Travel Guides

Is it Rangoon or Yangon the right name of the former Burmese capital? No matter, Yangon is only a more modern pronunciation for the city’s name.

Downtown rangoon with modern skyscrapers

Despite the fact that Rangoon is no longer the capital city, it remains the most populous and most important city of Burma ( or Myanmar, if you wish). It counts 4 millions inhabitants, and suffers in some of its neighborhoods of its poor infrastructure (no rubbish collection, no permanent electricity). But Rangoon, and the all Burma are really fascinating, despite or due to the military dictatorship. Here comes the key question: doest it worth visiting Burma? Thus shall we support the military  junta, or the simply poor people ? Fact is, that most of the hotels are under the rule of the junta, but I still am  for visiting this country. Thus even the simply people could get contacts and even earn something. The chamber maid, the taxi driver, the street vendor will surely take a profit of your visit, and this is very good for the country.

Burma is a nice land in South East Asia, bordering with China, India and the ocean. It was until 1949 a british colony.

Worse than that, it is ruled since 40 years by a military dictatorship. The neighboring India, the biggest world’s democracy, keeps the eyes shut on the human rights violation, as it it is very interested in controlling the Burma oil reserves.

The worst: a devastating cyclone, called Nagis, hit Burma and caused 100 000 human victims. Other 2 000 000 people lost their houses and live on the streets. There is a dramatic lack of drinking water and basic food, consisting the major risk of outbreaking epidemics as cholera, hepatitis and typhoydis. And the military government did not allow to the foreign aids to enter the country, which is not easy to understand.

In order to help Burma, I would have the following suggestions: