Visit The Enchanting Temples Of Mrauk U - Pyala-Travel.com - Travel Program

Day 1 Arrival Sittwe

You arrive in Sittwe. Here you are on the border with Bangladesh, in the territory of the Rakhine people. This is a very different part of Burma. The Rakhine, also known as the Yakhaing, or Arakanese, are ethnically much more akin to the Bangladeshis and Indians than to the Burmese. 

Sittwe itself is a beautiful town on the Bay of Bengal. There aren't many monuments and historic buildings to see, but the street scene is fascinating. Where in Yangon the traffic is ever-increasing, here there are predominantly Saik ka, the Myanmar rickshaws, some horse carts, and the occasional dilapidated pickup truck. Here you can still see the authentic streets. In many areas of Southeast Asia this is increasingly disappearing due to rapid modernization, but here in the streets of Sittwe it is largely similar to how things have been for last hundred years. 

Life takes place all along the river side. Everywhere you see various kinds of fishing boats, from large wooden boats from nearby Bangladesh to small canoes covered by tarps. The fish market is wonderful chaos. At the market you see huge fish hanging to dry. Early in the morning the boats come in with fresh fish from salt, fresh and brackish water, and there is a huge variety of fish. Everything is sold around the fish market: flowers, rice, fruit and vegetables. 

A little way behind the market is the Friday Mosque, a dilapidated building from the 19th century. Many Muslims live here. At the end of the day you go to a viewpoint overlooking the beach to watch the sun go down over where the vast Kaladan River flows into the Bay of Bengal.

Day 2 Sittwe - Mrauk U

Early in the morning you visit the fish market, where the fishing boats, which have been out all night on the open sea, are unloading their cargo. A real scene for shutter-bugs! Then you'll head to a small harbor and get on a public boat to Mrauk U. It's a 5 or 6-hour sail across vast expanses of water to Mrauk U. The further you go, the narrower the river becomes and the greener the landscape. Along the way you will pass many boats of all shapes and sizes. On the banks, small villages and the occasional pagoda in the distance come into view. In Mrauk U you can see several pagodas against the horizon. Late in the afternoon you can watch the sunset, a mystical view with pink and yellow mist surrounding the pagodas, monks in their red robes, ox carts moving slowly on the roads, women heading to the well with silver color jugs, children happily playing in the street, herds of cattle being brought in, and fires being stoked by the bamboo huts.

Day 3 Mrauk U

Today you can explore on your own or book the "Mrauk U temple" excursion. The complex was developed between the 15th and 17th centuries. The capital was strategically located between the Bay of Bengal and 4 rivers. Many temples are still intact.The most famous temple is the Shittaung Pagoda with 80,000 Buddha statues, but this is just one of many that can be admired in this vast complex. The most beautiful temples are located in the northern group, but make sure to visit the Kothaung Temple in the eastern group. Other temples that shouldn't be missed include Htokekanthein, a fortress-like temple, Andaw Thein Temple where there is supposedly one of Buddha's teeth (from Sri Lanka), Lay Myatnar Pagoda, Chin Kite Pitaka Library, and the Bandoola Monastery with the Sanda Muni Buddha. You can also visit the Rakhine Museum and the remains of the old palace. At the Yadanarpone Pagoda you get a good impression of the architectural masterpieces of the Rakhine Empire. Not only are there far fewer tourists here than in Bagan, but another important difference is that many pagodas and temples of Mrauk U are surrounded by small villages. Everywhere you see the Myanmar country life; cattle graze between the temples, hay is cut from the fields, and farmers work in the rice fields. Fantastic! And all this in an environment without electricity or internet.   

In short, Mrauk U is not only interesting to the cultural heritage of Myanmar, but it also provides a great look at the typical Myanmar countryside and a wonderful place to relax.

Day 4 Mrauk U

You have another day to explore Mrauk U. Are you going to see more temples? You can also book the interesting excursion to Vesali and Mahamuni to see the more distant areas. Or would you like something else? Then we recommend the excursion to the Chin villages, a beautiful trip by boat along the Lay Mro River.

Day 5 Mrauk U - Sittwe

Today you sail back to Sittwe, and you can enjoy the rustic river again. In the afternoon when you're back in Sittwe you can explore more in this colorful town.

Day 6 departure Sittwe