Kyaikhtiyo
 Widely
publicized as Golden Rock among the tourist
crowd, the Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda is one of the
most magical destinations in Myanmar. For
the Buddhists, it is a must visit place
after Shwedagon of Yangon. The Golden Rock
or Kyaikhtiyo is located some 160km southeast
of Yangon, on one peak of eastern mountain
range of 1200-meters, deep inside the dense
rainforest of Mon State. And it is far enough
to avoid or take a break from the hectic
city life to enjoy from the expanse rice-growing
region that stretch your eyes endlessly,
the scenic rivers bustling with passengers
boats and fishermen, and changing of socio-economic
landscapes as you entered into the land
of the Mons, to the refreshing atmosphere
of pristine green forests as you go up along
the winding steep roads of Mt Kyaikhto.
Many people find the trip to Golden Rock
is the one unforgettable.
There’s no solid historic record on Golden
Rock pagoda except the legendary stories.
However, Buddhists in Myanmar generally
believe that the rock boulder and the original
stupa were built last 2400-years ago, during
the lifetime of Buddha. The credit goes
to the hermit who kept the hairs of Buddha
for several hundred years until he urged
the king of Mons, Tissa to find a stone
that would resemble his hermit head and
enshrine the hairs in it. With the help
of the King of the Nat spirits, the king,
who was also a son of miracle making alchemist
father and dragon mother, could manage to
find one from the ocean bed and then transported
to the edge of the ridge by a ship, which
then transformed into a stone a few meters
away from the present-day Golden Rock boulder.
And there are some more fascinating stories
to be heard from your guide! While Golden
Rock is the main focus to visit, there are
several other monasteries and pagodas in
this area like Crow Beak, Hermit Hill monastery
etc.
 For
the devote and capable Buddhists, it is
more appropriate to hike up from the near-sea-level
base camp to the 1200-meter top along the
19-km forest trail passing through a couple
of rest houses, waterfalls, food stalls
and scenic spots. The Golden Rock pagoda
is best visited from October to May. Starting
from Jun until September, the pagoda is
almost empty and less attractive due to
the fierce monsoon season of the entire
south as well as Buddhist rain retreat (Buddhist
Lent Period).
It is also possible to visit Bago, another
worth visiting ancient capital, on the way
to/from Golden Rock. Some people may extend
their exploration to the further southeast,
visiting interesting caves and villages
around Kyain State capital Hpa An, and Mawlamyaing,
the first British settlement in 1820s and
the present-day capital of Mon State.
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