By Gerardine Donough-Tan
16 Jun 2017

Yangon is booming. “Reform and restructuring by the public and private sectors has seen immense infrastructure, transportation and building development, while cultural heritage sites have been restored,” says Hla Aye, MD, Shan Yoma Travel & Tours.

Star attractions

Be awed by the size and splendour of Shwedagon Pagoda, while the gold-spired Sule Pagoda is easily found—roads converge there. Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda boasts a 66-metre reclining Buddha.

Bogyoke Market is a maze of stalls, but that is part of the fun. Sample food and fruits at the night market on Strand Road.

Colonial-era buildings dot downtown Yangon. The splendid Strand Hotel, built in 1901, was extensively renovated last year, but its old-world charm remains.

Unique venues

Gleaming Karaweik Hall, at Kandawgyi Lake, resembles the ancient royal barge with two giant golden birds supporting the hall. Its Karaweik Palace Restaurant lays on a buffet dinner with nightly cultural show. Seating capacity is 200 in the main hall and 50 in the function room.

Vintage Luxury Yacht Hotel is permanently moored and offers 104 guest rooms, meeting facilities and restaurants.

Group activities

Moe Moe Yee, MD, Real Treasure Travels & Tours, says: “Walking tours enable up to 50 people to discover Yangon’s heritage. For CSR, we stop at the Yangon Heritage Trust [YHT] office. Participants may contribute towards the protection of Yangon’s unique urban heritage.”

YHT conducts public walking tours three days a week. Exclusive tours can be done for groups of up to 30 people. Proceeds go to the Trust’s fund.

Inya Lake Hotel hosts sports events and theme parties, while for garden parties try Padonmar Restaurant (Myanmar-Thai, 80 guests) and Le Planteur (French, 300).

Accommodation

Downtown hotels are convenient for meetings and sightseeing. Traders Hotel became Sule Shangri-La in 2014 after extensive renovation. Parkroyal Yangon (334 rooms) has also been refurbished.

Near Inya Lake, Sedona Hotel’s new wing, completed in 2015, brought its room count to 797. The new Melia (430) adjoins a modern shopping mall. Novotel Yangon Max (366) affords views of Inya Lake and Shwedagon Pagoda. All three hotels offer sophisticated event facilities.

Easy access

There are 31 international airlines serving Yangon, and new international terminal opened last year. Asean countries (except Malaysia) enjoy visa waiver; nationals of 100 other countries can obtain e-visas.

Original article: cei.asia/article/5-reasons-to-meet-in-yangon/…