DIY – Kyaiktiyo Pagoda as a day trip from Yangon
Everyone visiting the famous Kyaiktiyo Pagoda(Golden Rock), thinks it is not possible to do it as a day trip from Yangon. As a result, they end up spending an extra day on the mountain or at the base camp at Kinpun. But if you have the will and courage, you can easily complete a trip to the Golden Rock in a day, starting and ending in Yangon.
I have done it and I will tell you how can you do it as well.
- 06.30 AM – Take a taxi to Aung Mingalar bus station (Cost – 8000 Kyat; Time – 45 minutes)
- 07.15 AM – Reach Aung Mingalar bus station and ask the driver to stop at a bus heading to Kinpun (Cost – 7000 Kyat). Buses leave to Kinpun every one hour. Have a breakfast and buy water at the bus station, since the bus does not stop in between.
- 07.30 AM – Catch the bus and head to Kinpun (Time – 3.5 hours).
- 11.oo AM – Reach Kinpun and have your lunch, not many eating options available at the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda.
- 11.30 AM – Go the truck station, from where you have to take a truck taxi to the pagoda (Cost – 2500 Kyats, Time – 45 minutes)
- 12.30 PM – Reach the pagoda and spend two hours (Entrance fees for foreigner – USD 6)
- 02.30 PM – Take a truck taxi back to Kinpun
- 03.15 PM – Eat a snack
- 03.30 PM – Bus back to Yangon
- 06.00 PM – Reach Aung Mingalar bus station and take a taxi back to your hotel in Yangon
- 06.45 PM – Reach hotel
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Your itinerary is so detailed it’s cute. 😉
HaHa!! Hope it helps. 🙂
Thanks for your detailed itinerary. Did you purchase or book the bus tickets before hand or you purchased it right on the spot? And what about the frequency for the bus returning from golden rock back to Yangon? Is it frequent? thanks in advance.
Hello Sim,
Yes, bus tickets can be purchased right on the spot. Yes, there are plenty of buses, unless you are traveling at odd times.
Wow, exactly the explanation I was looking. Short and detailed. I’m heading to Myanmar this Christmas. Thanks a lot for your information!
Happy to help 🙂 Myanmar is a beautiful country, have a great time.
thanks for the itinerary… will pattern mine from yours… will be visiting Myanmar late this august
HI Cris
Myanmar is a beautiful country. Have a great time.
Hi,
I’d like to go from Yangon Airport to kinpun, by bus, at about 6.00.
How can I reach bus station in Yangon, and which company I’ve to book in advance?
When I will be back from golden rock, in kinpun, do you know which company can bring me to Bago?
Thank you very much.
Alex
Hi Alex
The only way from airport to the bus station is taxi. I have heard about bus from nearby to somewhere but never seen it.
At Kinpun, go to the bus station and the bus ticket sellers will find you. You don’t need to find them. 😉
Have a great trip. 🙂
Thanks so much for the information, planing my myanmar trip now and didn’t have the days to fit in more than 1. – this makes it worth it! You’re the best.
Hi, thanks for your sharing it’s very useful.
I read from many information shared by others the tricky part is taking the right bus to Kinpun (3.5hrs) instead of the Kyaiktiyo town (5hrs).
According to one sharing they have been very carefull and checking with bus driver to ensure the bus is going to Kinpun but they are still ended up at Kyaiktiyo.
Could please advise whether any specific bus name or whether there is a board to notify exact destination ? As i understand the bus system there is still not very advanced. We have to approach the bus instead of the locket.
Seemed like the kinpun bus station and truck station are different place. Could please advise how far is the distance and how to reach there ?
Many thanks
Hi Tan
It very difficult to understand the bus system in Myanmar and its confusing. If you are heading to Kinpun, take a taxi to the bus station and be specific with your taxi driver, ask him to stop at the bus heading to Kinpun. I usually confirm 3 or 4 times withe people around, before purchasing a ticket and boarding a bus. There is no alternative to this.
Kinpun bus station and the truck station just about 100 meters.
Have a great trip.
Hi Sai,
Thanks for your good information.
I will travel to Myanmar next month, please could you advise more information below
1. About the bus to Kinpun, is Kinpun a final destination ? and we just seat on the bus until it stops ?
2. If we don’t use the truck, can we trek to mountain top ? Is the way easy to find ? And how long does it take as your estimation ?
Many thanks
Hi Flora
1. Yes, the final destination is Kinpun
2. Yes you can trek to Kyaiktiyo, but I have not much information about it
Have a great trip.
Thanks Sai, I will arrive Yangon tomorrow, wait for an exciting trip 🙂
Have a great trip Flora. Looking forward to hear your stories.
I LOVE your detailed itinerary, but when we went for the day, we were told there WAS NO BUS BACK TO YANGON AT 3:30pm! Instead, we had no choice but to stay with the guy who told us this information for the night and get a 5am bus back the next morning.
In hindsight, we MUST have been scammed. Has anyone else encountered this problem?
I hope you don’t mind me sharing more on my interesting trip to Kyaiktiyo: https://www.thewanderlist.net/myanmar/kyaiktiyo/ 🙂
Perfect…that what I need to know,as I will be in Yangon in July with my parents for a short time and would love to see The Golden Rock…day trip that what we want.
So how was the buses condition,and any hassle to get the truck and bus ticket on the way back from the pagoda? Thanks.
Easy to get the tickets, but the rides are dangerous and not comfortable.
thank you.
I will be at Yangon on next month and will visit Golden Rock. Please help if you can.
We will take night bus back to RGN at 5am from Inle + take bus to Golden Rock at the bus station. Thus, we dont have time to leave our luggage at our hotel so that Can we leave our luggage at Win Express station ? or can we leave on bus ?
Hi Jimmy
You cannot do that. Myanmar is still an unorganized country and its so random. Take your bags along with you.
Have a wonderful trip.
Thank you Sai.
Hi. I have a question. After you arrived in Kinpun Terminal from Yangon, do you still need to hire a motorcycle to get to the truck terminal going up to Golden ROck? coz I’ve been reading some blogs about needing to ride a motor taxi and some also say that you just need to walk for 2 blocks. Which one is correct? I will be visiting Myanmar by March and Golden Rock is on my list.
Hi Will
The last time I arrived at Kinpun Terminal in 2014, it was less than a 5 minute stroll to the truck terminal. Things might have changed now. Have a wonderful trip in Myanmar.