Strand Road and Southern Yangon

Strand Road and Southern Yangon Review

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 Rd. and Bo Aung Kyaw St.), 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 St., near Maha Bandoola Rd.), 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 eight families; there remain in Yangon only 20 Jews. The street on which the synagogue sits is lined with Indian-run paint shops, and the shop houses 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 Rd. at 38th St.), 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.