Where to visit in Yangon after Shwedagon and around?
After a must pay visit to Shwedagon Pagoda, one can pay a visit to other pagodas. Apart from Shwedagon, another Pagoda worth visiting is Sule Pagoda. Situated in the center of Yangon (Rangoon), in downtown Yangon (Rangoon), it is easy to reach by bus or by taxi. The pagoda is reputedly 2,000 years old and has a strange octagonal shape. As the Sule Pagoda is situated in the center of downtown Yangon, it is always packed with people. On the pagoda, you can see a shrine for Sule Bobogyi (Grandpa Sule – the sipritual being who is believed to protect Yangon). Other attractions near Sule are Yangon (Rangoon) City Hall, which is a mix of Myanmar and European architecture, High Court Building, Maha Bandoola Garden and many other colonial style buildings. Myanmar Tourism Office (Tourist Burma) is just near by. Entrance fees for Sule Pagoda is US$ 2 per person.
Another pagoda situated just off the downtown Yangon is Botataung Pagoda. Meaning One Thousand Officers, Botataung is situated on the river bank of Yangon (Rangoon) River. There is a museum built inside the Pagoda structure where ancient Buddha stupas, images and archaeological findings are displayed. This hollow inside the Botataung Pagoda is covered in mirror glaze, forming beautiful mirror-maze walls. Entrance fees is US$ 2 per person.
Kaba Aye (World Piece) Pagoda was built in 1954 for the 6th International Council of Buddhism. Nearby is the Maha Pasana Cave where World Buddhist Summit was held.
Chauk Htat Gyi (Chauk Htat Kyi – meaning Six Storey High), in Bahan Township, houses the fourth largest reclining Buddha. The reclining Buddha image has an enigmatic smile on his delicate lips. On the huge soles of this reclining Buddha image are 108 distinguishing marks – believed by Buddhists and Brahmins to be the characteristics of Lord Buddha. The whole reclining Buddha image is 67 meters long. Across Chauk Htat Gyi, on the other side of Shwegondine Road, is Nga Htat Gyi (Nga Htat Kyi – meaning five storey) Pagoda which also houses a large sitting Buddha image. Another famous pagoda is Koe Htat Gyi (Koe Htat Kyi – meaning nine storey) in Sanchaung Township. Apart from these ancient pagodas, one pagoda worth visiting is the Kyauk Taw Gyi (Kyauk Daw Gyi) Pagoda, which is the largest marble Buddha Statue sculptured out from a single peice of marble stone.
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