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Pakokku

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City
—°9
Pakokku (Myanmar (Burma))
ℹ️

Practical info — Pakokku

▾

🌤 Weather — 5 days

📍 Nearby

Sights nearby

💡 Tips

  • Visit Pakokku by road from Bagan to cross the impressive Pakokku Bridge, the longest in Myanmar.
  • Explore the local weaving workshops to see the production of the famous Pakokku longyis (traditional sarongs).
  • Visiting Shwe Ku Ni Pagoda is a key local experience; ensure your shoulders and knees are covered.
  • The city is a major tobacco hub; a walk through the market area reveals massive piles of drying tobacco leaves.
  • Do your sightseeing in the morning as temperatures in Pakokku can become extremely high by midday.

🍽 Food

🍽
Pakokku Thoke

A local variety of bean salad with regional spices, best found at market stalls.

🍽
Roasted Chickpea Snacks

A popular crunchy snack that is widely produced in this agricultural region.

🍽
Traditional Burmese Tea

Enjoy it in the busy tea houses surrounding the main market area.

🛍 Shopping · 🧘 Quiet spots

🛍
Hand-woven Longyis

Pakokku is famous for high-quality cotton sarongs; buy them directly from weaving workshops.

🛍
Thanaka Bark

High-quality Thanaka logs from the region are sold in bulk at the central market.

🧘
Shwe Ku Ni Pagoda Grounds

A spacious and quiet site for reflection, away from the busy market center.

🧘
Irrawaddy Riverbank

Quiet spots can be found along the river near the bridge to watch the local boats.

Pakokku stands on the western bank of the Irrawaddy in the Magway Region, 30 kilometres north of Bagan, with around 130,000 inhabitants. The town has been a centre of tobacco and cotton cultivation in the dry central zone for centuries, and during British Burma (1886-1948) was known as Burma's most important tobacco market. Pakokku has historically been a major Buddhist learning centre, with several large monastic schools. In September 2007 the town played a key role in the 'Saffron Revolution' - after soldiers mistreated monks here, the wave of protests spread across the country. The Pakokku Bridge (also called the Irrawaddy Bridge) has linked the town to Nyaung-U since 2011 and at 3,413 metres is one of the longest bridges in Myanmar. Pakokku occupies a strategic position on the historic Bagan-Mandalay route and remains an important trading and religious education centre.

Best time to visit & climate

The most pleasant time to visit is Jan, Feb, Dec.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °C222529323331303030292723
Rain mm721017445249484551106

Geography

Population
126,938 (2025)
Coordinates
21.33330, 95.10000

Facts

  • Bevölkerung ca. 130.000
  • 30 km nördlich von Bagan
  • Liegt am westlichen Irrawaddy-Ufer
  • Wichtigster Tabakmarkt unter den Briten
  • Britisch-Birma 1886-1948
  • Auslöser der Safran-Revolution September 2007
  • Pakokku-Brücke (3.413 m) seit 2011
  • Bedeutende buddhistische Klosterschulen

Explore nearby

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Popa Mountain National ParkPopa Mountain National Park22 km · NExplore →
Nyaung-UNyaung-U22 km · SExplore →
MagwayMagway23 km · SEExplore →

Route planner — Car & Motorhome

Where do you start? We build the route here, with stops and country notes along the way.

Vehicle
Only stops with (optional):

© OpenStreetMap contributors · OpenRouteService

Sights in the town Pakokku (9)

Aye Nyein Gabar🏛 museum

A local museum in Pakokku dedicated to preserving regional artifacts and cultural traditions.

ကောင်းမွန် ပဲကြော် နှစ်ပြန်ကြော်🏰 castle

A historic building in Pakokku that now serves as a well-known center for traditional snacks and local specialties.

🕒 Mo-Su 10:00-22:00

St John's Catholic Church Pakokku🏰 castle

A colonial-era Catholic church in Pakokku featuring characteristic brick architecture and European influence.

Zaw Copier📍 landmark

A centrally located site in Pakokku offering a glimpse into the city's bustling daily life and urban activity.

🕒 Mo-Su 07:30-18:30

စေတီ📍 landmark

A classic white zedi that marks the religious landscape of urban Pakokku.

Shwe Mote Htaw Pagoda📍 landmark

An important Buddhist stupa in Pakokku, serving as a place of quiet and prayer within the city.

Phaung Taw Oo Pagoda⛪ religious

A significant place of worship in Pakokku, architecturally reflecting the classic style of Burmese temple complexes.

No(2) Myo Ma Market🎭 culture

A bustling marketplace in Pakokku, known for the trade of hand-woven textiles and fresh regional produce.

Myoma Market🎭 culture

The city's main market, where one can experience the diversity of Burmese daily life and local handicrafts.

Frequently asked questions

What is Pakokku known for?
Pakokku is a regional trading hub on the Ayeyarwady and famous for tobacco and Thanakha.
Is Pakokku a tourist city?
No, it is rather authentic and not geared towards mass tourism.
How to get to Pakokku?
The city is connected to Bagan by a bridge or can be reached by boat on the river.
Are there any sights?
The local markets and pagodas offer a glimpse into traditional life.
When is the best time to visit?
From November to February, to avoid the great heat of other months.
Pakokku: where is it located?
Pakokku is located in Myanmar (Burma).
Pakokku: what is there to see?
Highlights include Aye Nyein Gabar, ကောင်းမွန် ပဲကြော် နှစ်ပြန်ကြော်, St John's Catholic Church Pakokku.
Pakokku: when is the best time to visit?
The most pleasant time to visit is Jan, Feb, Dec.
Pakokku: why is it worth visiting?
Pakokku stands on the western bank of the Irrawaddy in the Magway Region, 30 kilometres north of Bagan, with around 130,000 inhabitants.
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