Mrauk U

The ruins of the former capital of the Arakan kingdom, Mrauk U in Rakhine State contains several hundred Buddhist temples and fortifications built between the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries when the city was a major port and centre of trade between Bengal and the rest of Southeast Asia. The most impressive surviving monuments — including the Shitthaung, Htukanthein, and Dukkanthein temples — are designed as fortified sanctuaries with thick walls, internal corridors, and bas-relief decoration. The site's relative inaccessibility from Yangon and Sittwe has kept visitor numbers low, preserving an atmospheric remoteness.