Mrauk U in Burma – Next Angkor Wat is the ancient city of Myanmar, that have many temples. People often call this place the Angkor Wat of Myanmar because of its ancient and mysterious beauty. If you are planning to explore this city, take a look at the experiences below.
1/ History of Mrauk U in Burma – Next Angkor Wat of the world
Mrauk U in Burma – that was dubbed as the next Angkor Wat of the world – located in northern Rakhine State, Myanmar. It is also the capital of Mrauk-U Township, a sub-region of the Mrauk-U District, an archaeologically important town. From 1430 until 1785, Mrauk U was the capital of the Mrauk U Kingdom, the most important and powerful Rakhine kingdom of Burma.
In 1433, Mrauk U was established as the capital of the United Arakanese Kingdom by King Min Saw Mon. In the early 17th century, the city had a total of 160,000 people. This city has witnessed many ups and downs of Burma’s history, that’s why it attracts many tourists – who are keen on the country, culture and people of Myanmar.
Mrauk U in Burma – Next Angkor Wat has the long history
2/ Geography and Climate in Mrauk U
2.1. Geography
Mrauk U in Burma – Next Angkor Wat is located 72 km from the coast of the Bay of Bengal, on the banks of the Aungdat River. It also lies roughly 11 kilometers to the east of the Kaladan River, on the banks of its minor tributaries. The town lies to the east of the Kaladan alluvial plain, on a small tributary of the Rakhine Yoma River. Therefore, the terrain here has many lakes, mangrove forests, marshes and many low hills.
2.2. Climate in Mrauk U
Mrauk U is a town located in the Rakhine area, which has a tropical monsoonal tropical climate. The southwest monsoon causes the town to receive more than 1,200 mm (47 in) of rain each year. That is why it is one of the most humid areas in Burma. Monsoon season usually lasts from late May to mid-October. Although located in a tropical area, Mrauk U is relatively low temperature when the northeast monsoon. The cold season in Myanmar lasts from mid-October to mid-March, and temperatures can drop to 13 ° C (55 ° F). This is also the time when most tourists come to explore Mrauk U in Burma – Next Angkor Wat of the world.
3/ How to get in Mrauk U
Mrauk U is also known as a forgotten paradise in Myanmar, because it is located in a remote area, that very few people know, the road is quite difficult. So this place attracts fewers tourists than other places in Myanmar. However, if you really love and want to explore Mrauk U in Burma – Next Angkor Wat of the world, you can get in there by 2 ways:
3.1. By air and boat:
In the past, it was very difficult to get to Mrauk U. But now, the traffic in Myanmar has become more convenient so you can easily visit this town.
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Firstly, visitors often move to the airport of Sittway – the capital of the state of Rakhine. There are daily flights from Yangon to Sittway.
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After that, from Sittway, you can take a boat ride on the Kaladan River. It was a very pleasant river cruise.
To get to Mrauk U, visitors often choose taking a boat on the river
3.2. By express bus
There are many buses that travel to the state of Rakhine. You can choose to take the express bus from Aung Mingalar Bus Stands or Hlaing Thar Yar. Here are some routes you can refer to. When choosing those bus, you can get down to Mrauk U on the way:
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Yangon – Sittwe
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Yangon – Taung Goat
3.3. By ship
The ship is also a transport that many tourists choose to come and explore Mrauk U in Burma – Next Angkor Wat. You can take the ship according to the following schedule.
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Yangon – Sittwe: From Yangon, you can take part in a five-star tour such as MV Myitkyinar, MV Harkhar, or MV Taunggyi to Sittwe. Then from Sittwe, you can move to Mrauk U by car or a bus
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Taung Goat – Sittwe: If you visit Taung Goat and then go back to Mrauk U, you will have to move to Sittwe by ship first. Guests can find the ferry from Maykha Maylikha speedboat tours or Inn Pauk Wa Company. After that, from Sittwdideermu can move to Mrauk U by car or bus.
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Sittwe – Mrauk U: Instead of choosing cars or buses to move from Sittwe to Mrauk U, you can also take a ship. There are many daily cruises from Sittwe to Mrauk U.
4. Itinerary of exploring Mrauk U in Burma – Next Angkor Wat
There are many great things to do, great architecture to admire, special culture to experience in Mrauk U. So when you make an itinerary to explore Mrauk U in Burma, you are sure to not be disappointed!
There are some interesting places that visitors should not ignore when coming to Mrauk U:
4.1. Koe Thaung Temple (Koe Thaung Paya)
Koe Thaung Paya is one of the prominent buildings in Mrauk U and is the largest temple in the area, built in 1553, located on a plain near the Royal Palace. It’s in a natural state still and has a distinctive mark of Mrauk U. You will never see something like this anywhere else.
This temple is a massive monument that was built of stone walls and stone terraces. This huge stone temple contains 90,000 statues and more than a hundred stupas. Its name Koe-Thaung means “shrine of the 90,000 images of the Buddha”, a reference to the number of Buddha images that it contained. There are numerous stone paths that are finely carved. They remain intact, while other areas have been destroyed by earthquakes. At the center of the temple, there is a large circular bell that has a shape of a stupa. On the walls of the corridor, the ancients people decorated them with countless images of the Buddha. They will make visitors admire and excited.
Koe Thaung Temple is one of the prominent buildings in Mrauk U
4.2. Shittaung Temple
Shittaung Temple is also a unique temple of Mrauk U in Burma – Next Angkor Wat, located to the north of the Royal Palace. Its name means “Shrine of the 80,000 Images”, referring to the number of holy images inside. This majestic temple was built in 1535 by King Minbin, the most powerful ruler in Rakhine history. It has the remarkable skill and art displayed in its construction. Looking from afar, some visitors said that this monument was designed like a fortress. Coming inside, you can find a series of stupas with various sizes, the thick wall, with its windows and corners. Along with the other two galleries, there are hundreds of Buddha statues of different sizes. All creat an ancient, complex architecture, that makes visitors feeling so excited.
4.3. Others temples
Mrauk U in Burma is dubbed the next Angkor Wat of the world because of its large temple system. Not only having Koe Thaung Temple, Shittaung Temple, but there are also thousands of temples in the area. The temples in Mrauk U are very different, as they are built from stone instead of mud and brick. Some temples are built like bunkers with thick walls and can be used as shelters in the event of war.
4.4. Chin tribal village
Visiting the Chin Villages was a highlight of the visit to Mrauk U in Burma – Next Angkor Wat. Here, you can witness the daily life and typical culture of Chin people. This is one of the feature tribes in Myanmar, that has many unique customs. So when you come to Mrauk U, don’t forget to take a boat to Chin village that’s scattered along the Lemo River.
Chin Village is a highlighted place of Mrauk U in Burma – Next Angkor Wat
This place is still peaceful, natural because there are very few tourists. Here, you can trek around to see the green hills, the immense rice fields or participate in the local market, admire the Chin traditional craft, enjoy the Zu – a traditional alcohol in Chin hill. Especially, you will be impressed by the tattoos on the faces of the girls here. Each region of the Chin tribe has a separate tattoo. This is a cultural feature that can only be found at Chin tribal village in Mrauk U.
Mrauk U in Burma – Next Angkor Wat is a beautiful hilly landscape of Myanmar, with hundreds of ancient pagodas, many of which are well preserved. If you love ancient and dignified beauty, want to explore special architecture, do not hesitate, let’s come to Mrauk U – the paradise of temples in Myanmar
