Naypyidaw (Myanmar)
In March 2006, according to ITYPEMBA, Naypyidaw was proclaimed the official capital of Myanmar. The name of the city is translated as “royal city”. It is located 3 km west of Pyinman.
During the Second World War, Pyinmana and its suburbs were the base of the Independent Burmese Army, and later became the main location of the country’s military forces. The strategic position of the city made it practically invulnerable in the event of attacks from the sea, and it was closer to the national outskirts of the country. That is why the current military junta considered Pyinmana with its suburbs as the new capital. Astrological forecasts also confirmed these considerations and the capital was moved to Naypyidaw.
Today in Naypyidaw there is a construction of new houses, hotels, schools, shops for government employees. In the eastern part of the city, the residence of the military junta was erected, the complex of buildings of which resembles a fortress. It was also decided to build underground bomb shelters and tunnels that would be needed in the event of an attack on the capital.
Yangon (Myanmar)
Until 1989, Yangon had an English name – Rangoon. The city was the capital of Burma (Myanmar from 1989) from 1948 to 2005. Yangon is completely covered with vegetation, and wherever a tourist is, there will be several pagodas in his field of vision.
The main attraction of Yangon is the Shwedagon Pagoda (Shwedagon). It was built in 585 BC. e., this is the oldest stupa in the world. She stands on top of a hill and dominates the city. The Shwedagon is 110 meters high and has a conical shape. The lower part of the pagoda is covered with gold leaf, while the upper part is lined with golden tiles. 8,000 gold sheets, 5,000 diamonds and 2,000 precious and semi-precious stones were used to decorate it. The Shwedagon contains 4 Buddha hairs. The pagoda is surrounded by 64 small pagodas, statues, temples and pavilions.
Not far from Shwedagon is the Maha Wizaya Pagoda, which was built in 1980. It was decorated by the best contemporary Burmese craftsmen. The pagoda contains an image of the Buddha, which was donated by the king of Nepal.
At the western entrance to the Shwedagon are the City Gardens, which cover an area of about 53 hectares. The gardens contain a small museum displaying the national costumes of the peoples living in Myanmar. Sule Pagoda is located in the center of Yangon. It was built in the 5th century BC. e. The pagoda is a 48-meter octagonal golden stupa. Around it, it is worth looking at the Independence Tower, Town Hall and the Courthouse, built in the colonial style. At Chauk HtatKyi Pagoda on the northern outskirts of Yangon exhibited the largest marble Buddha statue in the world. This giant reclining Buddha was created around the 9th century CE. e., its weight exceeds 400 tons, its length reaches 65 m, and its height is 30 m.
Of the sights of Yangon, the Botahtaung Pagoda on the banks of the Yangon River and the Kabar Aye Pagoda (“Universal Peace Pagoda”) are also interesting, which was built in 1952 to commemorate the 2500th anniversary of Buddhism. Yangon’s most popular museum – National Museum which was opened in 1952. Here, on 4 floors in 14 halls, extensive historical collections are exhibited, among which you can see the famous Sikhasana-Lyon golden throne 8 m high and the regalia of all Burmese kings. Be sure to head to the Kandogi Gardens with a lake surrounded by lush vegetation. In the center of the lake there is a ship that was built in 1972 in the form of a mystical caravaik bird. This colorful ship consists of three decks, where restaurants and ceremony rooms are located. You can also relax in the city zoo. It was built at the beginning of the 20th century on an area of 23 hectares. Now there are about 200 species of animals. The main shopping outlets of the city are the largest market in Yangon , Teingyi Tsey. and the shopping district of Bokeike. Khloga Park is located near Yangon. It includes a protected area, a zoo and a buffer zone. Here are rare species of animals and plants of Myanmar. Crocodiles, pythons, leopards, lyre deer, pig deer and barking deer are found in Chloga. From Yangon, you can go to the coast of the Andaman Sea, which is located a few kilometers south of the city, where Letkokon Beach is located.
Sandowai (Myanmar)
Sandoway is located on the coast of the Bay of Bengal. Near it are the main resort areas of Myanmar. The most popular beach in Myanmar – Ngapali – is located 7 km from it. Ngapali is considered one of the cleanest beaches in the world. The sand is white here, and the beach is surrounded by palm trees. There are no bars, intrusive sellers and crowds of tourists in Ngapali. This is a great place for relaxing, swimming and walking. South of Ngapali you can also go to Kantai beach. Excursions to the ancient city of Mrauk-U are arranged from Sandowai which is near the border with Bangladesh. Mrauk U was founded in 1430. For 355 years it was the capital of the state. Today, the city is an open-air museum. Here you can see many ancient temples and pagodas. The most notable building is the Shiteton temple, which means “temple with eighty thousand images.” It was built in 1535. Inside the temple there is a large hall, along the walls of which there are many statues of Buddha. But the greatest interest in the temple is its corridors with relief paintings depicting the Buddha, spirits, mystical and real animals.
