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Kya Kha Wain Kyaung
The sight of some 500 monks and novices, filing out in the early morning from one of largest monasteries in Myanmar to collect alms, is worth getting up early for. Otherwise, join the tour groups visiting here at 10.30am to see the monks gatheried to eat lunch in a giant hall. You’
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Phaung Daw Oo Paya
A wide channel leads south from Ywama to the village of Tha Ley and Phaung Daw Oo Paya, the holiest religious site in southern Shan State. Enshrined within the huge tiered pagoda are five ancient buddha images that have been transformed into amorphous blobs by the sheer volume of g
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Mt Zwegabin
Hpa-an is hemmed in by a wrinkled chain of limestone mountains. The tallest of these is Mt Zwegabin, about 7 miles south of town, which as well as being a respectable 2372ft is also a home of spirits and saintly souls.It’s a demanding two-hour hike to the summit – up more steps tha
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Sakyamanaung Paya
Roughly half a mile northeast of the palace walls, and behind Shwegudaung hill, this graceful Mon-influenced zedi was erected in 1629 by King Thirithudhammaraza. At this later stage, stupas were built more vertically and ornately than before.The lower half of the well-preserved 280
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Htilominlo Pahto
This 150ft-high temple (built in 1218) marks the spot where King Nantaungmya was chosen (by a leaning umbrella, that timeless decider), among five brothers, to be the crown prince. It’s more impressive from the outside, with its terraced design, which is similar to Sulamani Pahto.
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Shwegugyi
Built by Alaungsithu in 1131, this smaller but elegant pahto, 650ft north of Thatbyinnyu, is an example of Bagan’s middle period of temple-building, a transition in architectural style from the dark and cloistered to the airy and light. Its name means ‘Great Golden Cave’ and its co
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Peshawar Relics
Three tiny shards of bone, believed to be Buddha relics, were discovered in 1908 by British archaeologists at the site of a once-great ancient stupa at Peshawar (in todays Pakistan). For years they were displayed on Mandalay Hill but after thefts of associated gemstones alerted aut
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Andaw Paya
Andaw Paya takes the form of an eight-sided monument with a linear layout: rectangular prayer hall to the east, multispired sanctuary to the west. Sixteen zedi (stupas) are aligned in a square-cornered U-shape around the southern, northern and western platforms. Two concentric pass
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Inya Lake
Inya Lake, created by the British as a reservoir in 1883, is roughly five times larger than Kandawgyi. This is one of the most exclusive areas of the city to live; University Ave Rd, on the lakes southern side, was the address of Aung San Suu Kyis home, where she spent her years of
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Nagayon
Slightly south of Abeyadana and across the road, this elegant and well-preserved temple was built by Kyanzittha. The main buddha image is twice life size and shelters under the hood of a huge naga (dragon serpent). This reflects the legend that in 1192 Kyanzittha built the temple o
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Snake Monastery
A story goes that a revered monk had a dream that the python you can see snoozing in this monastery was the reincarnation of a nat ; another is that it is the reincarnation of the monk himself.Either way, more than 125 years later, the self-same python has grown to be at least 17ft
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Central Lashio
A few decrepit old wooden buildings and an eye-catching central mosque aren’t quite enough to bring a photogenic quality to predominantly concrete central Lashio. However, the pre-dawn morning market is particularly endearing when many vegetable sellers light their wares with flick
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Kaunghmudaw Paya
Five miles northwest of central Sagaing, Kaunghmudaw Paya is a vast gilded pudding of a stupa rising 150ft high. It was built in 1636 to commemorate Inwa’s re-establishment as the royal capital. According to local tradition, the king agonised interminably over how to shape the stup
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Quan Yin Shang
Part way up the wooded ridge at the southern edge of town, this large temple-nunnery is the principal place of worship for Lashio’s large Chinese community. Squint briefly at the main buildings and they appear to be olde-worlde Chinese temples with classic tip-tilted traditional ro
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Hanlin Village
Coming all this way without visiting the archaeological sites would be inexplicable, but Hanlin village is a magical place in its own right. Unpaved ox-cart tracks link an incredible plethora of decaying old stupas that create the feeling of an untouched mini-Bagan. Its best apprec
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Setse Beach
Not a picture postcard beach by any stretch of the imagination, but as the grime of travel washes away you probably won’t care. This low-key Gulf of Mottama (Martaban) beach is a very wide, brown-sand strip. The beach is lined with waving casuarina trees and has been a popular spot
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Pyathada Paya
Dating from the 13th century, during the latter period of temple building at Bagan, this huge, impressive pagoda is a superb sunset-viewing spot, with a giant open terrace (Bagan’s largest) atop the steps, and another small deck further up. The tour groups have discovered it so you
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Youqson Kyaung
Designed as a copy of the Crown Prince House in Mandalay, and built from 1882 to 1892, the huge wooden monastery is the best place to start a visit in Salay.Along two of its exterior sides are detailed original carvings displaying 19th-century court life and scenes from the Jataka
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Dhammayazika Paya
Sitting in lush garden grounds with a gilded bell, the Dhammayazika dates from 1196. Set in the south-central end of Bagan on the main road, it also has lovely views from its highest terrace. The pentagonal zedi is similar to the Shwezigon but with a more unusual design. An outer w
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Mya Kyauk Kyaung
From the foot of the Yankin Paya access stairway, backtrack 300yd towards Mandalay then turn north and go another 300yd north to find this modern monastery with its dazzlingly distinctive brassy stupa. Mya Kyauk is famed for its subterranean source of moderately alkaline mineral wa
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