Thursday, January 26, 2012

Travel: Visit of the Year: Myanmar/Burma, Yangon

This year my trip takes me to an ancient city of Cambodia, as a guest of His Excellency Roland Eng for a week of Royal visit to his homeland followed by a detour visit to sleepy fishing village of Ngwe Saung by the Bay of Bengal in Myanmar.

Another week in Yangon (Rangoon), this city is the gateway to Myanmar. The century-old buildings are maintaining the heritage landscape in the midst of the city's cosmopolitan life that is rapidly growing. Always green with lush tropical trees, shady parks and beautiful lakes, Yangon is known as the Garden City of the East.  Besides visiting the magnificent Shwedagon Pagoda here are a few of my own personal favorites.

A vendor at the bay




Restaurants:
Monsoon (www.monsoonmyanmar.com) 85-87, Thinbyu Road
This decadent restaurant and bar is a multicultural mix of old world charm and with a modern twist.
House of Memories 290, U Wizara Road
Located in a historic colonial villa, this restaurant was once the headquarters to members of the Burma independence movement. 
Happy Noodle 62, Inya Road
Serves a variety of Myanmar noodles, specializing in Shan tradition. 
Taing Yin Thar 5A, Parami Road
Newly opened on Parami Road, serving different ethnic Burmese food.
La Planteur (www.leplanteur.net) 22, Pagoda Road
Beautifully situated on the Royal Lake, the menu consists of French-Burmese fusion cuisine set in an old colonial home.
Mes Amis (www.mesamisyangon.com) 5, U Htun Nyein Street
(Owner was previously from Le Planteur), also located on the Inya Lake.
Lashio Lay
If you want Indian food, located in a nice hotel by the red canal hotel.
999 Shan Noodle House
This place has a great noodle also their Shan Tofu Salad is a must.

Hotels:

Alamanda Inn
60B Shwe Taung Gyar Road, Golden Valley
This is new quiet B&B, upscale Yangon's Golden Valley district, rooms are small and well-kept.
Savoy Hotel
129 Dhamazeddhi Road, Corner of Inya Road
Close to many eclectic restaurants, bustling with fruit stands and food stalls at night.
Governor's Residence
35 Taw Win Street, Dagon Township
Colonial style with impeccable services, built in a beautiful teak mansion, located on a tree lined streets.

Ice Cream Street Vendor in Yangon
From Yangon, an excursion to the Bay of Bengal beach, we took a 4-hour ride through the rice fields countryside, bamboo plantations and fish farms to Ngwe Saung - a fishing village along stretches of unspoiled beach with beautiful turquoise waters and soft sandy beaches.  The village consists of a few boutique hotels on the ocean and a handful local restaurants, lined with stalls filled with freshly caught lobsters, large craw crabs and abundance of fish.
Ngwe Saung Beach by the bay of bengal
Don’t forget to bring new hundred dollar bills (no credit cards accepted here yet!) and dollar bills come in handy for tips.

Stay tuned on my Cambodia tips on my next post.