Shwedagon Pagoda

Shwedagon Pagoda crowns Singuttara Hill in Dagon Township and is the holiest Buddhist site in Myanmar. The gilded stupa rises about 99 metres above a broad marble terrace, and visitors in Yangon can see it from many parts of the city. Entry is through covered stairways on the four cardinal sides, lined with stalls selling flowers, gold leaf and candles. The south stairway on Shwedagon Pagoda Road and the east stairway are the most commonly used by foreign visitors, and escalators or lifts are available at some entrances. Shoes and socks must be removed at the foot of the stairs, and shoulders and knees must be covered. On the terrace, hundreds of smaller shrines, prayer halls, bells and Buddha images surround the main stupa. Eight planetary posts mark the days of the week in the Burmese system, and devotees pour water over the Buddha image and animal guardian of their birth day. The walk is clockwise, and a full circuit with stops typically takes two to three hours. Foreign visitors pay 10,000 MMK (about $2.33), which is collected at the gate. The best vantage points include the northwest corner for late light on the gold, the western side for sunset, and the terrace edges for photographs of the stupa framed by smaller spires. Visitors often arrive before 07:00, when the marble is cooler under bare feet, local worshippers are numerous and the light is soft. Sunset between about 17:30 and 18:30 in the cool season is the busiest period, and weekends and Buddhist full-moon days draw large local crowds. The terrace is lit after dark and stays atmospheric into the evening, with lamps, chanting and quiet meditation. Midday is the hottest and least comfortable time because the stone terrace absorbs heat. Photography is generally allowed on the terrace, but visitors should avoid photographing worshippers at close range without permission and should not point their feet toward Buddha images. Guides are available at the gates, and a short tour gives context to the many shrines and the legends of the hair relics said to be enshrined here. Yangon taxis and ride-hail cars reach the gates from downtown in about 20 minutes.