State-owned MraukU hotel, private hotels to be opened during Thingyan festival

The travel agencies provide transportation services for travellers to the MraukU cultural region of Rakhine State during this Thingyan period to peacefully enjoy the new year festival and pagoda festivals. Moreover, the State-owned MraukU Hotel and private hotels will be also opened to facilitate the accommodation of local and foreign travellers, according to the Rakhine State Directorate of Hotels and Tourism.
Arrangements are being made to hold Rakhine traditional water festival and the pagoda festival suspended due to the outbreak of COVID-19 will be also held. The Koethaung pagoda (ninety thousand Buddha statues) festival was held actively in the last week of March and the Shitthaung pagoda festival will be held in early April. The famous pagodas in Rakhine State are Mahamuni Buddha image, Htokkanthein Stupa, Anntaw Ordination Hall, Laymyathna Stupa, Laungbanpyauk pagoda, Bawdhi Shwegu pagoda, Mingala Manaung pagoda, Yadana Manaung pagoda, Thatkya Manaung pagoda, Lawka Manaung pagoda, Zina Manaung pagoda, Phayapaw pagoda, Yadanabon pagoda, Shwekyathein pagoda, Candamuni pagoda, Myatazaung pagoda, Htuparyone pagoda, Tharapabbhata pagoda, Pyisoegyi pagoda and Anawma pagoda.
The residents also prepare to host local and foreign visitors to Sittway and Kyauktaw Thingyan festivals and ancient pagodas.
“The MraukU Hotel will be opened and it is ready to host both domestic and international travellers. There will be the Thingyan festival in addition to pagoda festivals this year. The travel agencies offer services of air, land and waterway transportation for travellers from Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw and so there will be large numbers of local travellers to MraukU, especially to Koethaung pagoda, Shitthaung pagoda and Mahamuni Buddha image and Kyauktaw festival. The Rakhine State government arranges to hold the Sittway Thingyan festival and the MraukU cultural zone of Rakhine State will become alive with travellers. MraukU is also a tourist destination like Bagan and so we invite the people to pay a visit it,” said U Tin Htut Aung, director of the Rakhine State Directorate of Hotels and Tourism.
The State-owned MraukU hotel will be opened on 9 April. It contains 33 rooms and the visitors can study the ward at which Thai’s King daughter Sirindhorn stayed.
Myanmar’s cultural heritages are concentrated in Bagan and MraukU. The companies also offer online services for air tickets, and land and waterway routes for the MraukU tour. They also make Sittway-MraukU trip plans by boat or car.
The ancient city of MraukU is located in the northern part of Rakhine State, which is the western part of Myanmar, and in the east of Kaladan River and surrounded by ranges of hills boasting ancient pagodas and stupas. The officials also make efforts for MraukU to be on the list of World Heritage. The tourism sector of Rakhine State will be revived with the travels of local/foreign visitors to the MraukU region along with the Myanmar traditional Thingyan Festival in the Thingyan period this year. — Nyein Thu (MNA)/KTZH