1. Gold pounders’ workshops
On 36th street, you can find many workshops and galleries, for example, King Galon and Golden Rose. In these places, looking the gold-beaters amazingly swing their 3 kg hammers in a monotonous rhythm over and over again will become one of the most unforgettable memories during your burma tours. Producing fine gold leaves takes couples of hours before they are all sent to other regions in the country for the Buddhist worshipers.
Gold plays an important place in thousands of temples and stupas of Myanmar because it is considered as the offering and for worshiping Buddha statues.
2. The stone carvers’ district
Mandalay is also famous for craft businesses which are all still operated very traditionally. Sagaing-Mandalay Road, which seems to be covered by a coat of fine dust, is the destination for you to explore more about this. In here, you can see skilled craftsmen chipping and polishing slabs of marble into the most delicate Buddha statues. The most interesting thing is no templates or sketches are used, just a picture of the future Buddha put in their heads and just revealed it out of that big slab of rock. Wandering around and just observing the workers’ incredible skills is worth doing during Myanmar travel tour.
3. Maha Muni Pagoda
Just after Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, Maha Muni is considered as the second holiest place in Myanmar. It has several entrances and hallways leading to its center. Inside the pagoda is a gigantic image of a sitting Buddha which is about 4 meters high.
The most thing worth saying is only men can enter the pagoda while women are allowed to catch a glimpse from the outside. This matter, of course, has evoked numerous heated discussions. However, once you enter this sacred place, you will be impressed with the tranquil atmosphere with people kneeling in front of the statue, the faithful clasp hands before their chest and others waiting to go inside the area with the Buddha. Interestingly, worshipers go up the platform and then rub some of the golden leaves on the statue as their offering. This must be a thing worth doing at least once in your lifetime if you have a chance to take Myanmar package tour to Mandalay.
4. Shwenandaw Monastery
Shwenandaw Monastery is ideal for relaxing and unwinding after a lot of walking around and cycling. This famous monastery was completely built out of teak woo, before a big downpour started flooding the streets of Mandalay. You can have to shelter inside the main hall and just lay on the floor listening to the rain hitting the roof – such an almost meditative moment.
5. Mandalay’s street food joints
Food can be forgotten while you enjoy Myanmar holidays. Just cruise down the road and look for a place that seems inviting, you can take some local food like the plain and simple fried rice. The most cuisine you can’t help enjoying is a pot of complimentary tea. It’s just good, goes well with the food and it’s sociable.
Sipping tea and chatting with friends are what all myanmar people just love spending time on. In this way, this is surely a must do when you are on a package tour.
6. Sagaing Hill
Crossing the Ayeyarwady River Sagaing, you will Sagaing Hill which is home to more than 600 monasteries and stupas and more than 6.000 monks and nuns.
You will have to take a lot of efforts to overcome steep steps while you can pass several smaller stupas and temples. You may get tired but the views will get more and more fascinating. From the top, you can see river banks, Sagaing Bridge and the many temples crowding the numerous hills around it. And the most important gift for myanmar day tour is the atmosphere.
Mandalay really has so many things to offer you and it is worth taking chances to experience typical Burmese life around every corner in this city. A big outdoor market with the most exotic things, a pub with Myanmar beer on draft with only locals watching football, a hidden restaurant or street food joint with excellent and cheap food or even the run down, local gym… all will make your Myanmar package tour unforgettably enjoyable.
