MANDALAY |
| In
Mandalay, you come closest to the real Myanmar of old. The second largest city of Myanmar,
with a population of 700,000, here lies the cultural heart of Myanmar where the most
refined arts, traditions of dance, music and drama live on. Mandalay is also known for its
fine gold and silver crafts, wood and marble carving, silk thread weaving and ancient
tapestry.
The last capital of the
Myanmar kingdom, Mandalay not only offers wonderful sights to behold, but also has a
number of nearby attractions, most historical and fascinating, all within a 3.2 kilometre
radius - from cool hill resorts to nostalgic market places, from an ancient palace to a
river ride up the famous "Road to Mandalay", the Ayeyarwady River, or a ride in
unique trishaws or horse-drawn carts. |
| Some
highlights:
Mandalay Hill
One thousand seven hundred steps uphill will give
you a bird’s-eye view of the city, the outlying areas of the Ayeyarwady plains and
the misty Shan hills- a spectacular sight! Fascinating and interesting sights along the
way include colourful souvenir stalls, the Pershewar Relics, possibly the world’s
only authentic bones of Buddha and the gold-plated Shweyattaw Buddha of immense size. |
|
| |
Two gigantic Chinthe |
|
A sector of
"The World's
Largest Book." |
| Kuthodaw
Pagoda
This pagoda was built by
King Mindon in 1857. Within its premises may be found what is popularly known as "The
World’s Largest Book" - the complete Buddhist Scriptures inscribed on 729
upright stone slabs surrounding the pagoda. |
|
| |
Kuthodaw Pagoda |
| |
|
| Mandalay
Palace A golden city within a city,
this was King Mindon’s centre of glory- a truly magnificent palace complex. However,
it was tragically destroyed by allied bombing during World War Two. An exact replica of
the old palace is now being built inside the walls. The finely built palace walls,
surrounded by a moat, a delight for artists, architects, painters and photographers, is a
sight to behold. |
|
| |
Mandalay |
| Shwe Nandaw
Kyaung A masterpiece of woodcarving
techniques, this wooden monastery is a reminder of King Mindon’s sleeping apartment
in his palace complex. Best known for its fine and intricate woodcarvings, it is an
outstanding example of traditional Myanmar wooden architecture. |
|
| |
Shwe Nandaw Kyaung |
| |
|
Golden Sights near MANDALAY |
| Interesting
journeys to nearby attractive sights include the following destinations - the three
ancient cities of Amarapura, Sagaing and Inwa, up-river Mingun and cool-country
Pyin-Oo-Lwin. |
| Amarapura
An ancient capital of the Myanmar Monarchy, 11
kilometres south of Mandalay, Amarapura’s attractions include the Patodawgyi Pagoda,
U Pein’s Bridge and the silk weaving industry. |
|
| |
U Pein's Bridge |
| Sagaing The lure of Sagaing, 21 kilometres south west of Mandalay,
on the west bank of Ayeyarwady, is the Sagaing Hills - a spiritual recluse for Buddhist
studies and meditation. The Kaunghmudaw - a gigantic dome-shaped pagoda and the Ywahtaung
Village - home of silver craftsman are other points of interest. |
|
| |
Sagaing Bridge |
| lnwa What is impressive about this historical capital is its fine
Myanmar masonry, art and architecture, especially the outstanding Maha Aung Mye Bonzan
Monastery. |
|
| |
Moe-nyinn Thanboketay |
| Mingun The 11-kilometre boat ride up the famous Ayeyarwady river
from Mandalay to Mingun promises a pleasant adventure. Boatmen in their gliding vessels on
mirror-like waters, the lively chatter of womenfolk on floating platforms with their
laundry, mighty boat-pullers, smiling carefree children and bamboo homes in green fields -
all these sights make it a shutterbug’s dream voyage.
At the end of this picturesque trip, you will come
face to face with the "World’s Biggest Ringing Bell" - The Mingun Bell.
Another principal sight is the colossal ruined base of the Mingun pagoda- an unfinished
work of King Bodawpaya, which if it had been completed, would have supported the largest
pagoda in the world. |
|
| |
Mingun Bell |
| Pyin-Oo-Lwin A timeless colonial serenity greets you as you enter Pyin-Oo-Lwin"
scenic and cool highland 1,100 metres above sea level. Little seems to have changed since
Kipling’s day. 60 kilometres north-east of Mandalay, this well-kept resort of
beautiful Tudor architecture, nostalgic stagecoaches, happy market place and the fresh and
lush bloom of colourful flowers, is worth a visit, Seeing is believing. Visit the spacious
and verdant 142 hectares Botanical Garden with its cherry blossom in December and January,
and do not miss the nearby Pwekauk Waterfalls, the recently opened limestone grotto and an
underground stream known as Peik-Chin Myaung. |
|
| |
Cool country resort of the very best at Pyin-Oo-Lwin |
|
|
