12th Aug 2018 /One-day trip to golden rock pagoda (Kyaiktiyo Pagoda). This place is located in Kyaiktiyo city in Mon state. Started the trip early morning at 7 am and finished around 9 PM.
Golden Rock (Kyaiktiyo Pagoda)
It’s about 4-5 hours travel from Yangon and then 45 min. travel to Pagoda by bus. During the trip passed by World War 2 memorial as well. During the return from the gold pagoda, we passed by Bago city and seen the famous reclined Buddha temple as well.
Kyaiktiyo Pagoda is a well-known Buddhist pilgrimage site in Mon State, Burma. It is a small pagoda built on the top of a granite boulder covered with gold leaves pasted on by its male devotees. According to legend, the Golden Rock itself is precariously perched on a strand of the Buddha’s hair.
Entrance gate to Golden Rock Pagoda
This picture was taken at Golden Rock Pagoda in Kyaiktiyo city in Mon state, Myanmar. We drive around 4 hours from Yangoon, and then by local truck. The day was rainy. But still enjoyed good views
The closest you can go to Golden Rock Pagoda
Another view of Golden Rock Pagoda
Street seller near Golden Rock Pagoda
This picture taken at Golden Rock, Myanmar. These kids were amazing. After spending few minutes with them I found they wanted to become a friends more than a seller.
Taken lunch at restaurant near to Golden Rock Pagoda
Hip hop truck to Golden Rock Pagoda
Getting down from Truck
Street near the Golden Rock Pagoda
Kyaik Hto Hotel near Golden Rock Pagoda. I think one night must stay here
Entrance gate to Golden Rock Pagoda
View around Golden Rock Pagoda
Myanmar Tea, and I love it.
Road towards Golden Rock Pagoda
Big Buddha temple in Bago City
War Memorial, you can stop by during trip to Golden Rock Pagoda
My Walking Story :
Today I am going to tell you about Golden Rock Pagoda in Myanmar which is the main destination for me to visit. I went there on 12th Aug’18, while it is a huge rock at the corner of the mountain of golden color. People have lots of faith in this temple and it is far away from Yangon, it takes 4-5 hours of duration to reach over there by driving. So, in the early morning I called the driver to pick me from the hotel as at 7 am in the morning I need to start traveling in order to reach the temple on time. I would like to inform you that my cab driver was a helpful person as he was charging an affordable amount plus guiding us to the place.
So, I did my breakfast early in the morning as I had already informed the concerned person of the hotel to keep ready my breakfast early in the morning. The thing was to travel as early as possible so that I can come back soon. We left the hotel (Yangon) for the Golden Rock Pagoda. It was a straight path and I remember that we stop at a restaurant around 1 or 2 pm in the afternoon and had lunch over there, the food was yummy, and I love the tea most. After that, I went to a place where there was a local stand for the people and from there, people travel in a truck to reach at Golden Rock Pagoda. It was like Dehradun one must travel by vehicle from the sloping road to reach on the top of the mountain. But over here only a truck is available to reach on the top side of the mountain and no other facility was there. The slopes on the mountain were very dangerous, one must be perfect and focus on driving.
I still remember that we reach over there around 3 pm in the afternoon and I purchase tickets for the truck and it was half an hour of driving and the rain also get started in between of that, while it was a breath-taking travel one can experience I tell you. As in the rain to drive on the slopes of foothill was dangerous but the driver was much perfect and experience, I must say. While it was an open truck so as it was raining, they covered it with the long plastic cover and we all travelers in that truck were enjoying the rain and everything.
And the truck was at a heightened one, so they take the help of the staircase to come down from the truck. One can see a photo of that on my blog. they have their own kind of local method based on the road, I guess. After getting down from the truck one must walk for one kilometer to reach the Golden Rock Pagoda. It was adventurous for me as it was raining and the dark clouds covered the mountain and in that, I must walk, I was in a sky-blue raincoat. It was that much fog or cloudy I can say that at two-meter one can see who is standing. I was walking from the narrow lane and rain was going on still try to capture the view.
Finally, I reach Golden Rock Pagoda and I try capturing the picture of it from every possible angle. It was just like one standing rock is attached to another one at the corner of it, it has few beliefs, so I went closer to the rock and touch it and pray. One more thing I would like to inform you that they don’t allow women to go closer to that place or rock, they can view from a certain distance only, now I don’t know what is the specific reason or story behind that act but men can go inside and touch the rock. You can check the photographs I tried to capture, it was an amazing experience and a peaceful atmosphere which make one’s mind calm and compose. I would like to add a few more information related to this temple, Golden Rock (Kyaiktiyo Pagoda)
It’s about 4-5 hours travel from Yangon and then 45 min. travel to Pagoda by bus. During the trip passed by World War 2 memorial as well. I was feeling blessed to see this place. While the local seller tried to sell the wooden spectacles to me and I purchase it as I can understand their struggle, the only source of earning for them was this only. but they are funny people and happy too in such a struggle of life. I spend a few minutes with them and realize that they wanted to become a friend more than a seller.
Clicked a few photos with them and move ahead. I spend around an hour inside the temple and then I must go down from the truck only so went inside the truck. Oh my god! It was an adventurous trip of mine, as the road was narrow and slippery, while the truck drivers have lots of practice of driving in that area that they don’t even start the truck and was at full speed. I was getting panic of his driving as I can hear break when he uses to apply it to lessen the speed. I was feeling as if the break doesn’t work then we are all will be down into the mountain. But because of the driver’s experience and regular practice, we reach safely. We reach down at around 4:30 pm, as we know that 5 hours of driving is there to reach Yangon and at night one must drive cautiously.
While during the return from the gold pagoda, we stop at a temple name Big Buddha in Bago city, I went inside the temple just for 10 minutes as it was raining, and this temple has certain positive beliefs. The statue of Buddha was amazing in a sleeping position plus seen the famous reclined Buddha temple as well. Kyaiktiyo Pagoda is a well-known Buddhist pilgrimage site in Mon State, Burma. It is a small pagoda built on the top of a granite boulder covered with gold leaves pasted on by its male devotees.
According to legend, the Golden Rock itself is precariously perched on a strand of the Buddha’s hair. I left for Yangon and I ask the driver to drop me at a certain place in the Yangon for the dinner and he drops me at a restaurant side place and it seems like a club, while I was done with my dinner, I was thinking about how to get back to the hotel as local people don’t know English language and it’s hard to do the communication, so somehow I took the help of few local people to make the cab drive understand where I have to go. Finally, I reach to the hotel by cab and the next day I had my flight to Bangkok. No matter how the place is, I just love traveling and this trip was also memorable for me and I am happy at the end of the day. I hope you like it!
