KINPUN and KYAIKTIYO TOWN (GOLDEN ROCK)

Warning: Every year from late January to early February the Golden Rock goes under maintenance, being covered in bamboo matting.Phone code: 057
 

The Golden Rock- (Entrance 6$ and 3$ plus for taking pictures). It is a 6 high meters Golden Rock and is the most sacred place and a pilgrimage Buddhist site in Myanmar located in the area of ancient kingdom of Suvannabhumi (meaning the golden land). Legend states that the boulder is balanced because of one Buddha’s hair precisely placed in the Rock by King Tissa in the 11th century. He received the hair from a hermit that told the king to find a rock that resembled his head shape.
This place is getting more and more popular among tourists. Pilgrims come here to worship and add gold leaf to the Rock. It’ s covered with gold leaf but only by male devotees. Women are not allowed to perform this act of reverence. This supposed to give them luck and help to get next reincarnations. The name Kyaikhtiyo derivates from the Mon word Kyaik-i-thi-yoe (means the pagoda carried by a hermit on his head). The small chedi (stupa) was built on the top of the granite Rock.
 

Kyaiktiyo is the closest town to the famous Golden Rock and Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda. It’s located 107 km from Yangon. From the town to the top of the mountain, where the Rock and Pagoda are, there are about 20 camps along the track and it’s a 20 minutes driving from town. On the way there are stalls selling tea, cold drinks, snacks and fruits.
In December, the Nine Thousand Lights Festival takes place at Mount Kyaiktiyo and features food offerings at dawn and candle lighting after sunset.

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Accommodation
Mountain Top Hotel is a 3 star hotel just on the top of Kyaikhtiyo mountains that has basic rooms with fan, attached bathrooms, TV, minibar. Breakfast included. Some standard rooms don’t have windows but most have. The hotel also has a restaurant that serves Shan, Burmese and Chinese dishes. Phone: +95 1 502 479, 536 553 and +95 58 70174. Address:  It is adjacent to the Foreigners Registration Office. The famous Golden Rock Pagoda is only a 10 minutes away. It is 5 minutes to Ya The Taung Bus Station and Kyaiktiyo Town is about 25 minutes driving.
 

Golden Rock hotel- TV,A.C, attached bathroom with hot water. Phone: +95 1 502479, 536 553, +95 58 70174. Yathe Taung base camp. Located about 1 km. to Kyaiktiyo Pagoda.
 

Kyaikhto Hotel- 82 rooms. TV, Mini bar, restaurant and bar. Breakfast included. Attached bathrooms with hot water. Phone: +95 1 663341, 663351. Near Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda, Kyaikhtiyo Hill.
 

Mountain View Hotel & Resort- Phone: (+95) 1-707115, 684922. Address: Seikphu foothill Kyaiktiyo Pagoda road, Kyaiktho Township 5 minute drive to Kyaikhtiyo Rail Station.
 

Sane Le Tin Resort (Sein Le Tin Hotel)- It’s a cottage-style hotel with 43 rooms, swimming pool and beauty saloon but also a Restaurant & Zoological Garden. Phone: +95 1 3335333/4. Addres: 104 Miles, Bokar Village (Kyaik Hto Township) located 10 minutes driving of Kyaiktiyo town http://www.sltresort.com/

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Kinpun (Kin Poon)

It is a small town without post office or touristic information but with few guest houses and restaurants, located 11 Km. to the Golden Rock and 168 kilometres southeast of Yangon. Most of the tourists use this town as a base camp to go to Mount Kyaiktiyo (1,200 meters mountain), where we fInd the famous Golden Rock and Kyaiktiyo Pagoda. Many trekkings can be organized around this area.

The trucks going to Golden Rock leave when full (about 30 people squeezed in a truck). Sometimes this can take 2-3 hours in low season to fill in and depart. There is a road that leads to the top but private vehicles are not allowed to get to the top of the mountain. For all tourists, the last stop is the Mount Yathae because riding is very dangerous beyond that point. Locals say that at least once a month a truck goes off the road. Government is currently improving these roads.
After leaving your car at the base station, visitors must either walk or take a truck for the journey up the mountain. To reach the Pagoda from Kin Pun base camp, take a truck to Ye the Daung Camp (45 min. drive) and hiking up to mountain top take about 45 minutes plus .For Old people is available a sedan chair carried by 4 men that takes you up to the top. If you want to attempt to walk from Kinpun to the top, those who have done it say you can do it in 4-5 hours.
We got reports from travelers that advice to get back from the Golden Rock to the bus stop before 6pm, otherwise you will have to stay the night in a lodging or pay an overcharged price to go down.
 

Get in/out
Bus
Yangon> Kyaikhtiyo- Buses depart from Yangon’ s Aung Mingalar bus station.
Win Express bus company cost 5.000 K. Departs every hour aprox. from 6.30am to 4.30pm. It takes around 4 hours. Roads are in well condition. Some buses go straight to Kinpun Camp (11 Km. to Golden Rock) and also stop in Kyaiktiyo town. Ask before you purchase the ticket or ask the driver before departing.
 

Kinpun>Mawlamyne- Bus departs at 8.30am and 11am. It takes 4-5 hours.
 

Kyaiktiyo (Kinpun)><Bago- Pick-up car from Kinpun for 2.000 K. It is cheaper than the bus, but also less comfortable.
Buses costs around 5.000 K. but you can try to bargain. They will try to charge you more from Kyaiktiyo (5000k)-Bago than the regular price for Bago-Kyaiktiyo bus (3.500). Departs almost every hour and takes 2 hours.
 

Accommodation
Warning: Be aware that hotel’s prices have doubled from 2012. It’s also very important that you confirm your booking 1 day before arriving to your guest house/hotel, by e-mail or calling them.
 

Sea Sar Hotel- 10$ double small rooms. Attached bathroom, hot water, towel and soap included. It has a nice garden.
 

Golden Sunrise Hotel- 50$ Single room, 55$ Double.  12 confy, quiet and clean rooms. Large bathrooms hot water showers or bathtub. AC,TV, minibar and laundry service. Breakfast included. The hotel also has a restaurant. Fax:66801/ (+951) 701027 Address: 3 minutes walking distance from Kin Pun Camp www.goldensunrisehotel.com   
 

Pann Myo Thu GH/Inn- 8-10$. Shared bathrooms. Rooms are very basic and crumbling.  Only if it’s your last option.
 

Eat
Prices start from 1.000k. in street stalls.