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Other Places
North of Yangon
PYAY (Prome)
 An ancient 'Pyu' Capital lies 8 km south-east of
Pyay (Prome), which is located about 178 mile north-west of Yangon.
Archaeological discoveries indicate that the city attained its
height of prosperity between the 5th and 9th centuries.
The remains at Tha-ye-khit-taya are palace site,
the prototype of Bagan vaulted temple such as Lemyethna and East
Zegu, the cylinder-shaped Bawbawgyi Pagoda, Payagyi and Payama
stupas each with a high conical dome and the Archaeological Museum.
Places of interest in Pyay are Shwesandaw Pagoda,
a gigantic sitting Buddha Statue of Hsehtatkyi Pagoda, Shwe Phone
Pwint Library and the beautiful scenery of majestic Ayeyarwaddy
river. Pyay is easily accessible by road or by rail.
THE STORY OF AKAUK TAUNG
The site Akauk Taung lies two hours by car from
Pyay. The story of Akauk Taung is connected with the British Myanmar
relationship during colonial times. The British fought three wars of
conquest and colonialism against the Myanmar (The three (Anglo-Burman
wars) in the 19th century. The first Anglo-Burman war took place in
1824 when the British annexed. The second in 1846 and the third in
1885-86 , when the British completed their conquest of Myanmar by
taking, Mandalay, upper Myanmar, deposing the king and queen
and destroying the remaining Myanmar sovereignty.
After the second Anglo-Burman war, Akauk Taung
marked the river border between upper and lower Myanmar, between
Myanmar and British. (Echoes of this colonial border remain today).
(As Akauk Taung mark the border between Ayryawady division and Bago
division). Akauk Taung had British customs house and Myanmar customs
house during colonial times. Boats had to pay a tax the Myanmar
customs house, if they were going upper and to the British custom
house if they were going down river. Akauk Taung also was an ideal
place to take shelter from stormy weather. So boats were often
laid-up at Akauk Taung. Sometimes for days or even weeks, waiting
out bad weather and paying customs tax. The people on the boat,
sailors, passengers and merchants, naturally become bored with
waiting, so the question "became what to do all that spare time".
In other parts of the world, people might amuse
themselves in such a situation by card playing, gambling, drinking
or other pastimes. But Myanmar people, steeped in Buddhism, didn't
generally want to do such things. They tend to do good deeds even
with their leisure time. And so Akauk Taung's most unique feature
developed. People began curving statues of the Buddha on the bank of
the river, there by paying homage to the Buddha and gaining merit.
This soon became habitual and almost compulsory; every boatman,
while waiting to pay tax or for a change in the weather, had to
curve a statue. Today, although erosion has taken its toll, hundreds
of these statues can still be seen on the bank of the river.
Sourth-eastern Myanmar
KYAIK-HTI-YOE PAGODA (THE GOLDEN ROCK)
 The pagoda is just 104 miles from Yangon to Camp
Kimmon, the base camp where you start climbing. We can go up by car
from Camp Kimmon to the foot of Mount Hermit which is about a
mile’s, that is, less than an hour’s climb from the Kyaik-Hti-Yoe
Pagoda. The small stupa, just 7.3 meters high, sits atop the “
Golden Rock ”, a massive, goldleafed boulder delicately balanced on
the very edge of a cliff at the top of Mt. Kyaikto. Like Shwedagon
Pagoda in Yangon or Mahamuni Pagoda in Mandalay, Kyaik-Hti-Yoe
Pagoda is one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in Maynamr.
One reason why the pagoda is so “ special ” to the Buddhists in the
country is that it is believed to enshrine three strands of the
Buddha’s hair. What makes the pagoda especially marvelous is its
precarious position: it stands on a boulder that seems to be defying
the force of gravity as it hangs from the spur of a cliff. If you
give the boulder a push, it shake! The boulder is said to have been
placed there by no less a being than the King of the
extraterrestrial Kingdom according to the legend of the pagoda.
Kyaik-Hti-Yoe is a Mon name meaning the pagoda
that stands on the head of a hermit. To go back to a part of the
legend, the hermit that got to keep the three strands of the
Buddha’s hair on his head insisted on his deathbed that they be
enshrined on a boulder similar to his head. Accordingly, the King of
the extraterrestrial Kingdom found one from the sea and placed it on
the edge of the cliff where it has lain through millenniums in spite
of earthquakes and other forces of nature that tend to pull things
down.
One big reason for the popularity of the pilgrimage to the
Kyaik-Hti-Yoe Pagoda is the highly refreshing and exhilarating climb
itself which must be a never-to-be forgotten experience to most
comers.
The atmosphere surrounding Kyaik-Hti-Yoe during
the height of the pilgrimage season, November to March, is charged
with magic and devotion, especially when the glinting boulder is
bathed in the purple, sometimes misty light of dawn. Pilgrims chant,
light candles and meditate all through the night. Men are permitted
to walk along a short cause way and over a bridge spanning a chasm
to the buolder and affix goldleaf squares on the rock’s surface.
It’s said that if you wedge a short piece of wood or bamboo into the
space between the bottom of the boulder and the cliff on which it
rests, you can watch it flex as the boulder gently rocks back and
forth.
MAWLAMYAING (Moulmein)
Mawlamyaing is the capital city of Mon State.
Once it was the capital of Mon Kingdom which had flourished from the
3rd century BC to the 11th century AD, stretching across Thailand
and Cambodia through centuries. The Mon, number 3 million. You can
visit there by car or train. They have
their own culture and dialect.
Kyaikhto is an ideal place for pilgrims.
Mawlamyaing is famous for the Shwesandaw Pagoda, Mawlamyaing Market
and Gaungsay Island at mid-river. Gaungsay means washing the head of
the kings in those days. Mawlamyaing is also a seaport. If you have
the time, you should visit there and proceed to Thanphuzayat town, a
town famous for the Allied Cemetery of Allied soldiers who fell in
the construction of railroad form Thanphuzayat to Thailand during
the Japanese occupation between 1942-45. You can also visit Mudon,
Kyaikmaraw and Kyaikkhami mid-water Pagoda at Setse Beach.
North-eastern Myanmar
KALAW
Kalaw is situated on the way to Inle Lake by land
route from the west. The town is 1300 meters about sea level. As it
is on high elevation, temperature is about 20 C at day and 5 to 10 C
at night from November to January and the rest year is about 25 C at
day and 15 C at night. Due to fine weather, Kalaw became a hill
station since the time of British.
PINDAYA
Pindaya is another famous small town in Inle lake
area and noted for it's famous cave with over 8000 Buddha images
inside and beautiful scenery. There is also trekking activities to
Danu tribe village but it is rigorous trekking. Temperature is about
the same as in Inle Lake. Traditional bamboo umbrella making can be
seen there.
TAUNGGYI
 Taunggyi meaning huge mountain is situated in
southern Shan state and it is the capital city of the Shan state.
And it has cool weather and the weather is so moderate during the
daytime but the weather is so cool and the temperature is 5C during
the nighttime.
And it is situated 5650 feet at the lowest and
5910 feet at the highest above the sea level. The capital city is
surrounded with high mountains and it is situated on high plateau.
There are also religious buildings, pagodas, beautiful parks and
other interesting places to visit. Moreover houses, government
buildings, private owned business centres and hospitals, food and
clothing stores and international standard hotels are everywhere.
KAKKU
 Kakku lies 26 miles south of Taunggyi, sharing
border with NaungMon Township in the east. In the west, there lies a
blue and hazy Khe-Le mountain ranges stretching from north to south
and 1300 meter above the sea level. Kakku pagodas - thousands of pagodas with various
shapes, sizes and descriptions dotted within Kakku pagoda compound
is main attraction. Beside, there are beautiful landscapes in which
pagodas are set and small winding road leading to pagoda complex
allowing a close observation of the vegetation and cultivation. And
to study the daily life of Pa-oh tribal and their culture also. It is a hidden treasure of Shan State and
magnificent collections of Buddha stupas hidden by many years due to
uneasy accessible in the deepest Pa-oh territory. More than 2000
stupas are packed in ranks covering an area of approximately a
square kilometre
apparent unknown to outside world.
Pa-oh people from near and far usually visit to
this pagodas by hundreds of bullock carts to participate the annual
pagoda festival in the mid of March.
KYAING-TONG
As the principal city of Eastern Shan State,
Kyaing-tong provides one of the most interesting tour sites with a
web of roads leading to Mong-lar near Chinese border and Ta-chi-iek
near Thailand border, among others. By road Kyaing-tong is 281 miles
from Taunggyi and 102 miles to Ta-chi-lek.
Loi-mwe National Park, one hour drive from Kyaing-tong,
situated 5542 feet-above sea level could be toured around. Akha, Wa
and Lahu tribes in their way of adjusting between development and
cultural preservation could be seen at Ho-latt, Naung-cho and Pang-Y
, their respective small villages. During British colonial rule
(1885-1940), one Governor House was built for Summer Residence, and
a Church: interesting places to visit at Loi-mwe.
Confluence of famous Mekong River and Nam-hop
rivulet is the infamous Golden Triangle. Notoriety and miseries of
opium trade of the area have been wiped out, unrivalled beauty
Mother Nature has presented been prepared for gentle people to meet
simple natives. Across the bridge, spanning Mesai River from Ta-chi-leik
is Thailand's northern-most town, Mesai. Permission to stroll around
Mesai market place could be obtained at Checkpoint.
Kachin State
 Kachin state which is located in the extreme
north of Myanmar lie between the upper region of the Ayeyarwaddy and
the Chindwin River. Kachin state is featured basically with the
plain mountain ranges, a lot of summits and big tree forests. It's
approximate area is 34,379 square miles. Being on an average of 3000
feet above sea level, the eastern portion of Kachin state possesses
the couching of Inmaikha and the Malika, the two tributaries to form
the Ayeyarwaddy River.
The largest natural lake in Myanmar named Inndawgyi, 40 miles long,
70 miles broad lie on the upper region of the Moekaung River in this
lake. Myitkyina is the capital of Kachin state. The Kachins, the
Shans, Azis, Mine Thars, Liphaws etc are the nationalities living in
Kachin state. Kachins have seven ethnic branches whose traditional
dances are different to each other. There are five famous dances of
Manaw dance performed auspicious occasions. Lawaw San Waysan
performed for the occasion of celebrating World victory and Sum wat,
Junpaw is a traditional dance performed by Lachees of Kachin
Nationalities.
MYITKYINA
Myitkyina is the capital and centrally located in
the Kachin State. It is the northern most railway terminal, 919
miles from Yangon and 487 miles from Mandalay. Visitors can tour the
Myit Sone, the confluence of MayKha and Malika Streams. Ayeyarwaddy,
the most useful river in Myanmar has its source from this confluence
and flows 1325 miles to the mouth of the river. The panoramic view
of the scenario at Myit Sone with the unspoiled beauty of nature is
beyond the expression of words and will definitely be a fine
attraction to tourists. Myitkyina can be reached by road, rail,
river and air. Different tribes of national races live in harmony
with their own cultures, costumes, dialects, dances and lifestyles.
The glittering costumes with silver trinkets of the charming Kachin
belles would be an enchanting sight. For souvenir lovers that the
Kachin woollen bag with silver trinkets would be a memorable gift.
The overland trade route to India and China and World War II supply
line to China along the Ledo Road pass through Myitkyina.
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