House of Memories is a family-owned restaurant in Yangon. Set in a colonial style building, the restaurant is decorated with old-style fans, chandelier and the owner’s family memorabilia such as medals and photographs. The restaurant serves traditional Burmese cuisine with a wide variety of rice dishes as well as Western and Chinese dishes.

Following its annual renovation, the scaffolds have been removed from Yangon’s Shwedagon Pagoda. Visitors can pay homage to this splendid landmark as usual from 6am – 10pm every day without any disturbance.

Myanmar’s interest in Western art first arose in early 20th century during the British colonial era but no art gallery was established until 1920. In the post-war period, several art galleries opened in Yangon, including Gallery Orient established by a group of young artists and Lokanat Gallery which still exists today with a variety of exhibitions each year. Exotissimo Myanmar has created specially-guided excursions for Asian art enthusiasts to explore the modern Burmese art scene in Yangon, Mandalay and Bagan. For more information, please contact myanmar@exotissimo.com.

Situated on the eastern bank of the Irrawaddy River, Pyay (Prome) is an important trading center between Lower and Upper Myanmar. The ancient Pyay capital, Srikhitra (meaning Field of Glory), was once the center of Phyu culture and civilization that flourished for more than a thousand years. It now houses a wealth of important archaeological and historical sites. Not far from Pyay at Hmawza, there is a field museum that displays artifacts collected from the Srikhitra excavations. Pyay is a good stop for travels between Yangon and Bagan. For traveling ideas in Pyay, please contact myanmar@exotissimo.com.

Exotissimo Myanmar has established a travel desk on the ground floor of Traders Hotel, providing round-the-clock service for the convenience of international travelers and expatriates.

Our friendly, professional staff will assist travelers with their inquiries, provide information as well as facilitate travel arrangements in and out of Myanmar.

For further information, please contact:

Exotissimo Travel Desk
Traders Hotel
223, Kyauktada Township,
Yangon, Myanmar
Email: bobo@exotissimo.com; myanmar@exotissimo.com
Hunt Lines: (95-1) 242 828 (ext: 6644)
Hot Line: 95-9-204 2154 (24 Hrs)

With its rich cultural and natural heritage, Myanmar makes a great vacation destination for the entire family. In our new Family Holiday in Myanmar, guests can experience the hustle and bustle of everyday life in Yangon’s downtown as well as the city’s colonial atmosphere through its monuments and museums. In Bagan, the guests can look forward to exploring the ancient temples and learning about the unique craft techniques of the locals. Inle Lake makes a memorable stop as the whole family can admire the tranquil lake views and discover the one-legged rowing techniques of the Intha fishermen. Click here to view the full itinerary. Contact myanmar@exotissimo.com for more information.

Congratulations to Thida Myint who has been promoted from Exotissimo Yangon’s Sales Manager of English Department to Director of Sales and Operations, effective since 1 January 2009. Having been with Exotissimo for the past nine years, Thida possesses an in-depth understanding of the company operations and has garnered good working relationships with international tour operators. She will oversee the sales and operational facets of all departments and guide the business development strategies of Exotissimo Myanmar. Thida can be contacted at thida@exotissimo.com.

Starting from 1 October 2008, AirAsia will re-launch a daily flight service on the Bangkok – Yangon – Bangkok routing. This is certainly good news for all travellers who wish to visit Myanmar during the high season.

The majestic Shwedagon Pagoda saw damage to some of its complex’s structures during the recent cyclone disaster. Renovation works at the holy shrine commenced in early October and is expected to last three to four months. Bamboo scaffolds will cover the pagoda for workers to apply a fresh layer of gold leaves onto the stupa to maintain its splendour. Tourists can still pay homage to the pagoda during this renovation period. It is open daily from 4am to 10pm.

Destinations in the outskirts of Yangon do not pale in comparison to those in the city. With abundance of fresh air and minimal traffic in idyllic settings, these satellite towns and nature sanctuaries make interesting excursion sites.

Located just 12km from Yangon, Insein is accessible by car (45 minutes) or circular train (a 1 hour ride). The circular train ride offers a unique and pleasant experience of commuting with the friendly locals. Insein is a fascinating town that still bears vestiges of its British colonial days. A walking tour of the Locomotive Workship reveals a train depot that is still maintaining and repairing diesel engines up to this day.

Twante is a small delta town by the banks of Twante Canal. Accessible by ferry, you can see firsthand the day-to-day lives of the fishermen and farmers as you sail along the 33km-long Twante Canal. Twante is also noted for its pottery and weaving that produce works of high quality and craftsmanship.

The Moeywingyi Wetland Wildlife Sanctuary is a favourite haunt for bird watching enthusiasts. It is situated 110km from Yangon just off the Yangon-Mandalay Highway. This 40-acre sanctuary was created by damming three small streams during the British colonial administration period in the late 1870s. This wetland is a breeding ground for both resident and migratory bird species such as cranes, purple swamp hens and common moor hens. A motorised canoe service allows you to explore the sanctuary and observe the rich variety of birds.

Lying at the western foothill of Bago Yoma Mountain in the Taikkyi Township of Yangon Division, the Myaing Hay Wun Elephant Camp is dedicated to the conservation and research of elephants. Covering an area of 10 acres, the camp is an interesting place to watch how the mahouts train the elephants to understand and obey commands. A wide variety of wildlife takes refuge in the area, including green peafowl, gaur, barking deer, hill myna and many more. Your guests can ride on the elephants to explore the nearby villages and experience the natural scenery of the surroundings.