Myawaddy: Crocodile Temple and Afternoon Market

If you choose Myawaddy as your destination, its cultural attractions may also influence your decision. Different themes come together here: temple architecture, local trade, and religious imagery. You can consider whether you are more interested in distinctive building forms, a market, or a Buddha image. The specific features of each place can help you narrow down these interests.

Myikyaungon Temple: Crocodile Shape and Library Building

At Myikyaungon Temple, also known as Crocodile Temple, a library building stands on the body of a 65-meter-long crocodile with its mouth open. The crocodile is therefore not merely a motif beside the building: its body forms the base on which the library stands. The open mouth adds to the unusual shape. Myikyaungon Temple and Crocodile Temple refer to the same place, so you do not need to treat the two names as separate destinations when planning your trip. The 65-meter measurement refers to the length of the crocodile, not the library building.

In the same temple, a turquoise-painted concrete crocodile sits in a pool. Unlike the crocodile whose body supports the library, this is a separate figure in the pool. Its color and material further distinguish the pool figure from the crocodile shape of the building. The temple thus features two different crocodile references: one in the architecture and the other as a standalone figure.

Afternoon Market: Goods and Alley Layout

The afternoon market in Myawaddy has a different focus. Locals buy fruit, vegetables, fish, spices, and clothing there. The range of goods is not limited to food; clothing is also among the items people buy. The market runs through a long, narrow alley between rows of wooden shops. The product range indicates what kinds of purchases characterize the market; the alley describes its physical layout. These two aspects can help you understand the market both as a place of commerce and in terms of its specific layout.

It can occasionally get crowded, although the level of congestion may vary. If you are planning to visit the market on a particular day, check in advance whether it will be open then.

Shwe Muay Wan Pagoda: A Buddha Image Made of Rattan

Shwe Muay Wan Pagoda houses a seated Buddha image made of woven rattan. The seated posture describes the depiction, while woven rattan is the material used for the image. Compared with Crocodile Temple, the focus here is therefore not on a crocodile shape and a library building, but on the posture and material of a religious image. If you would like to include the pagoda in your travel plans, check in advance whether a visit is possible.

Compare Cultural Attractions

The differences between these attractions are easy to sum up: the market represents local shopping and a narrow alley lined with wooden shops; Myikyaungon Temple, the combination of a crocodile shape and a library building; and Shwe Muay Wan Pagoda, a seated Buddha image made of woven rattan. If you are planning your trip around your personal interests, you can choose between commerce, architecture, and religious imagery.

Discover more destinations: Loi-kaw, Myitkyina.

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