#931 Kyaiktyo (Golden Rock), Myanmar (Burma)

One of the most sacred pilgrimmage places in Burma is a place called Kyaiktyo, where a precariously perched rock which has been painted with gold-leaf and people travel across the country to spend time meditating there. An amazing journey in itself, the collective travel and sense of purpose that accompany it make it collegial and full of community. Likewise, while the majestic vision itself perched high above a valley is a sight to behold, the people you watch and the spectacle are equally unique.

The area is a marvel of magic and devotion, religious iconography, excessive commercial development, rosaries sold aside toy rifles, people meditating, sleeping, and touching the rock (affixing more gold-leaf). The walk up is several hours long, and in a wonder of contrasts, passes through villages, past stupas, statues, shops and souvenirs.

The gravity-defying rock iteslf, with a 7.3m high stupa on top, is one of Myanmar's most sacred sites, perched on the edge of Mt. Kyaiktiyo (pronounced chay ti tyo). Legend has it that the rock can sit thus because of Buddha's specially placed hair inside the stupa. King Tissa (11th century) was given the hair by a hermit who had secreted it in his own topknot. The king was instructed to find a boulder that resembled the hermit's head, which was found at the bottom of the ocean, and upon reaching the mountain top, the boat turned to stone (which can be seen nearby).

Source: Lonely Planet Myanmar (9th Edition)

#945 Nga Hpe Chaung (Jumping Cat Monastery), Inle Lake, Myanmar (Burma)

If I ever became a Buddhist monk, I think that I would choose to live at this monastery in the middle of Inle Lake -- where else in the world could I possibly meditate and pray, AND be with cats all the time? Teaching an animal like the cat is difficult, as those who have tried must already be aware, so when you visit this monastery and see the astonishing visions of cats jumping through hoops on demand, it is impressive. And because they are lazing around all over the place in the rest of the time, it is cat-lover heaven. Yes, a tourist trap, perhaps, but a unique one!

#950 Bagan, Myanmar (Burma)

One of the most mystical and impressive sites that I have ever seen in the world are the temples in Bagan in Myanmar. That there are so many temples, each so different and so elaborate, yet all were created purely for spiritual purposes and are still used till this day, this is unmatched anywhere else.

The magic of Bagan also lies in how you visit it. A horse cart or a bicycle, all modern conveniences are left behind, so the place truly feels timeless, as a new temple rises up from the brown earth just as each other one has for centuries and millenia before it

Amazing Facts:

42 square kilometres

On the banks of a curve in the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) River

Sunset chasing is a rite of passage

Nyaung U is the modern town

Nearby Mt. Popa is famous for its 'Nat' spirits (the most important Nat worship site in the country)

Bagan was the first empire to unify the states that make up the area of Myanmar

It was at its height between the 11th and 13th Centuries

It consists of over 10,000 temples, monasteries, pagodas, etc of which 2200 remain today

The British colonials called it Pagan

There are different kinds of buildings including stupas (massive solid structures with a relic chamber) and hollow temples, intended as meditation spaces

One temple has a style that looks like a Hindu temple

As a celebration of 50 amazing places, I have to put one of my favorite places!

Source: Lonely Planet Myanmar 9th Edition

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagan

#962 Ngapali Beach, Myanmar (Burma)

If I had to pick my favorite beach in the world, I think it would have to be Ngapali Beach in Myanmar. I should say right at the start that my ideal beach does not have many people on it. I am not someone who goes to the beach to people watch. I go for beautiful long stretches of sand, palm trees and uninterupted wilderness. I love local fishing villages, I love seafood, and I love longs walks on the beach passing quaint little centers. Ngapali has it all -- a funky airport (where it feels like you´re going to land in the sea or crash into a cliff), good food, small and large resorts, a stunning fishing village with picturesque boats, drying fish and smiling local people and spectacular scenery. Whether its a massage in the nearby village or a bicycle ride through the rice padi fields, rustic hotels or high class --it´s here. As the sun sets into the ocean, and the 

!tide brushes the floorboards, while I sit in my hammock, I am in heaven 

#995 Mrauk U, Myanmar (Burma)

The first amazing thing about Mrauk U is its isolation. To get there, you have to fly to Sittwe, which is a tiny little town in Rakhaing State on the western coast of Myanmar, and then take a small boat for several hours up a river to reach the Mrauk U site.

The next amazing thing is the size -- ruins and temples are scattered over several kilometers. The best way to see them all is by bike. European travellers who visited in the 16th century compared it to the large cities of Europe for its greatness.

The third amazing thing is that some of this ancient Rakhaing capital is current after centuries. The Buddha statues still have flowers and offerings, and many of the temples have active monks and nuns participating in rituals and chants. Many Buddhas are still dressed on a regular basis, and many temples are still painted and repaired. On the other hand, and this is amazing too, many are derelict and ruined. Why one survived and another didn't is an interesting puzzle.

The fourth amazing thing is the living civilization that is threaded throughout and is continuing to exist - the fields and farms next to temples and palaces, the children that come up to you while you're on the sites, the bullock carts sharing the narrow dirt roads. The sense of timelessness exists here -- people seem like they are living as they were when it was a great city.

The fifth amazing thing is that almost no one has heard of it.

Kothaung Temple

Outside of Kothaung Temple

Outside of Kothaung Temple

Inside Kothaung Temple

Inside Kothaung Temple