Nay Pyi Daw is the new capital city of Myanmar, it was moved several years ago from Yangon. It’s on the Yangon-Mandaley highway and is not a bad place to overnight if you want a break instead of taking an overnight bus, train, or flight. It’s also pretty close to Thazi, the jump off point for Inle lake.
This is parliament, and it’s as close as you can get unless you have business here. It’s really in the middle of nowhere. This city seems to be built to be spread out on purpose so you can’t walk anywhere and people can keep track of you. To get to parliament, you drive on a 20 lane highway with no other cars.
Other than parliament, there is a reconstruction (copy) of Shewagon pagoda in Yangon. There is also a zoo, with many animals moved from Yangon. The place is interesting as I was one of the few people there, and the only foreigner.
They have a medium sized facility with two penguins. Overall they seem to be healthy and well fed. They also have an elephant camp. Burma is one of the few countries left in the world that uses elephants domestically to work the land. I’m not sure I agree with the practice, but for now it is what it is.
Again, they seem healthy with lots of space to run around in. There are paddle boats and a children’s play park, but with nobody there, it just sits empty.
It’s an interesting experience, almost like it’s set up just for foreigners. It’s certainly different from Yangon, where you can see the poverty, here it is mostly hidden from you, and your actions are are much more restricted.
You technically were not the only foreigner … penguins arent native to Burma.
This is true, they look like those little penguins from Australia.
Any suggestions on other places to visit? I'm planning on Inle Lake to Bagan to Mandelay
IMO Inle Lake can be skipped. Ifyou decide to go find aguide to take you up the mountain /hill. That was enjoyable – on the way down itstarted to rain really hard. It turned into a super muddy slip-and-slide which was really fun after i gave up on not getting dirty. Inle Lake is probably great for hanging out with fellow backpackers.
I still think the far south would be interesting and very much off the beaten path. You could probably eat some great sea food. I dont think it was open for travel when i was there.