Yangon – Myanmar Backpack Trip ~ 24-27/8/2010

Yangon – Myanmar Backpack Trip ~ 24-27/8/2010

Start my 2^nd backpack journey in “Golden Land of Myanmar”, a country which under tight control of army / military junta. Due to the rush schedule (I just came for 3 days only), I just can walk around their largest city – Yangon (old Capital), I just knew it their capital city in Naypyitaw where is located at the central of the mainland of Myanmar. (Near Bagan, but too far for me go ‘t go there) there from Yangon…a big loss didn’t’ go ….

From the information I get that this country is the most poorest nations in South East Asia region, due to their military government’s isolation policy, from my expression before I go, I though this city is very poor and nothing special, but when I reached the city, it was totally different from I imagined….

1^st Day in Yangon - Expensive in Everything~(Local People may be Suffer but their Happiness Index very High~)

Before landing to airport, it was amazing f can view from top, the land planning for farming very consistent! I can see the small Pagoda from flight also…Once I reached Yangon International Airport, Zeyar Win, my ex-company colleague came to airport pick up me, every tourist reached airport need to pay USD$30.00 to government to enter this country, I found this airport very quiet and no many flight, only have few internal flight and 3 international flight which are Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, when around 7pm the airport not many people already due to no many flight….silent…

Zeyar Win brought me go around Yangon City, it was look like Kuala Lumpur, very old city, developed in long time ago, a lot of car, but I didn’t see a motorbike in the road, then he just told me Myanmar not allow own a motorbike, only traffic police can have motorbike, quite a strange law…We go Yangon Chinatown to have dinner, that is a lot of Chinese but some of them cannot speak mandarin…Myanmar food are similar like Malay’s food in Malaysia, the food beside the street seem not hygiene…I prefer eat at restaurant….during having dinner, it was kiosk which selling the lottery and at the same time playing the music in order to attract people buy lottery, interesting, but got a dirty young guy purposely vomit in front of us, we feel uncomfortable…then we change to other stall to continue our dinner, we came across the Chinese porridge stall, just nice the traditional porridge! After finished dinner, just around the Chinatown, like a pasar malam, the branded shop can say expensive, they accept USD$ and local currency (Kyat, USD$1 = 1000 Kyat), after that I go to find the Garden guest house which is very famous for backpackers and a lot of people give very good commend in the forum.

When reached it already, I like that area, it just beside the Sule Pagoda, the night scenery for Sule Pagoda very nice, golden and shinning color! Unluckily, the Garden guest house full already, we try find other guest house, and finally get it, it just near the Garden guest house ~ Okinawa guest house, but the single room no more already, only leave share room and cost USD$14/nite, single room is USD$8/nite, the Garden guest house is USD$6/nite, all included breakfast & air-conditioner, here a lot of backpackers, that is why so many backpackers’ house.. Zeyar Win go back after I found the guest house, he will guide me around yangon area tomorrow morning 9.30am….(Malaysia time’s is 11.00am, more faster than Myanmar time 1.5 hours…)