'Exclusive Travel Experience with Myanmar Tourism Services'

Yangon
Yangon, the capital city and gateway to the Union of Myanmar, is one of the most attractive cities in the East. Its fringes are beautiful with pagodas, spacious parks gardens and its atmosphere cooled by the Kandawgyi Lake and Inya Lake. Most of the major Myanmar and foreign companies are located in Yangon. The city is the point of entry for visitors from abroad to Myanmar by air and sea.

About 2,500 years ago, there was probably a coastal fishing village or a trading colony called “Okkala”. After the construction of Shwedagon Pagoda, the settlement grew in fame as Dagon. King Alaungpaya of Konbaung Dynasty founded Yangon when he took the village of Dagon in 1755. He called the settlement as Yangon or “End of Strife”. It becomes a port city and a centre of commercial functions since pre-colonial and colonial days. The Yangon River or Hlaing River gives it color and peninsular look (from aerial view) touching the city in the east and south flanks and the Pazundaung Creek in the west.

Shwedagon Pagoda
Shwedagon means the Pagoda of Golden Glory. It is the emblem and the cynosure of attractions in Myanmar. It is built on the Sanguttera Hill, which is the spur of the Bago Yoma (Ranges).


"The Shwedagon rose superb, glistening with its gold, like a sudden hope in the dark night of the Soul ". (Somerset Maugham)"A beautiful, winking wonder". (Rudyard Kipling)

It is a really impressive monument on earth. Its exact time of origin is hidden in folklore and legend. But Myanmar people believe that it was built about 2,500 years ago. It is in the heart of the metropolis Yangon. The magnificent stupa is plated with 8,000 solid gold slabs and its tip is set with diamonds, rubies, sapphires and topaz.

The amount of gold plated on the stupa is more than that of the gold in the Bank of England.

Around the mighty stupa, cluster an incredible assortment of smaller stupas, images and pavilions. The Pagoda Platform covers 5.6 hectares on the Singuttara Hill which is the spur of the Bago Yoma .The Stupa is 58 meters above sea level. King Okkalapa built the great Pagoda. Its initial height was only 66 feet; King Binnyagyan continued to build it to the height of 302 feet. Some devout kings had made many renovations. The two leogryphs attract the visitors.

Eight strands of the hair of the Buddha and some other relics are said to be enshrined in the vault of the Stupa. A huge diamond in the middle of the Stupa catches the first and last rays of the sun.

Around the mighty stupa, cluster an incredible assortment of smaller stupas, images and pavilions. The Pagoda Platform covers 5.6 hectares on the Singuttara Hill which is the spur of the Bago Yoma .The Stupa is 58 meters above sea level. King Okkalapa built the great Pagoda. Its initial height was only 66 feet; King Binnyagyan continued to build it to the height of 302 feet. Some devout kings had made many renovations. The two leogryphs attract the visitors.

The Pagoda had suffered from earthquakes no less than eight times in 1564, 1611, 1628, 1649, 1664, 1769, 1888, and 1914, and from a serious fire in 1931.

Sule Pagoda
The word “Sule” derives from the Mon word Kyaik Athok, meaning the Pagoda where the sacred hair is enshrined. The Sule Pagoda is in the heart of the City, amid the rush and bustle of the busiest sector of the city. It is a center of pilgrimage of devotees from all over the country. The Sule Pagoda was built by a Court Minister Maha Thrua in the year 235 Buddhist Era or about 2,200 years ago.A strand of hair and other relics of the Lord Buddha were enshrined in the Pagoda.

Bogyoke Aung Sun Market
Bogyoke Aung San Market (known as Scott Market) is one of the most popular markets in Yangon and Myanmar as well. A wide variety of souvenirs and handicrafts are available at this market attracting not only locals but also foreigners. Myanmar ruby, sapphire, jade and pearl are highly popular for their best quality.

Botataung Pagoda
The Botataung Pagoda means the Pagoda guarded by one thousand vanguards .Unfortunately, the Pagoda had been destroyed by Allied bombing during the Second World War, precisely on November 8, 1943. During its postwar reconstruction, a treasure vault was unearthed beneath the ruins. This led to more discoveries of images of the Lord Buddha in silver, bronze and alabaster, and other priceless treasures.

KabaAye Pagoda
Kaba Aye means World Peace, hence the Pagoda of World Peace. It was built in the year 1952, dedicating to the cause of world peace. It is a harmonious blend of the traditional and modern. Both its height and basal perimeter are 118 feet. The Pagoda is a milestone in the world Buddhist history. In the year1954 which marked the 2,500th anniversary of the Buddha's birth, the Kaba Aye Pagoda served as the meeting place of eminent Buddhist clergymen, including primates from around the world to commemorate the Sixth World Buddhist Synod (Chatta Sangayana).

Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda
The Chauk Htatkyi Pagoda is famous for its huge image of Reclining Buddha, built in 1966 replacing the old image built in 1907. The image is 72 meter long reclining and large as the one in Bago. It is on Shwegondine Road. It is housed in a large natal - roofed shed. It is not so far from the Shwedagon Pagoda. There are some fortune-tellers and palmists and near the Pagoda, predicting the horoscopes of clients. It is also a not-to-miss tourist spot, while in Yangon.

Mae`lamu Pagoda
Mae Lamu Pagoda located in the suburb of Yangon with spacious ground where visitors love to stroll around. Known for it's wonderland of spire pagodas and sculptured figures located in a sub-urban town, North Okkalapa. It is famous for the giant images depicting Buddha's earlier lives. The site near the creek of Nga Moe Yeik, was found in the 1950's and the Pagoda was built. Near the entrance the figure of Mai Lamu can be seen. There is a huge figure of reptile into whose belly you can walk in. There is also a figure of crocodile with wide-open jaws.

National Races Village
National races village, constructed by Ministry of Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs is situated in Tharketa Township, on the left of Yangon-Thanlyin Bridge. If one visits the village, he will not only enjoy fresh breeze blowing across Bago River but also get the sense of Union Spirit from the village of our national brethren, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Chin, Bamar, Mon, Rakhine and Shan. One can see buildings with significant symbols denoting various national races residing in the country.

Allied-war Memorial Cemetery
It is about some fifteen miles by car from Yangon. It is a cemetery with 27,000 urns of Allied soldiers during the World War II. It is under the management of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. It is beautifully landscaped and is one of the interesting tourist destinations worth visiting.