Incredible temples, charming colonial architecture and picturesque lakes make Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon a rewarding place to visit. Spending 3 days in Yangon is certainly an excellent idea for a Myanmar tour. Let us give you the best advice to enjoy an unforgettable stay in Yangon, the city with chaotic traffic, facades and temples in ruins.
Hot-air balloons in Yangon
Suggested Itinerary for 3 Days in Yangon
- Day no. 1: Explore popular tourism sites including the famous Sule Pagoda, Shwedagon Pagoda, Mahabandoola Park,…
- Day no. 2: Experience local lifestyle – Cathedral & Pagoda tour
- Day no. 3: A Day Trip Outside Yangon – Enjoy the tasty Mohinga for breakfast, take a boat tour at Yele Kyauktan Pagoda,…
Itinerary in detail
Day 1: Explore popular tourism sites
Morning: Visit Sule Pagoda – Maha Bandoola Park
Sule Pagoda
Sule Pagoda at night
A visit to downtown Yangon is a must to start your 3 day tour in Yangon. The first destinations of your visit should the Sule Pagoda Located on a roundabout in the center of town, Sule Pagoda is an old two thousand year old pagoda. It is surrounded by many other special works such as the Emmanuel Baptist Church and the Bengali Sunni Jameh Mosque. You can walk on the grounds of the pagoda and admire this golden stupa built over 2,500 years ago. Walking around Sule Pagoda, you will have a chance to discover the hectic life of the people, as it is Myanmar’s main business district.
Mahabandoola Park
Located next to Sule Pagoda, Mahabandoola Park is also a destination not to be missed in Yangon. This park offers pleasant walks in the heart of the city center and offers views of the surrounding historic buildings, including the Town Hall, the High Court and the former Rowe & Co. store.
Noon: Admire local cuisine at Rangoon Tea House restaurant
After visiting Maha Bandoola Park, you will have to stop at Rangoon Tea House Restaurant on Pansodan Street for a sumptuous lunch. Laphet Thote is the iconic Burmese dish to taste. In addition, you can also order a meat curry. Do not forget to take local Burmese tea. You can choose from 16 flavor options, depending on how much sweetness you prefer in your tea.
Afternoon: Wander around Pansodan Street – Botataung Port
After enjoying a delicious Burmese lunch, you can stroll down Pansodan Street to visit many colonial buildings, such as the Myanmar Port Authority Building, the Telegraph Office, and the Rangoon High Court Building. located in Pansodan Street. If you want to know more about these colonial buildings, you can take part in the Yangon Heritage Trust tour for $30 per person. The port of Botataung is the next destination to visit. You can get there by taxi for only 1,000 Kyats (less than $1) from Pansodan Street. Sit on a bench and see the workers struggling at the harbor. You can also get great sunset pictures. Guests arriving earlier at the port can visit Botataung Pagoda, located right next to the harbor. You can get lost in the golden labyrinth of Botataung Pagoda and admire thousands of magnificent Buddha images.
Evening: Explore Shwedagon Pagoda
Shwedagon Pagoda at dawn
Finish your first day in Yangon with a visit to Shwedagon Pagoda, the ultimate emblem of Yangon. The entrance fee is $8 for foreigners. This 105-meter golden pagoda contains relics of Buddha, and the Burmese people consider Shwedagon Pagoda as the holiest pagoda of all of Yangon. No words can describe the grandeur and magnificence of this pagoda. Finish your day with Kyay Oh’s dinner. Kyay-Oh is a very popular noodle soup dish that is mainly served with a meat of your choice, mostly chicken or pork and vegetables.
Day 2: Experience local lifestyle – Cathedral & Pagoda tour
In the morning
Start your day 2 on your 3 days in Yangon with a buffet at Shan Yoe Yar Restaurant located on Wartan Street. You can have a main dish (noodles or rice of your choice) accompanied by fries and salads with a price of 5,000 kyats (about $4). Once your stomach is full, you can explore the Wet Market in downtown Yangon. Dive into the large crowd of local people and see people prepare “naan” (bread) in hot stoves, cook fish cakes and sell different kinds of meat and vegetables as you walk through the 17th and 18th centuries. streets. After experiencing the hustle and bustle of the local market, take the Yangon Circular Train to immerse yourself in the Burmese people’s daily lifestyle. A circular train ride will take you off the beaten track and meet locals, exchange with them.
Noon and Afternoon
You will stop for lunch at Junction City across from Bogyoke Market. After lunch, head to the Bogyoke Market, one of Yangon’s most popular tourist attractions. You can buy souvenirs such as paintings, key rings and traditional bags. For visitors looking for high quality products, Yangoods is a popular store that offers great products at very reasonable prices. In Bogyoke, do not hesitate to negotiate to stretch your budget.
The busy and ancient Bogyoke Market
Later, you can visit the St. Mary’s Cathedral, Yangon’s largest cathedral, in Bo Aung Kyaw Street. This church offers a unique architectural quality and the grounds of the cathedral is a peaceful place to stroll. The price of taxi from Bogyoke Market will also be between 1000 and 1500 Kyats (about $1). Your next stop should be Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda. The reclining Buddha statue is 65 meters long and will surely enchant you. If you still have time, visit Ngar Htat Gyi Pagoda, located a few minutes walk from Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda. This other seated Buddha image, 14 meters high, is as big as Chauk Htat Gyi.
In the evening
After visiting the cathedrals and temples, go to 19th Street. This street is filled with joints, local beer stations and quaint restaurants. Enjoy barbecued food such as chicken, pork or vegetables on the barbecue and clean with a local beer. Before returning to your hotel, treat yourself to a foot or body massage at the lower block of the street.
Day 3: A Day Trip Outside Yangon
1. Have a favorite breakfast at Inya Lake
Sunset and the famous ferris wheel at Inya Lake
As most of the day will be spent on the car to Thanlyin, enjoy the opportunity to stretch your muscles with a morning walk to Inya Lake. Admire the panoramic views of Inya Lake while touring the lake. After your morning walk, enjoy the Mohinga, a favorite breakfast of locals before leaving for Thanlyin. Probably the most popular breakfast in Myanmar, this dish is available today at any time of the day in many cities including Yangon. Its main ingredients are: fish, chickpea flour, grilled rice, garlic, onions, lemongrass, banana, ginger, ngapi and nam pla in a rich broth cooked in a cauldron.
2. Take a boat tour at Yele Kyauktan Pagoda
On your 3 days in Yangon, you can rent a taxi service to get to Thanlyin for only $80 and it usually takes about two hours to get there. Once in Thanlyin, stop at Yele Kyauktan Pagoda. Perched on the river, you have to take a boat to go to the park of this pagoda. For lunch, you can stop at a local toddy palm juice store. Toddy palm juice is a popular local liqueur in the suburbs of Yangon.
3. Visit Portuguese Church
Then, come visit the old Portuguese church. This place has become popular in recent years, thanks to the rustic appearance of weathered structures and overgrown greens. The drive back to downtown Yangon takes about two hours and if you still have time, I would recommend visiting the Yangon Gallery to see some of the city’s popular works of art. Read more:
