Blog Your Way to Yangon - AirAsia Simply the Best

AirAsia Blog website held a contest invite people blog about Yangon, Myanmar and winners get free ticket fly to Yangon, Myanmar. I would like to try out my luck in here and take the chances to promote AirAsia Blog to readers. If you want to get more info on anywhere in the World, AirAsia Blog is the best place to visit as many passenger will post their travel story on the site. This is also the place where I gather all sort of information before my trip.

Yangon, or so called Rangoon, is the capital city of Myanmar. Found a unique fact where Yangon is actually a city filled with beautiful old colonial buildngs and mixed with moden concrete houses, it is not the dirt road, third world place I thought it would be. All roads were well paved, good number of cars and businesses abound after search through several site which recommended Yangon.Its impressive colonial and spiritual heritage makes Yangon one of the most fascinating and authentic capitals of South-East Asia.


Another unique fact I found out in Yangon, Myanmar is their people is very simple and humble; You can expect to be greeted by a smile everywhere you go; feel lucky if Im giving chances to meet these people. Just greet them with "mingalaba", a general greeting that they use, and show them your camera and you would have get along with them.

I have found some tips which I feel is important when travel to Yangon.

Preparation items:
1) Apply visa from Myanmar Embassy which cost RM80 for 3 working days. RM150 for 1 working 1 days.
2) Change Malaysia ringgit to USD, later exchange Myanmar currency when reach Yangon, best rate can be find in Bogyoke Aung San Market.Currency used in Myanmar is Kyat (chyat) which has an open market  conversion rate of around 1USD = 1200 Kyat.
3) Book a hotel/guesthouse/contact agency before reach Myanmar as internet access is strictly blocked by
goverment.

Itenaries for Yangon trip:
If I'm giving a chance to explore the beautifulness of Yangon, I'll use following plans as my itenaries which I have search through many web sites on all must visit places in Yangon.
Kuala Lumpur - Yangon - Thanlyin (Syriam) - Kyauk Tan - Kuala Lumpur

Day 1: Yangon
Afternoon: Reach Airport - Proceed to Hotel - Rest
Evening - Visit Shwedagon Pagoda in early evening - 2500 years old the world famous stupa having a beautiful sun-set. This is a-must-visit place in Yangon. Gleaming in gold and decorated with diamonds, the huge Shwedagon Pagoda (also known as Shwe Dagon Pagoda or Shwedagon Paya) in Yangon is a spectacular work of Burmese temple architecture and is the holiest Buddhist shrine in Myanmar.

Day 2:
Morning - Breakfast at Hotel
Morning/afternoon:
- Visit Sule Pagoda to take a photo shot for a panoramic view of city,

Sule Pagoda
- Visit Mahabandoola Park with Independent Monument, have a memorable scene of Colonial Building,
Lunch - Myanmar restaurant
Afternoon:
- Sightseeing at Chaukhtatkyi Reclining Buddha,
- Wood carving workshop, Ruby and Jade carving workshop,
- Visit to White Elephant and Marble Sitting Buddha
Night - Back to hotel rest and dinner

Day 3:
Morning - Proceed to Thanlyin (Syriam) across the Yangon River via Thanlyin Bridge built by Chinese Engineers, an opportunity to see the countryside around Yangon.
- Visit Ancient Portuguese Church (AD 1749-1750) and visit fascinating local market in Thanlyin.

- Hire driver to Kyauk Tan. Visit Yele Phaya (Pagoda on a small island in the middle of the river), a popular 
   place of pilgrimages.
Lunch - Yangon. After lunch, visit shopping at Bogyoke (Scott) market, Chinese Temple, Nan Thidar Jetty
Evening - Visit to Indian town and bustling china town.
Night - Dinner and rest.

Day 4:
Morning - Breakfast, try out local street dishes - Mohingga.
- Visit Inya Lake Park; a favorite hangout place of Yangon University students, and a well-known place of romance in Burmese popular culture.
Afternoon - Visit Kaba Aye (World Peace) Pagoda, Maha Pasana Cave, Buddha Tooth Relic Pagoda and not to forget Glass making workshop.
Evening - Go Yangon Airport back to Kuala Lumpur

Yangon Airport
Transport:
In Yangon, the cheapest transport is buses turns from trucks.Truck bus - If I'm in Yangon, I'll make sure myself try out this truck cars which turn into buses; feel the fascinating experience. Small dilapidated lorries and pickups carry goods and some are customized to carry people. Long bench are put at both sides of the body of the lorry facing each other.


Good Eats:
Will definitely try out Mohingga; rice noodles in fish soup and considered by many to be the national dish of Myanmar. It is available everywhere from major cities, street hawkers to road side stalls.This is a meal for breakfast to many local Yangon people. It is served with rice vermicelli, dressed and garnished with fish sauce, a squeeze of lime, crispfried onions, coriander, spring onions, crushed dried chilli and, as optional extras, crispy fried fritters.




Another must try is Poppy Seed Pancake, Yum; feel the texture of the seeds in when having it your mouth, crushed between your teeth. A different aroma mixed up with your saliva and it tell goes down smoothly and feel the delicious taste.


Avoid:

Another tips get from other websites is traveller advise us to avoid travel by trains as it is expensive compared to buses as foreign tourists have to pay tourist prices and have to book in compartments for tourists.

Reason win free flight to Yangon???
As I'm a Buddhist, Myanmar is a inspiration land to many Buddhist; Yangon being the focal point of the countless pagodas and stupas there. Monasteries and nunneries are everywhere and I would like to take this chances to visit World most Famous Monastry and temples. Would also take this chances to take a good rest as my children are now grown up and is time for me to feel the World and enjoy life.

,
'Simply The Best’

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