284
WESTERN MYANMAR
RAKHAING STATE
buddha images, inscribed stone slabs (a
15th-century one features ancient Arabic
writing), cannons, Wethali-era coins and a
helpful model of the Mrauk U site. Old pho-
tos on the walls include a before-restoration
shot of Ratanabon’s crack. Items are signed
in English, although foreign scholars note
that the dates on some pieces should be
taken with a pinch of salt. If you come on a
weekend, ask next door for the key.Haridaung Paya BUDDHIST TEMPLE
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Built around 1750, this small white temple
with particularly good westward views, is on
a hilltop just north of the palace walls. It’s a
good place to get your bearings or to view
sunset.SOUTH GROUP
South of the palace site and across the river
are evocative, easy-to-lose-your-way back
lanes through thatched-hut villages and a
host of pagodas. About half a mile south, the
Laksaykan Gate leads to the eponymous
lake, a source of clean water.Bandoola Kyaung BUDDHIST MONASTERY
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Climb the steps to view this rambling hill-
top monastery, home to yet another of bud-
dha’s many scattered molars, a relic brought
here from Sri Lanka in the 16th century. The
complex is also known as the Sanda Muni
Phara Gri Kyaung, after the Sanda Muni, a
buddha statue said to have been cast fromthe precious metal leftover from making the
Mahamuni buddha (p 287 ).
Legend has it that this 4ft image was en-
cased in cement in the 1850s to protect it
from pillaging British troops, and then for-
gotten about for over a century. In April 1988
one of the glazed eyes dropped out, reveal-
ing the metal statue below. It’s now housed
in a new building to the rear of the main hall
packed with more ancient buddha images
that the monks will happily explain to you.
They will also point out a large copper roof
tile (used as a table top), saved from Mrauk
U’s palace after the Burmese carted the rest
off to Mandalay back in the 18th century.Shwetaung Paya BUDDHIST TEMPLE
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Southwest of the palace, the ‘Golden Hill Pa-
goda’ is the highest in Mrauk U; you can see
it for nearly half the trip from Sittwe. Built
by King Minbin in 1553, it’s accessed by a few
trails largely lost under thick vegetation. This
is a good spot from which to view sunrise. z Festivals & Events
One of the most interesting times to visit
Mrauk U is during the huge weeklong paya
pwe (pagoda festival) held near Dukkan-
thein Paya (p 282 ) in mid-May which in-
cludes music, dance, traditional wrestling
and boat racing. 4 Sleeping
Generators keep power going most of the
day and night at some guesthouses; other-
wise expect power to be on only from 7am to
3pm and 6pm to 11.30pm.oShwe Thazin Hotel HOTEL $$
(%24200, ext 50168, 09 850 1844; http://www.shweth
azinhotel.com; Sunshaseik Quarter; r from $50; a)
This new complex off ers the best balance of
price, comfort and location. There’s a small
but welcome amount of artistic design in its
chalet-style rooms, all of which are en-suite
with a satellite TV and a fridge.Mrauk U Princess Hotel RESORT $$$
(%50232, 09 850 0556; http://www.mraukooprincessre
sort.net; s/d $170/194; ai) Mrauk U’s most
luxurious digs, the Princess off ers 21 beau-
tifully decorated wooden villas with fresh
fl owers adorning the bed, the bathtub and
tables. Gardens and ponds (mosquitoes!)
surround the villas and the central monas-
tery-like restaurant and spa. Rates includeBOOKS ABOUT
MRAUK UThere are several useful books on
Rakhaing history and Mrauk U. Myar
Aung’s paperback Famous Monuments
of Mrauk-U (2007; K3500) is sold at
a couple of places in Mrauk U, includ-
ing the Bandoola Monastery and the
Waddy Htut Guest House; it has lots
of photos but its poorly translated text
isn’t the easiest to follow. Far better is
Pamela Gutman’s scholarly Burma’s
Lost Kingdom: Splendours of Arakan
(2006), Tun Shwe Khine’s artful A
Guide to Mrauk U (1993) and U Shwe
Zan’s more detailed The Golden Mrauk
U: An Ancient Capital of Rakhine
(1997), all of which you should search
out before heading to Mrauk U.