Shwedagon Pagoda Temple

Address: Shwedagon Pagoda, Shwedagon Pagoda Rd, Dagon Township, Yangon, Myanmar

Website: https://www.swedagonpagoda.com/

Hours: Pagoda complex open daily; shrine areas accessed throughout the day and evening

Admission: Visitors normally pay a foreigner admission/conservation fee to enter the pagoda precinct (amount varies)

Shwedagon Pagoda is a gilded Buddhist stupa complex on Singuttara Hill in Yangon, Myanmar, and is the city’s most prominent religious landmark. The pagoda’s central stupa rises to roughly 99 meters and is covered in gold and ornamented with jewels.

According to local tradition the original shrine dates back more than 2,500 years, though historians trace the present structure to several major rebuilding phases from the medieval period onward. The pagoda has been renovated and embellished repeatedly by successive Burmese rulers and benefactors.

The pagoda sits on Singuttara Hill in central Yangon, easily reached from the city center and visible from many parts of the downtown area.

• Height and gilding: The central stupa reaches roughly 99 meters in height and is covered with gold plates; many relics and donated jewels are housed within the complex.
• Dress and conduct: Visitors should expect a strict dress code - shoulders and knees must be covered - and the customary removal of shoes before entering sacred areas.

What to See#

• Main gilded stupa: The main gilded stupa rising above the complex, covered in gold plates and topped with a jeweled ceremonial umbrella.
• Surrounding pavilions and shrines: A network of ornate pavilions, shrines and small stupas on the surrounding terraces used for ritual activity and veneration of relics.
• Viewing terraces: Terraces and viewpoints that provide panoramic views over Yangon and are popular at sunrise and sunset.

Shwedagon Pagoda sits on Singuttara Hill in central Yangon and is an easy short taxi, motorbike-taxi or ride‑share ride from downtown. Head to the main entrances on U Wisara Road / Shwedagon Pagoda Road; from Sule Pagoda area it’s only a few kilometres and typically a 5-15 minute drive depending on traffic. From Yangon International Airport expect a car journey into the city center (about 30-45 minutes). Local buses and city taxis drop passengers near the complex; you then walk a short distance from the roadside entrances up to the pagoda terraces.

• Visit at sunrise rather than sunset - the light is beautiful on the gilded stupa and the site is much quieter before the main influx of visitors and local worshippers.
• Observe the local dress-and-shoe rules on arrival: you'll need to remove shoes and cover shoulders and legs; use the ticket booths near the main stairways when you enter to avoid delays.
• Give yourself time to walk the upper terraces and side shrines - many visitors stay at the central plaza and miss intimate courtyard scenes, smaller gilded shrines and the city viewpoints around the pagoda's perimeter.