Hlawga Park is situated in Htauk Kyant, Mingaladon Township, Yangon Division. It is 22 miles that is 45 minutes drive, away from the hub of Yangon. Surrounded by Hmawbi and Shwepyitha Townships, the park is also easily accessible. It is the only nearest spot to Yangon where you can study forest. Hlawga Park is under the Environmental and wild life preservation Section of Forest Department under the Ministry of Forestry. It is also a catchments area for the Hlawga Lake. Hlawga Park is one of the 15 ecotourism sites in Myanmar.

Hlawga Park project was started in 1981 and it was opened on 30th September 1989. It is opened to the public daily including weekends and gazette holidays, except Mondays. It is 1,540 acres wide. Hlawga Park is divided into two parts – the miniature zoo and the wild life park.

After studying the miniature zoo, let’s view the wild-life park. It is next to the miniature zoo. There, you can naturally observe the flora and fauna in Myanmar. Types of the forest which will be observed in the wild life park are low ever green forest and mixed-deciduous forest.

You can see many kinds of trees such as Litsea tree (or) Ohn Tone, Nauclea Parviflora or Htein, Belleric myrobalan (or) Thitseint, Ma-U Let Tan Shay, Berrya Ammonilla (or) Phat Wun, nux-vomica (or) Kha Paung, Dolichandrone spathacea (or) Tha Khut, Careya arborea (or) Bant Bway, Bamboo plants and Yay Mein. And the samburs, barking deers, deers, hog-deers, monkeys, hippotamus and many species of birds also inhabit there.

There are 10 lakes dug for the animals to get drinking water. Arrangements have been made for visitors to view around the wild-life park by vehicles. In addition, we can also buy animal food-stuff to feed the animals.

Miniature Zoo covers an area of 62 acres. It lies next to the Wild life park. In the Miniature Zoo, you can see such wildlife as sun-bear, Asiatic black bear and leopard. Moreover, you can also observe the aviary where pied hornbill, wooly-necked stork, sport-billed pelican, green peafowl, greater spotted eagle, Himalayan griffon vulture, brahminy kite and pariah kite are being bred.

Furthermore, you can visit the Environment Education Centre (EEC) in the Miniature Zoo. In the Environment Education Centre, you can observe the taxiclermy of dead bodies of reptiles, butterflies, gibbons and photos of the biggest teak plant, the map of protected nature areas, photos of orchids, and the maps of National Garden Sanctuaries.

In the bird museum, you will find rare species of birds which have become almost extinct; these are being preserved and also view the endemic birds in Myanmar. And you can also observe the map which shows flying route of migratory birds. And the significant points of birds are also explained by inscriptions. So, this Miniature Zoo will give visitors a variety of knowledge.

On each side of the road, pits are dug to put supplementary foods for small animals. There is a lake named Kan Thayar in Hlawga Park. Four picnic sites are opened around the Kan Thayar Lake. If you go along the road, you will witness No.1 picnic site where rest-houses and log-cabins are built for the visitors. No.1 and No.2 picnic sites are linked by a suspension bridge. No.2 picnic site is located on the side of Kan Thayar Lake and a timber walk is constructed all around the lake. Picnickers, groups of friends and families and holiday-makers can take a rest at the picnic sites and log-cabins. Moreover, there is a curved retaining wall on the side of the road.

No.3 and No.4 picnic sites are just beside the motor road, thus they are preferred by picnickers, visitors and people. And we can also observe the natural habitat of birds. If you leave the picnic sites, you will reach a tower where you can enjoy the panoramic views of the park and the beautiful environs. Furthermore, you can breathe the fresh air from the tower while you are enjoying the heart-warming scenery.

Hlawga Park is opened not only for the recreation of the public but also for the enhancement of the public’s knowledge by studying plants, wild animals and natural environments. Zoologists, Botanists and environmentalists should come and visit Hlawga Park for their research works without fail. It is also the most suitable place for families, groups of friends, picnickers and holiday-makers to go on picnics. That’s why, I’d like to invite all of you to come and relax at the Hlawga Park to improve your awareness of wild-life and natural environment conservation.