MRAUK U, RAKHINE STATE

Mrauk U is an archaeologically important town in northern Rakhine State and it was the capital of Arakanese Kingdom in 1430 -1730. Mrauk U is also one of the most famous archeological sites of Southeast Asia with unique in its own way as for instance while stupas in Bagan were built by brick, the walls of structures in Mrauk U were made of thick stone to cope with the fierce winds. After the First Anglo-Burmese War of 1826, the British moved the capital of Rakhine to the coastal town of Sittwe that is now the state capital, and Mrauk U went into decline. To this day ethnic Arakanese people hold strong their heritage and ethnicity.

Despite it is one of the most important archeological sites in Myanmar, Mrauk U became rarely seen by many travelers. Mrauk U has the similar climate to that of Yangon, experiencing a monsoon season. The best way to access Mrauk U is by boat up the Kaladan River from Sittwe, offering the guests extraordinary riverside views and its scenic surroundings of the largely unexplored State. The monuments of Mrauk U, especially the temples and pagodas are roughly split into northern, eastern, southern and western groups. There are many hundreds of temples in Mrauk U, many of which primarily remain day-to-day places of worship for the local Rakhine villagers; what follows is a guide to the most beautiful and historically significant structures. Unlike in Bagan, where some of the temples are shut, the interiors of virtually all the temples in Mrauk U are open, ready to be explored. Although it’s among most desired destinations for ancient temples in Myanmar, Mrauk U ancient temple complex is still a less-visited site that is promising to provide an amazing religious odyssey and an archeologically important destination