Sittway

It is the western coastal region of Myanmar and apart from main-land Myanmar by means of Rakhine mountain-ranges. Local histories and traditions said that their earliest settlement was much earlier than the period of Gautama Buddha (about 5000-6000 years B.P), and the coinages and inscriptions show that there were kings and city-states in Rakhine about 4th century A.d. Most of the kings were, similar to Pyu kings, entitled with Suriya or Canda. Today, the historic builidings and ancient cities could be studied as Mrauk-U, Vesali and so on while Sittway (Akyab formerly ) is the capital of Rakhine State.

It is located on the confluence of Kissapanadi or Kalardan river and Bay of Bengal. As it is the gate-way to Ngapali (Sandaway) and Mrauk-U Myo-haung, it is a major stop-over. The city itself shows the marine-life, and cultural Museum, Buddhist Museum and Sakyamuni Buddha-image should be studied.

Cultural Museum

It is a modern four-storey building lied at the corner of Yaydwin Street and Main Road near Myoma market in Mawleik ward, Sittway. The ground-plans of ancient cities, the evolution of Rakhine literature, Ananda candra inscription, religious buildings, Buddha-images, scenes of traditional festivals, musical instruments, arts and handicrafts, so on are enjoyed.

Buddhist Museum

It is, in fact, a modern building of Mahakusala monastery on Strand Road just before the jetty. Because the untiring effort of Ven. abbot. Baddhanta Wunnita Sayadaw, thousands of Buddha-images, arahat-figures, relics are well kept, including over 7,000 Buddha-images of Laymro period and Mrauk-U period. Bronze inscriptions, plam leaf inscriptions, coins and notes, lacquerwares and other antiquities are also exhibited.

Byal, the symbol of Rakhine State is graciously standing in front and of mythical creature, composed by nine different animals.

Sakkyamuni

"It is the only image of its kind in Myanmar since it is curiously adorned with over a thousand of small Buddha-images.

Regarding to the inscriptions and archaeological finds, Rakhine kings had successfully founded their respective palace-cities and kingdoms at Dhanyawaddy, Vesali, Mrauk-U and so on. No Shiva-figures and relevant figures have ever found in Rakhine region and Buddha foot-print on cast-bronze is uniquely found in Vesali, measuring 7.5cm length and 3 cm width with 22 symbols on left foot-print and 18 symbols on right one only. Dhanyawaddy, Vesali and Mrauk-U could be accessed by about 3 hour drive of speed-boat from Sittway.