Hiking to Yazakyi Monastery in Myanmar

Hiking to Yazakyi Monastery in Myanmar

We hiked to Yazakyi Monastery above the Burmese village of Pindaya and found a picturesque settlement straight from the pages of National Geographic

On my last visit to London, I asked my niece to get a tenner from my wallet for the pizza till. (We have a family of eight siblings and 21 nieces and nephews, so ordering pizza requires a basic level of crowdfunding.)

She rummaged through my wallet, pulling out first a few US dollars, then my tattered entry ticket to Angkor Wat in Cambodia, then the business card of a tourism official in Malawi. She smiled cheekily and said, “Ada Marayreh?”

The Bengali term - which loosely translates to "to frolic" or "to frolic" - is usually used pejoratively by stuffy aunty-jis to scold young women for venturing outside and being seen in "inappropriate" situations (e.g. walking with a boy, a movie theater, vacation).

This phrase came to mind as I began a hike to Yazakyi Monastery in the remote hills of Myanmar. That could certainly be called galloping, I thought with a smile.

alt="Viewpoint on the hike to Yazakyi Monastery">Atlas & BootsViewpoint on the hike to Yazakyi Monastery

My group of nine took a day off from the saddle on our bike tour through Myanmar. The program included a relatively easy 10 km (6 mile) hike 600 m (1,970 feet) above the town of Pindaya, followed by an overnight stay at Yazakyi Monastery.

We meandered past pretty viewpoints and stopped in a nearby village for a simple but filling home-cooked lunch of rice, egg and vegetables.

alt="Lunch break on the way to Yazakyi Monastery">Atlas & BootsLunch break on the way to Yazakyi Monastery

After a quick exploration of the village, we continued on to Yazakyi Monastery, where the charm of the hike really came into its own. The tiny settlement, nestled between hills of vibrant orange and green, had a real sense of isolation. Local Palaung children rushed out to play, and their relaxed curiosity was both cute and amusing. Our guide Chit gave them a new soccer ball after a previous visit where he saw them playing with a deflated one. Of course they invited our group to a kickabout.

We soon made our way to the monastery, taking off our shoes and socks before entering. The large rectangular room had a Buddhist shrine at one end and a makeshift dressing room at the other (a blanket hung on a string over one corner).

We were given sleeping mats, pillows and blankets and spread them out on the monastery floor. There was no running water, no western dresser, no electricity and certainly no WiFi in the monastery, and as I looked out into the long, dark night it felt like a cross between summer camp and secret guard.

The shared arrangements fostered a comfortable camaraderie – a little stilted at first, but then relaxed and cheerful as we realized there was nothing to do but talk.

alt="Overnight stay at Yazakyi Monastery">Atlas & BootsOvernight at Yazakyi Monastery

At 7 p.m. we were called to the lower floor of the monastery for dinner. Two round table tops were placed on the floor and we sat cross-legged around them to share a delicious meal of rice, vegetables, fish and chicken, followed by rounds of tea.

Given the dim lighting, cool night, and lack of alcohol, I expected guests to eat and walk, but we settled there in the candlelight, exchanging regrets and stories with the disinhibiting knowledge that we were speaking to strangers who had no memory or judgment beyond the length of our journey.

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Full of tea, we made our way back up and slept in our simple accommodations. I fished out my earplugs and eye mask (always in my emergency travel backpack) and dug deep into the blanket to warm my cold feet.

I'm not going to lie: It was a restless night with people snoring, fussing and going to the bathroom, but the next morning as I warmed up in the sun and got ready for breakfast outside, I felt an elusive calm. There were no cars, no phones, and hardly any noise other than laughter at our absurd situation: nine Western tourists sitting on the ground in the remote hills of Myanmar, eating rice for breakfast. It was absurd and wonderful and joyous.

As we geared up and began the hike back down, I smiled softly. Galivant indeed.

Yazakyi Monastery: the essentials

What: Hiking to Yazakyi Monastery in Myanmar as part of a 13-day cycling tour of Myanmar (Burma).

Where: The tour began in Yangon, the country's largest metropolis, before heading north to Inle Lake, Pindaya and Mandalay, then to central Myanmar with Mount Popa and the Irrawaddy River before ending in Bagan.

Accommodation included 10 nights in comfortable tourist class hotels, one night in a guest house and one night in a monastery (classified as homestay).

When: The best time to visit Myanmar is from October to March, when the monsoon has subsided and temperatures are pleasant. It gets very hot in the country from April to May. The central regions where Bagan and Mandalay are located can reach temperatures of over 40°C - not ideal for cycling!

From May to September there are heavy rains with the southwest monsoon. During this time, roads may become impassable, particularly from July to September. From October the rains decrease.

How: We booked G Adventures' 13-day Myanmar bike tour, priced from €2,499 (US$2,730) per person. The price includes all accommodation, 12 breakfasts, four lunches, one dinner, bike rental (including helmets and water bottles), domestic flights, transportation, an amazing Chief Experience Officer throughout the trip, and additional support staff including experienced guides, mechanics, and drivers. For more information or to book, call 0344 272 2040 or visit gadventures.co.uk.

Please note that prices do not include international flights and there are no direct flights from the UK. However, several airlines offer one-stop flights from London Heathrow via Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or Bangkok. Book via skyscanner.net.

If you're considering a bike tour somewhere, check out our five tips for bike travelers.

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Lonely Planet Myanmar is a comprehensive travel guide to Myanmar, ideal for those who want to both explore the top attractions and take the road less traveled.

Disclosure: We traveled to Myanmar with support from G Adventures. All publications say this, but we really don't guarantee positive coverage. We say what we think – good and bad – so you can make informed decisions with honest advice.

Mission statement: Atlas & Boots

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