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Yangon
Shwedagon Pagoda
 It
is located just to the north of central Yangon, between
the People's Park and Kandawgyi Lake. It is the greatest
pagoda of its kind in the world, comparable in size and
grandeur to the Angkor Wat of Cambodia and the Boro
Budur of Indonesia. The history of the ancient town of
Dagon is closely associated with the Shwe Dagon Pagoda.
More than 2,500 years ago it was known as Asitanjana and
Okkala of the Mon country. Two merchant brothers Tapussa
and Bhallika went on a trading journey to India. They
saw Lord Buddha seated in blissful Enlightenment under a
Linlun tree (Buchanania latifolia). It was the 49th day
after His
 Enlightenment.
The two brothers filled with adoration and offered honey
cakes, which the Buddha partook. Then they beseeched for
a relic for them to worship. The Buddha passed His hand
over the head and there were eight strands of hair that
He bestowed to them. On their arrival back, King
Okkalapa was pleased to hold a grand celebration in
honour of the Sacred Relics. Then the Singuttara hillock
was chosen to build the Shwe Dagon Pagoda for enshrining
the relics. On excavation they found the water dipper of
Kakusandha, the bathing robe of Konagamana and the staff
of Kassapa the three preceding Buddhas. Hence the Shwe
Dagon Pagoda was enshrined the relics of the Four
Buddhas. The importance of Okkala
 grew
with the popularity of the Shwe Dagon Pagoda as a
pilgrimage centre and gradually the town was referred to
as Dagon. Centuries later, as pilgrims decreased the
pagoda precincts overgrew with shrubs and trees. After
the propagation of Buddhism gained grounds and firmly
established, King Sirimasoka of Suvanna Bhumi (Thaton)
had it cleared and built a befitting pagoda raising it
higher. When king Banya U (1353-1385) came to the throne
of Hanthawady (Bago) he had it enlarged and raised it
higher. His descendents the successive kings also
reconstructed and enlarged it and raising it still
higher. Queen Shin Saw Pu (1453-1472), the grand
daughter of King Banya U, brought a great host of
skilled workers and had the pagoda enlarged and raised.
She donated gold to her weight and was the first to have
gilded the pagoda with gold. Her successor and
son-in-law King Dhammazedi, continued the good works and
among other things donated gold the weight of himself
and his queen for the gilding works. He had a huge bell
cast 8 cubits wide at the mouth and 12 cubits high. It
was installed in a hall at the eastern entrance. This
huge bell was carried away by Filipe de Britto e Nicote
to melt down and cast into cannons. His attempt did not
succeed, as the bell was lost in the Yangon River where
it lies submerged still. Various Myanmar kings also made
major improvements upon it and around it, installing new
Htis (Glorious Crown) and gilding the pagoda and
building rest houses and prayer halls. King Hsin Byu
Shin (1763-1776) donated a new Hti and so did King Min
Done (1753-1778), the second-last king of the Kone Baung
Dynasty. The present government regaled the pagoda from
top to bottom and installed a new Hti in April 1999.
From the covered stairways to the numerous structures
and the pagoda itself, everything about the Shwe Dagon
is permeated with beauty and art born of loving
veneration. It is the holiest place of worship to
Buddhists all over the world and practically the whole
complex is a work of art. Most of the buildings around
the pagoda are decorated with the best specimens of
Myanmar painting and sculpture so that a few hour's
study of the pagoda and its environs can give you a
fairly good idea of Myanmar arts and crafts. Today, the
pagoda has a height of 326 feet and a circumference of
1420 feet at the base.
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Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda
 The
Chauk-Htat-Kyi Pagoda is famous for its huge image of
Reclining Buddha, built in 1966 replacing the old image
built in 1907 by Sir Hpo Thar. It measures 65 meters and
is housed in an iron structure with corrugated iron
sheets roof of six layers. Hence it is generally
referred to as the six-tiered pagodas. The heavy cost of
this construction was entirely donated by the people.
The image is larger than the image of the Reclining
Buddha at Shwe Thar Hlyaung Pagoda in Bago. The
monasteries in the vicinity of this pagoda accommodate
over six hundred monks who study Buddhist Scriptures
from the senior and qualified monks. The entire cost of
maintenance is met from the people's donations. Visitors
to this pagoda can see the 108 distinguishing symbols
engraved on the soles of Buddha's image.
Karaweik Hall
 Karaweik
Hall is one of the landmarks of Yangon, standing in the
Kandawgyi Lake (Royal Lake). This modern architecture is
built in the shape of the mythical creature Karaweik
bird. It has 3 floors including a ceremonial hall. This
wholly gilded building is about 20 years old.
National Museum
Located on Pyay Road, the National Museum has five
floors of exhibits. It displays the Lion Throne, the
Elephant Throne, the Royal Regalia, manuscripts,
paintings, etc. Located on Pyay Road, about a few
minutes away from downtown, the newly built five-storied
museum will let you know the glory of Myanmar. It
exhibits the Lion Throne of the last Myanmar king, royal
regalia of 19th century Myanmar kingdom, artifacts of
various ancient periods, articles of cultural heritage
and archaeological value, art and craft articles,
weaponry, musical instruments and paintings.
Sule Pagoda
  A Pagoda standing right at the heart of the Yangon is
the famous Sule pagoda. The place of the pagoda is used
as a milestone from which locations are measure towards
North. Close to the Pagoda are the City Hall and the
Independence Monument.
Bogyoke Aung San Market
(Scott)
 Myanmar arts and crafts, mostly hand-made, are the
best souvenirs, silver ware, brassware, silk and cotton
fabric, traditional garments, and shoulder bags are some
of the favorite items. World renowned Myanmar rubies,
sapphires, jade and pearls are also available at Myanmar
Gems centre and other licensed Jewellery Shops. Bogyoke
Aung San Market (Scott Market) is the largest market in
Yangon and it is one of the best places for souvenir
shopping. It is a fantastic prewar structure in Yangon
known as Scott Market before. It is the most famous
shopping place in Yangon. Myanmar arts and handicrafts
are best souvenirs available there at reasonable price.
Lacquer wares, wood and ivory carvings, tapestries,
silverware, brassware, silk and cotton fabrics, and
shoulder bags as well as jewelry are some of the most
favorite items it has to offer.
Twan-te
A small town on the Twante Canal and centre for
pottery manufacturing and cotton weaving and it is two
hours away by boat from Yangon located at 24km. The boat
trip itself is a joy and a chance to see rural life
along the canal, which was dug during the time of
British rule in Myanmar a ride on the canal offers
contrasting images; from the buzzing chaos in Yangon to
the provincial calmness of the countryside only a few
minutes outside the capital. It is noted for its pottery
production and cotton weaving industries and it also
affords visitors and opportunity to see life along the
canal. Another interesting site to visit is an old Mon
Pagoda.
Kaba Aye Pagoda and Maha Pasana Guha
The building of Kaba Aye meaning World Peace started
in 1950 and was completed in 1952. The 34 metre high
pagoda also measure 34 metre around its base. Close to
Kaba Aye Pagoda is the Maha Pasana Guha (The Great
Cave), and extraordinary artificial cave specifically
constructed to hold the Sixth Buddhist Synod( 1954-56).
The cave was modeled on the Satta Panni Cave in India
where the First Buddhist Synod took place three months
after the demise of Gautama Buddha. The cave is still
used to hold grand religious ceremonies such as World
Buddhist conference.
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Botahtaung Pagoda
It is a shrine with hollow passages inside to walk
through. The name Botahtaung means "a thousand military
leaders". This pagoda was named after the 1,000 military
leaders who escorted the sacred hair relics of Buddha,
brought from India over two thousand ago. Inside the
pagoda, there are glass showcases containing many
ancient relics and donated artifacts sealed but visible
inside the shrine. The original shrine was destroyed
during the World War II bombing. Present day structure
is built over the old original one. Above this
interesting interior, the golden pagoda spire rises to
132 feet (40 meters).
Myanmar Gems Museum
Located on Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Mayangon, and
Yangon. This Gems Mart display the whole range of
Myanmar ruby, sapphire, Period and a variety of assorted
colored stones, jade, pearls in lots or embedded in
exquisite jewelry, gold ware, silverware and jade
figurines. These are sold in Myanmar Kyat, US$ or
foreign exchange certificates (FEC).
 British War Cemerty
Located at Htaukkyant, about 32 km from Yangon on the
road to Bago, there is a memorial cemetery of Allied
soldiers who died in the Burma Campaign during World War
II. The cemetery's beautifully kept compound has 27,000
tombstones of fallen Common Wealth and Allied soldiers.
The World's Largest Marble Buddha Image
The Loka Chantha Abhaya Labha Muni Buddha Image is
enshrined on the Minn Dhamma Hillock. In 2003, the huge
marble alms bowl the largest of its kind, was carved out
of a monolithic Sagyin marble. Within the walking
distance from Minn Dhamma Hill, there is Elephant House
where the total of three white elephants are kept.
Thanlyin (Syriam)
Thanlyin is located on the bank of the Bago River on
the other side of Yangon. It is used to be an important
trading centre in the 17th century under the Portuguese
colonial administration. The old buildings still stand
as evidence of the Portuguese occupation. The 1822 meter
long bridge spanning the Bago River made possible the 45
minutes drive from Yangon. Places of interest are
Kyaik-Khauk pagoda and Kayauktan Pagoda
(Mid-Stream-Pagoda) in the creek is worth visiting.
Hand-feed fish that come right up to you from the water.
Kyaikkhauk Pagoda
It lies on Ottaringa Hill, Thanlyin, on southern bank
of Bago River, at the confluence of Yangon and Bago
Rivers. In Sakarit 241 it was built by ashin Khawla and
Thaton King Sula Thirima Thawka enshrining six sacred
hair relics of Buddha and relics obtained from the King
of Ceylon (Sri Lanka). It was known as Khawlaka Pagoda.
Later it came to be called Kyaikkhauk Pagoda. It is over
2000 years old, one of the most noted in Myanmar,
revered by kings and the people of successive periods.
Kyaik-hmaw-wun Midstream Pagoda
It lies in Kyaunktan Township, Yangon Division. In
Sakarit 215 King Bawgathena founded the Pada nation. In
238, the king enshrined the sacred hair relic and other
relics given him by mentor hermit and built a pagoda
seven cubits high on a rock platform chosen by the
hermit. It was called Kyaik-hmyaw Gadaw Pagoda. The name
of the pagoda has since been Kyaik-hmaw-wun Midstream
Pagoda.
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