Day Trip to the Kyaiktyio Pagoda

One of the best day tours from Yangon is a visit to this shrine.

Traveling to the Kyaiktyio Pagoda is via Bago and into the blue mountain ranges of Mon State on the border to Thailand. This is about 170 kilometers by rail or road from Yangon, there is also a bus. 


On the first leg to Bago are already some very great sightseeing spots one is the Kyaikpun Pagoda with the four Buddhas.

After it’s an 15 kilometers ride to the base camp. Until here the whole surface is not bad, between the town and the starting point to get up into the mountain are several hotels among them the “Mountain View resort” a nice clean place between rubber  

plantings. From here it’s another 12 km ascend up to mountain top. Since the road is very narrow always one batch of vehicles move up and wait after the other drive down.

This is one of the top pilgrim targets in the country and it is really amazing what’s up here. 

Theoretically his could be done by a day trip from Yangon but it is better to stay overnight because of the road condition it needs to have some spare time. This is also a drive through the Irrawaddy Delta.

In the Irrawaddy delta

Kyaiktiyo or golden rock pagoda

The golden Rock Shrine 

is built on a gilded boulder with 25 meters circumference. Legend tells the whole is balanced in this precarious position by an original hair from the Buddha. The rather, around 7 meters high structure small 18-foot-high Kyaiktiyo or golden Rock Pagoda is located near the Thai border town of Mae Sot on an elevation of 1100 meters above sea level.

For Myanmar outdoor enthusiasts 

the ultimate kick probably would be a trek up to the top but it really needs good physical condition to do that. Actually the main problem is the heat and snakes both are of high amount. 

Most people do the trail in the loading bay of a small truck and the last 1.5 km must be done on foot or maybe not. Bamboo sedans balanced on the shoulder of 4 guys would be an alternative; this is very popular by “Fatty Bum Bum Chinese”.

Legend tells that in the 11th century King Tissa of Thaton got a strand of the Buddha’s hair from an hermit on condition that to enshrined them in a pagoda built on a boulder looking somehow similar to the hermit’s head. Since nobody found such a place they prayed to Thagyamin the king of the Nats and help came instantly. They found a suitable boulder at the bottom of the Andaman Sea and lifted it up to the top of the mountain.



Here is a Kyaiktyio Map.

A sexy fiesta in the night

Nightlife holiday with young local women.

This are a kind of sexy break to relax in the night, get your mind tuned and feel good here are perfect possibility, just follow the link you maybe won't believe it but it's totally true. 



It's sexy stuff in Myanmar's nightlife, if you know where to go there is no much difference to Bangkok, use the link to get knows the destination.

Sexy stuff in Yangon

Tours and day trips

Here are a couple of short trips and a few journeys over some days.

It is very advisable to take a guided look around because the environment is not easy and without having a local assistance you run continuously into problems which are not of the big sort but not nice and cost lots of time. 

To avoid all this makes your holiday a pleasant one and the most precious days in the year really enjoyable, keep in mind the country is different, thats not Thailand.

Half day Mandalay City Tour
Excursion Sale & Mount Popa 
Half day to Mount Popa 

Thanboddhay Pagoda in Monywa

On the pagoda platform dozens of smaller shrines.

Around are myriads of temples and skilfully painted sculptures, they blend very well with the pilgrim crowd. 

Powintaung Cave Pagodas

This are some of the most unique shrines in the country.

The Powintaung Pagodas are not far off from Monywa > and the Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park >, a ideal day trip or longer when visiting Mandalay. 


The Chindwin River valley region has many highlights, among them are the great town of Monywa on the eastern bank and the ancient pagodas on the other side.

The term "Powin" probably has evolved from a term meaning "the powerful state of an ascetic's mind" and "Taung" means hills. Legends tell that people seeking supernatural power have been meditating there. 

There are almost 800 caves in that area, most were naturally formed and hollowed out and enlarged. This is some soft limestone as almost everywhere in SEA.

The earliest inscription was found on the earlobe of  reclining Buddha from 1549 many inscription were deleted over time being consider "Graffiti" not suitable in pagodas and temples.

Anyway many caves are covered will wall art which are mainly murals with different themes mostly related to Buddhas life called "Jakata Stories". Paintings are mostly from the 17th. Century and show Shan style elements. Around the entrances are flame designs from the Bagan area. Some monkey families occupy the place and woods around.

Pilgrims come to attend the annual festival in October or November, the rest of the year it's quite empty.  
  

Powintaung Cave  Temples

Buddhist novitiation celebration >

Buddhist Novices

Begging for Alms.

When traveling to Burma and seeing this large amount of novices the question is why? This is not only a dedication to Buddha it has a other reason and that is a social one. The fact is Myanmar is an extremely poor country without any kind o social hammock. 

What are the people doing who fall off the grid? Who are orphans, old people, invalided or anyone in the direction? There is no place to go, only the monastery can look after them. Although the living is not as easy but at least they can survive.  

Buddhist novices trying for alms

Island Holiday

Want to play Robinson? 

The south Myanmar Islands between Myeik and Kawthaung are the best destination for that kind of holiday

Island holiday in Myanmar are really pristine and unique since the almost one thousand spot in the Andaman Sea are mostly inhabited only a few are used by the Salones also known as "Sea Gypsies" during the monsoon when the ocean is to wild for their houseboats.