We flew into Yangon from Thandwe and wasted no time getting to our hotel for the night, the Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon.
24 Hours In Yangon: A Walking Tour Of Yangon [With Shwedagon Pagoda] (Yangon, Myanmar)
Welcome drink at the Club Lounge
The Walking Tour Route Map Of Yangon
After checking-in, we grabbed some bottled water and mosquito repellent and headed out from our hotel-base to explore the Kandawgyi Lake region (also known as Royal Lake) of Yangon.
This walking tour took us about 4 hours to complete, but that included time for site-seeing, street-food sampling, picture taking, and of course, a visit to the [main attraction] Shwedagon Pagoda.
Using the Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon as our base (the blue-star), we set out on this clock-wise walking route
Section 1: Restaurants Of The East Lake
The first section was exploring the east lake region, perhaps most famous for the iconic Karaweik Palace restaurant.
Karaweik Palace Restaraunt
Section 2: Kan Taw Ka Lay (North) Ward
The next section was Kan Taw Ka Lay. This section was “hard-city”, but it gave a true feeling of what daily life is like in Yangon.
There were many retail and clothing stores in this area, but it was also home to some of the best street food we had in all of Myanmar.
In fact, a couple of elderly ladies were so surprised to see Westerners interested in eating Burmese street food, they actually tried to give us some for free. Because of that, we paid them triple for what they asked for. They were shocked and didn’t want to accept it. We insisted and it turned into a really nice, sincere cultural moment.
Section 3: Ah Nauk Kan Taw Ka Lay Ward
Heading westward, we passed through a residential section of town as we made our way toward the large zoological gardens.
Residential Area of Ah Nauk Kan Taw Ka Lay Ward
Daily life in Yangon
Section 4: Yangon Zoological Garden And The Wooden Walkway Over The Lake
Passing through the Zoological Garden, we again met up with the Royal Lake.
Here, there was a major tourist attraction known as the “wooden walkway”, that took us on this beautiful pathway over the water.
This location is said to be the best viewpoint of the Shwedagon Pagoda from the city.
Shwedagon Pagoda rises in the distance
Section 5: Gyar Tawya Walking Street
We crossed Bahan Road via a walking bridge and headed northward. We came up Gyar Tawya St., the eastern entrance to the Shwedagon Pagoda.
We made a left (westward) and headed down the busy walking street jammed with street vendors of all sorts.
Merchants and vendors line the path to the Golden Pagoda
Section 5: The Stairway Market
The massive indoor market leading to the entrance to the Golden Pagoda
Section 6: Shwedagon Zedi Daw Pagoda
The entrance to Shwedagon Zedi Daw Pagoda (its full name), also known as the “Golden Pagoda”, was located at the top of the indoor staircase walkway.
There was a nominal entrance fee. All males in shorts were required to put down a small deposit to “rent” the proper covering attire as a pre-requisite to enter the temple.
The Shwedagon Pagoda contains several Buddhist relics and is noted as being the most sacred temple in Myanmar.
While legend has it that Shwedagon is the oldest Buddhist pagoda in the world built in 600 B.C., most historians believe it to have been first constructed in the 6th century A.D.
It has sustained severe damage from earthquakes and several foreign military occupations to now stand as the enduring symbol of Myanmar.
Inside the entranceway
English map of the Shwedagon Pagoda
The Sacred Bells
Second Height Pagoda
Images Of Buddha
On the north-side of the temple complex, there were many panels known as the “images of Buddha”.
Enlightenment
The Shwedagon Pagoda
Walkway to the Pagoda (under renovation)
Worshipers at the base of the Pagoda
An impressive candidate for the 8th wonder of the world
Section 7: Sunset & The Return To The Hotel Via West And North Sections Of Royal Lake
We exited the Pagoda the way we come in (from the east entrance) and sampled the street food of all sorts just in time to watch the sunset curbside.
Exiting the staircase walkway back onto Gyar Taywa Walking Street
There was awesome street-food galore!
These deep-fried fish were amazingly delicious (as is!)
The orange glow of the Burmese sunset
Final Thoughts: 24 Hours In Yangon: A Walking Tour Of Yangon [With Shwedagon Pagoda] (Yangon, Myanmar)
I’m a firm believer that walking a city is the best way to understand it and “discover” some of the best things through serendipity alone.
Yangon was no exception. This little walking tour of the Royal Lake region was the perfect way to spend the afternoon in Yangon.
True, the Shwedagon Pagoda was one of the most impressive religious temples I have ever seen with my own eyes, but my memories of that day always lead me back to the people and street food of the wonderful city of Yangon.
Cheers!
Bonus Pic: In case you were wondering…the unnecessarily anatomically-correct Leogryphs
