About Yangon

Yangon (Burmese: ရန်ကုန်; Shan: တႃႈၵုင်ႈ), formerly known in English as Rangoon, is the largest city in Myanmar and was the capital of the country until it was replaced by Naypyidaw in 2005. Western governments and Aung San Suu Kyi's NLD party still use the old English name as a sign of non-recognition of the military government that changed the name. Today, with a population of over 5 million people, it remains the largest city and the economic hub of Myanmar.

Source: Wikipedia

Essential Information

Currency

Burmese kyat (MMK)

Symbol: Ks

Language

Burmese

Phone Code

+95

International dialing code for Myanmar

Driving

Drive on the right

Standard for Myanmar

Region

Asia

South-Eastern Asia

Connectivity

Internet cafes have proliferated and Yangon has quite a few that provide access at a reasonable speed for a reasonable price. The government no longer blocks any web sites, but connections are not 100% reliable. Many hotels provide Internet services, but these tend to be more expensive than the public cafes. The cheapest rate is around 400 kyat/hr. There are plenty of places so shop around and save some cash.

How to Get to Yangon

Transportation options and arrival information

Getting there/away:

Safety in Yangon

Low Safety (Global Peace Index: 2.631)

About the Global Peace Index: Global Peace Index measures peacefulness on a scale of 1 (most peaceful) to 5 (least peaceful)

Despite widespread poverty, Yangon is one of the safest big cities in the world. Most people, including single females, will not have any problems roaming the streets alone at night, and carrying large amounts of cash rarely poses a problem. Crimes against tourists are taken very seriously by the military government and punishment is often disproportionately severe. This, in addition to the strong Buddhist culture in the population, means that Yangon's crime rate is lower than the likes ofKuala

Source: Institute for Economics & Peace (2022)

Where to Stay in Yangon

Accommodation tips and recommendations

The government requires all foreigners to register their passports at hotels. It is illegal to stay in a private residence without registering with the local Township authorities.