Kyaikhtiyo is a small town in Mon State, Myanmar, famous for its Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda or Golden Rock
Distance: 170Km from Yangon by bus
The famoust site here is a Golden Rock at Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda, is a well-known Buddhist pilgrimage site in Mon State.
A small pagoda (7.3 metres) was built on the top of a granite boulder covered with gold leaves pasted on by devotees.
Story: According to legend, the Golden Rock itself is precariously perched on a strand of the Buddha's hair. The balancing rockseems to defy gravity, as it perpetually appears to be on the verge of rolling down the hill. The rock and the pagoda are at the top of Mt. Kyaiktiyo. It is the third most important Buddhist pilgrimage site in Burma after the Shwedagon Pagoda and the Mahamuni Pagoda. A glimpse of the "gravity defying" Golden Rock is believed to be enough of an inspiration for any person to turn to Buddhism
The Golden Rock is situated at an elevation of 1,100 metres (3,600 ft) above mean sea level, on top of the Kyaiktiyo hill (also known as Kelasa hills or Eastern Yoma mountains); it is on the Paung-laung ridge of the Eastern Yoma mountains. The pagoda is at a distance of 15 kilometres (130 mi) from Kyaikhtiyo Town. The paved mountain track, built in 1999, from the bus terminal at Yatetaung, is along a dusty section with kiosks on both sides and the climb of 1.2 km up to the Golden Rock is stiff and takes about one hour to reach.
The pilgrims and visitors have to climb to the Golden Rock barefoot, after leaving their footwear behind at the gate.