Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon is the holiest religious monument in Myanmar. Standing on top of a large hill in the ancient capital, the 325-foot-tall (99-meter) golden stupa shines brilliantly in the afternoon sun. The monument produces a fascinating glow at night that invites a return visit after dinner.
The complex around the pagoda contains dozens of Buddha statues, relics, and historical artifacts dating back more than 2,500 years. A visit to the Shwedagon Pagoda is considered a must when traveling in Burma / Myanmar.
Visiting Information for Shwedagon Pagoda
- Hours of Operation : Shwedagon Pagoda is open seven days a week from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. Last entry is at 9:45 p.m.
- Visitor Center: The Visitor Center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Admission: US $ 8 (about 11,000 Burmese kyat)
- Accessibility: lifts and wheelchairs are available at the south entrance of the pagoda.
- Water: There are communal water coolers available around the pagoda, but you may want to bring your own water. Bring a hat and sunscreen; Afternoon temperatures in Yangon are hot throughout the year.
- Food: Although there are food carts available around the monument, you will find better food at local restaurants elsewhere.
Dress code for Shwedagon pagoda
Although you should dress conservatively (cover your knees and shoulders) when visiting any of the temples in Southeast Asia, the rules are often more relaxed for tourists in places like Thailand. That is not the case at the Shwedagon Pagoda. The pagoda is much more than a tourist attraction: it is the most important religious site in Myanmar. It is also a very active and functional place of worship. Dozens of monks, pilgrims and devotees mingle with tourists at the monument.
Men and women should wear clothing that covers the knees. Longyi, a traditional sarong-style garment , can be borrowed at the entrances. The shoulders should not be exposed. Avoid shirts with religious themes or offensive messages (including skulls). Tight or revealing clothing should be avoided. Although the official website of the pagoda states that elbow-length shirts are required, this rarely applies.
You are expected to remove your shoes and leave them at the entrance for a small fee. Shoes are cared for at a suitable counter, hence the fee. They will give you a numbered claim check, so don’t worry about someone exchanging flip flops with you. Stockings and socks are not allowed: you must go barefoot.
How to get there
The Shwedagon Pagoda is located on the Sanguttara Hill in the Dagon Municipality of Yangon in Burma / Myanmar. Any taxi driver in Yangon will be happy to take you. The driver does not have to wait; many taxis will be waiting around the pagoda when you exit.
Although taxis are very reasonably priced in Yangon, the prices are slightly inflated for tourists visiting the pagoda. Don’t be afraid to negotiate a bit with your driver.
The best times to visit
In addition to Buddhist holidays based on the lunisolar calendar, weekdays are usually quieter at Shwedagon Pagoda. The site is busiest during Buddhist Lent (usually June). Many Buddhist holidays start the day before the full moon.
You’ll get much better light for stunning travel photography if you visit early in the morning. Temperatures can soar to nearly 100 degrees Fahrenheit by noon, making the white marble floor heat up in bare feet!
Visiting the Shwedagon Pagoda after dark is a completely different experience. An ideal setting would be to visit in the morning when the light is good for photos and before the heat of the day, explore other interesting places in Yangon, then return to the pagoda at night when everything is lit up.
The dry season in Yangon is from November to April. The months of June, July and August are usually the rainiest.
Guides in the pagoda
As soon as you enter, you will likely be approached by friendly English speaking guides offering their services. You can be shown a multilingual comment book from your past clients. Some guides are official and licensed, while others are much more informal. The average fee is around $ 5, plus a small tip of $ 1 or so if they get good results. Agree on a clearly stated price before accepting any service.
Whether you hire a guide or not is completely up to you. As with booking tours in Asia, you can gain more knowledge and information by hiring a guide. But at the same time, you will lose the excitement of discovering a few things on your own. A good compromise is to allow time at the end of your tour to wander without the distraction of someone speaking. People looking at Shwedagon Pagoda can be very interesting. You can have friendly monks come to you to practice English.
Gold and jewels at Shwedagon pagoda
The royal pagoda is built of painted and covered with gold-plated bricks donated by monarchs and supporters around the world.
The umbrella crown that adorns the top of the Shwedagon Pagoda is 43 feet tall and covered in 500 kilograms of gold plates that are attached with rivets. At 2017 gold prices, that’s roughly $ 1.4 million in gold plating alone! A total of 4,016 gold-plated bells hang from the structure, and more than 83,850 jewels are said to be part of the pagoda, including 5,448 diamonds and 2,317 rubies, sapphires and other gems. The tip of the stupa is said to contain a 76 carat diamond!
