lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

crossroads of the Yangon, Mandalay and Taunggyilines.YANGON–BAGANHIGHWAYThis western route north of Yangon to Baganis less heavily trafficked than the Yangon–Mandalay Expressway. Sometimes called the‘low road’, or ‘Pyay Hwy’, this route is debatablymore attractive than the old Yangon–Mandalay Highway. It follows the easternbank of the Ayeyarwady River and rises overlovely hills and valleys north of Magwe. AtPyay, connections to Thandwe (and Ngapali)head west over the mountains.Pyay (Prome)¨p–'%053With a breezy location on the AyeyarwadyRiver, Pyay is the most interesting stop onthe Yangon–Bagan Highway. The city’s glorydays date back to the ancient Pyu capitalof Thayekhittaya, the partially excavatedremains of which lie 5 miles east of Pyay’sother stellar attraction: the dazzling ShwesandawPaya.Myanmar folk alternate the town’s pronunciationbetween ‘pyay’ and ‘pyi’. TheBrits, apparently, couldn’t deal with the confusionand called it Prome.The current town site became an importanttrading centre during the Bagan era.The Mon controlled it when King Alaungpayaconquered it in 1754. Pyay boomed, alongwith the British Irrawaddy Flotilla Companyin the 1890s. Today, it remains an importanttransit point for goods between northernand southern Myanmar. Soak up its livelyatmosphere along the riverfront and at theroundabout, at the centre of which is a gildedequestrian statue of Aung San.1SightsShwesandaw Paya & Around BUDDHIST TEMPLEeráz®et;'.ur;"Set on top of a hill in the town centre, thestunning Shwesandaw Paya (and the surroundingpagodas and monasteries) is notonly Pyay’s major point of interest, but alsoone of the country’s biggest Buddhist pilgrimagesites. Just over 1yd taller than themain zedi at Yangon’s Shwedagon, the Shwesandawstupa follows the classic Bamar designseen at Bagan’s Shwezigon (p 164 ).Legend goes that it was built in 589 BC,and that the golden zedi houses four strandsof the Buddha’s hair (the Golden Hair Relics).Atop the zedi are two hti (umbrella-likepinnacles), unusual for Myanmar. The lower,bigger one dates from Pyay’s days as a Moncity. The higher, smaller one was added byKing Alaungpaya as a symbol of peace betweenhis realm and the Mon, after brutallycapturing the city in 1754. In the southwestcorner of the complex, the Sacred ToothHall is said to house an original tooth fromthe Buddha. It’s in the golden bell (locked)behind the glass. The locks come off once ayear for the November full-moon festivities.The panoramic views from the pagodaare pretty great too. To the east, you’ll seethe Sehtatgyi Paya (Big Ten Storey), a giant(maybe not 10 storeys, though) seatedBuddha, eye-to-eye with the Shwesandawand watching over it. The smaller gold stupaon the highest hill southeast of Shwesandawis the Wunchataung Paya (Apology MountainPagoda), where people can say ‘sorry’for misdeeds. They get the best view ofShwesandaw and the mountains across theriver while they’re at it. You can reach it viaSehtatgyi Rd, east of the Shwesandaw.Central MarketMARKETFollow Strand Rd north of a morning tocatch all the action at the lively and colourfulcentral market which spreads over severalblocks. As you approach, you’ll pass anornate Chinese Temple dedicated to thegoddess Guan Yin on the corner of Ya YokeTann St. A little further on are giant clay waterpots and a row of thanakha wood sellers.Continue along the riverside north of themarket to find the Shwepaliamaw Paya.Payagyi PayaBUDDHIST TEMPLE.ur;"äkI"Once marking one of Thayekhittaya’s fourcorners, this towering pagoda is a half-mileeast of the bus station. It probably datesfrom the 5th or 6th century AD. Three terracesencircle the slightly swollen, breastlikestructure from its base; ‘ladies’ are not allowedon the upper one. The modern hti islit up at night.4SleepingAll of the following options include breakfastin the price.143YANGON–BAGAN & CENTRAL HIGHWAY MYANMAR SIGHTS SIGHTS PYAY (PROME)