Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda (Golden Rock)
Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda
(Golden Rock)
 This
mystical pagoda stands on a golden gilded
boulder, precariously perched on the edge of
the hill over 1100km above sea-level.
Kyaikhto, the town at the foot of the hill,
is about 160km from Yangon. It is an
11kilometer uphill 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 pagodas.
There are many legends about the Pagoda and
the 'nats' or 'spirits'. Kyaikhto Hotel and
Golden Rock Hotel have modern facilities for
tourists.
Mawlamyaing
 Mawlamyine
is at the mouth of the Thanlwin (Satween) & Gyaing Rivers and the
Attaran Creek entering the sea. Located 28 miles from the sea, it is
the second busiest seaport & third largest city in Myanmar. Rail
and motor road from Yangon via Bago ends at Moketama (Martaban Gulf)
169 miles and then ferry across by launch. The railroad continues south
up to Ye terminal (90 miles), but the motor road continues up to Myeik
(Mergui). Air flight from Yangon, sea-going vessels, coastal boats and
inland-river crafts play up & down. Visitors to Mawlamyine are
simply enchanted at the scenic beauty and its temperate climate. Many
pagodas of renown and the highlight of the Maungngan festival is the
lavish alms-giving to over a thousand monks in the month of Thadingyut
(Sept-Oct). The atmosphere of post-colonial decay is still palpable
here. It’s also an attractive and tropical town with a ride of
stupa-capped hills on one side and the sea on the others. Mawlamyine
was the capital of British Burma from 1827 to 1852, during which time
it was a major teak port. Although, Pathein (Bassein) and Yangon have
superseded it as Myanmar’s most important seaports, much coastal
shipping still goes on. It’s the third largest city composed of 75% Mon
or some mixture of Mon, Karen, Bamar, Indian and Chinese.
Kyaikmaraw Wish-granting Phaya
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.
^^
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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.
^^
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