city of characters. Or at least that's how it seemed. Within about two days we had met (and given a nickname to) about a dozen or so locals. I think it's possible to travel through many countries and pretty much keep to yourself if you wanted to. I think that would be impossible in Yangon. Secret Corners was the nickname we gave a tout at Shwedigon Paya. He tried to convince us that with him as our guide, we could see so many secret corners that we'd miss otherwise. It's a good thing we didn't hire him - no place is worth visiting anymore if it has given up all its secrets .

VTers in Yangon

I travelled to Yangon with my friend Michael (on VT as 'McGregorm') and we were fortunate enough to meet Zin (on VT as 'Zin'). It was great to get some local insights and knowledge. I got to see a couple of places I probably would have missed otherwise. She took us to a teahouse (which became my local haunt in Yangon) and also a local restaurant as pictured here. I should also mention too that I picked up some great DVDs at the local video shop. Don't buy your films in Thaialnd of Malaysia, get them in Myanmar - the quality is way better!

Pros and Cons

Pros:Teahouses and cost of living
Cons:Cockroaches, closing times
In a nutshell:Early to bed, early to rise

Last visit to Rangoon: Jan 2005
Intro Updated Oct 6, 2006
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Reviews (15)

Cinema Things to Do (3)

Bollywood films are the order of the day if you're planning to go to the movies in Yangon. For some films there are... more travel advice

Green City Favorites (2)

Yangon is a green city with wide open streets. The main thoroughfares are all lined with trees and it feels more like a... more travel advice

Market Shopping! Shopping (1)

Bogyoke Market is a loosely connected block of shops and stalls in the heart of Yangon near the main railway station.... more travel advice

Manual Traffic Lights Local Customs (5)

The flow of traffic is manually controlled in Yangon. At each major intersection you will notice what looks like a... more travel advice

Tourist Traps (2)
See All Secret Corners
Transportation (1)
Taxis

Hotels (1)
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Comments (5)

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MikeStarr5 Nov 27, 2007 at 6:36 AM

Lots of excellent pics and tons of really useful information - You get a 5 star rating from me on nearly every one - Well Done - MikeStarr5 in sunny "Barking Town"
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sprdak11 Feb 21, 2006 at 7:10 AM

Interesting page. Greetings.
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Jim_Eliason Apr 24, 2005 at 5:10 PM

Nice page!
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AyurinHiro Feb 26, 2005 at 8:48 PM

We will be in Yangon next month! Wow, we are so excited.... Your Shwedagon pagoda photo is shining! Beautiful :-)
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bijo69 Jan 24, 2005 at 4:41 PM

Excellent start! I really would love to go there again one day...