The Stupa was recommended to us by friends who had visited as well as the local tourist office so on a very hot day we made our way out there by car. The Stupa is still under construction however it is fascinating and a great way to get an insight on other beliefs. It has a cafe and a gift shop but one of the most interesting parts for us was The Great Stupa Walking Trail. Visit with an open mind and a generous heart as the continued development of the site is reliant on donations.

A fantastic monument that is relying on donations and volunteers to complete the work. Before we walked over through the extensive gardens to the monument we watched a short video with lots of background information. We spoke to the guide on duty and we were filled in on the work already completed and what still needs to be done. There is one statue carved from a large piece of jade and another that received enough funding to paint it is two layers of 24 carat gold leaf. Right around the outside of the building are prayer barrels which you spin and it sends the prayer up to the relevant deity. The gardens are already looking pretty good but there is still work going on here too. We paid a donation for entry and thought this was a worthwhile stop. there is also a coffee shop in the entry building and the coffee was really good.

The displays are very impressive and spectacular. The kids enjoyed finding the animals in the gardens. The enormity of the displays and history in the temple were lost on the them though. It has planted some seeds of curiosity into the minds of some of the older primary school age kids though.