Mrauk U, formerly known as Mrohaung, is famous today for the ancient archaeological sites of Arakanese Kingdom. The city is an offbeat destination for tourists looking for quieter cities offering a countryside experience.

Mrauk U has an interesting legend about its origin. It is believed that there lived a female monkey who met a peacock. They cohabited, and a human son was born from the egg laid by the monkey, who grew up to become a prince. And he constructed a city, which got the name Mrauk U, which means Monkey’s Egg.

Archaeology Museum

The Archaeology Museum Mrauk U is located in the premises of the Royal Palace in the city of Mrauk U in Rakhine State, Myanmar. It houses artefacts from the ancient walled town of Mrauk U, which comprised of many historical buildings and temples. For tourists interested in knowing more about Mrauk U, the museum is an excellent place to explore.

There is an extensive collection of different statues of Buddha, stone inscriptions, murals, coins, and sculptures. The legends are in Sanskrit, Arabic and the Burmese languages. You can also find various musical instruments, ceramic ware, and rare household appliances from the 8th century.

Htukkanthein Temple

Htukkanthein Temple is a large Buddhist pagoda located in the city of Mrauk U in Myanmar. It is one of the top attractions in the city. Htukkanthein is a temple as well as fortress and served as ordination hall and military centre alongside being a pagoda.

The temple was built in 1517 when the Pagan dynasty began expanding in Burma. Its architecture is unique – built on an elevated platform like a fort, and has just two entrances and no openings.

Chin Villages

Chin Village is located on the banks of the river Lay Mro river close to the town of Mrauk U in Myanmar. It is known for the ethnic Chin community that is famous for its beautiful women with traditional tattoos on their faces and the colourful fabrics that are handmade by the village people.

Tattooing the faces was a practice developed by Chin women, who were taken to the royalty as concubines because of their inherent natural beauty. Although it is no longer practised, you can find older women with tattooed faces living in Chin villages. A boat trip to the Chin village takes about 2 to 3 hours one way, which is a lovely trip passing through the countryside and greenery.

Wethali

Wethali is a historical site located close to the city of Mrauk U. It contains the archaeological remains of the walled city of the kingdom of Wethali, which was established in the 4th century. This is the place where the kingdom prospered for over four centuries, when the city was the centre of powerful administration and culture. The site consists of a palace, a huge stone statue of seated Buddha and remains of other structures within a walled enclosure.

According to holidify.com