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Hi everyone

This trip, we are going to Myanmar, our neighbor country. After open the country, it becomes trend that everyone would like to go Myanmar to worship to many holy places. The cost is also cheaper than before and there are many travel agents that can support our need. This time I use Smiling Holiday Group with package of 3 days 2 nights at 12,900THB to Yangon - Hongsa - Syriam - Kyaikhato.

My travelling style mainly depend on each situation and safety. Sometime we can go for backpack or using travel agents. As I am travelling alone for this trip that's why I choose to go the travel agent.

We meet up at Donmueang International Airport and travel by Air Asia to Yangon International Airport which takes about 1.15hrs. After passed the immigration, there is a coast and guild are waiting for us outside. She will be the one who guild us to all places and explain us about the history and information of each place. The Burmese guild is quite fare about the history between Thailand and Myanmar. These information might be different depends on the writer.

(Exchange rate 1 THB = 32.40 MMK and the time here slower than Thailand 30 Minutes)

The top 5 of the most holy places in Myanmar are as below:

1. The Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon

2. The Shwemawdaw Pagoda, Hongsa

3. Kyaiktiyo Pagoda, Mon State

4. The Shwezigon Pagoda, Bagan

5. Mahamuni Buddha, Mandalay

We are going to only the first 3 places....let's go>>>>

Shwe Mordore Pagoda

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We are heading to Hongsawadee or Bago in local language. It is an old city for over 400 years and used to be a capital city. It takes us about 1.30hrs by coast (Distance about 80 km. from Yangon). Our destination here is

Shwe Mordore Pagoda which means "hot nose" because the pagoda is most highest pagoda in Myanmar and people have to look up to see the pagoda and facing the sun light. Inside the pagoda contains hair relics of Buddha. This place also used to be a place where the army come to pray for luckiness before go to the war. Whether king or Burmese, Mon and Bayinnaung and when King Naresuan and Phra Supangkanlaya live in Bago also come to worship the pagoda. It is also used to be a place where King Hongsa Ta Being Shweti punched his ear to test his mettle as the ancient tradition. The pagoda had been decimated by the earthquake 4 times until the top of the pagoda had broken down. But with faith, the inhabitants have renovated the pagoda in 1954 with a height of 374 feet (the original pagoda was height 70 feet) and become the tallest pagoda in Myanmar. For the top of pagoda that broken down, they put it aside so that people can come to worship. People who are faithful will take joss sticks to sustain the top of broken pagoda for their luckiness and sustainable life.

Kyakhat wine monastery

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After that we go the temple for giving food to monks but we arrive quite so we only make a merit. There are many statues of important people including General Aung San, father of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Kyakhat Wine Monastery, is a famous temple of Buddhism School. People send their children to study religious that's why there are over a thousand monks live here. People with faithful will come to give food to monks at the temple. There are only 3 temples in Myanmar that you can make a merit to a group of monk which are Nadakuha Monastery in Yangon, Wat Maha Kantayong in Mandalay and Kyakhat Wine Monastery in Bago here.

Then we go to have lunch at Royal Taste Restaurant. Mostly, menus are fish and river prawn. For Thais, Burmese food is not quite their favorite. So menus today mostly are Thai Food and one dish of Burmese Food which like chilli paste (Taste very good also).

Kamboza Thadi Palace, Kanbawzathadi Palace

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Next we are heading to Kanbawza Thardi Palace whcich built in 1566 to be the center of govern and used in 1599 (King Nanthabureng Period). King Narasuan also used to stay here when he was young and was a hostage here. Burmese government found the poll and wall under the ground so they build a new palace in 1990 from the remaining pattern in Burmese architecture style. It is very attractive and outstanding with gold and Burmese unique both outside and inside. So we can presume that this place used to the palace of King Burengnong who is well-known as THE WINNER and also the residence of Supangkanlaya and King Naresuan when was subjected as prisoners. Now this palace have left only traces the history and created replicas of palaces and manor.

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Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda or Golden Rock

Then we continue to Kimpun Camp at Jaito Hill to go to Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda. On the way there, we have seen a view of Satong River where King Naresuan tried to group Thai People to go back to Ayutthaya and Burmese army came so they was fighting here. King Naresuan short the Burmese army leader across the river.

It takes about 45 minutes to Kimpun Camp and we change to the local car which is the same type as the bus that we can take to Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda.

It is a six wheels car with open top, there is steps to attach when get on and off the car. The route to go up there is not smooth, high sheer and has to go up to the mountain. There is a check point that they have to check the car and number of people. They communicate via walkie-talkie to make sure that there no car come from the opposite direction.

Finally are arrived our destination but we still have to walk a little bit more. If you do not want to carry your bags, there are carriers service with 50 THB fee. For elderly people who cannot walk well, there is also litter service. On the way, there are souvenir selling such as pagoda models and Thanaka powder.

Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda or Golden Rock located in Mon State on the top of the mountain at 3,615 ft. above sea level. The height of pagoda is 5.5 meters and look like a big golden stone with small pagoda on a stone in front of the cliff. This is the pagoda of dog year in Chinese Zodiac, people who born in this year should come to visit and pray for luckiness in their life. Burmese also believe that anyone who comes here 3 times, they will have a happiness in their life and everything they wish become true. Then they let us to enjoy the night atmosphere of the pagoda as people can come to pray and meditation as the pagoda opens all night long. If you would like to do any activities out side, you should have you warm clothes, scarfs, socks or blankets because the weather is quite cold here. Moreover, this is also an inspiration place of S.E.A. Write Award Writer Mala Khamchan in 1991.

After that we go to check-in at Yoe Yoe Lay Hotel which is only 5 minutes walk to the pagoda. We arrive at the hotel in the evening so let's find something to eat first.

Mostly, the menus are Thai Food and mainly cook from river prawn (in every meal).

After dinner, I go out to the pagoda, there are many people come to book the place for praying and seeing the first light in the morning. People here believe that if they pray to the pagoda overnight until the first light comes they will have a good fortune and luckiness in their life. Moreover, there are many things selling here such as food, souvenir or even alcohol as it is very cold up here. Burmese like tea than coffee so I stop by for a cup of tea and dough stick and roti such a very big one.

Yangon - Hongsa - Syriam - Inkwaen : To worship 3 of 5 the most holy places in Myanmar Part 2

Yangon - Hongsa - Syriam - Inkwaen : To worship 3 of 5 the most holy places in Myanmar Part 3 (The End)