Mt.Popa or Oasis of Myanmar dry zone

Mt.Popa is famous not only in local people but also in foreign visitors for its weather, beauty and landscape. Moreover it is the highest place around Bagan region and it high is about 1500m above elevation so it becomes an Oasis of that area. It is an extinct volcano so surrounding region has become a fertile region since after the explosion of the Mt.Popa Volcano. Therefore many species of plants and trees grow naturally and many kinds of animals live around Mt.Popa region so it becomes as like as a Natural Park. Especially you can see large amount of monkeys when you visit to Popa Taungkalat. Villagers who live around this region earn by agriculture, searching bamboo shoot, digging the harvest plants, climbing for orchid and rare flowers and hunting for small animals in Popa forest. Many harvest plants grow in this region so some Myanmar Traditional Medicines are sold at the stall of Mr.Popa Taungkalat. Some local pilgrims cure their disease and injuries by using these traditional medicines so they order when their neighborhoods or relatives visit to Mt.Popa. There are some taboo regulations about Mt.Popa because it is special region among superstitious about Nats or Guardian Spirits. These superstitious people come to Mt.Popa and pay respects to the Nats every year. You may not believe in that Guardian Spirits but you have not right to say rudely about it. If you say these rude words at this region your fortune will full of dangerous and all unlucky matters will be happened. Some legendary stories and some accident events have support that taboo rules. Mt.Popa Nats’ stories were connected with the history of Bagan therefore the road from Bagan to Mt.Popa is named Byatta Pan Sat Lan which means Byatta (Bagan hero) picked up the flowers from Mt.Popa and returned to Bagan Royal Palace everyday on that way. Therefore Mt.Popa plays very important role for all fields of human being. Nowadays people who love and want to sustain Mt.Popa region they founded the association of Mt.Popa Lovers. They have tried Mt.Popa to register to UNESCO in the list of World Heritage as a Geo Park. Sightseeing at Mt.Popa would be unique for any travelers.