Page 151 - The Rough Guide to Myanmar (Burma)

KyaiKtiyo (Golden RocK) SoutheaStern MyanMar 149
quite as much physical exertion. Sedan chairs are also available from the mountaintop
truck stop to the shrine itself, but it’s a five-minute walk there so they’re not really
worth it. On descent, be aware that trucks from Yathetaun to Kinpun are far less
frequent than those from the mountaintop – unless you are travelling with a group,
you may end up waiting for hours for the truck to fill up. The first trucks usually leave
around 6am, while the last trucks depend on demand but normally depart shortly
before sunset. At the time of research there were proposals to build a cable car up the
mountain, but fortunately this seems a long way off.

On the mountain
Ticket office daily 7am–9pm • Two-day pass K6000 • Dress appropriately (no shorts or revealing clothing)
Once at the top of the mountain, foreigners are required to pay a government fee,
which buys a two-day pass. From the ticket office it’s a short walk to the main
complex, an expanse of tiles and minor shrines surrounding the Golden Rock itself.
Men are allowed to cross the footbridge (without cameras or phones) to the Rock 3
itself to add to its lustre (a tiny sheet of gold leaf; K1700), but women must stay a
short distance away.
Pilgrims throng Kyaiktiyo both day and night, but activity is greatest early in the
morning and at dusk, with people praying, lighting candles and making offerings.
It is worth taking time to explore beyond the crowded main plaza, as several quiet trails
lead across the mountains. For a short, sharp walk, follow the path down past Yoe Yoe
Lay hotel to a T-junction. The left-hand path leads 2.5km downhill to Moe Baw
Waterfall, while the right-hand path leads past a small cave shrine and dozens of
macabre traditional medicine stalls, decorated with centipedes and goat skulls, up to
Kann Pa Sat, a small pagoda with a large loudspeaker that broadcasts blessings. From
Kann Pa Sat you can head straight back to the plaza (making a 1.5km loop), or
continue along the ridge, past a row of helipads and through attractive wooded scenery
to a series of smaller, improbably shaped, rock-and-stupa combinations. One of the
more striking places to aim for is Bodhi Taw Kaw, 1.5km along the ridge from the plaza,
where ranks of small Buddha statues seated on pedestals cover the hillside. The 3km
trail ends in a winding set of steps that lead down to Kyauk Ta Gyi, a small shrine set
deep in a wooded valley; from here, you’ll need to retrace your steps to the plaza.
arrIVaL anD InForMatIon KyaIKtIyo (GoLDen roCK)
By bus Some buses run direct to Kinpun, stopping outside By train The nearest railway station to Kyaiktiyo is in
Sea Sar restaurant, while others stop 15km away in Kyaikhto. All trains between Yangon and Mawlamyine stop
Kyaikhto and transfer passengers to Kinpun by truck (the here, most passing through inconveniently early in the
price is included in the bus ticket). Outbound bus tickets morning, although there is one train in each direction
can be purchased in Kinpun at the booths opposite Sea Sar, around noon each day. From the station it’s a 30min
with most services finishing by mid-afternoon. If there pick-up (K1000) or motorbike (K2500) ride to Kinpun.
aren’t many buses heading in the direction you need from Destinations Bago (3 daily; 3hr); Dawei (daily; 20hr);
Kinpun, there are likely to be more passing Kyaikhto – Mawlamyine (3 daily; 5hr); Thaton (3 daily; 2hr); Yangon
although seats aren’t always available on these. (3 daily; 5hr).
Destinations Bago (hourly; 3hr); Hpa-An (3 daily; 4hr); Services The KBZ Bank on Kinpun’s central junction has an
Mawlamyine (daily; 4hr); Yangon (hourly; 5–6hr). ATM.
aCCoMMoDatIon
Those travelling on a budget are best off abandoning hope of a mountaintop stay – while Kinpun has some decent cheap
accommodation, hotels on the mountain charge a robust premium. At the time of research, foreign travellers were not
allowed to stay in the inexpensive pilgrims’ hostels at the top.

KINPUN Based next to the truck stop, this modern multistorey hotel
Bwaga Theiddhi Hotel Kyaiktiyo Rd T09 778 076 097. has smart rooms. It lacks character compared to the Golden

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