Kyaiktiyo Pagoda perches on the edge of Paunglaung Mountain Range, part of the Eastern Yoma, in Kyaikto Township, Mon State. It is one of the famous pagodas in Myanmar and is about 3.600 feet above sea level. The hill on which the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda was built is also called the Kyaiktiyo Hill. On the Kyaiktiyo Hill, there is a huge and steep rock. A big boulder the circumference of which is about 50 feet, rests on top – to be exact – on the edge of the rock. At a glance, it seems that the boulder will fall at a slight push. The boulder is in the shape of a human head. A small pagoda 15 feet high, was built on top of that boulder. By using a piece of bamboo strip as a lever, with a piece of thread tied to one end and placed under the rock you can pass the thread from one side to the other side of the boulder which goes to show that the boulder supporting the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda does not touch the rock below it.

A deep gorge yawns between the rock supporting the boulder with the Pagoda on top and the Paung Laung Mountain Range on which .the pagoda platform is built. So, a bridge with steel beams was built to give access to the boulder with the pagoda on top. Male pilgrims use the bridge to reach the boulder. There they can pay homage to the pagoda, gild the side of the boulder and tell their beads. Gilded by pilgrims the boulder itself looks a huge lump of gold. Background history of the pagoda is replete with interesting anecdotes.

During the visit of Lord Buddha to Thaton, six hermits residing at six separate hills: Gacchagiri, Bandhavagiri, Kusinaryon, Doekamawkhaton Galaing, Doekhalon and Melan.

Hills implored Him to give them Sacred Relics. Lord Buddha gave each of the hermits a strand of His Hair. Instead of enshrining the Sacred Hair, three hermits namely, Buddhanana Hermit of Doekamawkhaton Galaing Hill, the hermit of Doekhalon Hill and the hermit of Kusenaryon Hill kept the strands of Sacred Hair to themselves.

As the hermits of Doekhalon’ and Kusinaryon Hills grew old, they handed the strands of Sacred Hair to Buddhanana Hermit. The latter kept them together with his own in his headgear for safe keeping However, as years passed, he became worried about the Sacred Hair in his custody, He thought of keeping them in safety before he died. Knowing this, the Sakka or king of the celestial beings found a boulder in the shape of the hermit’s head. He drilled a hole and enshrined one strand of the Sacred Hair there.

The pagoda on top of the boulder is called in Mon language Kyaik-i-thi-ro, which means “pagoda carried by a hermit on his head’ Kyaik-i-thi-ro later came to be known as Kyaiktiyo Pagoda. As for the two other strands of Sacred Hair, the Sakka enshrined one at the Koekhalon Hill and the other at the Kusinaryon Hill, according to historical records.

Recently, however, a motor road has been built up to the Rathedaung (Hermit Hill). Pilgrims can go there by car. It is a forty-minute’s drive from the Kinpon Camp to get to the Rathedaung Hill top. From this hill, they will have to go on foot for seven furlongs. They will reach the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda platform after going uphill for about 45 minutes. Pilgrims going there by train are to get off at Kyaikto Railway Station. They are to continue the journey by car. All the tiredness they have experienced along the way disappears once they reach the pagoda platform.

From the pagoda platform one can have a panoramic view of the valley of the Sittaung River in the west, and in the south, the north and the east one can see green forests as well as mountain ranges and pagodas. The pagoda platform is always thronged with pilgrims from different parts of the country and with foreign tourists as well.

Kyaikto Hotel, guest-houses, restaurants and souvenir shops are all there on the hill top for the convenience of visitors.