Fodor's Expert Review Strand Road and Southern Yangon
This meandering walk through southern Yangon gives a good overview of the city's streets, leading you to the Strand Hotel on Yangon's southernmost boulevard, adjacent to the river. Your first stop is Saint Mary's Cathedral (Bogyoke Aung San Road and Bo Aung Kyaw Street), a Dutch-designed Gothic Revival structure dating back to 1899. The cathedral survived a 1930 earthquake and the World War II bombings, although its original stained-glass windows were shattered and have been replaced. There's a small swing set in the cathedral's yard. Backtracking a bit, walk south and west toward Musmeah Yeshua Synagogue (85 26th Street, near Maha Bandoola Road), Burma's only remaining synagogue. Constructed in 1896, it's small but well maintained, with beautiful, simple stained-glass windows. Today its congregation contains just a few families. The street on which the synagogue sits is lined with Indian-run paint shops, and the shophouses are painted in gorgeous, eye-popping colors such... READ MORE
This meandering walk through southern Yangon gives a good overview of the city's streets, leading you to the Strand Hotel on Yangon's southernmost boulevard, adjacent to the river. Your first stop is Saint Mary's Cathedral (Bogyoke Aung San Road and Bo Aung Kyaw Street), a Dutch-designed Gothic Revival structure dating back to 1899. The cathedral survived a 1930 earthquake and the World War II bombings, although its original stained-glass windows were shattered and have been replaced. There's a small swing set in the cathedral's yard. Backtracking a bit, walk south and west toward Musmeah Yeshua Synagogue (85 26th Street, near Maha Bandoola Road), Burma's only remaining synagogue. Constructed in 1896, it's small but well maintained, with beautiful, simple stained-glass windows. Today its congregation contains just a few families. The street on which the synagogue sits is lined with Indian-run paint shops, and the shophouses are painted in gorgeous, eye-popping colors such as robin's egg blue, violet, and dark orange. From the synagogue, walk east and south to the Strand Hotel (92 Strand Road at 38th Street), which opened in 1901 and was frequented by Rudyard Kipling. Steep yourself in the hotel's rich history by enjoying traditional afternoon tea; both the classic English and a Burmese version are available.
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