CLOSEUP
Nay Pyi Taw
84
FAHTHAI
Morning:
To get a sense of Nay Pyi Taw’s unique cityscape, hire
a taxi or private car for a drive through the residential, ministry,
commercial and recreation zones. The military zone – where the
top brass have ensconced themselves in palatial homes – is off-
limits to the public. Distances are considerable, but traffic-free
conditions are guaranteed. Linger at the Parliament complex,
approached on a 20-lane highway, with its 31 buildings
representing the 31 Buddhist planes of existence. Blending
traditional Burmese and vaguely Stalinist styles, this vast plaza
virtually encapsulates the ethos that defines Nay Pyi Taw.
As an antidote, head next to the hilltop Uppatasanti
or “Peace Pagoda”, almost an exact replica of Yangon’s
incomparable Shwedagon Pagoda – albeit 30cm shorter. Built
under the supervision of former junta leader General Than
Shwe and consecrated in 2009, it enshrines a tooth of the Lord
Buddha that was given as a gift by China. Though it pales in
comparison to its model, the pagoda’s soaring architecture,
cavernous interior with Buddhist-themed murals and garden
with 108 bo trees are memorable. For many, the highlight
of any visit is found next to the pagoda, where five white
elephants are kept. These pachyderms, which are actually more
reddish than white and sport fair eyelashes and toenails, were
once so highly prized by South-East Asian kings that wars were
fought over them. With Thailand’s white elephants under royal
care and the lone one in Laos believed to be dead, this is the
only place where they can readily be seen.
Lunch:
The Siam Lotus Thai Restaurant, which also serves
Chinese and Burmese food, is located on Thapyaygone Hill,
where the city’s best non-hotel eateries are found.
Afternoon:
After a breather, embark on the 50-minute drive
to the Zoological Garden, now the largest facility of its
kind in Myanmar after most of Yangon’s Zoo’s inhabitants
were moved here. The relocation, which happened around
the same time as that of the military leaders, prompted one
comedian to note that “all our animals are going to Nay Pyi
Taw.’’ Predictably, he was jailed. The zoo houses a wide array
of animals, including penguins that frolic in air-conditioned
comfort. Adjoining the zoo is a 14-hectare safari park stocked
with African and Asian animals; visitors drive through by
electric car.
Dinner
:
Eat at Royal Kumudra’s Lotus Restaurant after enjoying
pre-meal drinks at the bar. Some hotels have opened nightclubs
and discos (a barely disguised red-light district for locals has even
emerged), but Nay Pyi Taw is not exactly a big party town.
D A Y O N E
Check out our
destination guide
on page 122
and book
your flights at
bangkokair.com
REALITY CHECK
Myoma Market
is the place to go
for a snapshot of
everyday life
