Mount Popa Monastery, Myanmar
You feel every one of the 777 steps climbing to the top of the monastery at Mount Popa. Partly because of the burn in your legs. Party because of the constant threat of attack from the hundreds of monkeys who live along the staircase, seemingly guarding it, army-like, from any enemy invasion. In lieu of any enemies, they make food in your bags or pockets their target.
The monastery is built on the top of a volcanic plug, caused by the nearby volcano Mount Popa. It rises 737 metres above sea level and stands out awkwardly on the landscape, like a lone skyscraper in a city of shacks. From below, the gold at the top shimmers in the Myanmar sun.
Along the staircase to the top, various temples and shrines provide a chance for rest and spiritual reflection on why you’re tackling such a climb.
A hermit called U Khandi maintained the staircase until he died in the 1940s. For a hermit, it wouldn’t have been a particularly solitary life, though. The monastery is a popular pilgrimage site for the Myanmar people.
They come in a large part for the residents of the mountain. Not the monkeys… or the monks… but the spirits known as nats. There are 37 of them in residence, apparently, and are depicted in their human forms in these statues at the bottom of the staircase.
The Mount Popa monastery, or Taung Kalat as it’s technically known, is an easy day trip from Bagan. It takes just over an hour to drive there and there are plenty of people in Bagan who will gladly take you.
If you would like to book a tour in advance, there are some options here:
If you’re not scared of monkeys – or nats – it’s worth it.
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT MYANMAR?
To help you plan your trip to Myanmar:
- Five ways to experience local Myanmar
- Why the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon is so important
- What to expect on the Circle Line in Yangon
- How to spend a day in Bagan
- Visiting Mount Popa Monastery from Bagan
- The best things to see in Bago
- The story behind the Royal Palace of Mandalay
- Don’t miss the U Bein Teak Bridge near Mandalay
- Here’s why I didn’t like visiting Inle Lake
- Hiking with locals in Shan State
Let someone else do the work for you:
You may also want to consider taking a Myanmar tour, rather than organising everything on your own. It’s also a nice way to have company if you are travelling solo.
I am a ‘Wanderer’ with G Adventures and they have great tours in Myanmar.
You could consider:
- Myanmar on a Shoestring (14 days)
- Classic Myanmar Adventure (14 days)
- The Heart of Myanmar- National Geographic (12 days)
When I travel internationally, I always get insurance. It’s not worth the risk, in case there’s a medical emergency or another serious incident. I recommend you use World Nomads for your trip.
Kym Ciftci |
Wpw that’s impressive. To get to the top I would have not to look down. Getting down might be a problem though!
Michael Turtle |
I felt like the monkeys were even more vicious on the way back down. That was the hardest thing!! 🙂
Lillie - @WorldLillie |
This article would have been cool without the monkeys, but once you add monkeys to anything, it becomes AMAZING! 🙂
Chail ReSort |
Trip to this monastery really worth, and stepping up makes it rappelling while monkey makes it rappelling adventure. Awesome place to visit. From downwards, it seems like a castle built on the top of the skyscraper.
Michael Turtle |
Yes, it does look like a skyscraper. And it seems even more dramatic because it’s the only one you can see from all around!
Michael Turtle |
Ha ha – the monkeys certainly added to the experience. Although some people might say that they made it harder and scarier! 🙂
BlogDaz |
Now that, is absolutely amazing, why oh why have we never seen this place before. How many more gems is Burma waiting to show us ??.
Michael Turtle |
Lots more gems from Burma! I hadn’t heard of Mount Popa either (even though it is referred to in guidebooks and stuff, I hadn’t read that bit too carefully). So it was a really pleasant surprise to get there and realise exactly what it looked like!
Bama |
This place really reminds me of Sigiriya in Myanmar which is a lonesome volcanic plug amid the vast plains of the island. It seems like this place is really worth a visit when I go to Bagan one day.
Michael Turtle |
Do you mean Sigiriya in Sri Lanka? If so. I haven’t been there myself but would love to check it out if it’s anything like this.
The GypsyNesters |
What a freakin’ trip Michael- the pic of the stairs gave me vertigo! Let’s talk monkey… on a scale of 1 to 10, exactly how aggressive? -Veronica
Michael Turtle |
I would put the monkeys at 11 on the scale! 🙂 No, seriously, most of them were quite well-behaved but there were a few that were so not afraid of humans that they would just jump right on you and try to go through your bag or pockets. I had to bat them away with a water bottle!
Natasha von Geldern |
Aw the little guy with the flower in his mouth is sweet! Sounds like a very interesting place, need to get myself to Burma.
Michael Turtle |
Yeah, they look cute until they jump on you! Still, it was a really interesting place and the monkeys just added to the experience.
Stephanie - The Travel Chica |
I like monkeys, but these seem a little intimidating.
Michael Turtle |
I prefer them when they’re up in trees looking cute! 🙂
Jennifer |
Beautiful monastery and I love the monkeys!
Michael Turtle |
Then you’ll love this place!!
thetravelfool |
Gotta love Monkeys, my dream is to hang out with one on a beach drinking beer and being the crazy foreigner.
Michael Turtle |
Ha ha. Maybe the smoking monkey from Hangover 2 would be the right companion for you? This ones didn’t seem quite relaxed enough to just sit quietly on the beach with a beer 🙂
VItaliy |
I was so impressed. Thank you very much
Michael Turtle |
So glad you made it there! It’s a pretty cool place, isn’t it?
Indochina |
I like Mount Popa and Taung Kalat monastery
Jurgen Nielsen |
How do they get their food and what do they eat