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JapanFASCINATING FACTS
- This city is home to some of the finest rubies in the world.
- Tourists can have the rare opportunity of visiting tunnel mines.
- Mogok celebrated its grand 800th anniversary in 2017!
Located in Pyin Oo Lwin District, Mandalay Region, Mogok is a city with a moderate climate. Situated 1,162 metres above sea level, tourists will enjoy the cool weather around here. Famous for its mining of ruby, sapphire and other semi-precious stones, Mogok is a hidden treasure of gems. Aside from semi-precious stones, this city is also home to an assortment of ethnic groups, such as Shan, Bamar, Palaung and Karen. With scenic mountain ranges surrounding the city, tourists will enjoy a relaxing stroll along the villages.
History
Mogok, the Valley of Rubies is located in Northern Mandalay. During King Pindale’s ruling from 1648 to 1661, a villager called Nga Mauk found a large ruby with the most intense colour and clarity, which is a rare find for rubies. The 80-carat ruby was gifted to the King. In Myanmar, ruby is called ‘padamyar’ and these stones have the finest hue of red that experts call as ‘pigeon’s blood’. Most of the world’s rubies are mined in Mogok and exported to other countries.
HOW TO GET THERE
Top Attractions
As the city of rubies, Mogok has gem mines that tourists can visit to explore the process of extracting rubies from tunnels and square mines. It is a rare opportunity to visit these mines, so be sure to join other tourists who are going for it. Surrounding the city are large mountains rich with flora and fauna, which is a pleasant sight to see as tourists walk around the town. There are plenty of photography spots for avid nature photographers. Your tour guide will know where the best spots are for the best shot!
Friendly villagers from other ethnic groups are more than ready to bring anyone with them for a fun session of fishing, trekking and even swimming. You will find people from sub-groups such as Shan, Bamar, Karen, Palaung and Lisu people around the area, dressed in their traditional clothes as they casually go about their day by the lake. Evenings can be spent at gems markets where visitors will find plenty of gemstones on display.
Things To Do
VISIT GREAT GEM MINES
A visit to Mogok Gem Mines will leave tourists in awe. They get to watch how these raw and uncut rubies are mined from tunnel mines and traditional square mines. Visitors will also see how locals expertly mine and identify gems in these mines, which are great skills used to generate income.
MOGOK TOWN
Tourists will love walking around Mogok town. The chilly climate makes the stroll comfortable and soothing, and the breathtaking landscape of great mountain ranges surrounding Mogok gives visitors a wonderful healing moment in nature. There is also a lake in the heart of Mogok, where locals love to gather during evenings.
VILLAGE VISITS
Visitors to nearby villages surrounding Mogok will discover many other ethnic groups living together in harmony. There are Shan, Bamar, Karen, Palaung and Lisu people living in the area. Tourists will love interacting with the villagers as they tag along to waterfalls for a refreshing swim.
GEMS MARKETS
There are two huge markets that sell rubies and other gems. Tourists will not find many other items in these markets, as sellers and traders set up picnic tables with plenty of rubies and shiny gemstones laid on cloth. Small and medium-sized rubies are presented on bronze plates that intensify the natural colours of these stones.