Shwesandaw Paya

Location: in the central plain of Bagan
Ticket: covered in the through ticket of Bagan Pass which charges US$15.

Shwesandaw Paya is one of the most famous pagodas in Myanmar and a best site to watch amazing Bagan sunset. It is a pyamid-style white Buddhism pagoda with five terraces and a height of 50 meters. Though not the highest in Bagan, it is the highest pagoda that available for climbing and offers a 360-degree view of the pagoda group. 

Shwesandaw means golden and holy Buddhist hair relics in Burmese, and the paya was built by King Anawrahta in 1057 to enshrine the Buddha’s hairs. It is the only ancient pagoda with the stairway building in the exterior of the paya.

Tips:
- The Festival of Lights happened in November is celebrated here, during which time the competition among young females to knit kasaya will be held and after the festival, all kasaya are offered to monks.
- It is a must to take off shoes to climb the pagoda to watch sunset, and it is suggested to get there earlier as a lot of people will get together there before the sunset.