Number of mountaineers leading to Mt Popa on the rise in December

Popa Mountain is located about 11 miles northeast of Kyaukpadaung Township, NyaungU District, Mandalay Region. A large number of travellers participate in the climbing event every December. On 25 December, a large number of mountaineers from many large and small towns in the country climbed Mount Popa.
More than 2,000 climbers participated in the Papa mountain climbing, from the surrounding towns of Kyaukpadaung such as Magway, Yenangyoung, Chauk, Sale, Taungtha, Meiktila, Ngathayauk, NyaungU, Bagan, Welaung, Popalwin Village, Kanzatkon Village and Inchaung Village. Most of the climbers enjoyed the mountaineering activities together with flocks of friends and families. Some climbers join the mountaineering to the Mount Popa the whole December.
Local people from the Popa area sell purified water, fast foods, various fruits, and various fried meals along the hiking route to the Mount Popa. According to the local vendors, the largest number of climbers may arrive there during the period from 10 to 31 December.
Mountaineers can climb 4,300 feet high Nwalaboh Hill, 4,600 feet high Hsaymon Hill, 4,755 feet high Sapabon Hill and 4,981 feet high Hmanpya Hill which is the height of Mt Popa. A local expected more than 10,000 mountaineers will join the scaling the mountains in December.—Ko Kyemon/TS