Yangon really is a parallel world. You’ll of course want to check out the usual highlights like the giant pagoda area of Schwedagon Paya, but for me the highlight of Yangon was just wandering through the bustling streets with magnificent former colonial buildings being used as markets (or nothing at all) and seeing subtle ways that the Burmese way of life is so different to the rest of the world.
So, only two tips:
Tip #1 – main tip is to make sure you get to one of the main 4 markets: Bogyoke Aung San Market, Theingyi Zei, San Pya Fish Market or Coconut and Banana Market. Watch the madness go by.
Tip #2 – Yangon isn’t the highlight of Myanmar. They are to be found further north. In particular, the stunning plane of Bagan with its endless temples stretching into the distance, the serene Inle Lake and the surrounding sites of Mandalay. Or, to be super ambitious, a trip up to the far north where few tourists venture and the only true mega wow experience in the country. To see how Yangon and these experiences fit in, see the 2 weeks itinerary for the highlights of Burma.