The Kyaikhtiyo Ranges overlook the Gulf of Moattama(Martaban)toward the Andaman Sea.And sparkling and shimmering in the distance is the Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda, famously known as the Golden Rock.
This pagoda is a natural wonder. The base boulder, on which the pagoda stands, is balanced finely on the tip of another outcrop itself divided from the main platform by a chasm. The base boulder (and the pagoda on top of it) is gilded with pure gold, pasted on by countless numbers of pilgrims over decades, if not centuries, that it now resembles a huge golden rock. Hence the name the Golden Rock.
According to legend there were two hermits that lived on these hills long time ago and one of them had been given some locks of Holy Hairs by Lord Buddha himself when he journeyed her. But nearing the end of his days on earth this hermit had appealed to the King of The Celestial beings(Sakra or Thagya Min)to find him a boulder in the shape of his head and having found one he buried the Holy hairs inside the boulder for future generations to worship.
The round boulder on which the small pagoda stands will rock if pushed gently. Put a matchstick under the boulder between it and the underlaying outcrop and it will break.Seen from afar the the boulder seems to lean towards the ravine below but all believe that it will always stay balanced because of the power of the Holy Hairs inside.
Male pilgrims(females are prohibited to cross over) paste tissue thin gold leaves on the boulder but the gilding of the small pagoda is only done every 3 years by the Pagoda Trustees.
The Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda Festival season normally begins from the end of the rainy months in October and lasts until the Myanmar New Year Celebrations in mid-April.
There are good hotels at Kyaikhtiyo and also budget accommodations at the foodstalls cum accommodations for the pilgrims by the side of the main platform.
Kyaikhtiyo(Golden Rock) is easily accessible from Yangon by car or by train. Then transfer to small open bed utility trucks at Kin Mun bus terminal to ride up to Yathedaung terminal. Pilgrims then can hire sedan chairs or walk up to the pagoda platform.
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