Western Myanmar

MRAUK U:
This 15th century ancient city of Rakhine Kingdom is known for its old temples with wall paintings of Indian cultural influence. The city became a free port trade that trade with the Middle East, Asia, Holland, Portugal and Spain; elephants were one of the main commodities supplied from the Rakhaing region. Mrauk U was a successor to two earlier kingdoms in the area: Dhanyawady(circa 1st to 6th centuries AD) and Wethali(3rd to 10th centuries AD), the remains of which are still visible in the north. Today, the original city lies in ruins and a small, poor town with simple buildings of brick, wood and thatch has grown up adjacent to the old city site. A regular passenger boat takes hours from Sittwe (Akyab) to Mrauk-U but special speedboat with 20 seats takes only two and half an hour. It is also accessible by road from Sittwe via Ponnakyun and Kyauktaw. The Mahamuni Shrine, one of the famous Pagodas in Myanmar is situated 30km from Mrauk U.

Around Mrauk U
Wethali:
Wethali, 10km north of Mrauk U was founded in 327 AD and last until the 8th century. Of the oval-shaped city boundaries that remain, only parts of the moat and walls are still visible amid the rice paddies. Many of the hillocks around this area are actually overgrown stupas. A central palace site – whose walls are relatively well preserved – measures about 500m by 300m. The palace prayer hall is now used as an irrigation tank during the rainy season.
     Other unexcavated ruins, are also worth seeing in Wethali. The Great Image of Hsu Taung Pre (Pye) sits in the base of a large Pahto(temple) that is missing all of its superstructure. Now covered with a corrugated metal roof, the 5m Rakhaing-style sitting Buddha and its pedestal are said to be made from the one piece of solid stone and date to 327 AD.

SITTWE :
Sittwe is the capital city of Rakhine State, situated on the seacoast at the mouth of the Kaladan River. This Rakhine State comprises plenty ancient historical sites because it was established more than 2,000 years ago. It has a long and interesting background history. The modern Rakhine capital was founded by the British in 1826, after the First Anglo-Burmese war in 1824. Highlights of the areas are Atula-marazein Pyilone-Chantha Payagyi, Koe-Nawin-Kat-Kyaw Zedi, Kyar-yoke monastery, Thanboke-day stupa, Thetkyamuni Pagoda and Mahazeya monastery, Buddhistic Museum & cultural Museum. It can be reached from Yangon by air. The flights take about 70 minutes from Yangon to Sittwe.

Thandwe (Sandoway):
Located around 9.5km northeast of Ngapali Beach, Thandwe is the seat of a township with a population of approximately 80,000. Around 25% of the population is Muslim. For the most part, the surrounding villages are Buddhist. Thandwe has been a key Rakhaing center for many centuries.
        The two story buildings that range from 50 to 100 years of age, constructed of masonry on the ground floors and wood on the upper floors. Away from the center of town, all houses are made of thatch. Along the road between Thandwe and Ngapali you’ll see a number of rubber plantations. Rice and coconuts are also heavily farmed in the area.