About 80,000 people live here and the average family earns $15 a MONTH, an extremely poor area, even poorer than Sittwe. Mrauk U is actually on the Aungdat Chatung River, a tributary of the Kaladan River, less than 40 miles from Sittwe. It was founded in 1433 and was once the center of one of Myanmar’s most powerful kingdoms. The Mrauk U dynasty lasted 352 years and left temples, stupas and city-wall ruins all over the area.

Stopped by the Moe Cherry Restaurant to make dinner reservations as well as arrangements for motoring up to the Chin Tribe area. The family-owned Moe Cherry seemed to control all tourist arrangements in this area.

Moe Cherry Restaurant and Tour Agency in Mrauk U, Myanmar
A fast stop at the Nawarat Hotel, the only nice one in Mrauk U with standard, superior and economy rooms. Their electricity never went out, the rooms were air-conditioned, hot water and very good food. Your only other choice would be the Government-operated hotel which looked nice from the outside but was a dump inside.

The yellow paste Burmese people wear on their faces is called Thanaklha and comes from a tree bark. They smush the inside of the bark to make a paste by grinding on a stone with water and apply. The belief is it protects against skin disease, helps keep your face young, and also serves as sun protection.

pretty little girl wearing her artistically designed Thanaktha in Mrauk U, Myanmar
It’s time to explain a few differences between Pagoda, Wat, Stupa, Chedi and Paya. I was always referring to them incorrectly (and I’ve probably mixed them up in my articles):

- A Pagoda is a temple or sacred building in India, Burma and China;

- A Wat is a Buddhist temple or monastery in Thailand or Cambodia;

- A Chedi is another word for Stupa in Southeast Asia;

- A Stupa is usually a pile of earth or other material in memory of Buddha/Buddhist saint and commemorates some even or marks a sacred spot; and

- A Paya is a stupa or pagoda in Burmese.

Instead of using clay or earthenware pots to gather water for daily use, the Mrauk U people prefer big shiny aluminum pots imported from India (we’re close to the Bangladesh border).

carrying water in shiny aluminum pots, Mrauk U, Myanmar 

Mrauk U children watching us, watching them, Myanmar 

collecting water in Mrauk U, Myanmar
Off to sightsee…a bronze-type Buddha – Sakidarmuni Buddha Image, 400 years old in the Bandoola Monastery Compound….

Buddha Image in Bandoola Monastery, Mrauk U, Myanmar
Then a drive through a small, dusty village ….

….where this man was laying out bamboo strips to weave a new wall for his house…

laying out bamboo strips to weave in Mrauk U, Myanmar
…and up into the hills to see the view. The major sightseeing would wait until tomorrow…