According to Ko Tin Ko Min from the Mahagiri Group, which operates tourism and environmental protection based in Mt Popa, many people visit Mount Popa through the ancient cultural area of Bagan.
“Now they travel between Bagan and Popa. There are more visitors on holidays and religious occasions. Fewer people come on office days. Most people go to Taungkalat in Popa. As we provide services to Mount Popa, some come to hike. They spend one night at Bagan and a night camp here. The ordinary pilgrims go to Taungkalat. There is a direct bus from Yangon to Popa. Some visitors are from Mandalay, Magway and Pakokku. This year, it’s more crowded than in previous years. It used to be crowded only on religious holidays before. However, it is not like that this year. There are also a lot of people coming during normal holidays. Pilgrims come in buses,” he said.
It could be more crowded in the month of coming to Tawthalin because of the festival for “the day Bo Min Gaung left”.
“Many people usually come for the festival of the day Bo Min Gaung left. I think there will be more this year as well. During this festival, there is no vacant room in all guesthouses. As monasteries are full, people have to stay at villagers’ houses. Now, the organizing activities for pilgrim buses to this festival have already started in Yangon, Mandalay and Kyaukse,” he said.
With more tourists likely to visit Bagan in the open season, Mount Popa can be more crowded as it is related to Bagan as a packaged tour, according to the locals. – MT/ZN/ED
