HOUSE OF THE WEEK

Three-storey Mayangone villa

MAYANGONE township is the setting for this three-storey villa with oodles of space and mainstream taste. The pillar- and balcony-heavy façade gives a strong indication of what lies inside- more

Yangon Weather Forecast, Burma

Eclipse-watching in Rakhine State

YOU don’t need an excuse to visit Mrauk U in Rakhine State – it has nearly all of Bagan’s charm, in a user-friendly environment, with just a fraction of the tourists.

But toss in a once-in-a-millennium annular solar eclipse and it was an opportunity not to be missed.

While tourists and locals alike flocked to Bagan and Mandalay Hill, the tourist destination closest to the central path of the eclipse in Myanmar was Mrauk U – a happy coincidence indeed.

Being in Myanmar’s west, it also meant the eclipse’s maximum lasted for a good 15 seconds longer than in central Myanmar.
Mrauk U, like Bagan, is the seat of an empire long gone. The similarities are obvious – many old and interesting temples to explore in a very accessible area.

Bagan has numerical superiority in its favour – there are just so many more temples and pagodas to explore, although it is spread over a considerably larger area.

It’s also easier to reach, which is why the ancient city is usually the first destination on most tourists’ itinerary.

In contrast Mrauk U is, well, a challenge to reach. There is no conveniently located airport – you have to go via Sittwe, and travel from there to Mrauk U by either bus or boat. It sounds easy enough. But it’s not. The roads are poor, making bus voyages slow and bumpy, and to reach Mrauk U by boat usually takes about six hours.

For travellers this often means three days in Mrauk U and two extra days in transit.

But sometimes the stars, earth, moon, sun, airline schedules and fast boats align, creating both a rare celestial event and a brilliant three-day holiday.

While Mrauk U’s temples are amazing, the food, local hospitality, fair weather and ease of travel around the site all contribute to its allure.

The food is typical Rakhine, which means, for starters, a bit more chilli than usual. The people are lovely and will not hassle you to buy anything at even the most famous temples, although you’ll struggle to avoid the US$5 archaeological zone fee. It up to you how to explore Mrauk U and this can be done on foot or by bicycle, trishaw, motorcycle or jeep. The weather in mid- to late-December is sublime – cool at night and in the early morning, but never freezing.

Viewing the eclipse on the top of a small hill with a bunch of friends was superb but watching the delight on the faces of Mrauk U’s residents – particularly children – as they viewed the event through protective glasses was, well, a once-in-a-lifetime event.

 

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