A truly unique capital city with one of the most awe inspiring religious sites in the world (Rangoon)

Member Name: Pablo_Sevilla

Product:	Rangoon
Date:	28/05/09 (5 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Sweadgon Pagoda, colonial buildings, warm people, no tourism, jade market, unique and special

Disadvantages: The military junta!

Rangoon is the bustling capital of Burma (Myanmar) and it's certainly different to the other capital cities in South East Asia.

Probably the first thing you'll notice is that virtually all the cars on the road are manufactured by Honda or lesser-known Chinese manufacturers. They all the look the same! The Chinese manufactured jeeps are very popular and you'll see them everywhere in Ragoon.

The second thing you'll notice (or rather feel if you're in a taxi!) is the very poor condition of the roads; Unfortunately this doesn't get any better outside of Rangoon (and in fact gets worse in most places, even along main roads and national highways) and makes for notoriously long and gruelling bus journeys.

All in all the infrastructure in Rangoon is completely neglected and even the taxis and cars you see are often ramschackle old machines that are held together by welding and sometimes even bits of sticky tape!
Power cuts are a regular daily normality and all shops and homes have to buy there own generators as the ruling junta only provide a few hours electricity a day.

So why is this? And why is there a shortage of familiar western products, goods and franchises? Why is Coca-Cola technically a black-market product?

Burma has been run by a militray junta for decades who viciously surpress all forms of protest and have held the leader of the National League for Democracy under house arrest for the past decade. This has lead to international condemnation and a total trade embargo lead by the EU and America in an attempt to isolate the Burma military junta. The only countries still allowing trade with Burma are China, Japan, India, Thailand and Malaysia.

This is why Rangoon feels at times like it's cut off from the outside world. Perhaps the city is a glimpse at what life was like in a Soviet city during the cold war and the height of Communism?

For many, including myself, this is all part of the appeal. It's like stepping back 30 years in time.

And although the roads are a mess, the cars are falling apart, and there are soldiers on the streets with machine guns and regular blackouts across the city, Rangoon has one of the most awe-inspiring religious sites you'll see in South-East Asia if not the world.

Shwedagon Pagoda stands high on a hill, a gold spire towering above the city. But this is much more than just another Buddhist temple. Surrounding Shwedagon are thousands of other pagodas all covered in beautiful jewels, emeralds, jade, rubys, and diamonds encased in pure gold structures. The smell of incense fills the air, and monks in red robes pray alongside Burmese lay worshippers and pilgrims.

Shwedagon pagoda is the most magical and awe inspiring religious site i've ever been too. Forget Angkor Wat (although Angkor is also very special) or the Taj Mahal, Swedagon in Rangoon blows those both out the water...And the best thing about it is the total lack of western tourists.

And maybe this is Rangoon's other appeal; There are probably only a couple of hundred backpcakers at any one time in the city.

Aside from the star attraction that is Swedagon, Rangoon has an awesome jade market where you can get some phenomenal deals on beautifully carved jade Buddhas, elephants, as well as dozens of old colonial buildings left over from British imperial rule. And the locals, after decades of ongoing isolation from the outside world, are extremely warm and welcoming. You will be approached by Burmese in the street wanting to know all about your life in the west and you'll probably be dragged to a tea house for a chat!

Take these opportunities because they make for the most memorable conversations you are ever likely to have.

Places like Burma are incredibly rare in the world in these times, and as soon as the military junta are toppled and democracy is established, the country will open it's gates up to tourism.

So do yourself a favour and go to Burma before it's too late!

Rangoon is just the gateway to one of the most intense countries in the world.

Highly recommended, but read up on the political situation before you go so you know how to stop your tourist money going to the military junta and instead give it to the oppressed Burmese people.

Summary: A must see.