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City in Mandalay Region, Myanmar
Photo: The dog2, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
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An interesting look at the jade trade in Mandalay. See raw jade being cut, polished and finally sold (sometimes even over smartphones). There are also stalls selling jade jewellery and furnishings, but be sure to do your homework beforehand or you risk getting ripped off. All foreigners are supposed to pay an entrance fee but it is sporadically enforced. Souvenirs for less than US$1.
A small market with dozens of vendors selling a wide variety of flowers and greenery. Visitors may also venture into the larger market to the north where vegetables, fish, meat and fruit is sold and repacked for distribution.
Pronounced, ma-ha myah mu-ni pei-ya
Unlike the other main attractions which are mostly located around Mandalay hill, Myanmar's second holiest pilgrimage site is located to the south-west end of the city. It contains a 4 m high Buddha statue, made of gold and decorated with precious jewels. A few inches worth of gold has been pressed onto the statue in the form of gold-leaves, leaving only the face open. Women are not allowed to enter the main sanctuary where the statue is located, but men may do so and also touch the Muni. The statue was brought from Rakhine State, southeast of Mandalay. Nearby the central hall, there is a hall displaying statues stolen from Rakhine state, which were in turn stolen through a string of robberies from Ang Kor Wat via Thailand. The figures may have belonged to Hindu mythological figures Shiva and Airavat, the elephant of Indra. You will see people rubbing the statues as they believes this cures of them of ailments, especially by touching the corresponding body part on the statue. Visit the site around 04:30–05:00 for the amazing ceremony of washing the Buddha's face, which occurs every day and is attended by hundreds of people. 1,000 kyat surcharge for photography.
pronounced, ku-tho-dau pei-ya
This is known as the site of the world's largest book. Built by King Mingdon in the 1800s, 729 white stupas within the complex contain the complete text of the Tripitaka, Theravada Buddhism's most sacred text, which are considered to constitute the largest book. The nearby Sandamuni paya contains a similar set of structures
pronounced, san-da-mu-ni pei-ya
Similar to Kuthodaw Paya, and next to it, it also contains a large number of white stupas containing the Tripitika. Sandamuni also contains the world's largest iron Buddha image. Quiet and peaceful, similar to Kuthodaw.
pronounced, shui ji myin pei-ya
Built in the 1st century, by Prince Min Shin Saw.
A monastery made entirely of teak, with beautiful intricate carvings. It was built as part of the royal palace by King Mingdon and moved to its current site by his son, King Thibaw in the late 19th century. It is the only major building from the original wooden royal palace to have survived the bombing of World War II, and thus is the only authentic part of the royal palace which can still be seen today. It was the bedroom in which King Mingdon spent the last of his days. After that, the structure was given to the monks, and became a monastery. The intricate craftwork on the teak pillars, ceilings, roofs and walls, is breathtaking. One can get lost in observing the various animals and mythical creatures, or the thousands of athletic, gracefully twisted and seductive poses and expressions of the dancers seen on the pillars.
Located in front of Shwenandaw, it contains a very large hall, with a cool silent ambience suitable for a meditation. It was built in 1857 by King Mingdon using teak, but after being destroyed in fire, it was reconstructed to form the structure that you see today. The structure consists of five rectangular terraces in a graduated form.
pronounced, man-da-lei nan-dau
After their defeat in the Second Anglo-Burmese War of 1852, the former royal palace of Amarapura was dismantled and moved by elephant to its current site in Mandalay. The British looted and partly destroyed the palace during the Third Anglo-Burmese War in 1885. During World War II the palace grounds were used as a Japanese army storage depot and were completely destroyed by British bombing. The palace complex was rebuilt between 1990-1995. There have been allegations that forced labour was used in its renovation. While the design of the reconstructed buildings is fairly faithful to the original, the materials used are not, with metal and concrete used instead of the original teak wood. The palace contains several pavilions and chambers, most of which are empty. Tourists are only permitted to enter from the East Gate. A 1 km walk connects the entry gate to the palace proper. Replicas of throne rooms and chairs and Madame Tussaud-style images of Kings Mingdon and Thibaw with their chief consorts are on display. At the west end is the Palace Museum where palace memorabilia is on display including religious paraphernalia, court ritual implements, court dresses and uniforms, furniture, palanquins and litters, as well as weaponry. There are also photo exhibits. The surrounding area of the island is a military base, which creates a strange atmosphere. Your passport must be surrendered at the entrance for the duration of your visit. The palace can also be seen from the summit of the Mandalay Hill.
A historic wooden bridge in the south of Mandalay. Due to the level of cleanliness, it may not look particularly attractive, especially if you are there in the dry season when the water is scarce. But this place allows a great slice view of local life, with locals walking back and forth, stopping for food and shopping, or standing in the water fishing. The stilted thatched huts are the homes of many of the poor in the area, some of whom sell snacks along the bridge.
One of the favourite sunset spots, and a good quarter-day activity. The climb is enjoyable, providing scenic views of several other attractions and Mandalay. From the base of Mandalay Hill you can either climb the stairs or take a pick-up to Sutaungpyei Pagoda at the top, but the walk is probably worth it in order to catch the scenic views along the way. The climb takes about 30-45 min and requires moderate fitness, but is not overly demanding and is in the shade. Has views of Kuthodaw and Sandamuni paya, and the royal palace in the distance. Plenty of stray dogs, shops and other interesting stops (Buddhas, pagodas, viewpoints) line the path, such as the Gothama Buddha shrine. The two main south entrances are guarded by either Nats (spirit figures) or Chinthes (great mythical lions), but there are several other entrances.
Along the climb from the southern stairs near the place where these pathways merge, you come across a large statue of Buddha and his kneeling disciple Ananda, who climbed this very hill two centuries before Mingdon conquered it. Buddha is seen ominously pointing towards Mandalay, indicating that after two centuries, the capital of this region would shift to Mandalay. It is this prophecy that Mingdon fulfilled.
Further up, you come across a shrine showing the various stages of a man's life: birth, youth, monk, old age and death. Interestingly, there are similarities between the birth and death stage indicating the cyclical nature of life believed by Buddhism. You can see same set of figures as an image in Shwezigon Pagoda in Bagan.
At the top, accessed by escalator, is the shrine to the ogress Sandamukhi on the penultimate storey. Sandamukhi is depicted as offering her cut breasts to Buddha in a scary gesture. It is said the ogress took rebirth as King Mingdon.
Additional 1,000 kyat for foreigners to enter the topmost level and see the pagoda, which can be avoided by watching the sunset from the Ogress storey. However, the open four-directional view from the top storey may be worth it, apart from the access to the toilets in this area. Footwear including socks are prohibited at the pagoda, which offers nice views of Mandalay and the surrounding plains. At sunset, Sutaungpyei Pagoda crowds with tourists, and many monks and other locals climb the stairs with the hope of talking to foreigners and practicing their English.
You can have a free tour to see how gold is pressed into fine gold leaves, that is bought by several thousand devotees all over Myanmar and pressed into several Buddha statues like Maha Myat Muni Paya. There are at least two places where this can be done for free in the city: King Galon and Golden Rose. The staff at both places speak English and guide you through the process, with no pressure to buy.
This is a hard-to-find show, even in Yangon. The show lasts 1h and has a traditional orchestra. Everything will be explained in English. Book in advance during high season.
Classical court and folkloric dances that include a full 8-piece traditional orchestra.
Formerly a comedy trio who served 12 years in prison for their political (anti-government) performances and jokes. Now only one of the three performs. About half is comedy and the other half is traditional dancing performed by his family. They are only allowed to perform in their home and for tourists. They perform every night. The admission fee goes towards helping political prisoners. The show lasts for about 1½ hours and mostly features Burmese dance and some political jokes. Rickshaw drivers will try for a return fee.
Yaedagon Taung
Outdoor sports, especially caving and rock climbing are popular endeavours here. It is not spoiled, not crowded and not far from the city.
A combination of cooking class and day tour and the first of its kind in Myanmar. The cooking class is located in a local village about 20-min drive from Mandalay. Hands on teaching while enjoying the green paddy fields. After the cooking class, they will take you a bike tour to see the daily life of the village and end the tour by seeing sunset in a historic place.
Get body massage, foot massage and aroma massage. They are very professional and the ambience is nice and relaxing.
A leisure park with swimming pool. Women are requested to wear a t-shirt and shorts.
Recognisable by the abbreviation MMK on the company logo, the most famous purveyor of Htou moun in all of Myanmar.
This bar and restaurant is near the foot of the Mandalay hill, and provides an easily accessible lunch spot during a tour of the nearby monasteries and the hill. The cuisine is a mix of Western, local and South-east Asian options. The curries are worth trying for their variety, and the coffee is good. The bar has an extensive range of cocktails, and provides hookahs. Very popular in the evenings, but less so during lunch hours.
A good place to try a large variety of local Myanmarese cuisine. Apart from the pun-ny name, the restaurant's dishes are quite creative. The best part about the main course is the large spread of sumptuous appetizers and sauces of different types, served at the beginning of the meal. The local twists on many dishes is great. Don't leave without trying the special dry mango pork curry and mutton curry, and it is also worth attempting the river prawns, and if available, boar. There is a sumptuous dessert platter also available with many local sweets made of unique combinations of glutinous rice, banana, peanut, coconut etc. The service is very friendly.
They will normally let you try the different types. You can have mixed boxes as well. Eat them within 4-7 days (depends on type).
Indian roti
Afternoons you'll find a pleasant Indian lady making savoury and sweet street pancakes in a cast iron frying pan in front of her house. Cheap, delicious and pleasant company.
Double-storey restaurant with great barbecued seafood. Air-conditioned second floor. The extensive menu includes Thai, Chinese, Indian and western dishes. Popular with locals.
Busy place right at the crossing with more than 10 curries to choose from. The staff just knows enough English to point out what meat (or fish) is in the curry. Choose by the look. The curry traditionally comes with rice, soup and veggy plate.
Choose a shop where there are many people in order to point at the dish you want as there are no English menus. Stalls sell hot pots, dumplings (soup, steamed, salad), Thai noodles, seafood with flat rice noodles, pig feet with noodles, sticky rice and other sweets. A yoghurt dessert with honey or sugar is popular with locals.
Free Wi-Fi. Decently priced fruit shakes and coffees and a good array of snacks. Friendly staff try their best with English, but best take a phrasebook if you want to do more than point at pictures on menus.
This is a Chinese BBQ restaurant famous for its BBQ beef tongue and rice noodle soup (ba ba si). There is no English sign, but it is easy enough to find as it is the only BBQ restaurant on the north side of 35th St. It is next to a pottery store with many pots in front.
A cool cafe at Mandalay with good food, friendly and attentive service at fair price. A nice escape from the teeming streets for those weary after a tiring day.
A bit of a novelty, ice cream, milkshakes, fruit juices and beers that you can drink on the side of the bustling street. Flavours are geared towards Asian tastes, there's no food unless street sellers are operating, and there's usually a gaggle of beggars (who seem to be in league with the owners) harassing drinkers.
Central location in the heart of Zeygo Market. The rooftop is something special. Rooms are tacky and baths dated, but the price is OK.
Room, bathroom quality is standard for Burma at this price. Basic breakfast and working Wi-Fi in room included. Extremely friendly staff, except for the owner (unfriendly, doesn't care about his guests at all). They may try to scam you on laundry, so clarify the price per unit and count for yourself.
One block from Nylon Hotel, rooms are very clean and relatively good value for the price (for Mandalay), though single rooms are small. Hot shower, free Wi-Fi in rooms, standard breakfast included, friendly staff.
Terrific home stay B&B, with very friendly family staff. A bit out of the centre. Has bike rentals. Free Wi-Fi in the rooms, includes breakfast outside in the garden. Hot shower. Can organise airport transfers, bus tickets, etc.
New and has a flash backpacker feel to it. Has modern facilities including the baths. All rooms have air-con.
Great breakfast included with fruits, western and local food, free Wi-Fi & drinking water. Clean bathrooms with warm water. The owner "Mama" and the staff are kind and helpful. Has a homestay feeling. Bicycles for rent (2,000 kyat per day). Motorbikes for rent (10,000 kyat semi automatic and 12,000 kyat automatic. 24 hours). They organize bus tickets and sightseeing tours. Booking through their Facebook page or email. Air-con en suite double: US$30, shared bathroom: US$25, 4- and 6-bed dorm rooms: US$7 per person (not including breakfast. You can have it for additional 2,000 kyat. It is worth it: orange juice, coffee/tea, toasts, jam and butter, eggs, bottle of water, rice or noodles, watermelon).
Best thing about this hostel is the included breakfast. They cooperate with the small restaurant nextdoor and have a huge number of choices: e.g. pancake (sugar, beans, banana), bread, Mohinga, Shan Noodles, eggs. There is coffee and 3 types of tea on the menu, they have 8 different types of tea, so ask in the hostel. The hostel doubles as an art studio. So during the day children will have violin or piano lessons and there is a small exhibition of paintings. The staff are friendly and helpful. The dorm has air con and the bunk beds have curtains, lamps and sockets. You reach the upper bunk by stairs not by an ordinary ladder. Plenty of bathrooms in the house with hot water. Everywhere Wi-Fi, clean, bicycle and motorcycle renting, free drinking water, free towel.
Nice hotel. Friendly staff, restaurant, bar, free Wi-Fi.
2-star hotel in the heart of Mandalay. 29 rooms (3 different kinds), all of which offer AC, TV, fridge, hot/cold showers, comfortable beds; deluxe rooms are bigger and offer a bathtub in addition. Free wifi accessible from all areas. Free buffet breakfast 06:30-09:00. Excellent restaurant recommendations. Friendly & smiling staff who speaks excellent English.
Decent hotel, hidden from the noise and traffic inside a courtyard. Has OK rooms, good staff and a tranquil pool.
A nice central hotel. Several types of rooms, ranging from fairly basic up to quite nice (even by Bangkok or Singapore standards). Staff very friendly and capable of assisting with tourist plans, onward travel tickets, etc. Onsite restaurant and bar. Free Wi-Fi.
An 8-storey hotel at the foot of Mandalay Hill.
Formerly the Sedona hotel. Now a full service Hilton blending traditional Burmese and modern architecture that faces the Royal Palace and Mandalay Hill.
Pronounced zei-gyo
A street bazaar near the city centre.
By pickup
The cheapest local transportation network consists of mini-trucks, loaded with passages on two benches on the back.
By moto-taxi
Motorbike taxis try to charge you overly expensive prices, but they would eventually turn out to be cheaper than car taxis if there are only one or two people.
By moto-rental
Renting a motorcycle can be a dangerous in Mandalay as driving can be chaotic, but it is a great way to see the city if you are experienced.
By taxi
Taxis are relatively inexpensive and are excellent for travelling around Mandalay. Many sights are centred around Mandalay Hill, which makes walking feasible in that area.
By trishaw
Trishaws (cycle rickshaws) are a convenient way of getting around in Mandalay if you're able to find one.
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