Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda, known to the west as "Golden Rock," perches on the edge of a cliff at the top of Kyaikhto mountains, part of the Eastern Yoma. This magnificent "Golden Rock" is the most meditative and popular tourist attraction in Mon State. A small Stupa rests on top of a big boulder covered in gold leaf, which balances on the cliff, thanks to a Sacred Hair of the Buddha enshrined or preserved inside the Stupa.
Kyaikhtiyo is 160 km from Yangon and is an important place of pilgrimage for all Buddhists. It can be reached either by car or by train. There is a well-beaten path up to the top of the mountain from the base-camp called Kinpun. Devotees usually climb uphill about 13 km on foot from the base-camp. However, a motor road has been built recently up to the next camp called Yathetaung (about 45-minute drive), from where it takes another 45-minute to walk up. All the tiredness along the way disappears once one reaches the top since a spectacular view wait there, especially at sunrise or sunset. On a clear day one can see the Andaman Sea glistening in the distance.

