Myanmar Muslim Tour : Myanmar Shopping Places

Gems Market and Museum

Gems Market and Museum next door to Kaba Aye Pagoda has jewellery shops and museum.

Bogyoke Market

Bogyoke Market was first built and inaugurated on the present premises in 1926. It was named Scott Market after Mr. C. Scott, the Municipal Commissioner. Nowadays, it is called Bogyoke Aung San Market in honor of our national leader General Aung San who was assassinated in 1947. Bogyoke Aung San Market is situated in the heart of Yangon - on Bogyoke Aung San Road. There are 1,641 shops selling luxury items, handicrafts, foodstuffs, clothing, jewellery, fashion and consumer goods. The market is open daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm except gazette holidays.

Chinatown

Chinatown that exotic enclave within exotic Myanmar, makes a visit so much more uniquely, unconventionally informal and fantastically bizarre. A place, however, that you must see and experience, or else trip to Myanmar is marginally incomplete. It is in the evening that the place really takes off and amazing environment unlike any you have ever experienced. The streets are lined with four-story plastered brick town-houses, whitewashed in faded pastel creams, blues and yellows with facades studded with ornamental scrollwork. Since the people in town gather to Chinatown for Chinese food, barbeque, beer and liquor, it bustles on to 2 am with open shops and plenty of good food. The most striking feature in the Chinatown is the hundred of gold shops, fruits and vegetables venders that dominate the both side of the main road. Fruit especially mandarin oranges from the Shan State, apples from Kachin State and China, water-melons, bananas, durian, guava, mangosteen, pear, pomelo,grapes, litchee, plum, rambutan and mango, strawberry at the season.
On one side are the glass enclosed display counters in which gold ornaments, predominately rings, necklaces and pendants. Sidewalk diners have dishes and delicacies of egg or wheat noodles, grilled meats, deep fried spring rolls, etc.
It is good to enjoy Chinatown after the city sightseeing, by stroll slowly and experience the place in time in an environment quite unfamiliar with. Listen, smell, touch, taste and see Chinatown.

Myanmar Muslim Tour : Where and how to buy stone, antics, ruby and jewellery in Burma (Myanmar)

Where and how to buy stone, antics, ruby and jewellery in Burma (Myanmar)
Mogkok, Joseph Kessel, and Burmese ruby !!! The most beautiful rubies in the world come from Burma, and most of them, from Mogok Stone Track, including the world famous "pigeon blood". In Mogok, you can find spinelsand some rubies directly on the floor while you are walking in the street. It is true, we found often, it is called "tea ruby". But do not believe it is like this everywhere in Burma and that you will get a 1 kg crystal clear ruby for nothing. Auction ! 2 times per year is organized by the government in Yangon, and under thigh security, an auction sale of most beautiful jades and precious stones of Burma. At that time , you should be able to buy exceptional stones (price !!). If you cannot buy such stones, go and visit the gem museum. You will see some beautiful specimens. Never, Never buy in the street!!! There is no (never) street vendor that can sell you a ruby or sapphire big as your thump. Even if the "ruby" or "sapphire" can scratch glass, it is not a proof. It is always fake stone! (especially if the stone is perfect and crystal clear, government will have taking tfirst, this is a very serious business in Myanmar). Where you should buy ? The purchases must be done in jewellery shop where you can get an official certificate to carry out of Burma your purchase. Without this certificate, you cannot bring gold or precious stones out of the country (if the customs catch you). Jewellery shop will give a discount if you do not want the certificate. Take the chance, (tiny), to be catched with your purchase by the customs. You can find a really pretty ring for 100 or 200 dollars (take cash, credit cards are not allowed in Myanmar). It will not be a Cartier ring, but nevertheless you will have a pretty souvenir from Myanmar. Antics and Buddha statue The real old Buddha statues were not allowed for exportation, except for religious purpose. Currently, you can not export old Buddha statue, even for religious purpose. Anyway, there is no more really old statue, all the main one are strictly recorded by the Government and it is better taht they stay in Myanmar, no ? Please do not buy head of Buddha. People cut the head in the pagoda and they sell them after to the tourist. Many have already disappear, even from Pindaya. Buy a nice statue to a talented workshop and you will have something really nice, new, and you will help the handicraft shop. Lacqueware You can buy in Myanmar, especially around Bagan, beautiful Burmese lacque ware. Some information to make a good buy : - The final quantity of layer is very important for the final quality of the lacqueware. It takes 2 to 4 weeks to dry one layer, the best lacqueware may have up to 15 layers. - The material itself where you apply the lacquer is very important, bamboo, wood, papier mâché, carton, teak... - A real lacqueware is embossed or engraved, not painted. All the colours are natural colours from sand, stone and flowers. It is never painting. - A good trick is to check if there is small dust clue on the lacqueware (you can see it easily, it looks like small ball). It means the lacqueware was not stored and dried in proper condition (special dust proof chamber). - The raw material comes from a tree. After you may add ashes or cotton rob to make it stronger. It is not car lacquer. - Lacquerware pot can stand heat or cold, but if you break it it is not possible to repair it.

Myanmar Muslim Tour : Myanmar Shopping Places

Gems Market and Museum

Gems Market and Museum next door to Kaba Aye Pagoda has jewellery shops and museum.

Bogyoke Market

Bogyoke Market was first built and inaugurated on the present premises in 1926. It was named Scott Market after Mr. C. Scott, the Municipal Commissioner. Nowadays, it is called Bogyoke Aung San Market in honor of our national leader General Aung San who was assassinated in 1947. Bogyoke Aung San Market is situated in the heart of Yangon - on Bogyoke Aung San Road. There are 1,641 shops selling luxury items, handicrafts, foodstuffs, clothing, jewellery, fashion and consumer goods. The market is open daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm except gazette holidays.

Chinatown

Chinatown that exotic enclave within exotic Myanmar, makes a visit so much more uniquely, unconventionally informal and fantastically bizarre. A place, however, that you must see and experience, or else trip to Myanmar is marginally incomplete. It is in the evening that the place really takes off and amazing environment unlike any you have ever experienced. The streets are lined with four-story plastered brick town-houses, whitewashed in faded pastel creams, blues and yellows with facades studded with ornamental scrollwork. Since the people in town gather to Chinatown for Chinese food, barbeque, beer and liquor, it bustles on to 2 am with open shops and plenty of good food. The most striking feature in the Chinatown is the hundred of gold shops, fruits and vegetables venders that dominate the both side of the main road. Fruit especially mandarin oranges from the Shan State, apples from Kachin State and China, water-melons, bananas, durian, guava, mangosteen, pear, pomelo,grapes, litchee, plum, rambutan and mango, strawberry at the season.
On one side are the glass enclosed display counters in which gold ornaments, predominately rings, necklaces and pendants. Sidewalk diners have dishes and delicacies of egg or wheat noodles, grilled meats, deep fried spring rolls, etc.
It is good to enjoy Chinatown after the city sightseeing, by stroll slowly and experience the place in time in an environment quite unfamiliar with. Listen, smell, touch, taste and see Chinatown.

Myanmar Muslim Tour : Burmese Rubies

Burmese Rubies

Mogok

Mogok is situated north east of Mandalay, central Myanmar, 6 hours drive on windy roads crossing mountains, creeks and tribal villages.
The first thing you see when entering Mogok is the unique ridges, mountains and Mogok's gem mines.

The roads are still good despite being build by the British over 100 years ago. In the centre of Mogok there is a famous lake which originally was a series of British mines. Mogok is a provincial town which has most services such as banks, stadiums, hospital, hospitals and internet cafes. Those mines have since filed with water to create the lake. Ethnically Mogok is basically Lisu, Shan, Burmese based. The majority of the people are Buddhist and the rest are Christian and Hindu. The people of Mogok are strong Buddhists, very polite, honest and extremely hospitable. For the jewelry trade the locals rely heavily on a person's honesty. Any wayward people are kicked out of the trade for life.

The mines are situated in and around Mogok. The main product of Mogok is ruby which is world famous. The rest are sapphire, spinal, garnet, citron, zircon, emerald and onyx and alexandrite.

Gems are mines generally by hand. Prospectors find a suitable area to mine and they dig down to a layer of stone where they believe the gems are. They extract the stones and pass the stones through wire mesh using water to wash away the dirt. They then can easily see the crystal like gems among the stones.

The buyers are generally also the cutters who cut the stones at home. In Mogok a gems market operates daily. This market is called 'Htar Pwe' where lots of people are buying and selling stones. The locals believe the best time to buy gems is between 9am to 11am because that is when the natural light is at its best to properly evaluate the gems. The bargaining at this market is also very interesting too. We can often bargain 5 or 10 tens lower than the original asking price.

The ways of life of the stones cutters is also very interesting. Most of the youngsters in Mogok are the best stone cutters or blacksmiths. Although they have to work the whole day cutting and polishing stones they only earn about USD1 per karat.

Mogok blacksmiths are the most well know blacksmiths in the whole of Myanmar.

The patterns and designs are very up to date and the craftsmanship is solid.

Mogok produces the best rubies Myanmar. Momeik and its surroundings also produce rubies but experts believe the quality of gem is no where near as good as Mogok.

Buyers from Mandalay and Yangon come to Mogok and shop at Htar Pwe gems market and export to abroad especially Thailand and other S.E Asian countries.

The night life of Mogok is very limited. Between 6:30pm and 8:30pm there is a night market where you get a lot of traditional Shan food is sold. After 8:30pm no bars or nightclubs are open. Everything is silent so the workers can get back to the mines early in the morning.

Myanmar Muslim Tour : Lacquerware

Lacquerware

How to make Lacquerware products Gold Lacquerware Home Decoration Kitchen Ware Asia has different styles of lacquer ware such as Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese, all very different. Myanmar lacquer ware also has it unique style. This craft was founded approximately in the 10th century in Myanmar. It takes at least 7 months or longer to produce these fine long lasting items. Myanmar lacquer ware has different appearances. After finishing the final stage these items are decorated with Burmese floral designs depicting Buddha's life or are gilded in gold. Myanmar lacquer is widely used as kitchen ware, jewelry boxes souvenirs, home decorations and petitions. ^Top^