Mount Popa

A volcano located southeast of Bagan and about 5,000 feet above sea level, Mount Popa is best known as the site of Taung Kalat, or pedestal hill, a volcanic plug where a Buddhist monastery is located. The 900 stairs to the top are worth it – both for the views from the top and the admiration for those who built the monastery that sits 2,156 feet above sea level. Mount Popa can be visited as a day trip from Bagan or a stop on the four-hour drive from Bagan to Mandalay.