Mandalay is one of the best charm city in Burma you should visit when you come this country. Like many things, you should do include: eating street foods, visit beautiful sites, explore unique traditions, etc. To build a “to do list Burma” is a must not miss any interesting things on your tour. Let’s see some good “candidates” for your list.
1. Enjoy the street food of Mandalay
The best way to explore Mandalay street foods is going on two wheels that you can stop wherever you like. I love to wandering around and stop whenever I see some things catch my eyes. One of the best things about Burma’s cuisine is that after enjoying the food, you will enjoy a free tea, Mandalay’s mouth-watering dishes that will make you unforgettable during your trip. It could be a big waste if you don’t put this activity on your “to do list Burma”
2. Discover Amarapura and U Bein Bridge
Amarapura used to be the capital of Burma in the past in Burma travel map. Today, the ancient capital is best known for its silk products, Maha Gandhayon Kyaung Monastery and U Bein – the longest teakwood bridge in the world.
Wishing to see the sunset on the U Bein bridge, I came to this bridge in the afternoon. But unluckily, it rained heavily; the sky is too gray to see the sunset and no one came to this bridge in that bad weather. However, this is probably the moment you are not easy to see, so I decided to go over the bridge, and it was a really nice experience.
Back in Amarapura, my stop was Maha Gandhayon Kyaung Monastery. At about 10 am every day, many young monks from Maha Gandhayon Kyaung monastery stand in line to beg for alms. This activity was seen in Luang Prabang, Laos. However, each place gives me different emotions. If you are still wondering “what to do in Myanmar”, you should give this site a try.
3. Enjoy the scenery from Sagaing Hill
Sagaing is the outer part of Mandalay; you have to cross the Ayeyarwady River to come there. Sagaing is especially famous for its hill called Sagaing Hill – one of the main Buddhist centers in Burma, which houses over 600 monasteries and towers, and 6,000 monks and nuns. It is one of the most popular sites that put on “to do list Burma” of many tourists.
On the way to the top of the hill, you have to overcome many small stupas and also take quite long time as the Burma travel guide. However, when you go to the top, you will take a great view down below.
4. Take a boat trip to visit Inwa
Inwa, along with Amarapura and Sagaing are the three oldest cities in Burma AKA the best places to visit in Burma. You have to sail from the banks of the Ayeyarwady River to get there. The road through the river is quite rough, so most tourists travel by carriage. Just like most other ancient cities of Burma, you will be attracted by the majestic temples, with unique architecture and beautiful scenery here.
5. Visiting Mingun ancient village
The last but not least fancy site in “to do list Burma” is Mingun ancient village. It is about 11km from Mandalay, you can get there by road but most of you travel by river. Ferries to Mingun each day only one trip, departing 8h30 and return at 13h for a fare of 4,500 kyat/person (about 2 USD). If you want more flexible time, you can rent a private ferry for about $ 30.
It is the best places to see in Burma, as it houses many of Burma’s most important historical monuments, most notably the Mingun Pahtodawgyi ruins built of red brick which if completed will be the largest brick Buddhist architecture in the world with a planned height of 150m. It was started building between 1790 and 1797 under King Bodawpaya, but due to economic weakness, this great work was halted and was left unfinished after the king’s death in 1813.
