Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon

Gleaming gold on the shores of the Yangon River, Botahtaung Pagoda is a timeless place of worship believed to have been built over 2,500 years ago and to have enshrined within it, a hair of Gautama Buddha. Botahtaung, in Myanmar, means “1,000 military leaders”. The name is derived from a historical event where the eight hair relics of Gautama Buddha brought to Yangon from India, were given an honorary guard of a thousand military leaders. Although the pagoda was rebuilt after it was destroyed in World War Two, the design stays true to its original form. The interesting thing about the Botahtaung Pagoda is that it is hollow inside. There is a pathway built into this hollow space lined with mirrored walls. Numerous relics and artefacts are showcased along these walls, giving it a sense of a museum as well.

The Bogyoke Aung San Museum was the residence of General Aung San and his family just before his assassination in July 1947. It is a place where his memory is preserved. The residence was inhabited by the Aung San family for only two years. In 2016, the place was given a makeover and opened as a museum to commemorate Martyrs Day. Although there are no restrictions on entering and exploring the house, you will need a little imagination to picture how life must have been prior to Aung Sans death as the house is sparsely furnished and there are only a few personal possessions located within. The Bogyoke Aung San Museum has a reputation for bad luck, especially for the Aung Sang family. After the death of General Aung Sang, the family continued living here until 1953, when one of the children sadly drowned in the mansions pond.

Since Myanmar is a South-East Asian nation, bazaars are a very popular concept. One of the most popular of these bazaars is the massive and historically significant Bogyoke Market. The Bogyoke Market came about during the mid-1920s during the colonial times of Myanmar. The market was initially called ‘Scott’s Market’. It is widely believed that during this time the market was named after James George Scott, the man who introduced football to the nation; but the market was actually named after the Municipal Commissioner at the time, Gavin Scott. The market was later named after the Major General Aung San, whose post translates to ‘Bogyoke’. Due to the beautiful colonial structure, the market is situated in, it received a mention on the Yangon City Heritage List. So in addition to a unique shopping experience, you can also experience the city’s history. There many interesting shops situated throughout the market, most notable of which are the jewellers and stalls specialising in precious stones which the region is known for. The Bogyoke Market is renowned for its black market money changers who offer the best rates and can easily change large bills. There’s a small eatery known as ‘Lady Home’, whose noodles and vermicelli delicacies are famous throughout the city.

The zoo’s story begins in 1901 when it was funded purely by public donations. A total land area entailing 61 acres was cleared to make way for the new establishment, and the first group of animals were transferred from Phayre’s Museum. The most notable attraction of the zoo upon opening was the albino elephant that belonged to King Thibaw, who was the last king of Burma. After the 1960s, the zoo received a serious of expansions and by the 21 st century, the Yangon Zoological Gardens boasted a museum of natural history, an amusement park, and an aquarium that was operated independently by the Department of Fisheries. The zoo currently boasts almost a 150 species of land animals, featuring elephants, crocodiles and tigers. Additionally, it also has more than 300 species of flora, making it a captivating experience in terms of botany as well. If you visit during the summer season from November to April, there are many animal shows to experience too.

When visiting an exotic land, one of the best adventures one can have would be the culinary kind. If you wish to voyage into Rakhine cuisine and local seafood delicacies, then Min Lan is an ideal choice. Min Lan is easily one of the most popular restaurants in the area and offers seafood dishes based on the cuisine of the Rakhine people, which tends to revolve around fresh and light dishes utilising seafood and healthy ingredients. The menu of Min Lan is incredibly broad, with so much to savour and experience. There’s a range of indulgent fried dishes to choose from as well, such as fried bean fritters and tempura shrimp. If you’re feeling more indulgent than adventurous, then these dishes will definitely appease you. If you wish to dive into the world of traditional Rakhine cuisine, then the restaurant’s traditional menu has a lot to offer. For lovers of sweet snacks, the mont paung comes highly recommended. These are rice buns that are stuffed with a mixture of shredded coconut and jaggery, which is a healthy and delicious cane sugar that has a range of nutritional properties. These are best washed down with a glass of fresh juice.

The Shwedagon Pagoda officially titled Shwedagon Zedi Daw), also known as the Great Dagon Pagoda and the Golden Pagoda, is a 99 metres (325 ft) gilded pagoda and stupa located in Yangon. The pagoda lies to the west of Kandawgyi Lake, on Singuttara Hill, thus dominating the skyline of the city. It is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda for the Burmese with relics of the past four Buddhas. The revered Golden Shwedagon Pagoda just a 15 minute strolls away from Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon. Opening Hours : 4:00 – 22:00 hrs

The Bogyoke Aung San Statue, or the Statue of General Aung San, was unveiled in 2017 in a celebration of the centenary of the former national leader. Bogyoke Aung San is hailed as a pioneer in the struggle for Myanmar independence. Located in Mandalay’s Tagon Park between 56th and 57th streets, the statue is cast in brass and depicts Bogyoke Aung San sitting and surveying his surroundings. The statue features 2,880 kilograms of brass and is 13 feet tall. The sculptor behind the statue is Dae Nyunt Win, who is the daughter of celebrated Burmese brass sculptor U Win Maung of Mandalay. If you wish to pay your respects to this national hero of Myanmar, you don’t have to travel all the way to Mandalay though. Yangon’s Kandawgyi Gardens, which is mere minutes away from Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon has a statue of Bogyoke Aung San too.

Kandawgyi Lake is located in the centre of Yangon. Surrounded are the Kandawgyi Kanpat Road, meaning the road bordering the lake. Kandawgyi meaning the great lake in Myanmar Language. It is a beautiful picnic spot together forming the Kandawgyi nature park. It is surrounded by the Yangon Zoological Garden, Aquarium, Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon and many restaurants. The lake also contains the glittering mythical bird called the Karaweik.  It is a restaurant in a form of a boat and it is one of the main tourist attractions in Yangon. There are many species in the lake. The beautiful lake is reserved and maintained to keep the beauty of the natural lake. The night scene of the lake is like an imaginary view of mother earth's beauty. Opening Hours : 4:00 – 22:00 hrs