Shwedagon Pagoda

The best time to visit the Shwedagon Pagoda is early in the morning around sunrise or in the evening around sunset when the temple is lit.

As with all Buddhist temples in Myanmar, it is expected that tourists dress appropriately. Women need to cover their shoulder at all times and wear knee-length attire. Sleeveless shirts and shorts are also not allowed for both men and women. You can borrow Longyis (long cloth worn by Burmese men), which are available at the ticket counter if you are wearing shorts. 

The rules are strictly followed, and you would be denied entry if you fail to obey them.

Before entering the temple grounds, you need to remove shoes and socks. You can either leave them at the entrance or carry them with you.

The temple was constructed between the 6th and the 10th centuries. Legend says that two of the Buddha's disciples, Tapussa and Balika visited King Okkalapa of the Mon dynasty and offered him eight hairs of their master and some relics. The king built a temple and enshrined these, constructing a golden stupa above, over 100 meters high.

The grand stupa was destroyed and rebuilt many times, and the present version was restored somewhere in the 19th century. A lot of smaller stupas were added during these times around the central stupa. The members of the royal families of several dynasties that have ruled the land have gifted large amounts of gold to the Buddha, which are offered in the form of gold leaves. It is estimated that the stupa is adorned with at least 30 metric tons of gold leaf, along with precious stones and gems found in thousands, all offered to the relics.

There are four entrances to the temple on each side. The stairs are decorated with dragons passing through until the door, which are inspired by Chinese Buddhism characters. On the way in the corridors, you can witness the walls filled with beautiful paintings depicting scenes from Jataka covering the journeys of the Buddha.

Inside the complex, eight shrines are surrounding the stupa, which consists of images of the Buddha. They depict each day of the week, and there are two shrines for Wednesday. People offer prayers to the shrine representing the respective days they were born. 

The central stupa at the centre is decorated with hti, an ornament decorated with precious stones, which sits at the top.

Some of the other notable for exploring in the temple complex include:

• The Naung Daw Gyi Pagoda, where the hairs of the Buddha were initially placed before moving to the stupa. Only men are allowed inside.
• There are many prayer halls and corridors allocated for people to assemble for prayers. These consist of images of the Buddha in various positions and are decorated with murals. Most notable are the ones depicting Jataka tales, and also the Burmese legends. 
• There is a small pagoda which resembles the Mahabodhi temple in India in its structure, which is dedicated to Gaya, the place where the Buddha attained enlightenment.
• There is a large bell called  Dhammazedi at the bell tower, which was made around the 15th century. It weighs about 300 tons and has images of the Buddha, and is considered to be the world's largest bell. 
• It is believed that the original bell is in Yangon river, which was submerged when a Portuguese merchant stole and was trying to ship across to produce Cannons. 
• Also, don't forget to check out the 15th-century Buddhist inscription or Dhammazedi inscription tablet, which describes the details of the Shwedagon Pagoda in Pali and Mon languages.