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Myanmar Sights
Salay – Mt. Popa (1 day)
Salay :
is a colorful old religious
center in Central Myanmar, 1 ˝ hours south of Bagan. In between
visiting the numerous ancient monasteries, adorned with beautiful
woodcarving, you can enjoy the beauty of this compact city of
colonial buildings, monasteries and stupas.
Mount Popa :
Otherwise known as the
"flower mountain". 700 steep stairs lead up the 737m high extinct
volcano with pagodas and small temples perching on the summit. This,
the abode of Myanmar's most powerful nats (sacred spirits) provides
an entrancing view across the plains of upper Myanmar.
You will be
picked up at the airport or Hotel in Bagan by our tour guide and be
taken by car to Salay, 1 ˝ hours south of Bagan. Here you will visit
a 150-year-old wooden monastery with almost three dimensional wood
carved figures and beautiful wood carved ceilings. At the Mogok
Vipassana Yeiktha - a meditation center- you will be able to look
into the hollow 3m Lacquer Buddha (Nan Paya).
Sights in
Salay:
- Youqson Kyaung, old wooden
monastery (150 years old) with wood carved ceilings and almost three
dimensional carved figures of 19th century court life and Jatakas
(stories of the Buddha's life) and Ramayana (one of India's best
known legends) (Admission US$ 3.-)
- Thadanayaunggyi Kyaung, ancient monastery with wood carving
- Mogok Vipassana Yeiktha, meditation center 19th century shrine
shelters a 3m lacquer Buddha (Nan Paya), hollow inside
- Hkinkyiyza Kyang, ancient brick and stucco Buddhist scripture
library
- Several different styles of pagodas among old colonial buildings
(one still bears royal crown reliefs, generally removed in other
parts of the country)
After another 1 ˝
hour drive, on which we will stop for lunch in Kyaukpadaung, you
will reach Mount Popa, the "flower mountain". 700 steep stairs climb
737m to the summit of the extinct volcano clustered with pagodas and
small temples and offering fantastic views. After descending the
mountain, you will have the chance to view the abode of Myanmar's
most powerful nats (sacred spirits) from a distance and enjoy sunset
with a drink at the bar of the Popa Mountain Resort (optional).
Sights at Mt.
Popa:
- Mahagiri Shrine at the base of
the rock contains a display of the 37 most important nats
- top of extinct volcano with pagodas and a temples fantastic view!
We offer
different options to end this day:
- Watch the sunset from Popa
Mountain Resort, possibly with dinner on restaurant balcony, and
drive back to Bagan (1 ˝ hrs) afterwards
- Drive directly back to Bagan, maybe stopping at a local village,
to watch the production of local liquor and sugar made from the
“toddy palm”
To continue to
other places in Myanmar, you will leave on an early morning flight
the next day from Bagan. |
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