Mon State’s popular Kyaik-thi-yo Pagoda
(Photo: Internet)

Of those travelers, 70,459 visited Kyaiktiyo Pagoda, commonly known as the Golden Rock, in Mon State’s Kyaikhto Township.

“We are still working to attract more foreign visitors into our state,” said U Haung Kyin Mhom, deputy director of Mon State’s Hotel and Tourism (Mawlamyine Branch) Department.

The official statistics show that the international travelers represent over 50 countries, with the majority of travelers coming from Thailand, China, France, Germany and the U.S.

Whilst the Golden Rock [Pagoda] experienced the most visitors in the state, tourists also traveled to Mon State’s 10 townships, including Mawlamyine, Chaungzone and Thanbyuzayat.

The Kyaiktiyo Pagoda has also received a rising number of foreign visitors year upon year and across all seasons, with most crowds arriving in winter.

In 2012, there were 60,000 travelers, over 80,000 in 2013 and approximately 120,000 in 2014. The pagoda sustains over 2,000,000 visitors living within Burma and around the world, according to Kyaikthiyo Pagoda Ancient Culture Zone Department.

Every traveler, aside from foreign monks and government staff, is required to pay an entrance fee of 6,000 Kyat to the Kyaikthiyo pagoda, an ancient traditional area.

Tourism in Mon State started booming in 2012, and the state has received an increasing number of international travelers each year. In 2012, the state had 66,788 travelers, while 113,153 visited in 2013, 172,349 in 2014, and 15,882 travelers visited the state 2015, according to the figure of Mon State Hotel and Tourism Department.