At this lacquer workshop and store in Bagan, you can watch craftspeople at work shaping, etching, decorating and polishing the bamboo-based wares. The products range from tiny, delicate boxes to oversized urns.

FXB, the Association Francois-Xavier Bagnoud, is a non-profit program working to bring education and opportunity to young, vulnerable Burmese people who have no access to official vocational training programs due to their lack of schooling. The program provides various levels of training and then facilitates apprenticeships and network programs. Participants learn embroidery, woodworking, sewing, weaving and metalworking. The FXB showroom sells the creations of former apprentices who have been hired or have opened their own workshops. The collection changes continually, but it typically includes both traditional and contemporary furniture, brightly colored tapestries, table runners, placemats, napkins, clothes, toys and more.

Up a winding wooden staircase above Sharkys and next to Rangoon Tea House, Hla Day is a vibrant treasure trove of beautiful Myanmar-made housewares, paper products, clothing, jewelry, gifts and more. It’s a non-profit institution, and all the products are crafted by local cooperatives, so you can buy confidently knowing that your purchases are benefiting the right people. The store stays open until 9:30 p.m. most nights, so it’s possible to stop in before or after dinner at Rangoon Tea House.

This hushed gallery, which carries incredible Buddha sculptures, contemporary art and photography, is located on the ninth floor of a nondescript building near the Secretariat Building. It’s a complete surprise and a beautiful space to visit. Owner Myo Myoran galleries in Singapore and Hong Kong before returning to Yangon. She said, It feels good to be home and invited me and my friend for a cup of tea when we visited. Her office has some of the city’s best views.

Opened in 2006 by New Zealander Gill Pattison, a Yangon resident since 2002, River Gallery was originally located in the iconic Strand Hotel and catered almost entirely to the well-heeled travelers who passed through. After ten years in the Strand, the gallery moved to a small heritage building in the Chindwin Chambers on 38^th Street, just a few blocks from its original spot. The beautiful, high-ceilinged space is a perfect home for the gallery’s diverse collection of contemporary art by various Burmese artists. Currently showcasing more than 53 artists, River Gallery is worth a stop whether or not you’re looking to buy.

This sprawling market can feel overwhelming but patient shoppers will find it a good one-stop resource for inexpensive gifts to bring back home (fabrics, longyies, lacquer, necklaces, bangles). Closed Monday.

Upstairs from tchotchke-heavy Scott Market, this excellent small shop specializes in textiles from various ethnic groups, including the Chin who produce incredibly beautiful, heavy textiles made with natural dyes. There are vintage pieces as well as other ethnic crafts, like jewelry and accessories. The owner, a native of the Chin state, is incredibly knowledgeable helping customers select among these truly special wares.