MAWLAMYINE
MAWLAMYINE is the capital of the Mon State and the third largest city in the country. It is now being transformed into a modern city with many new public and private buildings coming up. Only the old pagodas on the Mawlamyine Ridge remind us of its ancient origins. The city can be reached by road, rail or plane, we recommend car, bus or train.
The Kyaik-Than-lan Pagoda was erected in 875 AD. A hair relic of the Buddha, Tripitaka manuscripts and gold images of the Buddha were enshrined in the pagoda. It measures at present 46 m (150 ft). The base is 137 m (450 ft) in circumference and there are 34 smaller pagodas called Zediyan surrounding the main pagoda. A lift has now been installed for easy access.
The Mudon place is situated 29 km (17 miles) south of Mawlamyine, you can see the world's largest reclining Buddha image. It has a length of 180 m (600 ft) and the height is nearly 40 m (110 ft). Inside the images are 182 rooms in an eight-story building; nearby are 200 images of standing monks collecting alms.