Mrauk U is a little known archeological site in Western Burma. In the beautiful hilly landscape of the Rakhine state hundreds of ancient temples and pagodas, many of which are well preserved remain of the powerful empire that once flourished here.
The site used to be the capital of the Mrauk U Kingdom, a powerful empire that existed from 1430 until 1785.
Today Mrauk U is a small town where the centuries old monuments form the backdrop for every day life of local people. Goat herders tend to their animals, farmers work their fields and women fetch water from the wells between the ancient temples and pagodas. Often the area is foggy, especially during the early morning hours, which creates a mystical atmosphere.
Mrauk U is a site that receives very few visitors compared to sites as Angkor in Cambodia or Ayutthaya in Thailand. Recently the Rakhine area has been the scene of unrest and the area has been temporarily closed to foreign visitors.