Others Places of Interest

Pyay (Prome)

Pyay is located about 285 km north of Yangon, on the eastern bank of the Ayeyarwaddy. It is easily accessible by road or by rail which takes about 5 hours. A few kilometers north-east of the town is Thaye Khittaya (Sri Ksetra), an archaeological site of the ancient Pyu capital (5th to 9th century). Shwesandaw pagoda, Hsehtakyi pagoda, Shwe Phone Pwint Museum, Bawbawgyi pagoda, Bebegyi pagoda, Payagyi and Payama stupas are other places of interest in and around Pyay. There are many hotels with modern facilities for foreign visitors.

Mon State

Tourist Attractions

Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda

This mystical pagoda stands on a gold gilded boulder, precariously perched on the edge of the hill over 1100km above sea-level. Kyaikhtiyo, the town at the foot of the hill, is about 160km from Yangon. It is an 11km up hill climb for the hikers from Kinpun base camp. There is also a steep winding road for 4-wheel drive cars from the base to the nearest point of the pagoda. There are many legends about the pagoda and the “nats” or “spirits”.

Mawlamyine

Mawlamyine, a charming town, is the capital of Mon state, situated at the mouth of the Thanlwin River (Salween River). It is easily accessible by road and rail from Yangon. Sites to see in Mawlamyine are Kyaikthanlan pagoda, Uzena Pagoda, Caves of Kawgoon and Payon, famous for its countless Buddha images, stalagmites and stalactites.
Kyaikkhami pagoda, perched on the rocks by the sea and joined to the land by a covered causeway, is the main attraction.
About 34km from Mawlamyine is Thanbyuzayat, an Allied War Memorial Cemetery for the prisoners or war who lost their lives in the building of the famous Death Railway across the River Kwai.

Kyaikmaraw Wish-granting Pagoda

It is the most famous of all Buddha statues in Kyikmaraw, Mon State, Yamanya Taing. It lies in the precincts of U Khema Monastery in town. The donor was Shin Saw Pu or Banya Htaw the Queen of Hanthawaddy. It is different from other famous pagodas. Though others are cross-legged, standing, or reclining, Kyaikmaraw Buddha is sitting with its legs hung down. The Buddha statures in the Gandhakuti Taik are so numerous that one cannot count a common figure at any tally.

Maha Myat Muni Pagoda

It is the most famous pagoda of all in Mawlamyine. It is cast in the likeness of Maha Myat Muni Image in Mandalay. It lies on the northern-most part to Naga with a Range in Mawlamyine.

Thanbyuzayat

About 34 km from Mawlamyine is Thanbyuzayat, and a well-kept Allied War Memorial Cemetery for prisoners-of-war who died while building the "Death Railway" during World War II; the Railway Museum and a Japanese-built pagoda in memory of the perished Japanese engineers and prisoners-of-war.

Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery

The cemetery contains 3771 graves of Allied POWs who died building the railway. It is under the maintenance of the Commonwealth War Graves commission and is reminiscent of the Tauk Kyant War cemetery near Yangon. Most of those interred were British. There are also markers for American, Dutch and Australian soldiers.

Kyaik Kami Yele Pagoda

It is located 24 km north east of Thanbyuzayut and was a small coasted area and missionary centre known as Amherst during the British annexation. The main focus of Kyaik Kami is Yele Pagoda. It is a metal roofed Buddhist shrine complex perched over the sea and reached through a long two-le vel causeway; the lower level is submerged during high tide. The shrine chamber beneath Yele Pagoda contains sacred hairs of the Buddha. The pagoda festival is held in October annually and is one of the famed pagoda festivals in Myanmar.

Shwe Saryan Pagoda (Thaton)

It was built by King Thuriya Sanda, and believed to have enshrined eight hair relics of Kakusana Buddha the staff of Gonaguna Buddha, the emerald alms bowl of Kassapa Buddha and four tooth relics of Gautama Buddha, in addition to gold images. It was built on Thuna Pranta Hill. It is 251 feet high, with Mya Thein Tan Pagoda or Thagya Pagoda in the east, with Shwe Chegan Pagoda on its platform, and Pitakataik Pagoda in the north.

Mon Culture Museum

It is a two-storey building dedicated to the Mon history of the region. Exhibits are displayed downstairs while reading rooms are upstairs. The modest collection of the museum includes Mon inscriptions, hundred-year-old sculptures of wood, ceramics, thanaka grinding stones, silver betel boxes, an English Language letter dated 22 December 1945 from Bo Gyoke Aung San to Mo Chit Hlaing, a famous Mon Leader, lacquerware and folding manuscripts. In front of the museum you see a British cannon 1826, and a huge Myanmar gong. Most labels are in Myanmar only although some are in English. The museum opens Wednesday to Sunday 09:30 am to 04:00 PM.

Kayin State

Tourist Attractions

Hpa-an

Pha-an, the capital, is on the eastern bank of Thanlwin River. The plains at Kayin State are dotted by lime stone caverns and lime stone hills protruding steeply upwards. Among the hills, Zwegapin hill is the most prominent with a height of 2,372 ft above the sea levels the capital of Kayin State.

Rakhine State

Tourist Attractions

Sittwe

Sittwe is the capital of Rakhine State. It is situated in northwestern Myanmar on the coastline along the Bay of Bengal. Regular flights from Yangon to Sittwe take about 1-1/2 hours by ferry along the Bay of Bengal or 2 days drive from Yangon by car. A view points of Sittwe, Mrauk U, Rakhine Cultural Museum, Kanthayar Beach Resort.

Mrauk U

This 15th century ancient city of Rakhine Kingdom is known for its old temples with wall paintings of Indian cultural influence. A regular passenger boat takes hours from Sittwe (Akyab) to Mrauk U. Special speed boat with 20 seats takes only 2 ½ hours. It is also accessible by road from Sittwe via Ponnakyun and Kyauktaw. The Mahamuni Shrine, one of the famous pagodas in Myanmar, is situated 30km from Mrauk U.

Lashio

It is a trading town in Northern Shan State, accessible by road from Mandalay. From Lashio, the famous Burma Road, built by the British before the War, intersects with Ledo Road leading into the Yunnan Province.

Border Area

Tourist Attractions

Muse

Muse, a small town on the banks of the Shweli River, is the main border gateway between Myanmar and Yunnan Province (China). Located 190 km from Lashio, it is a bustling trading centre. Muse Motel has modern facilities. Nankham and Kyukoke are nearly border towns.

Tachileik

Tachkleik, located in the Golden Triangle Area, is the border gateway opposite Mae Sai in Thailand. It is accessible by air or by road; about 2 hours by air from Yangon to Tachileik. The Golden Triangle Paradise Resort is located on the banks of the Mekone River facing Laos and Thailand.

Kyaing Tong

Kyaing Tong is the capital city of the Golden Triangle Region. It is only 170 km away from Tachileik and it takes 3 hrs by 4 WD or Sedans. There are many sites to see besides the ethnic tribes in colorful dresses. There are regular flights from Yangon to Kyaing Tong. Kyaing Tong Hotels (old and new) offer modern facilities at reasonable prices. Visitors are allowed to cross into this border town with Border Passes.

Myitkyina

Myitkyina is the largest town in Kachin State. From Myitkyina, visitors can tour the confluence (Myitsones) of Maikha and Makikha, the source of the Ayeyarwaddy River. There are regular flights from Yangon and Mandalay to Myitkyina.

Puta-O

Puta-O is another town in Kachin State surrounded by Snow peaked Mountains. It is cool the whole year round and there are many varieties of citrus fruits grown in the orchards. It is the nearest town to the base camp for climbing Mt. Khakhaborazi (5889 meters), which is the highest mountain in Myanmar and in Southeast Asia.

Kawthaung

Formerly called Victoria Point, Kawthaung is the southern most known of Myanmar. From Ranong, a border town in Thailand, visitors can take 20 minutes boat trips to Kawthaung for sightseeing and shopping. Andaman Club on the Thahtaykyun Island is located west of Kawthaung. There are regular flights from Yangon to Kawthaung and Fiver Star Shipping Line operates Cruise vessel M.V. Thanlwin to Kawthaung.