Located 136km north-west of Mandalay, Monywa makes an excellent stopping point on the route between Bagan and Mandalay, especially for culture buffs looking for something a little more “off the beaten path”. Sitting on the Chindwin riverside, the town has a pleasant setting, although aside from markets and the central pagoda complexes of Shewzigon Paya and Su Taung Pye Zedi, the main attractions are located in the surrounding countryside. Just a short drive from the town, and one of our personal favourites, is the Po Win Taung caves – an impressive network of sandstone caves containing over 400,000 Buddha images. Other highlights include visits to; Thanboddhay Pagoda, a huge Buddhist temple covered with more than 500,000 Buddha images, Laykyun Setkyar, the largest standing Buddha in the world and Kyet Sun Kin Village, a typical rural village where you can spend time learning more about life in the countryside of Myanmar.