This gilded pagoda is a replica of Yangon’s famous Schwedagon Paya, though stands precisely a foot shorter. Much like the comparison between the former and current capital cities, Naypyidaw’s version is a poor imitation – hastily constructed, featureless and lacking any kind of atmosphere. Still, it makes for a poignant visit if not just for the stark contrast and is still very impressive when viewed from afar (the paya is also illuminated at night).

Large and sparsely filled, Naypyidaw’s National Museum actually contains some truly beautiful historic artifacts, such as jewelry dating back to the 11th century and the Bagan period, to significant 40-million-year-old fossil finds, to 20th-century paintings by Burmese artists.

In the heart of the capital, you’ll find the Water Fountain Garden, which covers 165 acres. The grassy park includes ponds, swinging bridges, sculptures, a playground and even a water slide. The garish fountains are illuminated in the evening, which is the best time to visit, as locals comes to picnic, drink and dance into the night.

The size of this museum complex is so immense, it’s worth a trip just to be taken aback by the sheer scale and how disproportionate that is to the number of visitors. Five giant exhibition halls contain displays on the history of defense in Myanmar, old military equipment and the three divisions of the Burmese military forces: army, navy and air force. As almost all exhibits are exclusively in Burmese and focus on the independence movement, this may lead you to (rightly) believe that the museum is a prime example of propaganda.