About
About an hour or so's drive from central Rangoon, this cemetery appears suddenly, and is seemingly in the middle of nowhere, surrounded only by a few small shops and a tiny village. It feels like a tiny bit of Britain that has been transported thousands of miles away to Myanmar.
The beautifully maintained cemetery holds the remains of Allied soldiers who died during World War I and World War II. It contains 6,374 graves from World War II alone, though only 5,576 are identified.
The Taukkyan War Cemetery also honors the soldiers for whom no known grave was found. Its memorial pillars hold the names of more than 27,000 Commonwealth soldiers who died within the country.
The cemetery opened 1951. Its inhabitants were exhumed from four battlefield cemeteries in Akyab, Mandalay, Meiktila, and Sahmaw because those graveyards were too difficult to access and maintain. Its grounds are meticulously maintained, with trimmed glass and fresh flowers greeting those who wander within the stillness.
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Know Before You Go
It's about 90-minute in a taxi ride from central Rangoon. The cemetery is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Published
October 19, 2018
