YANGON, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Shwedagon Pagoda also known as the golden pagoda in Myanmar attracted over 10 million visitors including nearly 80,000 foreign visitors in 2023, U Boe Thin, a member of the Shwedagon Pagoda Board of Trustees told Xinhua on Monday.
The country with the most visits to the pagoda is China, Thailand, Vietnam and Japan, he said.
"Shwedagon is a landmark in our country. So the pilgrims from other regions and states think that they must visit the Shwedagon Pagoda when they come to Yangon," he explained why the pagoda is famous in the country.
The number of visitors still needs to catch up to the pre-COVID period, but this year, the number of visitors has increased more than the previous year, U Boe Thin said.
The visiting hour to the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon is set from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. local time, according to the Shwedagon Pagoda Board of Trustees. ■
