Category: Mandalay

Often and fairly described as the cultural capital of Myanmar, Mandalay is a vastly different city to either bustling Yangon or the national capital – Nay Pyi Taw. For many tourists Mandalay is the stepping off point for a tour of the country’s peak tourist attractions – the stupa-dotted plains of Bagan and the idyllic Inle Lake. But the city offers so many of its own attractions that it’s easy enough to spend a couple of days there, although it’s bestto plan ahead and do sightseeing outside of the hottest hours in the afternoon because the heat can be intense.
Mandalay has many fascinating religious sites such as the Mahamuni Pagoda and Mandalay Hill, but there is also the Royal Palace and cultural attractions such as handweaving of silk and cotton, stone carving, goldworking shops and bronze casting. Further afield are the ancient capitals of Amarapura, Sagaing, Ava, Mingun. Of these Mingun should be viewed as unmissable, with its incredible brick pagoda and giant bronze bell sure to catch the eye of anybody visiting the zone.

King Mindons Tomb Mandalay

Yadanarpon Dockyard: 150 Years, Still Going Strong in Myanmar

Yadanarpon Mandalay was the last capital of Myanmar’s Konbaung dynasty, and was founded six days after the full moon of Kasone in the Myanmar year 1221, or 1859 in the Western calendar. While the historical records say the city was established…

National Kandawgyi Gardens - Pyin Oo Lwin, Mandalay

Pyin Oo Lwin – Into the Shan Hills, Away from the Bustle

Travellers have been leaving behind the bustle of lowland Myanmar and journeying up the scenic mountain road to calm Pyin Oo Lwin, a former colonial-era hill station, for more than 100 years. Its moderate temperatures first drew British colonial officials…

U Bein Bridge at Sunset, Amarapura

An Ode to Exotic Mandalay

Mandalay is one of those palace names that evokes a feeling of the exotic, even if many people are not sure exactly why. Some may know it from the work of famous writers, like George Orwell, who visited while living…