Salay - Mt. Popa
Day return excursion
All year round
After breakfast drive to a town of Chauk about 40 minutes drive from Bagan.
When after driving about half an hour, you get into an area with
many crude oil rigs and gas wells on either side of the roads.
You are going to cross over big sand dunes, greatly and much
seen in central Myanmar dry arid zone.
Burma Oil Company established in 1886 by David Sime Cargill investing 1.5
million Sterling pounds, and later up to 18 million pounds and crude oil
production in Chauk more than a century ago. The morning market in this town is
really busy and attractive to all visitors from home and abroad. Continue our
visit to Salay. Visit the famous monastery "Yoke-Sone-Kyaung'' which is a
cultural heritage site in Sale, which in situated on the eastern bank of the
Ayeyarwaddy River. It is famous with its spectacular woodcarvings. And also
native town of the famous writer Sale U Pone Nya during the time of the Myanmar
Kings.
Sale Yoke Sone Kyaung was built in AD 1882. There are very beautiful artistic work woodcarvings
around it and also ancient Buddha image, utensils of Yadanabon 19 century
period, and the museum of Myanmar famous writer U Pone Nya in Sale Yoke Sone
Kyaung. Next to "Man" pagoda built in AD 1300. It was made by lacquer ware.
Then drive to the town of KyaukPaDaung for lunch. After lunch, 30 minutes drive
to Mt. Popa hillock-a table shaped mountain in a half way of Mt. Popa peak over
5,000 feet above sea.
Mt. lat-topped hill is located in 41 miles-67 kilometres southeast of
Bagan, an extinct volcano over 2400 feet above sea, rising out of Mt Popa
western-range. It is famed as the abode of the Mahagiri Nats or Spirit to whom
the people of Bagan in 11 century paid annual homage and their shrines can be
seen at a nearby rocky crag.
When you go up along the archways, you will find various kinds of shops such as toys, souvenirs
and traditional medicines. The people from every corner of Myanmar visit this
flat-topped hillock whenever they are on trip to Bagan.
So, Mt Popa, an extinct volcano is always active with pilgrimages.
Return to Bagan in the evening.
