The closest restaurant is at the intersection of the Shwedagon Pagoda Rd and U Hlaung Bo St (at the bottom of the south walkway). There are some tea shops on a small roadway that describes a semicircle just below the top of the pagoda where you can get tea and biscuits. North of the pagoda, on Inya Rd and outside the Savoy, are many places to eat, fincluding a good fast food restaurant for pizza, coffee and sandwiches. Bring water; the heat of the sun can get to you if you visit during the daytime. No food or bottled water is available on the platform itself, but water is available from one of the many water dispenser. It's clean, cool and free.
The original pagoda was destroyed by allied bombing during the Second World War but the site has a legendary history as long as that of the Shwedagon or the Sule Paya, and it is supposed to house more strands of the Buddha's hair brought to the site by a thousand soldiers (hence the name which means "1,000 officers"). The rebuilt stupa is hollow inside, and many relics (though not the hair) are on display. While not spectacular like the Shwedagon, the river-front setting and the hollow stupa make it worth visiting. Entrance fee: 6,000 kyat
Reclining Buddha
A temple that is home to an impressive reclining Buddha that is 65 m long and 6 storeys high.