Taung Kalat is one of the most iconic sites in Myanmar, yet not too many foreigners visit it, and those who do often think they climbed Mount Popa. There is a little confusion here, so a few things have to be clarified. Mount Popa is a 1518-metre / 4980-feet high extinct volcano in the middle of a vast flat plain – you can easily see it from Bagan. Taung Kalat, which most tourists visit, is a Buddhist temple complex sitting on top of a volcanic plug, located at the base of Mount Popa; impressive in appearance, but not very high. You should visit both; they are very different in nature, but both are stunning. And the good news is that it can be done independently and cheaply, despite that it seems the area only caters for upmarket groups and the occasional rich tourist on a private tour.
