Kyauktawgyi Pagoda sits on the eastern side of Taungthaman Lake, a short walk from U Bein Bridge. The structure follows the cruciform plan of the Ananda Temple at Bagan, with tall entrance porches on four sides leading to a central sanctuary. The scale is more modest than its inspiration but the proportions are good, and the setting near the lake gives it a tranquil quality.
The interior houses a large seated Buddha image and smaller figures in the surrounding ambulatory. Pilgrims come regularly from Mandalay and surrounding villages, and the monastery attached to the pagoda is active. The frescoes and glazed tile work on the porches are in varying states of preservation; the east porch retains the most vivid colours.
The pagoda is often overlooked by visitors focused on U Bein Bridge, which means it is usually quiet even when the bridge is crowded. It is easily combined as a thirty-minute addition to a visit to the lake area.