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Myanmar
and Yangon Shopping
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We are focused on individual and small group trips
throughout the country, tell us what you want via contact. |
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The best place from a tourist point of
view is at the
Bogyoke
or Scott market in Yangon.
Interesting
and exotic
items are almost every few meters within the compound and at the roads around, actually this is
the city center.
But trading is done almost
everywhere, people set up stall or shakes or place the items
just on the pavement. There are plenty of things to
buy, |
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local made items which are often
handicrafts, industrial made everyday items which are mostly
coming from China including cosmetics and also
Thailand and myriads of other goods. In the halls are
gold, handicraft outlets, jade, souvenir , cloth and textile, antique and dozens of jewelry stores.
This is an old
fashion oriental bazaar
Just take a taxi
everyone know this places, be aware that at
5 pm sharp almost all is closed and the whole is closed on
Monday.
Looking for books?
Probably the best book source in town is located at the YMCA
building, they also have children and English language
books.
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The
local currency is the Kyat, this is needed
for ant trade anything. It is also
often used for speculation until the government stops
it. Money can be changed at the Bogyoke
Market, but it needs
some asking around about the exchange rate
since this jumps up and down every day.
Don't listen to the
guys who approach you there and wisper
..change money... don't do it they just will
cheat you, only change at a shop. If you
don't find what you want you can give it a
try further south at
Singapore,
probably one of the best shopping destination on
this planet. If you want to buy
something tell the store people the should help you
to change. Ask at least 2 of them, US$ and EURO
can be changed, credit cards are slowly starting to be used
again, but don't try to depend on it, one
time the do, next time they wont, forget all other currency, no one wants them.
Naturally there
are a couple of modern style malls around
where you can buy almost all the same items
as in Bangkok or Singapore, but that's not
'cool' , the right place is here. There is
also something at the opposite side of the road, a store around that area is usually within a very dense place squeezing out the last square meter.
Two blocks to the east are plenty of
pharmacies
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Bogyoke Market
Yangon
Ruby gold and sapphire jewelry for sale
Jade
bracelets available
Precious
Stones Shop
Antiques made from wood and
bronze
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Shopping in the city
center
the bazaar is
the premier place
in the country
for native products, if you cant find it
there you wont find it anywhere... you know .
A walk in the alleys between the halls is really exiting, its
old fashion oriental as it is in Istanbul, Cairo and
other places,
read more.
You
will also see a lot of guys talking in small groups, taking out
some small items from the bag or the pockets, hiding it
somehow suspicious, well you don't run into a political gathering but
into a open air precious stones market.
Lots of ruby,
sapphire, jade just name it are changing
hands, the country is famous for the real "gold pearls"
have a look, its beautiful.
One of the
bigger problems is to carry this huge
amounts of the local currency - kyats -
around.
If one takes US$ 1000,- and this is
not much for good precious stone it weight several kilo of
banknotes, the result is, most of this business is done in US dollar.
Also bank
transfers came to an end since the last bank
crash, its really difficult to do anything.
On top of it you also have to think about
when purchasing in particular any
precious stones, antiques, jewelry etc. make sure to get a orderly invoice.
If
you can't show a invoice when you leave the
country you are in big trouble.
Myanmar art shopping,
you will find beautiful paintings and
art, in the side alleys, very decorative in your home, do a
orderly bargaining, you should get it
finally for about half the asked price.
Don't hesitate to walk on if you think the
price is to high, they will either run after
you for a last attempt or you will
find the same items a few shops
further down. |
Jade shop
at Yangon city is always very busy
Shop for jade bangles
Buying gold
pearls big and small
Ruby cabochons
and other precious
stones
Art shop at the city center |
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Handicraft Buddha images and
statues.
In some antique
stores you can find even
bamboo slabs with old
Tripitaka texts in pali. |
Buying marionettes
is a
ideal gift for the
people back home.
This are unique,
exotic and very
decorative presents. |
Textile
shop with Indian and
Chinese
material
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This
places are real treasure drove just
within walking distance of most city
hotels; the gem museum needs a taxi
ride.
There is a
wide spectrum of items beside of
famous jewelries. Great
lacquer ware is worth to have a
close look plus wood carved
handicrafts items such as paintings
and more. All options have one in
common it needs plenty of cash.
If you
buy something make sure you get an
official invoice because otherwise
trouble is looming at departure.
Yangon
Shopping
can be very entertaining,
the main difference is, are you a
local or a foreigner. For locals the
main malls are interesting and
countless of small stores and stalls
are everywhere. From a tourist point
of view there are probably only a
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handful of
interesting places, among them the
bazaar, as indicated before, the Gem museum and
maybe some places with native items
such as woodcarvings and of course
jewelry and souvenirs,
read more. |
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This is an old city
and there are no
bigger malls, all
needed is sold in
stores at
various places. For
a tourist the most
interesting items
are lacquer ware
produced in "cottage
industry" usually by
young women, it also
could be bought at
Yangon.
Lacquer ware
is very useful and
decorative and
amazing reasonable
priced, especially
considering the
amount of time
needed to produce
even the smallest
item,
read more. |
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Mandalay shopping,
search for local handicrafts |
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The biggest place is Zegyo Market in the
city center, this is
the most
diverse mall in the
city. If buying
flowers, books,
computer parts,
clothing and
whatever its there.
Naturally there are
other around but non
have such an amount
of divers goods
available, its a big
mall with hundreds
of shops and
services. Around the
main building are
dozens of other
outlets. There are
many more markets in
different parts of
the city and a very
interesting is close to
the Mahamuni Temple
were most handicraft
workshops are located. |
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What you will find at this markets:
handicrafts,
furniture,
jade, marionettes, gold
products,
silver products, iron,
bronze, brass casting, copper casting products, tapestry, exotic wood, relief,
stucco, turnery; drawing, painting ,art ,silk,
products.
Jewelry Shopping
Plus
shopping for garment,
sculpting, stone, marble, lapidary work, tapestries,
wood carving, sandal
wood products, textile, mother of pearl,
tribal art, and jewelry.
Also silverware,
paintings, antiques, ivory,
pearls, gem painting, puppets and other
are items to bring home
from a Burma trip,
All kind of
antiques, real old
stuff, but be
careful let them
issue a official
invoice if you buy
anything otherwise you get
problems at the airport at departure, that's the
same with all kind of valuable items. |
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Native shopping items
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Woodcarving elephant
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Woodcarving figurines |
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