The prime reason for visiting Yangon's 1901-vintage zoo, covering 58 acres, is to take a rest in its leafy grounds and view handsome architectural features such as the King Edward VII Carnivore House (1915). Very sadly for more than 1000 animals and birds who live here, the conditions are far from great. The elephant shows are particularly upsetting spectacles.
Yangon Zoological Gardens
Yangon
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.75 MILES
One of Buddhism's most sacred sites, the 326ft zedi (stupa) here is adorned with 27 metric tons of gold leaf, along with thousands of diamonds and other…
1.09 MILES
Even though the museum's collection is poorly labelled and often badly lit, the treasures that lie within this cavernous building deserve a viewing. The…
1.41 MILES
Housed in a large metal-roofed shed, this beautiful 215ft-long reclining buddha is larger than a similar and better-known image in Bago. The statue's…
1.22 MILES
After many years of being off limits, this spectacular red-brick complex, which takes up a 16-acre block and was once the British seat of government for…
1.28 MILES
One of Yangon's, if not Myanmar's, most gorgeous buddha images is this 46ft-tall one at the Ngahtatgyi Paya, sitting in calm gold-and-white repose and…
6.34 MILES
Situated next to the Nga Moe Yeik creek, this Disneyland-ish pagoda is a hoot. Larger-than-life 3D stucco depictions of the Buddha's life and practice…
0.55 MILES
Also known as Royal Lake, this artificial lake built by the British as a reservoir is most attractive at sunset, when the glittering Shwedagon Paya is…
1.18 MILES
Not many cities have a primary traffic circle occupied by a 2200-year-old golden temple. This 46m zedi (stupa), said to be older than Shwedagon Paya, is…
Nearby Yangon attractions
0.48 MILES
Singapore company Surbana Jurong designed this new, international-standard aquarium which is set to open by the end of 2019. Over 20 different tanks,…
2. Thakin Kodaw Hmaing Mausoleum
0.48 MILES
The tomb of one of Myanmar's most celebrated poets and public intellectuals is the furthest away from Shwedagon Paya in the quartet of mausoleums here…
0.49 MILES
Here lies Aung San’s widow and Aung San Suu Kyi's mother Daw Khin Kyi. Her funeral in 1989 was attended by more than 100,000 and was a galvanising moment…
0.5 MILES
This traditional-style multitiered construction contains the tomb of Burma’s last queen, Suphayalat (1859–1925). Having been exiled to India with her…
0.51 MILES
This well-proportioned zedi (stupa), built on General Ne Win's orders in the early 1980s to commemorate the unification of Theravada Buddhism in Myanmar,…
0.51 MILES
U Thant, the former UN Secretary General and one of the most respected 20th-century Burmese statesmen, is buried here. A chapter in The River of Lost…
0.55 MILES
Also known as Royal Lake, this artificial lake built by the British as a reservoir is most attractive at sunset, when the glittering Shwedagon Paya is…
8. Dargah of Bahadur Shah Zafar
0.61 MILES
Covered in silks and strewn with sweet-smelling petals, the mausoleum of India's last Mughal emperor is a place of pilgrimage for Indians, Muslims and…