SECRET CAVE TEMPLE OF MYANMAR ( Datdawtaung Cave)

SECRET CAVE Temple of MYANMAR

Datdawtaung Cave) In Kyauk-se. 

Myanmar is always about the Temples and cultural places, Before starting this Expedition i studied a lot about the temples and especially cave temples in MYANMAR. I came to know about this cave temple ( Datdawtaung Cave) In Kyauk-se.

Initially it was hard to find the information about the temple on Internet because of its hardly known Location even by the Mandalay people in MYANMAR. Its one of the most secret and Hidden temple in Myanmar hardly visited by the tourist. Thanks to Stephanie elisabeth Blog (http://stephani-elizabeth.blogspot.com/) which helped me to find that temple and other informations about the place.



As i came to Mandaly from Bagan just to visit that temple, So i skipped my Mandalay palace knowing already that its very touristic place, I wanted to explore this hardly known temple in the middle of Nowhere and bring its beauty and Information through my Photos to the Future tourist who would love to visit it.


Finally, I took the Private Taxi from the Hotel to visit that temple which had costed me around 45$ for the whole day (hotel-Temple-U-painbridge Sunset-Hotel). There was no other option to go there apart from the taxi so i had to take it although bit pricy but i'd added u pain bridge Sunset visit also in that deal after negotiating with the hotel travel desk.

I started my Journey from Mandalay to Kyauk-se (44kms) almost 1h 15minutes drive. The drive was really smooth and beautiful through the country side of the villages, far from big city of Mandalay, Scenery was great  with authentic and Traditional people of Myanmar with their Myanmari Hats always on the head. After crossing Kyauk-se we were stuck into heavy traffic and it consumed my 30minutes to come out of it.

I got to know after Kyauk-se that Taxi driver never ever been to that temple so i'd started worry about reaching their one time. we did couple of Stops to ask the directions for the temple, driven through the villages and had been asking to the local people, every time it was like just two blocks away but my worries was rising up and up and loosing my temper also at the same time, Sometime bit Angry at hotel travel desk as they had tole me that taxi driver knew the place very well.

anyway, i just kept myself calm and let the driver to find the place as quickly, finally  after 2.5hrs of Juggling and roaming reached to the temple but one more surprise that had knocked me down completely was the 700-800 steps of staircase to the temple on the Top of the Hill (even i missed that thing in her Blog as well). I wasn't aware of that but coming so close and not doing it wasn't the good idea. So I took the monstrous bag-pack full of cameras and Lens weighted around 9-10kgs on my Shoulders and Started climbing up

After couple of steps i was already tired because of heavy weight on my shoulders and steep staircase. Every i'd asked to the driver how far ?? he replied "20 minutes more". My shoulders were in deep pain, legs were shaking like anything, it was't easy at all for me to climb with that Monstrous bag on my shoulders but the will-power of seeing that temple was more than that pain. I was so eager to reach to that temple and start clicking the photos. As we say" NO PAIN NO GAIN".

I took couple of stops during the climb and putting my bag-pack down to relax my shoulders, after 25 minutes of hard climm and pain, finally i reached to the Temple and I just had put my bag down and took my camera and ran away to see the first look of the temple. I'd felt so happy and at peace after reaching to the place i have imagined or dreamed. It was so beautiful and peaceful and same as in her BLOG. I'd started clicking photos without any second to waste, even didn't realize that floor of the temple was full of POOP of bats. It was too smelly but didn't care at all and i just indulge myself into the beauty of the temple with full enthusiasm.

the Best thing about the temple i liked,It was so quite and peaceful just i'd thought, there was no one at all, Just me and my camera and Taxi driver sitting on the inner stair Case of the temple, watching me with a regard as i had lost my mind and become crazy after seeing that place. The light was good for the Photos and no one around is the best thing as any photographer would like to capture the place through his camera.

After spending 1h15m with the beauty of the temple, we moved back to the car parking. I was really happy to experience the temple beauty and capture it and  Explored something which wasn't too touristic and Hidden in Myanmar. 95% of the tourist coming to Mandalay(Myanmar) hardly know about this place and dare to do it because of its Hidden location and others factors. Even hotels and Travel agents desk never talk about this place to the tourist which i'd found very sad. I felt that it worth a visit here instead of spending my time in that touristic Big palace of the Mandalay city.

Upper View of the Datdawtaung Cave

Sleeping Lord Buddha statue inside the Temple.

Stair case Lead Inside the Temple

Stupa Inside The Temple 

View from Inside