Mount Popa and Taung Kalat of the Mandalay Region, Myanmar. On the foothills of the mountain you will find this beautiful temple perched high up on a hill.

© AYOTOGRAPHY/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Popa Taung Kalat Temple

Myanmar (Burma)


From the nat shrine, start up the many steps under a covered walkway and past the rows of trinket and souvenir shops and shrines to a revered local medicine man, Pomin Gawng. At a steady pace it shouldn’t take you more than 20 minutes to reach the summit of this impressive rocky crag crowned with a picturesque complex of monasteries, stupas and shrines. Popa Taung Kalat Temple is but one of several buildings here that you can freely wander through.

Along the way, you’ll pass platoons of highly aggressive monkeys (be very cautious near them and don't carry any food or drink) and a small army of locals selling drinks and endeavouring (not always successfully) to keep the steps clean of monkey poo in return for a possible tip.

The views from the top are fantastic. You may be fortunate enough to spot one of the slow-walking hermit monks called yeti, who wear tall, peaked hats and visit occasionally.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Myanmar (Burma) attractions

1. Mother Spirit of Popa Nat Shrine

1.11 MILES

Before climbing Popa Taung Kalat, drop by the tiger-guarded shrine in the village at the foot of the mountain (just across from the steps guarded by…

2. Payathonzu

26.04 MILES

Across the main road from Tayok, this complex of three interconnected shrines (the name means 'Three Stupas') is worth seeing for its 13th-century murals…

3. Leimyethna Pahto

26.07 MILES

Built in 1222, this east-facing, whitewashed temple near Minnanthu village (a mile or two east of Dhammayazika on the north side of the road) stands on a…

4. Kyat Kan Kyaung

26.09 MILES

Just in front of Nandamannya, this working underground monastery dates from the 11th century. Bring a torch to walk along the cavern-like corridors and…

5. Thambula Pahto

26.11 MILES

This square temple, surrounded by crumbling walls just north of Payathonzu, is decorated with faded Jataka frescoes and was built in 1255 by Thambula, the…

6. Nandamannya Pahto

26.21 MILES

Dating from the mid-13th century, this small, single-chambered temple has fine frescoes and a ruined seated buddha. It’s about 650ft north of Thambula; a…

7. Tayok Pye Paya

26.22 MILES

A couple of hundred yards north of Leimyethna by dirt road, this spired temple gets attention for the views from its upper reaches. Damaged in the 2016…

8. Dhammayazika Paya

26.38 MILES

Sitting in lush garden grounds with a gilded bell, the Dhammayazika dates from 1196. Set in the south-central end of Bagan on the main road, it has lovely…