The interesting Yangon-Bago tour programme

Myanmar is a tourist destination having a myriad of places that can capture the hearts of visitors. And the Myanmar Travels and Tours is arranging and conducting tour programmes for foreign visitors as well as local vacationers.

In addition to Bago, Thanlyin and Twantay, other tourist destinations such as Chaungtha and Ngwesaung beach resorts are not far from Yangon. Thanks to the better transport, tourists can now visit destinations within a short period for leisure, regional knowledge and studying the archaeological sites.

Of the destinations, Bago is only 47 miles from Yangon by train and 50 miles by car. Bago was famous in history as Hanthawady, the royal seat of the nation during the Hanthawady period. The legend has it that a small plot rose from the sea at the place now called Bago, and on it were a female hintha bird (Brahminy duck) resting on the back of the male hintha bird; and that seeing the two birds, the Buddha prophesied the emergence of a state called Hanthawady in the future. The statues of a female hintha resting on the male was erected on a hillock called Hinthagon as the symbol of Bago. Thus, it is no wonder that Bago is famous for its many ancient edifices.

Along the Yangon-Bago road are the picturesque villages and large stretches of paddy and other crops, a scene that will refresh the mind of a traveller.

Located at Htaukkyant, a place 21 miles north of the city centre on Yangon-Bago road, is the War Cemetery where 27,000 souls of the Allied soldiers lay rest in peace.

The Kyaikpon Laymyethna Pagoda with four large sitting Buddha statues facing the four different directions welcomes tourists at a place three miles south of Bago. The height of each statue is about 50 feet. Tourists will feel amazed to see large images of Buddha at a place surrounded by hills and forests. The pagoda was built by King Dhammazedi in AD 1476. Tourists can also visit the nearby old monastery.

In the eastern sector of Bago lies the Shwemawdaw Pagoda, believed to be one of the most important monuments of Myanmar history. According to our ancestors, two Mon merchants enshrined two hair relics of Buddha in the pagoda. Various kings raised the height of the pagoda till reaching 297 feet in AD 1796. Strong earthquakes in 1912, 1913 and 1930 destroyed many parts of the pagoda. The pagoda was rebuilt in 1954 to become a 375 feet high religious edifice. It has 121 encircling cetis.

Another interesting statue is the Shwethalyaung Reclining Buddha Image, said to be the finest of its kind in Myanmar. Due to a lack of care for years, the image was left hidden in the trees, bushes and creepers for a long time. But after a foreigner accidentally found the image, it was renovated and a building was erected in 1906 to shelter it. The image is 180 feet long and 52 feet at the highest part.

A passage from the image passes through the many monasteries in Mon architectural design located on either side and ruins of the place walls and the moat till reaching the Hinthagon lying on the south-east sector of the Shwethalyaung. A hermit of Mandalay also built a pagoda on the hillock.

In the west of Shwethalyaung is the 333-foot high Maha Ceti, a pagoda built by King Bayintnaung in AD 1560 according to the design of the Maha Zediya in Sri Lanka. The pagoda was renovated again and again by people of the later periods as it suffered from earthquakes many times.

Shinpinthalyaung or Seinthalyaing is another attractive place for visitors. The ancient reclining Buddha image is kept under shelter like the Shwethalyaung.

Kanbawzathadi Palace was rebuilt at its original place as a tourist attraction. The original palace constructed by King Bayintnaung was destroyed and burnt down by the enemy in 1599 during the reign of the king’s son. Many ancient artifacts have been found at the palace site since the start of the excavation project in 1990.

Many tourists, especially Thai visitors, usually buy the Yangon-Bago one-day round trip ticket as they find the ancient Hanthawady interesting as a royal seat of ancient Bamar and Mon kings.

Located in the old palace the Hanthawady Museum displays cultural objects of foreign nations extending trade and other relations with the Hanthawady in addition to ancient Buddha images, bronzeware, ironware, weapons of various types, teak pillars of the palace, the painting and replica of the palace. Now a one-night stay trip to Bago is being conducted for package tours, individuals and families. The tour programme includes golfing, a visit to nearby Moeyungyi Lake Bird Sanctuary and a night stay at Shwewatun Hotel.

Author : Tin Than Yu ( Myanmar Travels and Tours)