Lost City of Mrauk U

For 354 years the Arakan Kingdom seated in Mrauk U controlled coastal regions from west Myanmar all the way to the Ganges River in east India.  The dynasty was eventually ended by the invading Bamar army in 1784, looted and left to rot. Grand palaces, 19-miles of fortifications, and some 700 uniquely designed Buddhist temples were slowly swallowed by the jungle. The Lost City was found again in the mid-20th century.

Today the jungle has been cleared and is thick only with irony. These grand expressions of a once dominant kingdom  now serve as little more than an amazing backdrop for what is now a small but growing rural village. A must see for adventurers and photographers.

Hotels: Mrauk U Princess is very good, Narawat is good with a wonderful staff and great location, and Shwe Thazin is good with spacious rooms, but management is a little clueless as of this writing.