Monywa (Myanmar)

Monywa is a River Chindwin (Irrawaddy River) cruise port and city in Sagaing Region, Burma (Myanmar). It is located approx 136 km (85 mi) northwest of Mandalay and has population around 370,000.

Monywa is an important center for commerce, trade and agricultural produce, especially jaggery (palm sugar), orange, beans and pulse crops. Local industry is represented by mills producing flour, noodles, edible oils and cotton, reed and bamboo products. Budalin sarong (longyi / traditional cloth) is renowned for the fabric strength. Rough cotton blankets produced here are also very popular throughout Myanmar.

Monywa's major tourist attraction is Thanboddhay Pagoda - Buddhist temple with a large stupa resembling Borobudur (in Indonesia). The temple is from 1303 AD, but was rebuilt in 1939. The pagoda holds over 0,5 million images of Buddha.

Maha Bodhi Tahtaung Laykyun Sekkya is a unique standing Buddha statue, ranked world's tallest (height 116 m). Another attraction is the Phowintaung cave complex, approx 25 km (16 ml) west of Monywa.