Kyaikkhami

Site Name: Kyaik Ka Mi Pagoda
Area: Mon State

Site Description:

This pagoda is different from most due to its position on the sea. Parts of the pagoda can only be accessed during low tide, by scrambling across barnacled rocks. The view from the outlying pagodas is worth the hassle though.

A local favourite here is to get a bag of brightly coloured fish food and feed the catfish at the bottom of the rocks.

A little more touristy than most places in Mon State, this pagoda doesn’t miss a trick. There is a camera fee, a toilet fee and some serious inflation going on (700 for a soft drink instead of the standard 500). Though with these things all being under 1000 kyat (1USD at the time of writing), it’s hardly a deal breaker.

Travel Advice:

You can get here by hiring a car/driver. It takes around 1 hour from Mawlamyine.

You can hire a car for a day that seats about 12 people in the tray, for around 60,000 kyat. In a day from Mawlamyine you could visit Kyaik Ka Mi Ye Le Pagoda as well as the death railway, WWII cemetery, giant reclining Buddha and Set-Se Beach. As a group it makes for a cheap day out.

Be Aware:

There is a room in this pagoda that is men only.
The rocks to the outlying pagodas have a slippery mud coating so walk carefully.

This is a religious site and guests are expected to behave accordingly. This means covered shoulders, knees and cleavage, no shoes and overall behaving in a respectful manner. Note that you should never show the soles of your feet to a Buddha statue, should never touch someone on the head and should absolutely never touch a monk’s robes.