Why Visit Yangon? – Explore the Cultural and Historical Beginnings of Myanmar

Buddhist culture, historical tokens, and serene atmosphere are all reasons why Myanmar has always been a bucket-list destination in South Asia. Now that the pandemic is a thing of the past, the country is easing into the spotlight once more. Yangon, once the capital of the country, rolls out the red carpet for travellers who enjoy finer things. This article aims to unveil the things that make Yangon so delightful and intriguing.

Delicious Food

Yangon is a vegan paradise. Burmese cuisine leans heavily on locally sourced fresh vegetables, spices, and herbs. Every dish is a piece of art, featuring veggies chopped up and tossed over the fire, with generous amounts of herbs and spices thrown in. The array of salads available will make your heart happy. If you’re a health-conscious eater, Yangon is definitely the place you should be when you next have some time off. Whether you dine at a fine restaurant or a roadside stall, make sure to try banana blossom salad, aubergine caviar, and Shan tofu soup.

Excellent Hospitality

Although Yangon is still quite new to the arena of luxury, five-star accommodation, the city is home to the likes of PARKROYAL Yangon. If you’re a traveller looking for a hotel in Yangon, Myanmar, with dining options, comfortable rooms, a central location, spa treatments, and experts who can instruct you on how to explore the destination, Yangon’s hospitality sector meets your requirements with offers and discounts. Keep your finger on the pulse, and you’re sure to find a place that checks all the boxes.

Rich Culture

 Shwedagon Pagoda | Image via Wikimedia Commons

The rich heritage of Myanmar is perfectly laid out for all to see in Yangon. The city is dotted with cultural and religious sites, offering culture enthusiasts plenty to do. Shwedagon Pagoda, for one, is an iconic landmark with a history going back 2,500 years – it happens to be one of the oldest Buddhist sites in the city.
Make your way to Downtown Yangon, and you’ll find plenty to see there as well. The Botataung Pagoda and the Sule Pagoda are two sites worth visiting, especially during festivals such as the Thingyan Water Festival and Thadingyut: two important Buddhist festivals in the country.

If you fancy seeing some latter-day attractions, the city has many colonial buildings for you to discover – bear in mind Yangon City Hall, The Secretariat, and the High Court for a complete historical discovery in Yangon.

Cruises

Yangon is affectionately nicknamed the Garden of the East, and rightly so. The city boasts a large lake stretching over 260 acres and a lush nature park. Called the Kandawgyi Lake, meaning the ‘great royal lake’, this lake flows serenely and majestically closer to the Shwedagon Pagoda. If you set off on a night cruise, you’ll see the Karaweik Palace in an enchanting light. You can also cruise down to Bagan, a land of over 1,000 temples.
Plenty of luxury cruises are available to suit all needs, but you might need more than a few days to make stops at all the interesting historical sites you find on the way. However, if you don’t have time kind of time, you could opt for a short flight from Yangon.

Friendly People

Yangon’s people happen to be its trump card. The residents of Yangon make it a welcoming and beautiful place to visit. Did you know that the city is home to over 6 million people? It’s a big number, and they all seem to live harmoniously within the bounds of Yangon while holding up their culture and tradition. Most of them are traditionally Bamar, and they haven’t let go of their roots – you still can see them with a yellow powder smeared over their skin as a barrier against the sun, and the wraparound clothing is a beautiful sight as well.

People here are amazingly helpful and willing to offer assistance at every turn. Plus, their English is really good, so you’ll have no trouble when it comes to communication.