Pathein (Bassein)

Capital city of the delta region and the gate way to Chaungtha and Ngwe Saung beach. This port of call is easily reached by road or by cruise through the complex Ayeyarwady river. As Ayeyarwady Division is known as the rice bowl of the country the landscapes are predominately rice fields with other colorful crops such as sesames, groundnuts, jute, maze, pulses, tobacco, chilies etc. Pathein is well known by it production of unique parasol locally call "Pathein Hti". Pathein - situated in the Ayeyawadd y Delta about 190 km west of Yangon is the capital of the Ayeyarwaddy Division and the port of Pathein is noted for the taste of its speciality Pathein Halawar. It is well-known for its Pathein umbrella and pottery. Chaung-tha Beach is only 40 km west of Pathein.

Mawtinson Pagoda
It is the most famous pagoda in Pathein. If you follow the Pathein River till it empties into the Adman Sea you’ll reach Cape Mawtin (Mawtinson), site of a well-known festival during the lunar month of Tabodwe (February, March). On the seaside of the Cape is a sandy beach and the revered Pagoda Maw Tin Son. It is very surprising to note that the pagoda is water-logged all the year round except in the days of the annual festival. The seawater is out well beyond the pagoda during the festival and lots of stalls dealing with all sorts of local products, seafood, ornaments, made of seashells, and lodging houses, built of bamboo for the revellers mushroom on the beach. Once the festival is over, the water is up and covered the beach. It seems that the pagoda is located on the sea.