The Shwedagon Pagoda

The Shwedagon Pagoda is the golden heart and most sacred Buddhist site of Myanmar, a magnificent stupa soaring almost 100 metres above the city of Yangon on a hill, entirely covered in gold and crowned with a spire studded with thousands of diamonds and precious stones. Believed to enshrine relics of the Buddha and to be over two thousand years old, its dazzling golden bulk, ringed by a plaza of shrines, pavilions and pilgrims, is an unforgettable and deeply revered sight, especially glowing at sunset.

What you actually see

• The golden stupa - the soaring gilded stupa and jewelled spire.
• The sunset glow - the pagoda blazing gold at dusk.
• The plaza of shrines - the surrounding pavilions and Buddha images.
• The pilgrims - the devotion of the worshippers day and night.

When to go

November to February, the cool dry season, for the most comfortable weather; the pagoda is at its most magical in the late afternoon into sunset, when the gold blazes and the pilgrims gather as the day cools. It is open and lit into the night.

Honest expectations

It is a deeply sacred site, so shoes and socks must be removed at the entrance and modest dress with covered shoulders and knees is required. The marble platform can be scorching underfoot by day, so late afternoon is more comfortable. Foreign visitors pay an entry fee.

Nearby

The colonial centre and markets of Yangon are elsewhere in the city.