[2025 Taunggyi Attraction] Travel Guide for Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda (Updated May)

#getgoing2025 The Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, located on Inle Lake in Myanmar, is a prominent Buddhist site. It houses five small Buddha images, which, due to the application of gold leaf over centuries by devotees, have become almost unrecognizable in their original form. The pagoda is famous for its annual Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival, a major event on Inle Lake. During the festival, four of the five Buddha images are carried on a royal barge around the lake, visiting various villages. This vibrant celebration attracts thousands of pilgrims and tourists each year.

#getgoing2025 You may know the Inle Lake so well but have you ever heard about the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda festival? The Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda is one of the most sacred religious sites in the country, and the festival is a major annual event that draws both local devotees and tourists. During the festival, four Buddha images from the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda are placed on a decorated barge and taken around the lake, allowing people from different villages to pay their respects. The images are indeed covered in layers of gold leaf, a common practice in many Buddhist cultures to show reverence. Over time, the thick layers of gold leaf can make the features of the Buddha statues less distinct. The one-legged boat race, known as the "Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Boat Race," is a distinctive feature of the festival. In this unique competition, teams of leg-rowers navigate their longboats using a single leg to paddle, showcasing the traditional rowing techniques of the Inle Lake region. It is also common for people to donate money to the monks as a form of merit-making. The festival is not only a religious event but also a vibrant cultural celebration!

📍Phaung Daw Oo Paya Pagoda (Ywama Village) ✔️Floating temple in Inle Lake ✔️I wanted to visit this place because it was unique as a floating temple. What's interesting is that there are people soliciting customers to sell things at the entrance of the temple, and there are many shops inside the temple. You can bargain and buy things like any other store. I bought a traditional hat and Shan clothes as Myanmar souvenirs. ✔️Please note that you must take off your shoes when entering the temple. #TouristAttractionReview #SoutheastAsiaTravel

Phaung Daw Oo is one of the many temples you will encounter if you are traveling to Inle Lake, however, this is the most important one in terms of religion. The recommended sightseeing time is half an hour or maximum one hour. The pagoda houses five small gilded images of Buddha, which have been covered in gold leaf to the point that their original forms cannot be seen (As you can see in the picture, the golden rocks are not rock but buddhas fully covered). Annually, from September to October), there is the biggest pagoda festival that attracts many turists. It opens to the public everyday from 8 am to 6 pm. #createwithtrip #myanmar #holidays #exploring #createwithtrip