In this post we will tell you what to see and do in Mandalay (and surroundings) 🙂 Here we go!
After the surreal bus trip, Mandalay gave us a wet welcome. The first two days did not stop raining so we took the opportunity to rest, wash clothes, watch a movie (double session of Terminator) and launch us to discover the gastronomic world of this city. Pure life of backpackers come on! The best ... the chapatis stands !! The sites are not a 3 forks, but the chapatis (kind of salty pancake) accompanied by curries were a success.
At the first ray of the sun we decided to catch a trickshaw and go around the city. What stands out most of Mandalay, because in itself it is not a very attractive city, is the Mahamuni Paya, with the image of the most revered Buddha in all of Myanmar, and the Mandalay hill, from where beautiful sunsets are contemplated, in exchange for climbing a few steps. On the sidelines, the Royal Palace, which we discarded to visit from the beginning, partly because it should not be much and especially for not paying the entrance fee of $ 10 that would go directly to the Government.
Mandalay's true treasure is in its surroundings. One morning we spent visiting the city of Mingun. Between laundresses, pigs riding in boats and singing men we climb the highest unfinished pagoda in the world, we play the world's largest finished bell, and we surf among the white waves of the Hsinbyume Paya.
The last day, after strenuous bargaining, we got a blue taxi to take us to the cities of Amarapura Y Sageing at a fair price. In the first one stands the U Bein Bridge, the longest in the world built in teak. In Sageing we had to climb more steps to enjoy the views of the hills, dotted with hundreds of golden zedis, stupas, and monasteries, because this is where many monks decide to make their retreat.
We say goodbye to Mandalay towards Kalaw, a small town lost in the mountains of Shan State. It will be the starting point of our three-day trek that will take us to the shores of Inle Lake.
You know more things to see and do in Mandalay (and vicinity?)
Transport. How to get?
From Bagan we take the 6,500 kyats bus, we think it is better to spend a little more and travel in something more comfortable. In the city we have moved with Trickshaw, about 1000 and 4000 kyats depending on the number of people, the distance (round trip). By blue taxi, for longer journeys: the visit of the surroundings in a whole day costs a maximum of 20,000 kyats. On a motorcycle with a driver, we pay 3,500 kyats for two motorcycles to Mandalay Hill round trip. There are also the most comfortable white taxis to travel around the cities, for about 25,000 kyats all day.
Accommodation. Where to sleep?
The first night we did it at the ET Hotel, for $ 18 double, with bathroom, hot water, breakfast, TV ... It's fine but we found the same thing at the Nylon Hotel for $ 15. Nor did we hear about the electric generators that Lonely Planet talks about.
