Yangon, Part 1: Noodles, Temples, and Initial Perceptions

Whew! It’s been a busy blur of a few days since Matt and I landed in Yangon and presented our e-visa paperwork at the Myanmar immigration desk. After collecting the third passport stamp of our trip, we navigated through the unexpectedly fancy and seemingly brand-new airport to purchase Matt a SIM card, exchange rupees for kyats, and download the “Grab” app—Myanmar’s version of Uber. We were immediately taken by Yangon, a city that feels so drastically different than any we visited in India that it could be a world away. We began noting differences between the two countries from the outset; first off, how quiet everything felt in comparison to Indian cities. In Yangon there were fewer cars on the street, no motorcycles, barely any honking, and Burmese drivers would ask only once if we wanted a taxi (instead of repeating the question and following us around despite our polite declines). The population here in Myanmar is significantly less dense than in India, and there is more personal space as a result.

We climbed into our Grab cab, immediately noticing something we had read about in our guidebook but had yet to see with our own eyes: In Myanmar, drivers use the right side of the road like in the U.S., but the steering wheel remains on the right side of the car as in India and Sri Lanka! It threw us for a loop in the beginning, but we quickly adapted. Matt and I later learned the government no longer permits imported cars with right-side steering wheels as they are trying to phase out older models and transition to a system like that of the U.S.

A brief overview on Yangon, a city I knew very little about until we arrived: Formerly called Rangoon, it was the administrative capital of Myanmar until 2006. The capital is now located in Naypyidaw which is about an hour’s flight from Yangon in central Myanmar. Yangon is the largest city in the country with just over 7 million people, and even though it is no longer the nation’s capital it serves as the commercial and cultural hub of the country. It houses the most active airport, large office buildings, and notable touristic offerings of which Matt and I enjoyed many! 91% of the city’s population is Buddhist, and you sure can feel it while wandering around; Buddha is everywhere! The second-largest religion is Islam which only comprises 4.7%. Yangon has a rich and dynamic history, founded in the early 11^th century by the Mon, conquered, colonized, and renamed many times with tumultuous wars and a diverse immigrant population that have shaped its culture and architecture over time. Most recently, the country gained its independence from England in 1948. Infrastructure has improved in recent decades, but punishing natural disasters like the 2008 cyclone have hindered the city’s ability to modernize as quickly as other urban hubs in the region. Regardless, Matt and I have been so impressed by the city’s prioritization of public green space and preservation of religious sites.  

We immediately indulged in Burmese cuisine at 999 Shan Noodle House, a highly-reviewed and incredibly cheap restaurant just a couple of blocks from our Bed and Breakfast in downtown Yangon (Note: we stayed in a real B&B—not AirBnB! AirBnB is illegal in Myanmar). Our first lunch was super fun and delicious; it involved using chopsticks to slurp up the thick noodles and paying the equivalent of three dollars total in kyat for the meal.

First scrumptious noodle meal of many to come!

Feeling energized, Matt and I decided to check the #1 Yangon tourist attraction off our list: Shwedagon Pagoda. The most sacred Buddhist site in Myanmar, the Shwedagon Pagoda is a 326-foot tall golden stupa adorned with jewels. It was built in the 6^th century and is currently covered in scaffolding as it undergoes significant repairs after decades of earthquake damage. The main pagoda is surrounded by smaller but equally bedazzled shrines within a large religious complex that is consistently packed with practicing Buddhists and tourists from near and far every. Interestingly we also noticed many local Burmese families relaxing and enjoying picnics in various nooks and crannies of the facility, treating it almost like a public park! Matt and I spent a couple of hours walking through the complex, people-watching and wandering into the many impressive shrines that featured countless opportunities for people to praise the Buddha. In one small temple, for example, visitors pulled a long rope that controlled a plush fan dangling above a massive Buddha’s head. The act of fanning the Buddha was seen as sacred. In addition, the complex housed smaller shrines each representing day of the week (Monday, Tuesday, etc.). People prayed and left offerings at the shrine symbolizing the day of the week on which they were born. We wandered the area at sunset, taking in the beauty of the golden structures both in daylight and after dark when thousands of lights illuminate the site until 11pm. It was quite the memorable experience for us, and an unbeatable introduction to the importance of Buddhist tradition and practice in Myanmar.

Shwedagon Pagoda in daylight. Many of the smaller structures were under construction and covered with blue tarps.

Inside one of the Buddhist shrines in the Shwedagon complex.

The area was especially stunning at night when the golden temples were lit up!

Perhaps it was the one-hour time difference or the excitement of arriving in a new country, but Matt and I decided to toast our crazy day of travel and sight-seeing at a fancy cocktail bar near our hotel called Blind Tiger. I sipped a sweet mojito and Matt drank a local Myanmar beer as we chatted about all we had experienced so far and what adventures were to come. As you’ll notice in the picture below, the Blind Tiger’s walls are adorned with artwork depicting Burmese women with a yellowish-white face paint on their cheeks. This face paint, or thanaka, is distinct to Myanmar and worn by almost every single woman and child we see here. It is a cosmetic paste made of ground tree bark and has been used by Burmese women for over 2000 years. Some women use heavy applications of the cream while others just have a small strip on each cheek. Matt and I discuss how interesting it is that makeup is so drastically different here than in other countries; beauty is truly a social construct! We also marveled at how Myanmar has retained such a unique tradition despite the penetration of Western cultural influence in so many other areas of life.

Matt sipping a local beer at Blind Tiger with paintings of Burmese women on the walls.

Cheers to Myanmar!