Last updated on April 16th, 2024
Monks, Visit Mandalay, Myanmar
Visit Mandalay Palace and Fort
The Mandalay Palace and Fort are the major attraction for those who visit Mandalay. King Mindon built the Royal Mandalay Palace inside Mandalay Fort. A moat used to surround the palace. Just outside the Mandalay Fort, at the base of Mandalay Hill, are four temples: the Golden Palace Monastery (or Teak Temple), the Incomparable Monastery, Kuthodaw Pagoda and the white washed stupas of Sandamuni Pagoda. The Kuthodaw Pagodawith holds the world’s largest book. While you are at the Mandalay Fort you can also visit the Cultural Museum of Mandalay, the Mintha Theater and the Zeigyo Market. These are all found just outside the old fort.
Mandalay Royal Palace, © Can Stock / boonsom
Visit Mandalay Hill
Tourists visiting the Royal Palace also make their way to Mandalay Hill beside the Royal Palace. Mandalay Hill has excellent views over the plains and is popular at sunset. Su Taung Pyi Pagoda is at the top of Mandalay Hill. Shwekyimyint Paya is found on trail up the hill. Shwekyimyint Paya is older than the city of Mandalay. Consider using a tour guide on your trek up Mandalay Hill, because it’s difficult to find all the small temples and shrines along the trails up the hill.
Chinthes Guard Mandalay Hill, © Can Stock / milosk50
Visit Mandalay – U Bein Bridge
The U Bein Bridge is about 45 minutes south of the Mandalay Palace and Mandalay Hill in an area called Amarapura. It is an ancient pedestrian bridge that crosses Taungthaman Lake. The U Bein Bridge is more than a mile long and is made of teak from ancient palaces. Tourists love to walk across the bridge.
U Bein Bridge, © Can Stock / lkunl
Sites near U Bein Bridge
When you take a trip to U Bein Bridge, you can also visit Pahtodawgyi Pagoda, Kyauktawgyi Pagoda (the Great Marble Buddha Image), Nagayon Pagoda and Mahagandayone Monastery. See hand-made cotton and silkweaving. Near U Bein Bridge, you can also see the Nanmyint Watch Tower, Maha Aungmye Bonzan Monastery, the Bagaya Monastery and Shwezigon Pagoda.
Thirty Caves Pagoda, Sagaing Hill
Cross the Inwa Bridge over the Irrawaddy River from Amarapura to Sagaing Hill. Hundreds of temples and monasteries dot Sagaing Hill, which has great valley and river views too.
Ox Cart, U Bein Bridge near Mandalay
Visit Mandalay – Mingun
Take an Irrawaddy River excursion ferry on a day trip north to Mingun. Tourist boats operate regularly from Mandalay. See the Mingun Pagoda with its two giant lions at the river bank. An earthquake damaged the lions in the early 1800s. Next to the Mingu Pagoda is the 90 ton Mingun Bell and the Hsinbyume Pagoda. Mingun is a very popular tourist excursion from Mandalay.
Mingun Pagoda, © Can Stock / berliner
Visit Mandalay – the Big Pagoda
The Big Pagoda is a short distance south of Mandalay Palace. The Big Pagoda is also called Maha Muni Pagoda or Maha Myat Muni Paya. It’s the second most popular pilgrimage site in Myanmar. The most popular is Shwedagon Paya in Yangon and the third is Kyaikto Paya in Kyaikto. See Stonecarver’s Road when you visit the Big Pagoda.
Kuthodaw Pagoda, © Can Stock / berliner
Get to Mandalay
Mandalay International Airport is the route most people use to get to Mandalay. The airport is the largest and busiest airport in Myanmar. A cab ride will take about half an hour to get from the airport to the city. On the way to town, look for the Snake Pagoda, which is the first of many temples you will see when you visit Mandalay.
Vendor, Irrawaddy River Cruise
You can also reach Mandalay from Yangon on Myanmar Railways. Myanmar River Cruises provides transportation between Mandalay and Bagan on the Irrawaddy River.
Visit Mandalay – Hotels
- Mercure Mandalay Hill Resort – enjoy a Myanmar Traditional Dance Show from October to March.
- Rupar Mandalar Resort
- Hotel Mandalay
Irrawaddy River Cruise to Mingun Pagoda
Visit Mandalay – Background
Mandalay is on the Irrawaddy River. More than 1 million people live there. King Mindon founded Mandalay in 1857, when he moved the capital here from Amarapura. Most of the temples (stupas, pagodas or payas) were constructed after the founding of the city. Typical of Myanmar, you will find pagodas and temple ruins everywhere in Mandalay.
Mandalay Weather
Mandalay weather is warm in the summer season from April to October. Average highs in summer are 90 F (32 C) and lows average 78 F (26 C). Winter weather is slightly cooler in the season from December to February.
In winter the Mandalay weather has average highs of 85 F (29 C) while the lows drop to around 58 F (14 C). The winter season is also the dry season, making it an ideal time to visit Mandalay.
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