By Dan Forteza
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If you’re curious about which places are worth visiting when you only have two days in Yangon, then you’re in the right place. In this blog, I’ve put together the perfect 2-day Yangon itinerary featuring the top attractions in the city.
Hi there! First of all, I am Daniel — a solo backpacker from the Philippines. If you don’t know my story yet, feel free to read this article where I talked about how I quit my job in order to travel. This article was also featured on TripZilla Philippines .
I flew to Yangon, Myanmar on my 28th birthday, so this trip became extremely memorable for me. Unfortunately, I only had two days to explore the city!
Read Also: 1-Day Tour Chiang Rai Itinerary: Best Places To See In Chiang Rai, Thailand
WHERE IS YANGON?
Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city and formerly known as Rangoon, is about a 1½-hour flight from Bangkok, 3 hours from Singapore, and approximately 6½ hours from Dubai. The city is located in Lower Myanmar at the convergence of the Yangon and Bago Rivers.
Yangon is also conveniently close to three of Myanmar’s most popular destinations. It takes roughly 1½ hours by plane to reach Bagan (via Nyaung U Airport), Mandalay, and Inle Lake (via Heho Airport). This makes Yangon a perfect gateway for entering and leaving the country while still offering plenty of attractions and activities for travelers.
Language: Burmese
Currency: Burmese Kyat (MMK)
Airport: RGN
Preferred mode of transportation: GrabTaxi
Time Zone: GMT +6:30
HOW I GOT THERE
Finding a cheap flight to Yangon from Southeast Asia is relatively easy and affordable. I booked mine from Manila, Philippines with a connecting flight in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
I suggest checking Kayak since they usually offer cheaper fares compared to other booking websites.
HOW TO GET AROUND
For travelers, the best way to get around Yangon is by taxi. These days, the easiest way to hail one is through the Grab app. There are local ride-hailing apps available, but Singapore-based Grab is much more reliable and works similarly to Uber.
Make sure to have the Grab app installed and purchase a local SIM card with mobile internet once you arrive in Yangon.
WHERE DID I STAY?
I arrived at Yangon International Airport (RGN) at around 8:00 AM after a 2½-hour flight from Kuala Lumpur. The first things I looked for were an ATM to withdraw Burmese Kyats and a SIM card with internet access to help me navigate the city.
After getting mobile data, I booked a Grab taxi going to my hostel in downtown Yangon.
- SIM card with internet: 6,000 Kyats
- Grab Taxi to hostel: 6,700 Kyats
- Hostel name: Agga Youth Hotel
- Room type: 1 Bed in 12-Bed Mixed Dormitory
- Hostel rate: 272.17 PHP (5.4 USD) per night as of July 2019
You can book hotels in Yangon through Agoda or Booking.com. I personally prefer Booking.com because many accommodations offer free cancellation and pay-at-the-property options. There are plenty of choices ranging from budget hostels to luxury hotels.
If hotels are not your thing, try Airbnb. Staying in an Airbnb gives you a more local experience and often makes you feel more connected to the city or neighborhood you’re visiting. I’ve used Airbnb on several trips and really enjoyed the experience.
If you’re new to Airbnb, you can get up to 42 USD travel credit by signing up through this referral link .
2-DAY YANGON ITINERARY
DAY 1:
1st Stop: Shwedagon Pagoda
Stunning Shwedagon Pagoda is well worth a trip to visit! If you are visiting Yangon, it’s a must-see. Shwedagon Pagoda is large and looms over the city. It is considered the landmark of Yangon and even Myanmar as a whole. You really can’t miss it!
All shoes must be taken off before entering and your feet will get very dirty so take some wipes for afterwards (I was given free wipes so I guess that was included in the entrance fee).
- Duration (getting there + visiting): 3 hours
- Shwedagon Pagoda entrance fee: 10,000 Kyats
- Shwedagon Pagoda opening hours: 4:00 AM – 10:00 PM
2nd Stop: Sule Pagoda
The Sule Pagoda is right in the heart of Yangon. It’s at the intersection of two main thoroughfares, Maha Bandula and Sule Pagoda Road, specifically in the center of the traffic circle where these two major roads circle a roundabout. All shoes must be taken off before entering as well.
TIP: There will be a shoe-keeping price of 1,000 Kyats, so do yourself a favor and bring a plastic bag to put your shoes in. I paid an additional 1,000 Kyats for the shoe-keeping guy before entering haha. And if someone offers you a bouquet of flowers, just ignore them and head straight to the entrance. If you accept it, they’ll make you pay 1,000 Kyats like what happened to me.
- Duration (getting there + visiting): 1 hour
- Entrance fee: 4,000 Kyats
- Opening hours: 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
3rd Stop: Yangon Circular Train
Hop aboard the circular train in Yangon for an authentic experience of the city and its suburbs. Traveling here gives you the chance to witness daily life in Yangon as it passes through suburban districts rarely visited by tourists. The nearest train station to my hostel is Lanmadaw station.
- Duration (getting there + visiting): 2 hours
- Train ticket price: 200 Kyats
- Opening hours: 6:00 AM – 5:10 PM
DAY 2:
4th Stop: Reclining Buddha
Also known as Chaukhtatgyi Buddha, the Buddha itself was quite mesmerizing to look at. The Reclining Buddha image is decorated with very expressive colors, white face, red lips, blue eye shadow, golden robe, and red fingernails. You can take photos from a high platform located at the feet of the Buddha as well.
- Duration (getting there + visiting): 1 hour
- Opening hours: 6:00 AM until 8:00 PM
- Entrance fee: I actually got here for FREE but some say the fee is 5 USD per person.
5th Stop: Kandawgyi Park & Lake
Kandawgyi Park in Yangon is a very nice place to have a quiet walk in the shaded tropical gardens around the lake or spend a relaxed couple of hours. It will be quite easy to forget that right outside it is a busy street.
Kandawgyi Lake, also known as Royal Lake, is an artificial lake built by the British as a water reservoir. It offers views of the Royal barge in the lake as well as views of the nearby Shwedagon Pagoda.
There are snacks sold inside the park and even a lakeside restaurant, but feel free to bring your own snacks and do a picnic.
- Duration (getting there + visiting): 2 hours
- Entrance Fee: FREE
6th Stop: Botahtaung Pagoda
The Botataung Pagoda is a famous pagoda located in downtown Yangon near the Yangon River. There are many souvenir shops and interesting places alongside the pagoda.
I really love this place especially the riverside view. There are also several street food stalls around.
But during the time I visited the pagoda, it was under renovation so I didn’t bother entering. To appreciate the pagoda more, it should look like this without those construction poles.
- Duration (getting there + visiting): 2 hours
- Entrance fee: 2 USD per person
7th Stop: Yangon River
After Botataung Pagoda, I went for a walk along Strand Road to get a good view of the Yangon River near Nan Thida ferry terminal. There are some good restaurants here to fill your hunger after touring around.
- Duration (getting there + visiting): 1 hour
8th Stop: Tooth Relic Pagoda
The Tooth Relic Pagoda, locally known as Swe Taw Myat Pagoda, was my last stop for this Yangon itinerary. The pagoda was constructed to enshrine a sacred Buddha tooth relic.
It was believed to be one of the teeth of Gautama Buddha who died some 2,500 years ago. Enshrined along with the original relic were two ivory copies, one of which is still enshrined in Swe Taw Myat today.
- Duration (getting there + visiting): 1 hour
What do you think of this 2-day Yangon itinerary?
I hope that you find this 2-DAY YANGON ITINERARY useful! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comment section below.
BOOKING ESSENTIALS
- Hotel / Hostel
- Booking.com – I usually book my hostel accommodation through Booking.com. Room accommodation ranges from cheap hostels to luxury hotels. Book hostels through Booking.com as they have free cancellation or pay-at-the-hotel options.
- Airbnb – Try Airbnb in finding comfy and cozy rooms for your Yangon itinerary! I have used Airbnb on some of my other trips and I loved it.
Have you tried Airbnb? Sign up with my link and you will get up to 42 USD (2,200 PHP) off your first stay.
- Flights
- KAYAK – All of my flight bookings are from KAYAK. Kayak is one of the world’s leading travel search engines and searches hundreds of travel sites.
I suggest you check KAYAK as they usually offer cheap fare rates compared to other booking sites.
- Yangon and Bagan Package Tours
- Viator – Viator is one of the world’s leading resources for researching, finding, and booking travel experiences worldwide.
Check Viator to find the best tour deals in Yangon and Bagan.
Dan Travels 