Mrauk-U

One of Mandalay's more off-the-beaten-track destinations is Mrauk-U in the north west of the country, near the border with Bangladesh. Rakhine state has always been geographically isolated and its people have always had a strong and unique cultural and linguistic identity.  Mrauk-U is reached by six-hour boat journey from Sittwe and the location of the town is beautiful - it's surrounded by rich lush rolling hills, and wetlands too. The town is home to a number of unique and atmospheric ancient temples including the Shite-taung and Koe-taung Paya, each with tens of thousands of Buddha images. 

 If you're looking to visit a remote and remarkable corner of the world, two or three nights in Mrauk-U will be a great addition to your Myanmar itinerary.