Things to see and do Lower Burma

According to the legend, the presence of this 8m high rock which seems to be in unstable balance on a rocky base dates back 2,500 years. The Buddha, during one of his visits, is said to have donated one of his locks of hair to a hermit, Taik Tha. The hermit, after having kept the lock in his own hairstyle to protect him, would in turn have donated it to the king, on condition that he locked it up in a place resembling his own head. The king, having inherited supernatural powers from his father, an alchemist, and his mother, who was nothing more than a nat, a spirit, would have found the appropriate rock at the bottom of the seas. After determining, thanks to astrologers, that Kyaiktiyo was the best place to accommodate this rock, he would have placed it there in balance on the lock of Buddha's hair. The strand of hair would be the only way the rock would be kept in balance and not thrown into the void.

It is poignant to observe the faithful, monks and laymen alike, gathering in front of the rock and religiously plating fine gold leaf to earn themselves merits. The esplanade adjoining the mass of stone and gold and the various small stupas are a place of prayer as well as a place for visitors to gather to pray, have lunch or simply chat together.

Around the rock a real little town has developed, made up of stalls, small souvenir shops and religious trinkets, astrologers and healers, small restaurants and cafés. Strolling through the alleys is very pleasant

The rocky walls of these magnificent caves are fully carved with Buddhist effigies. At the bottom, a cave dating back to the century houses Buddhas represented in all positions. The caves are located two kilometers walking along the Salouen, from Hpa Gat. A pick-up connects Hpa-An to Hpa Gat early in the morning for 500 K. It starts around 11:30 a. m., which is a little short to make the visit, to take one of the pickup, later in the day, on the big road that connects Hpa-An to Kyaikto (on the bridge).

Beyond the place of worship, we go to Kyauk Ka Lat for its environment. This monastery in the middle of which stands a rocky peak surmounted by a pagoda is much visited by the locals. It is erected in the middle of a small lake, which makes it very photogenic, as is the view from its top, or almost. You have to cross a small footbridge over the water to reach it. At the end, as if it were on stilts, one can admire the pagoda and the Buddha of course, which are almost unreal and poetic at the same time.

An exceptional cave is sunk into the bowels of the mountain. Here are sculptures of Buddhas and nats. Behind the lit and sacred part, you put your shoes back on to enter a dark gallery which opens, ten minutes later, on the other side of the mountain, with a lake with turquoise waters where live fishing families who will be pleased to take you on a pirogue for a few kyats. The ceiling of the gallery is stained with bats. You can rely on the torch or ask the monks at the entrance.

This is the Burmese Guilin. Two karst sugar loaves occur on each side of the road. One has become a sanctuary dedicated to Nat and the other to the Hindu God Shiva.

Bago has one of the longest reclining Buddhas in Burma: 16 m high and 55 m long. Represented with open eyes and fanned toes: resting position. Behind its scrap metal construction, the image, protected only since 1906, has been particularly damaged in the course of history. Erected in 996, first renovated by Dhammazedi and then abandoned again, it was not until 1880 that the Buddha was rediscovered and cleared of wild grasses.

From the port of Myeik, there is a clear view of this small hilly island, where swimming is prohibited. You can get there on one of the small boats on the pier at Pyi Taw Thar Street. If the place is interesting, it keeps the third longest reclining Buddha in Burma, sixty-six meters long. Lying on the water's edge, like on the beach, in the usual serenity of Buddha. And the little extra is that one can enter inside the statue, covered with illustrations from his previous life. A pleasant visit!

When you arrive at the top, you will have to register and report to the police if you spend or not the night at the top. Indeed, foreigners are forbidden to sleep in monasteries or «camps» open to Burmese people who settle above restaurants. But many tourists bypass this regulation and, if you need to be checked, there is a lot to bet that the forces of the order would prove to be binding on you (for monks, we are less secure).

It is a site very frequented by the Burmese, the subject of pilgrimages from Mawlamyine (buses depart from the central market at 6 a. m. and 7 p. m.).

You can reach Yele by a jetty, between two monasteries of wood on piles, one for monks and another for nuns, or by descent on the beach, by a passage to the water level. Mon states that the pagoda would have failed on the rocks a long time ago. On the island, the sanctuary is clearly divided into two halls, one of which is forbidden to women. It is still said that a woman has approached, a storm would have devastated the region immediately. Since then, railway station. In the room reserved for men, Buddha sitting on a naga, contemplates the representations of his predecessors, among the men.

Here is one of the two allied cemeteries to see in low Burma, the other being on the road to Bago. The graves of the prisoners of war killed during the Japanese construction of the «railway of death», connecting Burma with Thailand, are perfectly aligned.

As its name suggests, there are 3 trees on the island of the 3 trees. These surround a tiny pagoda. You can walk around the island in 10 minutes. The main activity is probably snorkeling, mask and tuba. Many rocks and some corals surround the island. Nothing transcendental but a nice entertainment where you can reach in 20 minutes on board a boat.

Fishing trip. Contact his hotel if you wish to go with the local fishermen.