In blazing hot 37-40 degrees I set out to explore Yangon on foot. I started out from the Shwedagon Pagoda, without doubt the top attraction in Yangon, and then searched for the next thing to do in the area. Locals I talked to suggested the nearby park – Kandawgyi Park, which turned out to be quite lovely, though I imagine it would have been much nicer if it wasn’t that hot. There are some run-down walking foot-paths and bridges to walk around the lake with some fancy private hotels and some strange golden dragon boats.
But with all due respect to the lake and strange local buildings, the number one highlight were definitely the people. It was really interesting to see the couples and families walking around, and to observe how they were exploring and enjoying the area. Many of them were dressed in traditional clothing and carrying umbrellas to protect from sunlight, and this turned an average lake scene into a real south-east Asia cultural experience. Suddenly, I didn’t care much about how hot it was, spent about two hours in the area, walking around.
Here, have a look…
Location:
If you have some time after the temple, and the weather’s not too bad, then it’s well worth your time to go and explore the park for an hour, even if only for some really interesting people watching.