DAILY EXCURSIONS FROM BAGAN

MOUNT POPA A 50 minutes' drive and 29 miles southeast of Bagan, make your ascent to the mystical place of Mt. Popa, the home of the nats. The mannequin-like display of the 37 nats at its base is one of the highlights of this excursion. Like pilgrims, you make the climb up the winding, covered walkway to the top. From there you are able to see the monasteries, stupas and shrines and experience the glorious views.	Mount Popa
SALE
It takes you one and a half hour and 54 km along the Ayeyarwaddy River to reach the home town of the "Shakespeare of Burma", U Ponnya, the most celebrated poet of king Mindon's court. No wonder that his monastery is one of the most beautiful in this country! YOUKE SONE KYAUNG MONASTERY Carried by 154 teak pillars, it was donated by King Mindon in his honour in 1879 and displays many of the poet's original writings. Splendid teak-carved three-dimensional reliefs decorate the exterior walls of the entrance.	Buddha image in Sale
BAGAN ERA MONUMENTS Among the 103 ruins which are similar in design to those in the outer circle of the Bagan monuments you will find the NAN PAYA, dating back to the 13th century and being the largest lacquer Buddha image in Myanmar. The legend says that the 8 meter tall Nan Paya floated on the Ayayarwaddy to Sale.

PAKOKKU,
which is on the way to Mt. Victoria and the tobacco trading center in central Myanmar, offers a huge variety of local goods and is famous for jaggery, thanaka logs, longyis, checkered blankets made of cotton and of course the famous cheroots, so popular with millions of elderly Myanmar ladies!

PAKHANGYI,
a 19th century town with an archeological museum, and

PAK HAN NGAI KYAUNG,
the largest existing monastery in central Myanmar with 332 teak pillars.

TREKKING TO MT. VICTORIA Six days/five nights trekking adventure in Chin State to Mt. Victoria, not only to climb a 3,000 meter high mountain, but also to visit an area where people are still in tune with nature and tradition. Meet the ladies with a face full of tattoos which is a sign of beauty! Experience a way of life which has to be seen to be believed as it is totally different from everyday Myanmar life. Myanmar Tourism authorities control the influx of tourists so that this area will remain unspoiled and the people and tribes in this region can continue to live in their natural habitat.

Chin woman with tattooed face

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