Highlights of Mawlamyine and Hpa-an plus Golden Rock and Bago

Early in the morning we will have breakfast at the hotel and then drive to Mawlamyine which will take about 6 hours. On the way we will have lunch. On arrival in Mawlamyine we will visit the local Zegyi Market, Mawlamyine’s oldest and most famous market. We will then drive to the small town of Mudon which will take less than an hour. On the way to Mudon, we will pass by fertile lands which are famous for the rubber plantations and a variety of seasonal fruits. Our visit will include the Mon State National Museum (if open) where we will learn about the Mon Tribes’ traditional musical instruments, clothes, and the ancient Mon language scripts. If time permits, we will visit the Kyaithanlan Pagoda which is the tallest pagoda in the town, as well as the Mahamuni Pagoda which looks similar to the Mahamuni Bronze Buddha image in Mandalay. The nearby monastery is named after its founder, Seidon Mibaya Kyaung, where we will see brilliant wood carvings which are well over 100 years old. We return to Mawlamyine to overnight at our hotel.

We start the day by driving south to Win Sein Tow Ya, the largest reclining Buddha in the world measuring 30 meters high and 180 meters in length. Located opposite the Buddhist shrine of Kyauktalon Taung, it can be seen for miles even though it is still under construction. We then will stop at Thanbyuzayat which is a town in Mon State in south-eastern Myanmar. We will also visit the site of a Japanese prisoner of war camp. Over 3,000 Allied servicemen who worked on building the railway are buried here in the Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery. We continue our drive to Kyaikami which is a small town along the sea in Mon State where we will visit the Kyaikhami (Yeilé) Pagoda which is on a small island near the beach. In the afternoon, we will return to Mawlamyine and continue to visit the local market where we will leisurely take photos of the many old colonial-style houses, a mosque, and churches. We then continue to a nearby viewpoint to enjoy the beautiful sunset views over the harbor and will transfer back to the hotel for overnight.

In the morning we will drive to a viewpoint of the small islands in the Than Lwin River delta. Afterwards we go to the jetty at the Than Lwin River to take a boat ride to Hpa-An. The Than Lwin River is the second largest in Myanmar, and is known for having sparkling blue-green water.  The five to six-hourboat ride for will pass serene scenery along the river banks. Once we arrive in Hpa-An, we transfer to our hotel for overnight. Please note that if the ferry boat is not available on our departure day to Hpa-An, a car will be arranged for the journey. If we drive, we will visit Kadoe Village where we will learn about the colorful little figures which explain the Buddhist stories, and we will see the beautiful teak wood carvings on the teak plants.

After having breakfast, we start the day by the visiting Mount Zwekabin where we can see a small Karen village.  We will also visit Lumbini Park with its 1,000 Buddha images at the base of Mount Zwekabin. We then visit the Kyauk Ka Lak Mountain Monastery where we can take beautiful photos. We then explore Kawgun Cave which is a natural limestone cave. Inside the cave are thousands of Buddha images of various sizes and shapes in old styles, carved out of stone. In the afternoon we continue our drive to Kyaik Hto which is the junction town to go up the Golden Rock.  On the way, we will visit the Bayin Nyi Cave where you can see the beautiful surface and a pagoda which is a relatively modern structure. The cave is quite impressive and is well set-up for tourists. We proceed to Kinpun base camp from where we take an impressively converted truck uphill and then a short walk to the summit of Kyaiktiyo where we will find the Golden Rock. The rock is famous for its precarious, and very delicate, balancing on the edge of another stone. It is the third most important Buddhist pilgrimage site in Myanmar. Note that riding up the mountain on the back of the converted truck is an exhilarating experience, though it can be a rough ride and possibly crowded with pilgrims and tourists. It may not be such a pleasant experience to some of us. Should you prefer to take a more comfortable private truck, please ask your guide to arrange this at an additional cost. From the upper area where the truck comes to a stand, the final stage to the Golden Rock at the summit is a pleasant 45 minutes walk past small shops selling food and drinks. If you prefer an easier alternative to walk up, you can request to be carried like a king in a “sedan chair” by four porters, at an extra cost. On arrival at the top, check-in at the hotel and then take a short walk to the Golden Rock. Enjoy the wonder of this amazing Golden Rock while witnessing the rituals performed by the Buddhist pilgrims. The views from here are stunning! We stay overnight in our hotel at the summit.

We can first enjoy the beautiful sunrise before breakfast and then go down the hill to Kinpun base camp from where we proceed to Bago. The drive from Kinpun to Bago takes about three hours. Upon arrival at Bago, we will visit Kyakhat Wine Monastery which is one of the three largest monasteries in the country which is a great example of the Buddhist monastic life of Myanmar. We will also visit the Shwemawdaw Pagoda which is similar to the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon but is taller and visible from all over Bago. We will have lunch at a local restaurant and then continue to the 55-meter long reclining Shwethalayaung Buddha and the Kalyani Sima (“Hall of Ordination”) where we will see ten large tablets with Pali and Mon inscriptions and rows of tented arches around the outside. We will also visit Kyaik Pun Pagoda which is notable for its four giant seated Buddha statues sitting back-to-back facing the four opposite directions. On the way returning to Yangon, we will stop at the Taukkyan War Cemetery, the resting place of the Allied soldiers from the British Commonwealth who died in the battles in Burma during the Second World War.  We will overnight in Yangon.