MT. POPA

A popular day trip from Bagan (59 km), Mt. Popa is an extinct volcano and covered with a recently grown sandalwood forest. At nearly 1500m in height, Mt Popa stands as a visible symbol of nature’s victory in the fight against environmental decay. As well as its interesting geology and local fauna, Mt Popa is famous as the centre of Nats or spirits worship. It is believed to be the home of Myanmar’s legendary 37 Nats, the worship and appeasement of whom mingles easily with Buddhist beliefs.

The area around Mt. Popa is designated a National Park and common wild animals presently observed there include jungle cats, jackals, barking deer, monkeys, rhesus monkey, squirrels and hare. For bird watchers there are also 130 species of avifauna.

When reaching the top of the mountain, accompanied by a crowed of monkeys, you will have an overlooking extraordinary panoramic view of the surrounding landscape studded with Bagan’s ancient structures.

SALE

It is a small town about 15 km south of Bagan. It is noted for U Pone Nya Museum, formerly known as the Yoke Sone Monastery, exhibiting antique laquerwares, wooden reliefs and a large standing gilded Buddha image. The figures carved outside the front of the building are worth seeing. Another place worth visiting is Tha-ta-naKyaung (Keythar monastery) where Tipitaka texts are housed in a large red lacquered cabinet.

PAKOKKU

About 32km west of Bagan, located on the western bank of the Ayeyarwaddy, is a bustling tobacco center. It is a stopping point for visitors who have visited Chin State to take a river ferry across the river Ayeyarwaddy to the ancient city of Bagan sitting on the eastern bank of the Ayeyarwaddy. From there on the way to Monwya you can pay a visit to a wooden monastery of Pakhangyi built in 19 century. Another place to visit is the destroyed monastery of Pakhanngeh, once the largest wooden monastery in Myanmar.