48 hours in Yangon (Rangoon)?
July 24, 2015 9:22 PM   Subscribe

As noted in an earlier question I will be in Myanmar/Burma for two weeks in January. Most of this will be on a cycling tour, but I will have 48 hours of time to just be a tourist in Rangoon with one of my best friends.

We will *not* need to see the big tourist spots (we will catch those with the tour itself) and budget isn't our biggest concern. We're there celebrating my friend's 50th birthday, so we can afford to splurge a bit. I've already booked a pretty nice hotel for those two extra days.

What would you do in Yangon which is more cultural/relaxing? Any recommendations for cooking classes or walking tours? Any off the beaten path tips? Restaurants we really shouldn't miss? Things tourists normally don't do or see?

This will be the first trip for both of us to Myanmar/Burma.
posted by frumiousb to Travel & Transportation around Yangon, Republic of the Union of Myanmar (3 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
Go to the big market!
Its an entire block of shops very much like Soux.
Forget the great temple, its like disneyland...
posted by Mac-Expert at 10:43 PM on July 24, 2015 [1 favorite]


I live in Yangon, but haven't been here for long enough to truly be able to give you the insiders edge. But things that people have mentioned to me as interesting or which I've done are below. I'll have a bit more of a think about other things/eats to recommend.
- Circle line railway trip, which is in all the books, but is a great way to see a slice of life (but you will get to see plenty of Myanmar life from your bike), a three hour trip around Yangon

- Nagar Glass Factory, this place used to make handblown glass products that were exported all over the world. It was destroyed by Cyclone Nargis, so there are just piles of glass products in a jungle-y setting that you can pick through to find treasures (the family who own it are still there, so you are buying whatever you find, not just picking it up). Friends have been very recently and said it is awesome, it is open contrary to some internet reports, take plenty of mosquito repellent!

- Free Yangon Walks, there are so many beautiful heritage buildings in Yangon (many in ruins) so this is a good way to get a sampling
posted by AnnaRat at 12:06 AM on July 25, 2015 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: Thanks a lot! This is exactly what I was hoping to get. The glass factory sounds wonderful.
posted by frumiousb at 4:27 AM on July 26, 2015


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