Bogyoke market is the starting point of our two kilometer colonial walking tour taking you through the bustling city center streets. This vibrant market is a labyrinth of stalls overflowing with goods from all over the country including bamboo slippers, painted paper umbrellas, precious stones, colorful fabrics and a vast array of paintings. Exiting the market, we catch a glimpse of the magnificent Burma Railways Office set to become a luxurious Peninsula hotel once restored. From here we stroll past a number of religious communities that live side by side and 1920s colonial style residential buildings before reaching Sule pagoda, a golden landmark at the heart of the city.
We also take time out in the ornately designed city parks, admire a range of architectural types that the city offers and explore one of Yangon’s finest art museums. We provide two alternative options to end the walking tour – one with coffee in the former Sofaer & Co trading building; the other in The Strand hotel bar with refreshments. It is often said the authors Kipling, Neruda, Orwell and Somerset Maugham frequented The Strand during their time in colonial Rangoon.
