Trips and Tours to Mount Kyaiktiyo
About Mount Kyaiktiyo
Mount Kyaiktiyo is home to one of Myanmar's more unusual tourist attractions - a giant gold leaf gilded rock supporting a small pagoda. Legend has it that Buddha presented a local hermit with a strand of his hair, which the hermit then gifted to the king. According to the hermit's wishes, the strand of hair was enshrined in a boulder shaped like the hermit's head on top of Mt. Kyaiktiyo where a pagoda was then built. It is said that it's the strand of Buddha's hair that keeps the boulder balanced and stops it from rolling down the mountain.
Read MoreDue largely to this legend, the Kyaiktiyo pagoda is one of Myanmar's most important Buddhist pilgrim sites and during the months of November to March, devotees light candles, chant meditations and present offerings to Buddha. It is believe that the sight of the rock, so precariously balanced on the edge of this cliff is enough to inspire faith in anyone. It also said that any pilgrim who makes the journey from Kinpun Base Camp to Mount Kyaiktiyo three times in one year will be blessed with fame and fortune.
The boulder is best visited in the early light of day or early evening when the rising and setting sun bathes the golden rock in a shimmering hue of pinks and purples. Trails lead off from Kyaiktiyo to several other stupas and shrines and it's worth spending a day here to explore at leisure. During the rainy season between June and October the site is shrouded in mist and although hotels in the area are open at this time of year, dining options are limited and most other tourist facilities are closed.