Around 200,000 pilgrims visit Kyaiktiyo Pagoda during Thadingyut and Tazaungdaing festivals
Approximately 200,000 domestic and foreign pilgrims visited the sacred Kyaiktiyo Pagoda (Golden Rock Pagoda) in Kyaiktiyo during the Thadingyut and Tazaungdaing festival periods, according to the Pagoda Trustee Board.
From the 12th to the 14th waxing days of Thadingyut (October 3–5), a total of 157,440 pilgrims visited, including 156,975 local pilgrims and 474 foreign visitors. On the full moon day of Thadingyut (October 6), there were 22,179 pilgrims, comprising 22,174 locals and 5 foreign visitors, said U Soe Hla, Chairman of the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda Trustee Board.
He added, “On November 3 (the 14th waxing day of Tazaungmone), there was a large influx of pilgrims. That day, 9,630 pilgrims arrived, 9,623 local and 7 foreign visitors, based on the overnight guest records. The entire pagoda platform was filled, leaving no space for new arrivals. Traditionally, pilgrims rent mats and sleep peacefully on the pagoda platform during the festival, but this year, due to rain and strong winds, many could not stay overnight and had to return down the mountain.”
Furthermore, on the full moon day of Tazaungmone (November 4), there were 7,761 visitors, including 7,740 locals and 21 foreign tourists, and the number of daily visitors continues to average around 15,000 during the festival period, he said.
Residents noted that as the number of pilgrims and tourists to Kyaiktiyo Pagoda has increased in recent years, guesthouses, restaurants, and related businesses in the area have recovered and improved.
A resident added, “Since the post-Covid period in 2021, especially during the pagoda festival holidays and public holidays, there has been a noticeable return of large numbers of pilgrims. This has helped create more local job opportunities and income for residents.”
According to the Pagoda Trustee Board, over 720,000 pilgrims and tourists visited Kyaiktiyo during the 2023–2024 pagoda festival season, while the number rose to over 1.16 million during the 2024–2025 festival period.
The annual Kyaiktiyo Pagoda festival usually runs from the full moon of Thadingyut to the full moon of Kason, attracting around three million pilgrims each year during the traditional season, according to the Pagoda Trustee Board.
Eleven Media
Asia News Network
