Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Myanmar (Burma) Minbu Minbu Mud Volcanoes

Minbu Mud Volcanoes

These muddy eruptions are less deadly than actual volcanoes but also more holy.

Minbu, Myanmar (Burma)

Added By
Darryl Hall
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Gas vents bubbling away at the top.   darrylhall / Atlas Obscura User
Gas vents bubbling away at the top.   darrylhall / Atlas Obscura User
Stairs leading up to “Dragon’s Uprising”.   darrylhall / Atlas Obscura User
Lunar landscape backdrop   darrylhall / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The rare geological occurrence of mud volcanoes are always a sight to behold, and the fields of bubbling liquid dirt in the small town of Minbu are no exception. 

Mud volcanoes are formed from methane gases trapped deep below the ground being forced to the surface. In some instances the pressure will push through the water table and mix with the clay or mud in the surrounding areas to create a "volcano" such as the ones found in Minbu. Unlike regular volcanoes, there is no heating involved and in fact, the mud is cool to the touch. The landscape is in Minbu looks like the surface of the moon (if the satellite had active geology) with multiple vents bubbling out of ever-growing craters in the ground. 

The area is revered as a religious site by the locals who hold the tradition that the volcanoes are powered by dragons deep within the earth. Visitors to the Minbu mud volcanoes are required to remove their shoes when they visit, but these volcanic surroundings aren't about to burn anyone's feet.

Related Tags

Mud Volcanoes Volcanoes Geology Geological Oddities Martian Landscapes Ecosystems

Know Before You Go

Travelling from nearby Magway, find a motorcycle taxi who can help with a return journey. This will cost 6,000 kyat return per person. The journey will take you across the Arrawaddy River by the newly constructed bridge. Within 15 minutes you will arrive at the main entrance to the Mud Volcanoes.

Community Contributors

Added By

darrylhall

Edited By

Rachel, Martin, hrnick

  • Rachel
  • Martin
  • hrnick

Published

November 3, 2013

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://escapingthedesk.com/the-mud-volcanoes-of-minbu-naga-bwet-taung/
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minbu
Minbu Mud Volcanoes
Minbu
Myanmar (Burma)
20.161064, 94.874228

Nearby Places

Mount Popa

Myingyan, Myanmar (Burma)

miles away

Bagan

Nyaung-U, Myanmar (Burma)

miles away

Nat Taung Kyaung

Taungbi, Myanmar (Burma)

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Myanmar (Burma)

Myanmar (Burma)

Asia

Places 33
Stories 5

Nearby Places

Mount Popa

Myingyan, Myanmar (Burma)

miles away

Bagan

Nyaung-U, Myanmar (Burma)

miles away

Nat Taung Kyaung

Taungbi, Myanmar (Burma)

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Myanmar (Burma)

Myanmar (Burma)

Asia

Places 33
Stories 5

Related Stories and Lists

Mud Volcanoes: Volcanoes But For Mud

By Dan Nosowitz

Related Places

  • Columnar basalt along the Kanaio Coast.

    Wailea-Makena, Hawaii

    Kanaio Coast

    A cooled lava flow from the Haleakalā volcano formed these surreal-looking columnar basalt structures.

  • Cabezon Peak

    New Mexico

    Cabezon Peak

    This towering volcanic plug stands out among the dramatic formations that dot this otherworldly desert valley.

  • The lake is 90 degrees and acid and would kill any swimmer

    Banyuputih, Indonesia

    Kawah Ijen

    Think you have a tough job? Try carrying 200 kilos through a cloud of sulfur down the side of a volcano.

  • Looking down into the lava lake

    Antarctica

    Mount Erebus

    Fire meets ice at the southernmost volcano on Earth.

  • Nyiragongo Volcano in 2016

    Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Nyiragongo Volcano

    Mount Nyiragongo has erupted at least 34 times since 1882 and is home to the world's largest lava lake.

  • Hingol National Park

    Lasbela District, Pakistan

    Hingol National Park

    Lunar landscape, a mud volcano and bizarre rock formations.

  • Deception Island

    Antarctica

    Deception Island

    An abandoned whaling station on an active volcano offers hot springs in Antarctica, surrounded by ruined giants of industry.

  • Flagstaff, Arizona

    SP Crater

    The cinder cone volcano with a less than complimentary name.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.