Naypyidaw

Naypyidaw Overview

Naypyidaw is the third largest city and the current capital of Myanmar. It is a 100% man-made city that was believed to help reduce the crowded population of Yangon. However, to this day, Yangon remained the most crowded city in Myanmar while Naypyidaw in 2023 still only consists of more than 900,000 residents in the whole area of over 7000km2, giving it the title of “the strangest capital” - where it feels almost empty!

Are you interested in paying a visit to this strange capital? Let Asia Private Travels accompany you on your once-in-a-lifetime trip to Naypyidaw. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us right away!

Naypyidaw overview

What To Do And What To See In Naypyidaw?

Despite the strange nature of Naypyidaw, this place still is the official capital of Myanmar. With that in mind, it is no surprise that the city is well-packed with attractions and accommodations that are surely mesmerizing and inviting to curious tourists.

Uppatasanti Pagoda

Uppatasanti Pagoda, or “Peace Pagoda”, takes first place in every must-see list of a day trip to Naypyidaw. The pagoda was built in 2006 with impressive architecture, the pillar base of the pagoda is so gigantic that many believe it to be as big as a hill. On the outside, the pagoda resembles the legendary Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, only about 30cm shorter. Inside the pagoda are relics of Buddha’s teeth found in China, along with images of Buddha Maha Hsutaungpyae, a garden with 108 Sri Maha Bodhi, and many other works in this pagoda complex. 

Uppatasanti Pagoda at night in Naypyidaw, Myanmar

Naypyidaw Zoological Gardens

Naypyidaw Zoological Gardens locates along the old Yangon - Mandalay Highway Road, the zoo part is home to 755 animals while the safari part consists of over 217 animals. In 2009, Naypyidaw Planetarium was opened to celebrate the International Year of Astronomy, the planetarium uses a combination of digital projectors and video clips to showcase all sorts of educational knowledge about astronomy.

Visiting Naypyidaw Zoological Gardens in Myanmar

Naypyidaw Gem Museum

Known as the land of gems, it is no surprise that the official capital of Myanmar would not honor this beauty of the country. The Naypyidaw Gem Museum is a place for visitors to know more about various types of amazing gems and jades, you will also be assisted by staff who are all ready to answer each and every question you may have about these beautiful gifts of nature.

Naypyidaw Gem Museum in Myanmar

National Herbal Park

Located near Naypyidaw-Taungnyo Road, National Herbal Park is home to more than 700 species, including 20,000 herbal and medical plants from the various states and divisions of Myanmar. The park was opened in 2008 and is a way to cherish and preserve the traditional medical system of the country.

National Herbal Park in Myanmar

Water Fountain Garden

The Water Fountain Garden residing near Naypyidaw City Hall and National Herbal Park, is the next attraction on our must-see list. The garden is filled with many types of faunas and florals, surrounding the main pond with three fountains, along with many decorations and facilities for visitors to enjoy. If you have the chance to come here, we highly recommend a visit in the evening for a fantasy-like sight with colorful lights.

Water Fountain Garden in Myanmar

What To Eat And Drink In Naypyidaw?

When you are in Naypyidaw, don’t miss out on the opportunity to try some of the most significant dishes of Myanmar.

Mohinga

Mohinga is the unofficial national dish of Myanmar. It is made of rice vermicelli in fish broth with onions, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and tender core slices of banana stem, served with boiled eggs, fried fish cake called nga hpe, and fritters called akyaw.

Enjoying Mohinga on the street Myanmar

Laphet

Laphet is a traditional delicacy that is usually served at ceremonies and weddings. The dish consists of pickled tea mixed with fried garlic, sesame seeds, and groundnut, it has a light sweet and bitter taste. The tea leaves used in this dish are a kind of herbal leaves largely grown in Palaung Hills in the Northeast of Myanmar.

Enjoying Laphet, a special cuisine in Myanmar

Ngabat

Even though Myanmar has a great source of seafood, Burmese people still prefer cooking with freshwater fish. Ngabat is a kind of sheatfish that is common in Burmese dishes. Unlike ngakhu and ngagyi used in making broth for mohinga, ngabat is usually chosen to be cooked by stirring. The fish is stirred with fried ginger, onion, garlic, and citronella.

When To Visit Naypyidaw?

Naypyidaw has a humid subtropical climate. Due to its inland position, the city experiences larger seasonal variations than coastal Myanmar.

Just like every other city in Myanmar, Naypyidaw has three seasons - a cool and dry season, a hot season, and a rainy season. The cool and dry season runs from November to February, it is warm to hot during the day and pleasant at night, with low humidity along with very low amounts of rain. In the hot season, temperatures begin to rise quickly from March, and in April, the average temperature can reach 38°C and sometimes above 40°C. In the rainy season, temperatures cool down from May, humidity increases rapidly and it rains more frequently. In short, the best time to visit Naypyidaw is from December to January when the weather is possibly the most ideal and tolerable.

Water festival Naypyidaw in Myanmar

The Tours From Naypyidaw

Naypyidaw - Yangon

The road distance between Naypyidaw and Yangon is about 374km, making the two cities an excellent combination for a day trip in Myanmar. Yangon is Myanmar's largest city and the capital of the Yangon Region. Yangon has the most colonial-era buildings in Southeast Asia, as well as a remarkably intact colonial-era urban core. The Sule Pagoda, which is said to be over 2,000 years old, is at the heart of the colonial-era commercial core. The city is most known as the home to Shwedagon Pagoda – Myanmar's most sacred and famous Buddhist pagoda.

Naypyidaw - Mandalay

Along with Yangon, Mandalay is also usually included in the same trip for being only 275km away from Naypyidaw. Mandalay is Myanmar's second-largest city, located on the Irrawaddy River's east bank. Mandalay was founded in 1857, it served as Burma's final royal capital before the rule of the British Empire in 1885. Mandalay is the economic, educational, and health center of Upper Myanmar, as well as the cultural center of Burma.

Visiting Mandalay in Myanmar

Naypyidaw - Inle Lake

About 215km away from Naypyidaw, Inle Lake is a freshwater lake located in the Nyaungshwe Township of Shan State, part of the Shan Hills in Myanmar. An estimated surface area of 116km2 makes this Myanmar's second-largest lake. Most of the lake is covered by floating plants. Its clear and slightly alkaline waters support a diverse fauna and many endemics, which means many species here are not found anywhere else on the planet. There are over 35 native fish species, 17 of which are endemic, and approximately 45 species of freshwater snails, 30 of which are endemic. From November to January, it is home to around 20,000 migratory gulls.

Experiencing Inle Lake fishermen in Myanmar

Naypyidaw - Pyin Oo Lwin

Pyin Oo Lwin is a scenic hill town in the Mandalay Region, Myanmar, located about 326km away from Naypyidaw. Pyin Oo Lwin is a place with four centers of national economic importance. First of which is the center of sericulture or silkworm rearing. Pyin Oo Lwin is also the country's flower and vegetable production center. The most important flowers grown here are chrysanthemum, aster, and gladiolus, which are exported throughout the year to meet the demand of the whole country. Lastly, Pyin Oo Lwin is the center of Myanmar's blooming coffee industry, where several factories process coffee beans for distribution and export coast-to-coast.

Wandering around Pyin Oo Lwin in Myanmar

Hope our article has given you enough information on the strangest capital Naypyidaw. Still want to know more? Check out other Myanmar tour information by Asia Private Travels!