Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
There are several other stupas and shrines scattered on the ridge at the top of Mt
Kyaiktiyo, though none is as impressive as Kyaiktiyo itself. Even so, the interconnecting
trails sometimes lead to unexpected views of the valleys below.
LEGEND OF THE BALANCING BOULDER
Legend states that the boulder at Mt Kyaiktiyo maintains its precarious balance
due to a precisely placed Buddha hair in the stupa. Apparently King Tissa received
the Buddha hair in the 11th century from a hermit who had secreted the hair in his
own topknot. The hermit instructed the king to search for a boulder that had a
shape resembling the hermit's head, and then enshrine the hair in a stupa on top.
The king, who inherited supernatural powers as a result of his birth to a zawgyi(an
accomplished alchemist) father and naga(dragon serpent) princess, found the
rock at the bottom of the sea. Upon its miraculous arrival on the mountain top, the
boat used to transport the rock then turned to stone. This stone can be seen ap-
proximately 270yd from the main boulder - it's known as the Kyaukthanban
(Stone Boat Stupa).
Activities
Climbing the Mountain
Kinpun
, a busy hub of restaurants, souvenir shops and hotels, is the base camp for Mt
Kyaiktiyo. It's from here that large trucks climb the seven winding, uphill miles to the
rock (per person K2500). The truck beds are lined with padded wooden slats for benches
and seat about 40 people. Five passengers are allowed in the much more comfortable
front seats (per person K3000) but these are usually reserved in advance by groups or
families. As an individual traveller it's difficult to secure a front seat, while a group of
five has a better chance. Regardless, you could be in for a wait of an hour or more, as
trucks don't leave until they are completely packed to the brim.
The ride takes about 45 minutes and usually includes a stop around halfway up to al-
low trucks coming from the opposite direction to pass. The first truck in the morning
leaves at 6am and the last truck down departs at 6pm, though you should try to be at the
terminal earlier to avoid the risk of being stranded for the night.
In the old days trucks only went as high as Yatetaung terminal, leaving pilgrims with a
45-minute, unforgiving uphill, sweaty schlep to the top. Nowadays the trucks proceed
virtually to the peak of Mt Kyaiktiyo, terminating steps from Mountain Top Hotel and
the ticket checkpoint, leaving us to ask, Where's the sacrifice?
