YANGON, March 17 — As the plane descended into Yangon International Airport, I caught a glimpse of three golden pagodas from my window. I couldn’t help but wonder: How many of these structures does Myanmar have?

It was a question I had pondered even before boarding the plane. When I was canvassing for suggestions on what to see and do in Myanmar, pagodas came up without fail among those who had been to the South-east Asian country that has been dubbed the, well, Land of Pagodas.

So there I was itching to see for myself just how grand these structures are — and the Shwedagon, which is considered the most sacred of the lot, is indeed magnificent.

This is especially so in the evening, when it looked its shimmering best against the night sky, thanks to its golden plates and leaves, not to mention the 76-carat diamond sitting on the tip of the pagoda.

The 2,500-year-old pagoda, along with the hundreds of temples, stupas and Buddha statues inside the complex, hardly looked their age despite devotees and visitors bustling in constantly. The careful maintenance and preservation of the many thousand-year-old pagodas here must mean one thing: Buddhism still is, and will likely remain, deeply rooted in Burmese society even as the country welcomes the world and new ideas onto its shores.

The Shwedagon Pagoda, considered the most sacred pagoda in Myanmar, still dominates Yangon’s skyline today despite a construction boom in the city. — TODAY pic

To illustrate that point, my tour guide said the Shwedagon, which is said to enshrine strands of Buddha’s hair, still dominates the Yangon skyline today, despite a construction boom in the city. Buildings within a 1.6 km radius of the pagoda are not allowed to be built taller than the religious relic. The pagoda sits atop the Singuttara Hill and stands close to 110m tall.

Building up

I found that Yangon has a lot more to offer than pagodas. I learnt during my visit that the city is home to the highest concentration of colonial-period buildings in South-east Asia. Indeed, much of Yangon’s charm lies in the many heritage structures that survived the test of time, with some better preserved than others.

It was a pity seeing those of much historical significance left unattended in the city. One such building housed the Burmah Oil Company in the 1900s, whose subsidiary Anglo-Persian Oil Company eventually evolved into today’s oil giant BP. Today, street vendors have taken over the space in front of the now-vacant building.

I came across another equally run-down building with a non-functioning elevator and lopsided, creaking wooden stairs at the brink of collapse — and was shocked to learn it was a functioning office building. Companies live with such conditions for the cheap rent.

The good news is more of these colonial buildings are being adapted to new uses. The former Reserve Bank of India, for instance, has been refurbished into the Yangon Stock Exchange that opened its doors late last year.

For a snapshot of old Yangon with better-maintained colonial buildings, head downtown to the Mahabandoola Garden. Within sight are the Sule Pagoda, City Hall and former High Court, and the garden also appears to be a popular gathering point for couples and groups of friends.

The Yangon High Court building is one of the better preserved colonial buildings in the city. — TODAY pic

Another thing I liked about it was its proximity to the Bogyoke Aung San Market, making the garden an enjoyable resting place after a day of shopping for anything from Myanmar’s traditional wear longyi, lacquerware and jewellery to souvenirs such as keychains, postcards and paintings.

While the market’s size and range of products can rival that of Bangkok’s Chatuchak, its offerings are largely traditional Burmese and I found it lacked a bit of the international appeal of Chatuchak’s wares. Many of those in my group ended up buying souvenirs instead of clothes and wares for their own everyday use.

Nevertheless, the market — named after the country’s famous statesman General Aung San, who’s the father of Aung San Suu Kyi — remains a key tourist destination for visitors.

Boom town

Visitor arrivals into Myanmar hit a high of 4.68 million last year, a whopping 52 per cent increase from 2014, according to figures from the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism. In the ministry’s master plan from 2013 to 2020, arrivals are projected to hit 7.49 million by 2020.

Such growth has naturally attracted investments into the tourism sector, and one party that has decided to cash in on the bourgeoning industry is Sedona Hotel Yangon, which is owned by Singapore’s Keppel Land Hospitality.

“We’re very positive about the outlook for Yangon and we hope that Yangon will be improving in terms of economy and (number of) travellers in the near future,” said Mok Kok Meng, the hotel’s general manager.

Sedona Hotel’s Club Premiere Room. — Handout via TODAY

The hotel is one of the oldest luxury hotels in Yangon, having opened its 366-room Garden Wing some 20 years ago and hosted dignitaries such as United States President Barack Obama. The wing went through a renovation in 2014 and the management added a new tower with 431 rooms to the hotel’s compound opposite Yangon’s largest lake.

Named Inya Wing after the lake, the 29-storey tower was designed by Forum Architects, an award-winning Singapore firm, and features traditional Burmese art and materials artfully infused with modern Asian influences. The traditional umbrella, the pathein, is a key motif that runs throughout the new wing, starting with the magnificent lighting centrepiece in the main lobby.

With the launch of the new wing in October last year, Sedona Hotel Yangon now boasts the fastest Wi-Fi connection and largest gym in town — well-timed with the modernisation that comes with the rush of foreign investors into the country since 2011.

Besides the hospitality sector, the food and beverage scene has also evolved with the arrival of foreigners. There is now a growing cafe culture around the Yaw Min Gyi area downtown, a location of choice for many expats working in the city.

I don’t really fancy coffee but many swear by The Press Office Cafe’s brew — and their brownies were light and gooey just the way I like them.

For those who fancy local delicacies but lack the courage — or ability — to stomach street food, restaurants such as Rangoon Tea House and Green Elephant whip up pretty good Burmese dishes at reasonable prices.

The Sule Boulevard with famous Bogyoke Market. The market, named after the father of Democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, is a popular tourist destination in Yangon. — TODAY pic

Such options have made Yangon a pretty tourist-friendly city to visit, particularly for solo female travellers, like me who possesses a little adventurous streak (but also prefers to playing it safe).

Another box I ticked for Yangon was the ability to walk on the streets alone without encountering a single suspicious character even after the sun sets. And even without proper traffic lights and pedestrian crossing, crossing the roads is less dangerous compared to other South-east Asian cities due to the absence of motorcycles.

At the end of my trip, I found myself yearning for more time to get to know this city that is transforming so much. As the largest city in a frontier nation, I had expected Yangon to show many parallels with Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste, the only other frontier country I had ever visited. My most vivid memory of Dili’s airport was having my luggage weighed using a hand held scale while checking in to fly back to Singapore in 2010. Upon my arrival in Yangon, I had been surprised by how modern and sleek Yangon International Airport was, which is perhaps an indication of the pace of development this city is experiencing.

As the plane ascended and the city shrank into the distance, I thought about how there is much more to Myanmar than pagodas. And how I didn’t actually find out how many of these structures there were.

Which, in turn, made me wonder about all the other sights I failed to see — because I know that the next time I return, the city would probably be very different. — TODAY

*This trip was was made possible by Sedona Hotel Yangon.

Interior of Bogyoke Aung San Market where traders sell anything from jewellery, clothes, food and souvenirs. — TODAY pic