Kyaiktiyo Travel Guide

Kyaiktiyo, also known as Kyaikhteeyoe, is a small town in the mountains in southeastern Myanmar. Located just 200 km from Yangon, it is easy to combine these two tourist destinations for a perfect holiday experience in Burma.

General Information

Kyaiktiyo is famous with tourists when traveling to Myanmar because it owns a golden rock and the temple balances precariously on a cliff. The Golden Stone Pagoda is the perfect combination of nature with human hands and creativity that has created a wonderful work: a small golden pagoda built on an egg-shaped rock. This rock is precariously perched on a cliff and is also gilded by Buddhist devotees. Kyaiktiyo is one of the essential stopovers for your first trip to Myanmar.

Climate and the Best Time to Visit Kyaiktiyo

Because it is located in southeastern Myanmar, Kyaiktiyo has 3 distinct seasons:

• The dry and cool season (from November to February): During these months, the weather is pleasant, the temperature is cool, and the humidity is low, making it ideal for outdoor activities. The sky is also clear blue, offering great views of the famous Golden Rock Temple, the main attraction in Kyaiktiyo.
• The hot season (from March to May): During these months, the weather is uncomfortable due to high temperatures and humidity.
• The rainy season (from June to October): During these months, it rains very heavily and can cause landslides and flooding, making it difficult to access the area.

The best time to visit Kyaiktiyo is during the cool and dry season, which offers the most comfortable and enjoyable experience for tourists.

Getting to Kyaiktiyo

People visit Kyaiktiyo to explore Golden Rock and have no real reason to stay here. Therefore, most people will choose to stay in Kinpun or on the top of the mountain (Kyaiktiyo). However, you can still visit Kyaiktiyo by bus or train from Myanmar to Kimpun.

By bus

As the prices are low, the bus is the most convenient and affordable means of transport in Myanmar. There are 4 bus stations in Kyaiktiyo:

• Bago – Buses take around 2 – 3 hours and cost 4-5,000 kyats. This station runs directly to Kimpun
• Hpa-An – Buses take around 4 hours and cost 5,000 kyats.
• Mawlamyine – Buses take around 4 – 5 hours and cost 7,000 kyats. However, this station only has 2 departure hours at 7:30 am and 9:30 am.
• Yangon – Buses take around 4 hours and cost 7,000 kyats. This station usually departs in the early morning and runs directly to Kinpun like Bago.

By train

Besides buses, trains are also a fairly popular means of getting to Kyaiktiyo.

Kyaikto has up to three trains a day from Yangon and Bago, starting at 3 times respectively 07:15, 18:25, and 21:00. Likewise, there are also three trains departing from Mawlamyine, departing at 08:00, 19:30, and 20:55 respectively. The price for the elite ticket is usually around 2,500 kyats from Yangon or Mawlamyine. And the economy class one from Bago to Kyakto is 650 kyats.

Getting around Kyaiktiyo

Kyaiktiyo is a small town and the main attraction, the Golden Rock Temple, is located on top of a hill, so getting around can be a bit difficult. Here are some ways to reference:

By trekking

Trekking is a great way to explore the town and take in the beautiful sights. You can walk to the bottom of the hill where the Golden Rock Pagoda is and then take a van to the top.

By truck

The main mode of transportation to Kyaiktiyo Pagoda is by truck. These trucks run regularly from the bottom of the hill to the top and can carry up to 30 people. The ride can be a bit bumpy, but it’s an enjoyable experience.

By car/taxi

You can also hire a private car or taxi to take you to the top of the hill. This is a more comfortable option to get around Kyaiktiyo. However, it also depends on how far you travel, the price can be more expensive.

People’s palanquin (Sedan palanquin)

This is also a quite popular form of transportation in Kyaiktiyo Pagoda. You can hire 4 people to carry the palanquin from the bottom of the mountain to the pagoda for a very cheap price.

Best Places to Visit in Kyaiktiyo

Kyaiktiyo Pagoda (Golden Rock Pagoda)

Kyaiktiyo Pagoda is a popular Buddhist pilgrimage site in Bang Mon, about 130 miles from Yangon. Possessing a spiritual Golden Rock, this is one of the three most sacred religious sites in Myanmar, along with the Shwedagon Pagoda and the Mahamuni Temple. Burmese Buddhists believe that arriving, bowing, and embracing the stone will help them become prosperous. When you reach the village, you will need to transfer to a van to accompany the pilgrims to the top. Get close to the rock, you can buy gold leaf to inlaid on the Golden Stone and pray for good things.

Kinpun

This is a small town located 11 km from Golden Rock and 168 km southeast of Yangon. Although it doesn’t have many restaurants, hotels, or busy entertainment areas, Kinpun is always chosen by most tourists as a camping place before moving to the top of Kyaiktiyo mountain, where we can see Golden Rock and Pagoda.

Beer River

Beer River is a small swimming area with several restaurants and bars, located right at the foot of Golden Rock Mountain. Here, tourists can experience the feeling of sitting at the dining table when the water is up to their knees and enjoy the cool drinks. The water here is relatively clean and is a great place to cool off during hot days.

Accommodation in Kyaiktiyo

In Kyaiktiyo, visitors will have many choices of accommodation at affordable prices. Most choose to stay in a hotel on the top of Kyaiktiyo mountain or a homestay in Kinpun town. However, it is advisable to book your accommodation in advance, especially during the peak season, as the availability of rooms can be limited. Here are some of the hotels for your reference:

• Mountain Top hotel
• Golden Rock hotel
• Bawga Theiddhi hotel
• Golden Sunrise hotel
• Pann Myo Thu Inn
• Yoe Yoe Lay hotel
• Kyaik Hto hotel

What to Eat in Kyaiktiyo

Most of the restaurants in Kyaiktiyo are on the other side of the pagoda area. Restaurants in the areas around Kyaiktiyo also include a variety of dining options, from basic to luxurious. Kinpun has much better restaurant options near the truck stop. Kyaiktiyo’s cuisine is also influenced by Burmese cuisine and also has its own unique flavors. Here are some famous dishes of Kyaiktiyo to try:

Mohinga

A traditional Burmese dish that is popular throughout Myanmar, and Kyaiktiyo is no exception. It is a rice noodle soup made with fish broth and is usually served with fish cake, boiled egg, and crispy fritters.

Shan Noodles

Shan Noodles are a popular food of Shan state in Myanmar, as well as Kyaiktiyo. The dish consists of rice noodles served with chicken or pork broth and is usually topped with sesame seeds, coriander leaves, and chili flakes.

Kyay-Oh

Another popular noodle dish that is similar to Mohinga but has a thicker broth and is usually made with chicken or pork. It is also served with a variety of toppings such as boiled eggs, crispy fritters, and bean sprouts.

Kyaiktiyo is always an ideal destination for those who want to experience the unique Buddhist space and wish to pray for a good future. Do not hesitate to contact us if you wish to organize a trip to this sacred place!