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Yangon, Myanmar – Here's Why You Really Need To Get There Now. Chinese temple in Yangon, Myanmar (Burma). Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

Yangon, Myanmar – Here’s Why You Really Need To Get There Now

Yangon really is having its moment. If you believe everything you read, it’s been time to go to Myanmar – or Burma, as some still prefer to call it – since its initial opening-up by the former military regime in 2011. But we believe now really is the time to go and here’s why.

We have to admit that we’re smitten with Myanmar and its most cosmopolitan city Yangon. We became besotted when we spent a month in the country early last year updating a guidebook and fell head of heels when we were there a few months ago working on a story on mohinga, Myanmar’s morish breakfast noodles. Yet, it’s a challenge convincing people to go and I’m not sure why.

With the return to democracy following the election late last year of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, and a sense of optimism and energy that came with it, now really is the time to go. And the place to start is Yangon, formerly known as Rangoon, a city that sets to change, and possibly quite quickly.

Update 2022: Clearly now is not the time to visit Myanmar due to the change in government and ongoing troubles. We’re leaving this post up so you can keep Yangon and Myanmar on your to-do list for the future.

Yangon, Here’s Why You Need To Get There Now

The Burmese Empire may have been one of Southeast Asia’s greatest, with a rich 2000-year-old heritage of architecture, literature and the arts, when it fell to the British in early 19th century. However, that history and wealth lay in the centre and north of the country in Bagan and Mandalay.

When the first Englishman to visit Burma, Ralph Fitch, arrived in 1587, Rangoon was just a diminutive fishing village, dominated by the gleaming, gilded Shwedagon Pagoda. It was under British rule, from 1824 to 1948, that the majestic edifices that line Yangon’s streets were built.

Perhaps the most iconic structure was the colossal brick Secretariat building, where in 1947 General Aung San, the father of modern Myanmar and father of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, was assassinated. The Secretariat was recently opened to the public for the first time in decades on 19 July, but only for one day – Martyr’s Day, the day that commemorates General Aung San’s death.

It was under the military junta, which took power and ruled the country from 1962 to 2011, that 35% of central Yangon or some 1,800 buildings were demolished, according to the Yangon Heritage Trust, to create space for swanky new developments. A preservation project has been underway and now, under the newly elected democratic government, there are real hopes that the 189 historic buildings that remain will be saved.

As part of a crackdown on rampant high-rise construction, which would over-shadow Yangon’s splendid heritage architecture, the government halted construction of buildings over eight floors in May, and last week ordered that a number of building projects to reduce its floors.

There are hopes in Yangon for a whole lot more change too and a renewed sense of optimism, not felt since the semi-return to democracy five years ago, is sweeping the gritty streets of this once grand city. Visit now and you can feel it in the air. No more so than at the city’s beloved pagodas and temples.

When we visited Yangon a few months ago, we joined masses of barefoot locals, dressed in their best outfits, for their Sunday afternoon pilgrimage to Myanmar’s most sacred Buddhist site, the shimmering, gold 2,500-year old Shwedagon Pagoda.

It was impossible to move very fast amongst the crowds, so we joined them in their shuffle around the gilded, bell-shaped stupas, watching as they stopped to arrange flowers and pour water over shrines or kneel down momentarily to light candles and incense sticks.

For naturally shy people, the Burmese are incredibly generous with their big, warm smiles, which form with ease. But now, they are matched by a sparkle in the eyes that I can’t imagine was there under the previous repressive dictatorship.

There is a sense of happiness and hopefulness that is contagious and you see it most at the pagodas where people appear to be at ease and at their happiest. I like to think that they are thankful that their prayers for peace, change and prosperity were finally answered.

The pace of change that slowly began to gain momentum after 2011 – a change reflected not only by a surge in arrivals of intrepid travellers, but also the number of new hotels, restaurants, cafes, and galleries that have been popping up around town – has really picked up speed.

That development and the accompanying affluence is most evident at Bahan township (as the Burmese call their suburbs), where expensive cars are parked in the driveways of handsome mansions and shopping malls are popping up. Home to Shwedagon Pagoda, and a handful of other shiny pagodas and temples, which earned it the name ‘Golden Valley’, Bahan is also the address of many of the city’s wealthier residents, tycoons, military leaders, and celebrities.

In recent years, Yangon has seen all sorts of cool openings, from The Loft, a chic hotel that wouldn’t be out of place in Bangkok or Singapore, to cool cafés, restaurants and bars, such as Rangoon Tea House, Port Autonomy and Gekko that fill with well-off locals, expats and travellers sipping cocktails and tucking into everything from refined French cuisine to creative renditions of traditional Burmese dishes.

Along with moves towards the restoration of democracy has come a relaxation of censorship, which has made it possible for the arts and culture to more fully flourish. On any given night, you might find a comedy show, a band performing, or an art exhibition opening at galleries like Pansodan, Deitta Gallery, Nawaday Art Gallery, and River Gallery at The Strand. Things that were unthinkable during much of the dictatorship.

Yangon has come a long way from its roots as a Mon fishing village called Dagon in the 6th century, when the Shwedangon Pagoda was constructed on Singuttara hilltop. When you visit, make sure to take your camera and tripod to capture the surrounding city as much as the illuminated Golden Pagoda in all its glittering glory, because in another five years it might not be recognisable. Get there soon, because this really is Yangon’s moment.

Some of Our Favourite Things to do in Yangon

Light Incense at Kheng Hock Keong

Heady incense fills the air at atmospheric Kheng Hock Keong, above, Yangon’s oldest Chinese Buddhist and Taoist temple, founded in 1861, where a constant trickle of worshippers light joss sticks and burnt spirit money in a dedicated chimney. Dripping with red lanterns, the ‘temple that celebrates prosperity’ is dedicated to Mazu, the Sea Goddess. The port is across the road, and historically much of Burma’s wealth was thanks to sea trade.

Explore Central Yangon

Glittering gold pagodas, grand heritage buildings and crumbling Chinese shophouses, wherever you look in downtown Yangon, there is incredible architecture to see and photograph. You can wander independently, however, Insider Journeys offers a Heritage and High Tea Walk which rounds off a half-day gawking at Yangon’s colonial gems, from the High Court to the City Hall, with an elegant high tea in the historic Strand Hotel. Currently closed for renovation, the Strand is due to open in November.

Feast on Street Food

Crispy fried samosas, spicy mohinga soup, fragrant curries, barbecued seafood, bubbling hot pots – Yangon’s footpaths, laneways, and busy main roads are crammed with stalls selling all sorts of street food dishes. Sunset is when most cooks set up, but during the day you’ll find vendors selling fresh exotic fruits, fermented tea leaf salad called laphet thoke, and Myanmar’s ohn no khao swè, a creamy coconut noodle soup. We did a fantastic street food tour that we’ll post about shortly.

Shop Bogyoke Aung San Market

Run your fingers over the handwoven, vintage hill-tribe textiles made by ethnic minorities in Myanmar’s Chin, Kachin, Shan, and Kayah states at beautiful shops such as Yo Ya May and Myanmar Folk Art in lively Bogyoke Aung San Market. The colonial-era bazaar in central Yangon is teeming with shops selling colourful fabrics and handicrafts, as well as smooth black lacquer-ware and handcrafted jewellery.

Have you been to Yangon? Do you have any tips to share? Or, what I’m more curious to know, have you considered it but not yet gone and if so, what’s holding you back?

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About Lara Dunston

A travel and food writer who has experienced over 70 countries and written for The Guardian, Australian Gourmet Traveller, Feast, Delicious, National Geographic Traveller, Conde Nast Traveller, Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia, DestinAsian, TIME, CNN, The Independent, The Telegraph, Sunday Times Travel Magazine, AFAR, Wanderlust, International Traveller, Get Lost, Four Seasons Magazine, Fah Thai, Sawasdee, and more, as well as authored more than 40 guidebooks for Lonely Planet, DK, Footprint, Rough Guides, Fodors, Thomas Cook, and AA Guides.

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Comments

  1. Nikki says

    July 25, 2016 at 2:28 pm

    Ooh I haven’t been to Kheng Hock Keong yet! Will try to get there ASAP! Obviously Shwedagon, I love it there in the run up to sunset, the wet market on 26th street is fun to visit too but then there are little street side markets everywhere. I love walking around downtown and just admiring all the beautiful old architecture, as well as the hustle and bustle of daily life!

  2. Lara Dunston says

    July 25, 2016 at 6:48 pm

    I thought all you did was eat in Yangon! ;) Yes, you must get to the Chinese temple. It’s so charming. I could write a post just on that. All the old blokes sitting around reading their newspapers, playing games, and having a chin-wag are very cute. And of course it’s all full of incense and lots of activity. Thanks for dropping by! x

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Lara and Terence are an Australian-born, Southeast Asia-based travel and food writers and photographers who have authored scores of guidebooks, produced countless travel and food stories, are currently developing cookbooks and guidebooks, and host culinary tours and writing and photography retreats in Southeast Asia.
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Still looking for Christmas cooking inspo? Check o Still looking for Christmas cooking inspo? Check out our seafood recipe collection, especially if you celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve with a fish focused meal in the Southern Italian tradition, transformed by Italian-Americans into the Feast of the Seven Fishes, or like Australians, who celebrate Christmas in the sweltering summer, feast on seafood for Christmas Day lunch, we’ve got lots of easy seafood recipes for you.

Our recipes include a classic prawn cocktail, blini with smoked salmon, a ceviche-style appetiser, and devilled eggs with caviar. We’ve also got recipes for fish soup, seafood pies and pastas, salmon tray bake, and crispy salmon with creamy mashed potatoes.

You’ll find the recipes here: https://grantourismotravels.com/seafood-recipes-for-christmas-eve-and-christmas-day-menus/
(Link in bio if you’re seeing this on IG)

Merry Christmas if you’re celebrating!! 

#christmas #christmasfood #seafood #fish #recipes #christmasrecipes #foodstagram #foodblogger #food #foodlover #igfood #picoftheday #igfood #igfoodie #cooking #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #grantourismo #grantourismotravels #xmas #merrychristmas #happychristmas
If you’re still looking for food inspo for Chris If you’re still looking for food inspo for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day meals, my smoked salmon ‘carpaccio’ recipe is one of dozens of recipes in this compilation of our best Christmas recipes (link below). 

The Christmas recipe compilation includes collections of our best Christmas breakfast recipes, best Christmas brunch recipes, best Christmas starter recipes, best Christmas cocktails, best Christmas dessert recipes, and homemade edible Christmas gifts and more.

My smoked salmon carpaccio recipe makes an easy elegant appetiser that’s made in minutes. If you’re having guests over, you can make the dish ahead by assembling the salmon, capers and pickled onions, and refrigerate it, then pour on the dressing just before serving. 

Provide toasted baguette slices and bowls of additional capers, pickles and dressing, so guests can customise their carpaccio. And open the bubbly!

You’ll find that recipe and many more Christmas recipes here: https://grantourismotravels.com/best-christmas-recipes/ (link in bio if you’re seeing this on IG)

Merry Christmas!! X

#christmas #christmasfood #recipes #christmasrecipes #foodstagram #salmon #smokedsalmon #foodblogger #food #foodlover #igfood #picoftheday #igfoodie #cooking #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #writingacookbook #grantourismo #grantourismotravels 
#xmas #merrychristmas #happychristmas
If you haven’t visited our site in a while, I sh If you haven’t visited our site in a while, I shared a collection of recipes for homemade edible Christmas gifts — for condiments, hot sauces, chilli oils, a whole array of pickles, spice blends, chilli salt, furakake seasoning, and spicy snacks, such as our Cambodian and Vietnamese roasted peanuts. 

I love giving homemade edibles as gifts as much as I love receiving them. Who wouldn’t appreciate jars filled with their favourite chilli oils, hot sauces, piquant pickles, and spicy peanuts that loved-ones have taken the time to make? 

Aside from the gesture and affordability of gifting homemade edibles, you’re minimising waste. You can use recycled jars or if buying new mason jars or clip-top Kilner jars, you know they’ll get repurposed.

No need for wrapping, just attach some Christmas baubles or tinsel to the lid. I used squares of Cambodian kramas (cotton scarves), which can be repurposed as napkins or drink coasters, and tied a ribbon or two around the lids, and attached last year’s Christmas tree decorations to some.

You’ll find the recipes here: https://grantourismotravels.com/homemade-edible-christmas-gifts/ (link in bio if you’re seeing this on IG)

Yes, that’s Pepper... every time there’s a camera around... 

#christmasgiftideas #ediblegifts ##christmasfoodgifts #foodgifts #giftideas #homemadegifts #christmasfood #ediblegiftideas #hotsauce #chillisauce #sriracha #pickles #homemadepickles #recipes #foodstagram #foodblogger #food #foodlover #igfood 
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This crab omelette is a decadent eggs dish that’ This crab omelette is a decadent eggs dish that’s perfect if you’re just back from the fish markets armed with luxurious fresh crab meat. It’s a little sweet, a little spicy, and very, very moreish.

Our crab omelette recipe was one of our 22 most popular egg recipes of 2022 on our website Grantourismo and it’s no surprise. It’s appeared more times than any other egg recipes on our annual round-ups of most popular recipes since Terence launched Weekend Eggs when we launched Grantourismo in 2010.

If you’re an eggs lover, do check out the recipe collection. It includes egg recipes from right around the world, from recipes for classic kopitiam eggs from Singapore and Malaysia and egg curries from India and Myanmar to all kinds of egg recipes from Thailand, Japan, Korea, China, Mexico, USA, Australia, UK, and Ireland.

And do browse our Weekend Eggs archives for further eggspiration (sorry). We have hundreds of egg recipes from the 13 year-old series of recipes for quintessential egg dishes from around the world, which we started on our 2010 year-long global grand tour focused on slow, local and experiential travel. 

We’re hoping 2023 will be the year we can finally publish the Weekend Eggs cookbook we’ve talked about for years based on that series. After we can find a publisher for the Cambodia cookbook of course... :( 

Recipe collection here (and proper link to Grantourismo in our bio):
https://grantourismotravels.com/22-most-popular-egg-recipes-of-2022-from-weekend-eggs/

If you cook the recipe and enjoy it please let us know — we love to hear from you — either in the comments at the end of the recipe or share a pic with us here.

#recipe #recipes #eggs #eggslover #breakfasteggs #WeekendEggs #egg #breakfast #brunch #igfood #igfoodie #cooking #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood  #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #lookingforapublisher #writingacookbook  #grantourismo #grantourismotravels
I’m late to share this, but a few days ago Angko I’m late to share this, but a few days ago Angkor Archaeological Park, home to stupendous Angkor Wat, pictured, celebrated 30 years of its UNESCO World Heritage listing. 

That’s as good an excuse as any to put this magnificent, sprawling archaeological site on your travel list this year.

While riverside Siem Reap, your base for exploring Angkor is bustling once more, there are still nowhere near the visitors of the last busy high season months of December-January 2018-2019 when there were 290,000 visitors. 

Last month there were just 55,000 visitors and December feels a little quieter. A tour guide friend said there were about 150 people at Angkor Wat for sunrise a few days ago.

If you’re looking for tips to visiting Angkor, Siem Reap and Cambodia, just ask us a question in the comments below or check Grantourismo as we’ve got loads of info on our site. Click through to the link in the bio and explore our Cambodia guide or search for ‘Angkor’. 

And please do let us know if you’re coming to Siem Reap. We’d love to see you here x

#siemreap #cambodia #asia #travel #instatravel #traveldeeper #slowtravel #localtravel #experientialtravel #exploremore #neverstopexploring #goexplore #igtravel #angkorwat #angkor #temple #temples #angkorwithoutcrowds #unesco #unescoworldheritagesite #unescoworldheritage #archaeology #archaeologicalsite #traveladdict #beautifuldestinations #beautifulplaces #travelgram #wanderlust #picoftheday📷 #grantourismotravels.
Our soy ginger chicken recipe will make you sticky Our soy ginger chicken recipe will make you sticky, flavourful and succulent chicken thighs that are fantastic with steamed rice, Chinese greens or a salad, such as a Southeast Asian slaw. 

The chicken can be marinated for up to 24 hours before cooking, which ensures it’s packed with flavour, then it can be cooked on a barbecue or in a pan.

Terence’s soy ginger chicken recipe is one of our favourite recipes for a quick and easy meal. I love the sound of the sizzling thighs in the pan, and the warming aromas wafting through the apartment. 

It’s amazing how such flavourful juicy chicken thighs come from such a quick and easy recipe.

Recipe here (and proper link to Grantourismo in our bio): https://grantourismotravels.com/soy-ginger-chicken-recipe/

If you cook it and enjoy it please let us know — we love to hear from you — either here or in the comments at the end of the recipe on the site or share a pic with us x 

#recipe #recipes #chicken #soygingerchicken #asianfood #southeastasianfood #igfood #igfoodie #cooking #cookingtime #recipe #recipes #comfortfood #foodblog #food #foodstagram #healthyfood #instafood #healthy #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #writingacookbook #grantourismo #grantourismotravels
Who can guess the ingredients and what we’re mak Who can guess the ingredients and what we’re making with my market haul from Psar Samaki in Siem Reap — all for a whopping 10,000 riel (US$2.50)?! 

Birds-eye chillies thrown in for free! They were on my list but the seller I spent most at (5,000 riel!) scooped up a handful and slipped them into my bag. She was my last stop and knew what I was making.

My Khmer is poor, even after all our years in Cambodia, as I don’t learn languages with the ease I did in my 20s, plus I’m mentally exhausted after researching and writing all day. I have a better vocabulary of Old and Middle Khmer than modern Khmer from studying the ancient inscriptions for the Cambodian culinary history component of our cookbook I’m writing.

So when one seller totalled my purchases I thought she said 5,000 riel but she handed back 4,500 riel! The sum total of two huge bunches of herbs and kaffir lime leaves was 500 riel.

Tip: if visiting Siem Reap, use Khmer riel for local shopping. We’ve mainly used riel since the pandemic started— rarely use US$ now as market sellers quote prices in riels, as do local shops and bakeries, and I tip tuk tuk drivers in riels. I find prices quoted in riels are lower.

Psar Samaki is cheaper than Psar Leu, which is cheaper than Psar Chas, as it’s a wholesale market, which means the produce is fresher. I see veggies arriving, piled high in the back of vehicles, with dirt still on them — as I did on this trip. 

The scent of a mountain of incredibly aromatic pineapples offloaded from the back of a dusty ute was so heady they smelt like they’d just been cut. More exotic European style veggies arrive by big trucks in boxes labelled in Vietnamese (from Dalat) and Mandarin (from China), such as beautiful snow-white cauliflower I spotted.

Note: the freshest produce is sold on the dirt road at the back of the market.

#cambodia #siemreap #foodwriter #foodblogger #foodphotography #igfood #foodstagram #instafood #instafoodie #foodie #instadaily #picoftheday #market #siemreapmarket #psarsamaki #marketfresh #vegetables #healthyfood #marketshopping #traveltips #foodtravel #culinarytravel #localtravel #cooking #cookingtime #curry #homemade #currypaste #grantourismotravels
My Vietnamese-ish meatballs and rice noodles recip My Vietnamese-ish meatballs and rice noodles recipe makes tender meatballs doused in a delightfully tangy-sweet sauce, sprinkled with crispy fried shallots, with carrot-daikon, crunchy cucumber and fragrant herbs. 

The dish is inspired by bún chả, a Hanoi specialty, but it’s not bún chả. No matter what Google or food bloggers tell you. Names are important, especially when cooking and writing about cuisines not our own.

This is an authentic bún chả recipe:  https://grantourismotravels.com/vietnamese-bun-cha-recipe/ You’ll need to get the outdoor BBQ/grill going to do proper smoky bún chả meat patties (not meatballs).

My meatball noodle bowl is perhaps more closely related to dishes such as a Central Vietnam cousin bún thịt nướng (pork skewers on rice noodles in a bowl) and a Southern relation bún bò Nam Bộ (beef atop rice noodles, sprinkled with fried shallots (Nam Bộ=Southern Vietnam) though neither include meatballs. 

Xíu mại= meatballs although they’re different in flavour to mine, which taste more like bún chả patties. Xíu mại remind me of Southern Italian meatballs in tomato sauce.

In Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, home to millions of Khmer, there’s bánh tằm xíu mại. Bánh tằm=silk worm noodles. They’re topped with meatballs, cucumber, daikon, carrot, fresh herbs, crispy fried onions. Difference: cold noodles doused in a sauce of coconut cream and fish sauce. 

Remove the meatballs, add chopped fried spring rolls and it’s Cambodia’s banh sung, which is a rice noodle salad similar to Vietnam’s bún chả giò :) 

Recipe here: (link in bio) https://grantourismotravels.com/vietnamese-meatballs-and-rice-noodles-recipe/

For more on these culinary connections you’ll have to wait for our Cambodian cookbook and culinary history. In a hurry to know? Come support the project on Patreon. (link in bio)

#recipe #recipes #vietnamesefood #cambodianfood #asianfood #southeastasianfood #ricenoodles #rice #noodlebowl #meatballs #igfood #igfoodie #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood  #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #writingacookbook #writingacambodiancookbook #patreon #patreoncreator #grantourismo
It is pure coincidence that Pepper’s eye colour It is pure coincidence that Pepper’s eye colour matches the furnishings of our rented apartment. So, no, I did not colour-coordinate the interiors to match our cat’s eyes. 

I keep getting DMs from pet clothing brands wanting to “partner” with Pepper and send her free cat clothes and cat accessories. Although she did wear a kerchief for a few years in her more adventurous fashion-forward teenage years, I cannot see this cat in clothes now, can you? 

#pepper #blackcat #blackcats #blackcatsofinstagram #blackcatsrule #blackcatsmatter #cat #cats #catsofinstagram #catstagram #catlover #catlovers #catlove #catoftheday #catphoto #catpic #catpics #cambodiancat #cambodiancatsofinstagram #catlife #catloversclub #catoftheday #catgram #catstagram #cats_of_instagram #catphotography #catsofig #catsoftheworld #catsofinsta #cats🐱 #siemreap #cambodia

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