A Short Travel Guide to Burmese Capital – Nay Pyi Taw

Title tag: A Travel Guide to Myanmar Bizarre Capital Nay Pyi Taw

Description tag: Here’s my quick travel guide to the extraordinary Burmese capital city of Nay Pyi Taw

Have you ever questioned yourself what is the most bizarre capital city in the world? CNN mentioned

Astana of Kazakhstan. Many people would say Pyongyang off North Korea. But my answer would be Nay

Pyi Taw or Naypyidaw, the new capital city of The Republic Union of Myanmar. For an intrepid traveler

like me, who is always curious for something new and interesting, Nay Pyi Taw is a perfect place to find

something extraordinary during my recent trip to Myanmar. And my visit to the city turned out to be an

unforgettable experience. That’s why I want to share a short travel guide to Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar’s

capital, one of the world’s most bizarre metropolitan areas.

Understand Nay Pyi Taw was officially named as the capital of Myanmar in 2005. If we draw two axis connecting

Mandalay and Yangon (North and South) and Bagan to Inle Lake (West and East), Nay Pyi Taw lies right

in the intersection. Why is it bizarre? There are many reasons; here you will see massive boulevards of

20 lanes with virtually no vehicles in sight. My Burmese told me that the city is built as a project for the

future. The vision is when Myanmar grows in the next couple of decades; this already broad capital city

can accommodate the needs of rapid urban development. So while most major cities in Asia is struggling

to do this, Nay Pyi Taw is now already well-prepared.

The huge and empty road in Nay Pyi Taw

source: asiatraveltoday.com

How to get there? Air: Several domestic flights operate daily connecting Nay Pyi Taw wi th Yangon (the country’s biggest

city and its international tourism hub). You can also fly directly from Bangkok several times per week.

Bus: Nay Pyi Taw is located in between the two most populous cities in Myanmar, Yangon and

Mandalay. You can easily catch a bus to the capital city for only $4 or $5.

Train: Several train journeys connect the North – South axis of Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw and Yangon daily.

This is how I chose to travel to Nay Pyi Taw as I could experience the locals’ life as well as seeing the

landscape on the way.

How to get around? There are not many options like in Yangon or Mandalay. With nearby places and attractions you can

take a walk but I would recommend a taxi because there’re not much things to see on the streets.

What to see & do? Uppatasanti Paya

By far (and so far) the most visited attraction in Nay Pyi Taw the 100 meter tall golden pagoda of

Uppatasanti looks somewhat similar to Yangon’s Shwedagon. The pagoda can be seen from almost

anywhere in the city thanks to its impressive height and especially at night when it illuminates. Inside

the pagoda is depiction of the life of Buddha and important events of Myanmar’s Buddhist history.

The giant Uppatasanti Paya

Zoological Garden & Safari Park

The government-owned zoo consists of 80 different species of animal, bird and reptile spreading across

612 acres. You can also witness the black-footed and Humboldt penguins in an air-conditioned pool

house, along with an impressive planetarium.

Water Fountain Garden

One of the most impressive parks in Myanmar, the Water Fountain Garden features a viewing platform,

water show performances which are played at night.

Where to stay? For us foreign visitors, we have to stay in a designated hotel zone. Selections are not abundant and most

hotels focus on business travelers. I chose to stay at The Lake Garden Nay Pyi Taw MGallery, a nice ly-

decorated boutique hotel with a view to the tranquil lake.

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So here’s my quick guide to those who are planning to travel to Myanmar and would like to discover the

country’s unconventional capital city. My final advice is as a mere traveler, I’d suggest only one or two

nights at the city since there’re not too many places to see and do, apart from the main attractions,

relaxing at the hotels and witnessing the bizarre sites like the empty boulevards. So if you want to travel

by train or bus between Myanmar’s Big 4 destinations (Yangon, Mandalay, Inle Lake and Bagan), a trip to

Nay Pyi Taw will be an interesting experience to have.

If you’re interested in a tour to Myanmar, don’t hesitate to Contact Us Now, we will get you in touch

with a travel expert to craft a perfect itinerary for you.