Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The market
Strand Rd, 10min walk north of the centre • Most stalls open daily 8am-6pm
North of the centre is Pyay's large, interesting and slightly anarchic market . A long row of
thanaka -wood vendors sit lined up along the waterfront at the front of the market - the Sh-
inmadaung thanaka tree (one of several used to produce thanaka paste ) grows abundantly in
the Pyay district, and although mass-produced thanaka creams are widely available, many
Burmese still prefer to grind their own. There's a large Chinese temple on the corner of Ta
Yoke Tann Street on the south side of the market.
Shwesandaw Pagoda and around
Bogyoke Rd • Daily 6am-9pm • Free
The main sight in town is the Shwesandaw Pagoda (“Golden Hair Relic Temple”), which
rises high above the southern side of Bogyoke Road, to which it's connected by 160 steep
stairs lined with shops (there's also a lift, although - as ever - it's much more fun to walk).
Themajesticcentralstupa,saidtocontainacoupleoftheBuddha'shairs,isoneofthelargest
inthecountry-ametretallerthantheShwedagoninYangonitself,witheverysurfacegilded
and polished to a dazzling sheen. The spire, topped (unusually) with not one but two hti , is
uncharacteristically large in relation to the bell below, giving the whole thing a distinctively
slender and narrow-waisted outline - particularly spectacular when floodlit at night.
In the northeast corner of the courtyard the small and dusty PyayShweSanDawMuseum
(donation) houses assorted monastic artefacts, including a beautiful miniature karaweik and
a couple of intricately carved ivory tusks. Also on display are a few interesting old photos,
including shots of the Gurkha Rifles entering Prome in 1945.
Slightly further around (heading clockwise) a tiny model of the stupa sits in what looks like
a giant birdcage, with good views of the Sehtatgyi Pagoda to the rear. On the south side of
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