The abandoned amusement park in Yangon, Myanmar is a thrilling and haunting experience. Many tourists visit Yangon for the jaw dropping Shwedagon Pagoda. Yet the abandoned amusement park is one of the top things to do in Yangon and you don’t even have to leave the city. Few people know about it, but here I’ll tell you all you need to know and how to find its secret entrance.

We’ve all seen pictures of Chernobyl which was instantly abandoned after a nuclear fall out. It looks like a snapshot forever left in time, now reclaimed by nature. It’s hard to believe a similar scene exists in the centre of Yangon. Albeit without the radioactive radiation.

A bustling congested city of seven million people, Yangon was once the capital of Myanmar. It feels like a capital city too. Everywhere I walked there were huge buildings, constant noise, pollution and people hustling. For many, the chaos would be too much to deal with and I thought there must at least be somewhere peaceful to explore.

Shwedagon Pagoda was high on the list of places to visit, but I was unsure what else to do. Scrolling a notice board in the hostel, I read about the abandoned Yangon amusement park. It sounded too good to be true. I’d always wanted to visit somewhere abandoned and now my time had finally come.

Getting to the area of the city with the abandoned amusement park was going to be easy. Getting inside; not so much. The hostel receptionist didn’t know if the amusement park was still accessible. The internet consists of out of date travel blogs and forum posts talking about entrances which no longer exist. I was going to have a challenge on my hands and I loved it!

Thinking nothing ventured, nothing gained, Rose and I decided to take a leisurely walk through the city towards Yangon Zoological Garden. It was near here that the amusement park operated between 1997 and 2013. Built by Myanmar’s Military Junta, Yangon amusement park was the pinnacle of entertainment in the capital. The rides were said to be state of the art and even included Myanmar’s first roller coaster. What happened to it over time remains a mystery, even to Yangon’s residents.

One day in 2013, without warning Yangon amusement park suddenly closed. There was no formal announcement, no reason given and no compensation for the workers. Rumours range from it not making money and the owners not renewing the lease, to a murder happening there. Whatever the reason behind the closure, it seems unlikely we’ll ever know the truth. This only adds to the mystique of the place.

Myanmar experiences a tropical climate. Extreme temperatures mix with monsoons and it means flora grows at an alarming rate. Although only abandoned in 2013, the amusement park is rapidly being swallowed up by surrounding trees and vines.

Finding a way in

As we stood at the roadside, we were greeted with knowing looks from locals. There was no other reason a westerner would be passing by without urbex on their mind. Some offered to show us the entrance for a fee, but that would have taken the fun away.

We walked up and down the street past abandoned shacks, which appeared to be inhabited by those down on their luck. As the amusement park closed without warning, many workers stayed and actually started living there. The food stands and arcade ticket counters became their new homes. Although small and simple places to live, with no job, but a roof over their head, the workers made them their own. It’s something unimaginable for us back home.

Entrance to the Abandoned Yangon Amusement Park

In 2020, the best place to enter the abandoned Yangon amusement park is via a small car park. It’s on the corner of the Zoological Garden Road and Bo Min Kaung Street. See the map below for the exact location.

Walking into the area, the car park attendant saw us and got our attention by saying “park, park, look”. We nodded and he pointed to a fence in the far right hand corner of the car park. Leading us over he signalled that we should hop over. He didn’t seem to want anything in return, but we gave him a rounded tip of 1,000 Kyatt ($0.70 USD) as a thank you. He seemed overjoyed with this.

All the other entrances you see on the internet are blocked off and the gates are locked. Locals are aware urbex explorers come here, so have made it difficult to access unless you pay them to let you in.

Top tip – enter via the car park.

Inside Yangon Abandoned Amusement Park

As soon as we were over the fence, the atmosphere changed. Inside the eerie forest we looked up to see a roller coaster track 40 feet high, engulfed by the tree tops. This was going to be special.

Arcades

We trod carefully through the undergrowth and reached a decaying canopy with game machines and arcades. Spotting a Sega Thunderblade arcade machine I became overwhelmed with flashbacks to my childhood. As an eight year old there was rarely anything more exciting than stepping in to an arcade full of dazzling lights and spotting a machine like the Thunderblade helicopter chair, which moved with the gamer with motions of the joystick. Sadly this machine had seen better days.

As it lay in the grass exposed to the elements I couldn’t help but wonder how much money this would have fetched, should it have been sold to a collector. For a moment I wondered if there was a way I could get it back to England. Quickly realising I wasn’t going to get this in my 50 litre backpack, I laughed off the idea and moved on.

The Twister

We passed what I’d describe as ‘Space Pods’. They may have once been called ‘The Twister’. Strange circular tuna can style units would have rotated 360° and look like something out of a Sci-Fi movie.

Abandoned Roller Coaster

The pinnacle of any amusement park, a roller coaster is always its centrepiece. At the Yangon amusement park, we climbed the staircase to the roller coaster’s entrance. I imagined the excitement locals must have experienced knowing they’d be riding the only one in the country. The carriages still sit in the station, having not moved since their final journey. Leapfrogging over holes in the rusted floor, I was careful not to put a foot wrong. Rust and ripped flesh are not a good combination for travellers. Besides, I didn’t imagine the travel insurance would cover abandoned urban exploration. I’m sure I didn’t see it listed in the policy!

I sat inside a carriage for a photo, all the time feeling like someone was about to creep up behind me, or start the ride. Given that the control room is nothing but smashed glass and exposed electronics, this would actually be difficult. Yet it’s such a bizarre feeling being the only sat there, that your mind does start to wander.

Knowing I would never get another chance to do something this stupid, I exited the carriage and started to climb the steep tracks which lead to the roller coaster’s first drop. Rose looked concerned and asked if I’d get down. This was a sensible request and I returned to the ground.

Bumper Cars

There’s two sets of Bumper Cars (or Dodgem Cars as we call them in the UK) at the Yangon amusement park. If you’re feeling strong, it’s possible to push the cars around. As Rose didn’t want to sit in a seat full of leaves and cobwebs whilst I pushed her around, this didn’t happen. But of course, I’m sure you’ll be glad to know the option is there!

Game Rooms and Restaurant

Entering the games room and restaurant felt like entering the set of a horror movie. As broken glass crunched under our feet, my eyes darted around the room. Deep pockets of shadows prevented me from seeing what was ahead and I honestly felt like a zombie was about to run out at me. Almost as soon as we had arrived in this area, it was time to leave.

As for the wooden shacks now being eaten by the trees, I’ve quite frankly no idea what they used to be. Enter them at your peril.

Abandoned Pirate Ship at Yangon Amusement Park

As a child I lived near to the American Adventure. An amusement park in the UK which sadly went into administration in 2007. I remember being there on my 10th Birthday and loving the stomach churning sensation I got sitting at the back of the pirate ship and being flung high in to the air. At the Yangon Amusement Park, a similar pirate ship exists (sometimes referred to as a Viking Ship). Like the one at the American Adventure, this pirate ship has long since sailed off into the sunset. It is possible to give it a push though.

Operating on a revolving truck tyre, the pirate ship creaked in to life as I swung it back and forth to set it off on course. I jumped inside to pose for a picture with the Captain who still stands guard of his ship after all this time.

UFO Cycle Ride

In this area of Yangon Amusement Park, there is complete silence. No traffic can be heard, only the caws of crows. This only added to the atmosphere. As I ascended steps to the UFO Ride, a murder of crows fluttered out from under the canopy. It was creepy as hell.

My mind said don’t go there, but my heart told me to go on.

On the monorail style track are large circular disks with two seats and pedals in the middle. Visitors would have rode them along, all whilst risking falling to their doom, as there’s no barriers along the track! Of course, I tried to pedal one, but it seems the mechanism was removed or has rusted and snapped.

Compare my picture to this one taken of a Burmese Monk riding the UFO in 2009. It’s crazy to see how it looked in its glory days!

The Enterprise

This was the last ride we explored at the abandoned Yangon Amusement Park and also a popular ride across the world, The Enterprise would take riders in a 360° loop before raising 90° on its axis and spinning them upside down through the air. I was always excited riding these as a kid, more for the dangerous health and safety aspect than anything else! Part of the thrill was knowing that once the cage door was closed, I wasn’t strapped in. It was the sheer G-Force that pinned you in back in to the seat, rather than a harness.

Health and Safety has progressed little in Myanmar since these rides closed. Although they may no longer be operational, the fact that people can wander into a decaying, unsafe abandoned amusement park is nothing short of crazy. And a hell of a good time!

How long to spend at the Abandoned Yangon Amusement Park

Allow at least an hour, but two is ideal. That way you can really take your time, climb the rides and get lost in it all.

The Cost to Visit

It’s a long time since tickets were collected, so exploring the abandoned amusement park is free. Allow a couple of dollars if you need to tip a local resident for access.

Where to stay in Yangon

Being a major city, Yangon has no end of accommodation choices. We stayed in The Lodge Yangon Hostel and it was in an ideal location. From here we decided to walk to Yangon’s abandoned amusement park and soak up the city along the way. Otherwise you can take a Grab taxi to get there. The price should be around 3,000 Kyatt ($2.10 USD).,