- \n
- Atumashi Kyanugdawgi<\/li>\n
- Schwenandaw Kyaung<\/li>\n
- Mandalay Palace<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Top Things to See and Do in Mandalay<\/h2>\n
Climb Mandalay Hill<\/h3>\n
Naturally, I have to start with the main attraction. While most of Mandalay is flat, this hill offers a stunning elevated view of pretty much everything around you.\u00a0For those that opt to scale up this hill, you will be rewarded with a bird’s eye view of the city walls, the surrounding moat, and various temples and pagodas with Irrawaddy River gleaming from afar.<\/p>\n
If walking up the long staircase isn’t your thing, you can also opt to take a taxi and an elevator to enjoy these view. We personally recommend climbing the staircase which takes around 40 minutes. The entire thing has to be done barefoot up a covered concrete staircase and while the walk up is relatively easy, don’t forget to bring water and a torch if you plan on scaling up during sunset. Mandalay Hill is located outside the downtown area and is a 10-minute drive from the main city.<\/p>\n
Fee:<\/strong> Free but there is a 1000 Kyat fee for cameras |\u00a0Directions to Mandalay Hill
![\"mandalay-hill\"](\"https:\/\/www.adventureinyou.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/mandalay-hill-960x640.jpg\")
<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nSandamuni Pagoda<\/h3>\n
While you’re in Mandalay Hill, the Sandamuni Pagoda is located nearby. Here, you can see the largest iron Buddha, made up of over 41,000 pounds of iron. Best known for its large golden zedi along with hundreds of shrines containing inscribed marble slabs. The entire area has 1774 shrines, each housing a single marble slab which are inscribed with the teachings of the Buddha.<\/p>\n
Kuthodaw Pagoda<\/h3>\n
Located right across each other, these two pagodas are\u00a0quite similar. However, Kuthodaw Pagoda is home to the world’s largest book. This “book” is actually made up of \u00a0729 standing stone \u201cpages\u201d with individual stupas known as a kyauksa gu<\/em>.<\/p>\n
They span across the vast pagoda grounds in long organized rows to spectacular effect and are well worth a visit. Filled with sacred teachings representing 15 books of Buddha’s teachings, every page of the book is about a meter wide and two meters tall. Overall, it’s a very interesting place to visit and is worth wandering around before you descend up Mandalay Hill.<\/p>\n
Editor’s Note: Take a look at our ultimate Myanmar Travel<\/a> tips page for a complete breakdown on how to travel Myanmar like a boss<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
![\"mandalay-book\"](\"https:\/\/www.adventureinyou.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/mandalay-book-960x640.jpg\")
<\/p>\nMandalay Palace<\/h3>\n
Mandalay Palace used to be more than just the royal residence. It was like a little-walled city which had a Glass Palace quarters, an audience hall, and a military area. While most of it was destroyed during World War II, the restoration has been well on their way since the 1990’s.<\/p>\n
While you’re there, there is a watch tower which you can climb combined with a few informational signs pertaining to its history. While you’re there, be sure to climb the tower to take in the view of the surrounding moat. If you’re interested in history, the palace is a great place to walk around during the day, however, I wasn’t fussed walking around.<\/p>\n
Fee: Part of the $10 tourist ticket | Directions to Mandalay Palace<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n
U-Bein Bridge<\/h3>\n
Being a lover of the outdoors, I really enjoyed the scenic views of the U-Bein Bridge. Earning its rights as a must visit while in Mandalay, the bridge is the longest teak footbridge in the world and spas around 1300 yards long across the Taungthaman Lake.<\/p>\n
For those looking to capture the beauty of this place, I suggest you opt to come during sunset. The reflections in the lake is stunning and the locals usually are out and about making it an enjoyable experience where you can watch them go about their everyday lives. If you’re looking for a fun activity, you can also check out this sunset bike tour<\/strong><\/a> which goes to the U-Bein bridge.
![\"mandalay-ubein\"](\"https:\/\/www.adventureinyou.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/mandalay-ubein-960x640.jpg\")
<\/p>\nGo on A Day Trip in Nearby Areas in Mandalay<\/h3>\n
After you’ve exhausted going around the city and downtown area of Mandalay, you can also consider going on a day trip around nearby areas. You can book tours with popular tour providers such as Flymya<\/strong><\/a> which offers day excursions to Mingun, Ava, and\u00a0Sagaing.<\/p>\n
Go on a Food Trip<\/h3>\n
Everywhere you go, you will see heaps of street food and local restaurants where you can drop by when you’re not busy sightseeing. While Burmese food doesn’t really stand out compared to its nearby Southeast Asian neighbors, the food is still worth trying out as there are just a wealth of undiscovered flavors.<\/p>\n
Best way to enjoy the local life of Mandalay is to sit back in a local restaurant, drink some tea and watch the world go by. If you’re a bit weary of street food, try out\u00a0Super 81\u00a0<\/strong>has more of a middle range restaurant feel. The food is good, serving the most flavorful chicken cooked in coconut gravy and tea leaf salad.<\/p>\n
![\"burmese-salads\"](\"https:\/\/www.adventureinyou.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/burmese-salads-960x640.jpg\")