YANGON: PEACEFULLY BEAUTIFUL

YANGON: PEACEFULLY BEAUTIFUL

仰光，和平之美

Text by Brooke&Wang Dan Translations by Zheng Ying Photos by CFP

Host: Dong Qiang,General Manger of China Southern Airlines Yangon Offi ce

Experience abroad: 9years

MUST-SEE YANGON ATTRACTIONS IN HIS EYES:

A、 Tourist sites: Shwedagon Paya, the reclining Buddha, Kandawgyi Lake, National Museum, etc.

B、 Special Experience: Thingyan, the water festival that lasts four days, is celebrated every April, where people pour water onto each other, to remove bad fortune and pray for good health.

HOW DO BURMESE SEE GUANGZHOU:

Guangzhou is one of the most developed and convenient cities in China, and has strong economic ties with Burma.

主持人：南航驻仰光办事处总经理 董强

驻外经验：9年

他眼中不可错过的仰光风情：

A.景点：仰光大金塔、卧佛、皇家湖公园、仰光国家博物馆、水中佛塔等。

B.节日：每年4月都有连续4天盛大的缅甸泼水节(即缅甸农历新年)，人们互相泼水祝福，据说可以消灾除病。

缅甸人对广州的认识：

广州是中国一个经济发达、交通方便、贸易往来频繁的城市。

Q1: What are the characteristics of the

travellers and their way of travel in the Yangon routes?

Dong:Most travellers in the Yangon routes are business and family visitors, with tourists making up a smaller part. For these travellers, punctuality is crucial and reasonable cost is valued. To meet travellers' needs, China Southern is making its best effort to maintain arrival and departure punctuality for every single fl ight, and ensure safety at the same time. China Southern also offers a variety of products to meet travellers' cost-saving needs, like early-bird pricing offered at Yangon.

Q2: What is China Southern doing better than other airlines in Yangon?

Dong:China Southern shows a great advantage in fl ight safety, performance and punctuality. Guangzhou is a major hub with its extensive domestic and international networks, so travellers from Burma can transfer conveniently. In Yangon, fl ights have not been cancelled without a special reason and punctuality rate is maintained at 90% and above.

Q3: What are the opportunities and challenges in Yangon under the background of China's One Belt and One Road strategy?

Dong:The Bangladesh-Sino-India-Burma route is the most important of the six economic routes under the One Belt and One Road initiative, and has a farreaching infl uence to neighbouring countries. Burma is a key player in this route. With a fast-growing market in Burma, China Southern plans to add new spots and develop new routes in Burma, in order to strive in Burma's increasingly competitive air market.

Q4: Any tips for those who travel to Yangon for the first time?

Dong:Certainly. Visitors, men and women, should be bare-footed when visiting pagodas or temples. In some locations, it is required that trousers or skirts should be worn between the knee and ankle. Visitors should keep respectful to pagodas, statuesof Buddhas and monks. Men should be seated to the right of women on dining tables. Jade products are readily available in Burma and it's allowed to purchase jade products in formal markets, while purchasing raw jade from black market and carrying it across the border is deemed illegal.

Q5: How to connect Yangon to other cities in Burma?

Dong: It is most convenient yet expensive to travel by plane. There are air routes between Yangon and every major city in Burma. These planes are mostly propeller-driven, and sometimes with stops at other cities. Trains can connect Burma and Mandalay, Mandalay and Bagan. The facilities can be old and ill-maintained, and delays are common. For backpackers, air-conditioned buses are relatively comfortable and inexpensive.

NUMBERS AND RANKINGS

数字和排名

NO.2

China is Yangon's second largest source of travellers.

Kunming, Guangzhou and Beijing.

Top 3 Chinese destinations for visitors from Yangon

4.5 million

Burma had over 4.5 million inbound visitors in 2015.

1.中国成为赴仰光第二大旅游客源国。

2.仰光游客到达中国的目的地排名前三的城市为：昆明、广州、北京。

3. 2015年入境缅甸的游客人数超过了450万。

Q1：目前仰光航线的人群分布、旅游方式有什么特点？

董：仰光航线主要以商务、探亲的旅客为主，旅游为辅。他们最大的需求为航班正点，票价适宜。针对此需求，在航班安全第一的前提下，南航尽最大努力使每一个航班正点到达和正点起飞；针对不同票价需求，仰光办事处有提前购票的特殊产品，越早购票越便宜。

Q2：相比其他航空公司，南航在仰光有哪些优势？

董：相比其他航空公司，南航在安全、中转、航班正点率和航班正常率方面都很有优势。广州作为南航中转枢纽，国内及国际航线网络发达，方便仰光旅客进行中转。仰光航班一直没有无故取消的现象发生，航班保障正点率一直保持在90%以上。

Q3：目前国家主推“一带一路”政策，对南航在仰光来说，将遇到什么机遇和挑战？

董：“孟、中、印、缅经济走廊”是“一带一路”六大经济走廊中最为重要、影响最为深远的部分，缅甸是这一经济走廊中的关键一环。缅甸航空市场越来越繁荣，开通的航线也会越来越多，南航也有意向在缅甸开通新的航线和新的通航点，同时缅甸的航空市场竞争也会越来越激烈。

Q4：对于第一次去仰光的游客来说，有什么特别需要注意?

董：对于第一次来仰光的游客来说，进佛塔或寺庙，不论男女都必须一律脱鞋，有的场所要求所穿的裤子或裙子过膝。游客不能对寺庙、佛像、和尚等做出轻率动作，吃饭时须按男右女左入座。由于缅甸盛产玉石，根据政府规定，外国游客可在缅正规市场上购买玉石加工产品，但在黑市上购买玉石毛坯并带出国是违法行为。

Q5：要从仰光去缅甸其他城市，有什么方式？

董：从仰光前往其他城市，搭乘内陆班机是旅游缅甸最快速最舒适也最昂贵的方式。缅甸的主要城市间都有航班联通，但基本上是螺旋桨式飞机，有时还会经停其他城市。仰光到曼德勒、曼德勒到蒲甘都有火车，但设施较陈旧，误点是家常便饭。对背包客来说，缅甸的空调巴士可算是较舒适、较省钱的旅行方式。