When you think you’ve seen it all, book a flight to Myanmar and visit the biggest reclining Buddha in the world. Even though I’ve seen countless Buddha statues all around southeast Asia, in different shapes and sizes, nothing could have prepared me for the Win Sein Taw Ya Buddha image.
Situated near Mawlamyine, this statue is a must see for those passionate about culture, religion and quirky destinations. Once you arrive in front of Win Sein Taw Ya, you’ll be amazed by its size and grandeur. This jaw-dropping giant Buddha in Myanmar is definitely one of a kind.
Are you planning to backpack Myanmar? Read more about budget, must see destinations and more in this guide.
1. About the Win Sein Monastery and the largest Buddha statue in the world
This huge Buddha statue is situated near Mawlamyine, about 20 kilometers away from the city. Surrounded by a complex of shrines, stupas, statues and monastic buildings, this statue is still a work-in-progress. Although it’s not entirely finished, the statue’s exterior is almost complete.
To read about more amazing things to do in Mawlamyine, click here.
Before getting to the world’s biggest reclining Buddha, you will have to pass by 500 real-sized stone monks walking towards the statues. The surprising thing about them was that each of the monks had different facial features, which gave the impression that they were actually representations of real monks.
Right across of the Win Sein Taw Ya, in 2012 the construction of another statue that looks exactly the same has started. However, this second building is far from being completed and the construction seems to have stopped for the moment.
Once you’ll arrive at the main statue, you will have to climb a few stairs before getting right in front of Win Sein Taw Ya. You will be pleasantly surprised to find out that you can get inside the reclining Buddha and explore a few of its eight floors (the rest are off-limits). The first thing you’ll see will be a small shrine, followed by a series of dioramas about the teachings of Buddhism. The statues depicting the Buddhist scenes were vividly colored but unfortunately the lightning in those rooms was not the best.
You can also get to the balcony near Buddha’s ear. It just puts everything into perspective – look how small I am comparing with the ear.
If you have enough time, you can also explore the area around the huge reclining Buddha image. You will find another big statue, many amazing viewpoints, small colorful stupas and the Win Sein Monastery.
Find out which are the most beautiful temples in Myanmar here.
Good to know: Once you start climbing the stairs towards the statue, you’ll have to take your shoes off. Also, make sure to dress conservatively. For more information about how to dress when visiting the temples in Myanmar, click here.
Win Sein Taw Ya dimensions
This giant reclining Buddha Image has an incredible height of 30 meters and length of 180 meters.
Win Sein Taw Ya entrance fee
The entrance to this site is free but if you want, you can leave a small donation. When you’ll enter inside the statue, you’ll see a panel about how you can contribute to the construction of the largest Buddha statue in the world. No matter how much you’ll choose to donate, it’s a great feeling to contribute to this statue’s construction.
2. How to get to Win Sein Taw Ya
Getting to the biggest reclining Buddha in the world is not that easy. There are no public transport options, but depending on where you’re traveling from you can use a combination of buses and tuk tuks.
From Mawlamyine
If you are traveling from Mawlamyine to Win Sein Taw Ya, the easiest and most convenient option is to rent a tuk tuk for about 35,000 Kyats (both ways). Depending on how many people you are, you can split the costs. You can find tuk tuks around the city or at the central bus station.
The ride will take about half an hour each way and the tuk tuk driver will wait for you while you are visiting Win Sein Taw Ya.
From Hpa An
Getting to the biggest reclining Buddha in the world from Hpa An is a bit more complicated but doable (this is the itinerary we followed). You will first have to take a bus to Mawlamyine from the Hpa An Clock Tower (ask around the locals for the exact location of the bus stop). The bus ride will take around two hours and it will cost you 1,200 Kyat per person.
When you arrive in Mawlamyine at the central bus station, just rent a tuk tuk (read all the details in the section above). You can totally visit Win Sein Taw Ya as a day trip from Hpa An.
Are you planning to explore Hpa An? Read everything you need to know here.
3. Where to stay near Win Sein Taw Ya
If you’re planning to stay in Mawlamyine, I recommend the Royal Hinthar Hotel (it has excellent reviews and the location is great).
If you choose Hpa An as your home base, you should definitely stay at the Hpa An Lodge. It’s comfortable, luxurious and budget friendly.
May the travel bug bit you!
More about Myanmar:
- Myanmar hidden gems – the most beautiful destinations – click here
- The ultimate Inle Lake guide – click here
- The most beautiful temples in Bagan – click here
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Aurelia Teslaru is a professional travel blogger and the writer behind Daily Travel Pill. With a 4-year experience as a travel writer and photographer, Aurelia only shares travel guides about destinations that she visited.
She has been to more than 40 countries during the past 10 years and aims to explore 50 countries before turning 30 years old. Aurelia is a digital nomad who transformed her passion for travel into a lifestyle. Read more about her here.
To follow her adventures, check out her Instagram and Facebook pages!