Mt Popa, the abode of gods
on the flower mountain
 Mt
Popa can be simply described as “Mount Olympus”
of Myanmar. Located 48km southeast of Bagan,
the road to Mt Popa passes several Burmese
villages amongst toddy palms and farms of
peanut, corn, sesame, while people occupied
with their own act ivies from hauling tubful
of water on the bullock carts to visiting
farmer houses on the roadside to see step
to produce famous palm sugar, sip some sweet
toddy juice or try local white liquor distilled
from same palm sugar balls, study the legend
of the Mahagiri Nat and the spirit worshiping
and the Myanmar pantheon of 37 Nat and the
stiff but rewarding climb of 777-steps to
the picturesque monastery complex of the
Popa Taung Kalat are something but an interesting
day out from Bagan. For the people visiting
from November to April can anytime encounter
with Burmese Shinbuy festival (to novitiate
the boys into Buddhism). Nowady, Mt Popa
is a part of National Park and there are
some activities to enjoy from trekking to
the crater, studying sandalwood plantation,
horseback riding, or simply take a break
at Popa Mountain Resort, an award-winning
hotel hidden in the forest overlooking the
Popa Taung Kalat, is a place where you can
prolong your lifespan. Mt Popa’s Main Mountain
is 1500-meter and the Taung Kalat is 787-meter
high respectively. Mt Popa can be reached
from Bagan by 1.5hrs drive or combine with
Salay for a full day tour. It is also possible
to visit on the way from Bagan to Mandalay
or to Kalaw or vice visa.
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