Kinpun (25-26 Jun 12)

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So after two more nights in Yangon it was time to bid YK farewell as he returned to Singapore, and I continued my journey east-ward with a 4h bus ride to Kinpun, aka "Base Camp" for the trek up Mt Kyaiktiyo to see the Golden Rock.

The Golden Rock is a sacred site which literally has a large boulder covered completely with gold leaf, and perched (impossibly) precariously on the edge of a cliff on top of the mountain. Legend has it that the rock stays in place (notwithstanding centuries of earthquakes) due to the influence of the Buddha's hair that is enshrined at the small pagoda that sits above the rock. Whatever the case, it's a magnificent sight which apparently dates back to the 11th century.

It was supposed to be a 1h truck ride from Base Camp followed by an 45min trek the rest of the way according to LP, but for some reason I lucked out and my truck alighted us right at the very top! Unfortunately as has been the way with my luck at mountain tops on my journeys so far, it was extremely cloudy and the visibility was very low, thanks also to the monsoon rains and howling winds that acted up the moment I reached the summit. Nevertheless, I chuckled to myself on the descent as I saw the few obligatory tourists sweating and hoofing up the stretch where I'd hitched a ride. Some of the older ones would have none of the trek though, and paid the K10000 required to be carried up the steep slopes on sedan-chairs by huffing Myanmar men!

Spent the night at the Pann Myo Thu Inn.

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Photos

Golden Rock
Very cloudy/ foggy morning, but you get the idea. Large boulder tethering preciously on the edge of a cliff on a mountain top, kept in place by the powers of the Buddha's hair enshrined above.

Burmese Food
Sometimes it takes a while to get started, but once you get down to it Burmese food is quite accessible after all. And the great part? Order just one or two mains, and you get a plethora of accompanying side dishes for free!

Truck up Mt Kyaiktiyo
Shot of the back of the truck BEFORE it was fully-loaded with all sorts of goods and passengers -- farmers with vegetables, monks, young couples and of course, the ubiquitous betel-nut chewing locals. I quickly learnt the best seats were along the sides where you could actually hold onto the railings during the extremely bumpy ride.

Spotted on Mt Kyaiktiyo
Singapore-designed water tank!

Golden Rock
Trying hard to smile in the face of the fog, rain and wind!

Alternative Transport
Some of the (older) tourists opted for the sedan-chair treatment for the 45min hike up. Apparently cost K10000, or about USD12.

Route up to the Summit
That's how steep it was, the sedan-chair carriers certainly had their work cut out for them!

Kinpun-Kyaiktiyo
Lovely countryside view from the back of the pick-up ride out of Kinpun.