THEGUIDE
nay pyi taw
122
FAHTHAI
1 _
WHAT WE
RECOMMEND
Nay Pyi Taw’s vast
Defence Services
Museum takes days to
explore from end to end
but is a must-see for
those seeking to better
understand the country’s
most enduring institution.
2 _
KNOW THE
NUMBER
325 – the height, in
feet, of Nay Pyi Taw’s
Uppatasanti Pagoda,
a replica of Yangon’s
Shwedagon that was
completed in 2009.
3 _
PYINMANA
BEER STATIONS
Pyinmana is where the
people of Nay Pyi Taw
let their hair down; it’s as
cramped and chaotic as
the capital is orderly and
sprawling. It’s no surprise,
then, that the traditional
Burmese watering hole,
known as a “beer station”,
can be readily found:
just look for the green
Myanmar Beer logo
lighting up the dim streets.
(Pyinmana is about 15
minutes east of the hotel
zone by car)
COUNTRY
CODE
+95
EXCHANGE
RATE
MMK970 = US$1
FREQUENCY
5 flights per week
CARBON COPY
See replicas
of Myanmar's
heritage buildings
at Landmark Park
N A T I O N A L P R I D E
Top 3
insider
travel tips
Rest Your Head
MOUNT PLEASANT HOTEL
Fancy staying outside Nay
Pyi Taw’s hotel zone? Mount
Pleasant is one of the few
accommodation options
farther afield. Spread across
10 hectares, the hotel’s luxury
bungalows are a cut above
what’s available elsewhere in
the capital. Its location, at about
460m above sea level and close
to a major lake, also ensures
welcome respite from the heat.
(mountpleasanthotelmyanmar.
com)
Top Tables
YKKO
Fine dining it isn’t but YKKO
is a Myanmar staple, offering
the local hot pot, known as
kyay oh
, as well as barbecue,
Thai and Chinese favourites.
Established in the late 1980s, it
now has more than 15 branches,
including three in the capital.
(ykkomyanmar.com)
Stop to Shop
OCEAN SUPERCENTER
In a city with few attractions,
shopping centres are the place
to see and be seen, and are
a natural gathering place for
residents and visitors alike.
The newest mall is Ocean
Supercenter in Oattara Thiri
township, to the north-east
of the capital, while Capital
Hypermarket and Junction
Nay Pyi Taw are in the original
hotel zone.
(Ocean Supercenter, Oattara
Thiri township)
Treat Yourself
LILAWADEE SPA & MASSAGE
While most high-end hotels
in Nay Pyi Taw offer quality
massage options, Royal
Kumudra does it better than
most at its Lilawadee Spa.
Open every day until midnight,
it specialises in traditional
Thai massage; guests can take
a refreshing dip in the pool
afterwards. Situated in the
hotel zone, it’s just a short drive
from most of the capital's other
leading hotels.
(Royal Kumudra Hotel, No 10,
Hotel Zone)
Nay Pyi Taw
TEXT: THOMAS KEAN; IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES
