Yangon's centrepiece is the Shwedagon Pagoda, which should take up most of a morning or afternoon. Beyond the pagoda, the downtown colonial core rewards walking: the crumbling British-era buildings along Strand Road and the lanes around Bogyoke Market are among the best-preserved examples of colonial streetscapes in Southeast Asia. Allow a full day for the downtown area alone.
The Botahtaung Pagoda at the riverfront end of downtown is worth combining with a walk along the waterfront. North of the Shwedagon, the Chaukhtatgyi Buddha Temple houses one of the largest reclining Buddhas in Myanmar — larger than many visitors expect. The Pegu Club ruins and the Sule Pagoda are further points of interest in the inner city. For something unhurried, the Circular Railway loop takes three hours and passes through the full range of Yangon's suburban life.