The old royal city Mandalay(Burmese: မန္တလေး မြ) is the second largest city of Myanmar and capital of the eponymous region. Eye catchers of the city are the holy ones Mandalay Hill as well as the great royal palace. The city also offers some very prestigious pagodas that are well known beyond its borders.
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| Mandalay | ||
| Mandalay region | region | |
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| Residents | 1.225.546 (2014) | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
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background
King Mindon built the city on the banks of the Ayeyarwaddy River in 1857. From then on it served as the capital of the Burmese Empire, replacing Amarapura, only 5 kilometers away, as the center of government. On November 28, 1885, British troops marched into Mandalay and sacked the Royal Palace. King Thibaw was forced into exile in India. Became the capital of the colony Rangoon (now: Yangon). At the end of the 1990s, the Myanmar military government decided to have the old palace complex rebuilt. While the city was a small village called Yadanabon before it was founded in 1857, it is now the second largest city in Myanmar.
getting there
By plane
The new international airport is about an hour's drive (37 kilometers) southwest of the city. China Eastern flies the city of Kunming off regularly. Otherwise there is little flight activity. The city is served by local airlines Yangon ($130), Thandwe, Bagan ($ 45) and Hey ($ 45) connected. The taxi to the airport is around $ 15. From the airline offices in the city, transfers to the airport are free.
- Air Bagan, # 9, 78th St., between 33rd and 34th St.. Tel.: (0)2-22430, (0)2-61791, (0)2-61792 (City), (0)2-87574, (0)2-87525 (Airport).
By train
The train station is on 78th Street south of the Royal Palace
- Yangon: Departures daily at 6:00 am, 5:00 pm, 6:30 pm, 7:30 pm and 9:00 pm (travel time 12-18 hours) - Price: $ 15 (wood class) to $ 33 (The Dagon Mann Express costs $ 50)
- Bagan: Departures daily at 8:00 am (travel time: 8 hours) - Price: $ 9
- Lashio: Departures daily at 5:30 am (journey time: 13.5 hours) - Price: $ 12
- Monywa: Departures daily at 6:20 am and 1:20 pm (travel time: 6.5 hours) - Price: $ 6
By bus
- Yangon: Departure daily at 17:00 (travel time: 14-17 hours) - Price: MMK 2,500 (As of 2002)
- Bagan: Departure daily at 07:00, 08:00, 09:00 (travel time: approx. 5-6 hours) - Price: MMK 9,000 (As of 2008)
- Taunggyi: Daily departure (travel time: approx. 8-10 hours) - Price: MMK 1,800 (As of 2002)
- Kalaw: Price: MMK 10,000 (As of August 2007)
- Shwenyaung: Full minibus. Driving time 10 hours. Price: MMK 10,000 (As of November 2010)
In the street
Private taxi: A car with a driver can be booked through a travel agency. Prices vary depending on the duration and type of vehicle.
- Bagan: $50 ·Nyaung Shwe / Inle Lake: $ 100 for the car (or $ 20 per person)
By boat
There are ship connections to Bagan and Bhamo. Liners from Yangon and back can be booked through a travel agency. A former Rhine ship is now sailing on the Ayeyarwadddy as the "Road to Mandalay". For short trips to Mingun or day trips can be chartered boats of all sizes at the river port.
- Bagan: Departures daily at 5:30 am (travel time: 16 hours) - Price: $ 15 - This route is not recommended as it goes upstream and takes a long time.
- Bhamo: Mon, Wed, Fri at 7:00 am there is a boat connection to Mandalay. The trip takes about a day and a half. Price: $ 54 (cabin), $ 9 (space on the lower deck). The ticket office is a long way north of the jetty. In the dry season it can happen more often that the boat runs aground on a sandbank. So you always have to expect a delay of several hours.
mobility
- Automobile: A car costs around $ 20-25 a day for Mandalay and the surrounding area
- Cycle rickshaw: MMK 1,200-1,500 for a city tour
- Rental bike: MMK 800-1,200 a day
Tourist Attractions
Some of the sights are close together and can be explored. However, a rickshaw is best.
Mandalay Hill
The 240 meter high summit can be reached on foot or by car. Two of the four climbs are on the south side of the mountain, others in the west and north. Along the covered staircase (1,700 steps) there are pagodas and statues of Buddha as well as numerous souvenir and handicraft shops. The whole area is sacred, so you have to take off your shoes at the foot of the mountain. There is also a road that leads to just before the summit. The last part on the east side of the mountain can be taken with an elevator. A visit to the mountain in the evening is particularly recommended. Here you can look over Mandalay all the way to Sagaing as well as enjoying the sunset. Entry: $ 3
Pagodas
 Model of the Kuthodaw Pagoda |  Inside the Kuthodaw Pagoda |
 Buddha statue in the Mahamuni Pagoda |  Khmer statues in the Mahamuni Pagoda |
- Eindawya pagoda, 26th street.- The gold-plated pagoda dates from 1847
- Mahamuni Pagoda. Price: Admission: $ 4.- The second most important pagoda in the whole country is in the south of the city on the road to Amarapura. It dates from 1784. The statue of the Buddha placed in it is said to be one of only five portraits created during the lifetime of the Buddha. Originally this was in Rakhine State. Many men cover this statue with gold leaf. Women are not allowed direct access to the statue. You have your own area to pray a few meters away from the figure. Outside the main building there are some bronze statues of the Khmer. They are said to have healing powers. The healing is to be triggered by touching the part of the figure that hurts on your own body.
- Kuthodaw Pagoda. Price: Entry: $ 3 (along with Sandamuni Pagoda).Kuthadaw means 729 pagodas. King Mindon held the 5th Buddhist Council here from 1871-1872. A common doctrine was agreed. It was initially written down on palm leaves - as was customary at the time - and because these are ephemeral, later chiseled on marble tablets. There are 729 small temples around a golden stupa. In each there is a marble tablet. The elaborate immortalization of the text on these 729 marble tablets has given the pagoda its nickname The greatest book brought to the world. In the center of the pagoda there is also a model of the whole complex.
- Kyauktawgyi Pagoda. Open: until 5:00 p.m.Price: Entry: $ 3.
- Sandamuni Pagoda. Price: Entry: $ 3 (along with the Kuthodaw Pagoda).
- Set Kya Thiha Pagoda, 31st Rd (south of Zegyo Market).- Inside you can find an old 5m high bronze statue.
- Shwe Kyi Myint Pagoda, 24th Rd., Between 82nd and 83rd Streets.- Old pagoda from the 12th century.
Monasteries
- Atumashi Kyaung. Price: Entry: $ 5 (also applies to Shwenandaw Kyaung).- Only the foundation walls of the original building are preserved. Now there is a new pagoda here.
- Shwe In Bin Kyaung, 35.- The monastery is made entirely of teak.
- Shwenandaw Kyaung. Price: Entry: $ 5 (also applies to Atumashi Kyaung).- The teak building stood in the royal palace until 1880, where it served as the royal chamber. King Thibaw had it demolished in 1880 after the death of King Mindon and rebuilt as a monastery outside the palace walls. It is therefore the only originally preserved palace building. Walls and doors are decorated with wonderfully carved figures. Here and there you can still see that they used to be gold-plated.
- Phaung Daw Oo, east of the Royal Palace, on 19th Street, about 1.5 km away.- The monastery school was founded in 1993 by the abbot U Nayaka, for children from poor families, orphans and foundlings. There are currently 6400 students, novices and Buddhist monks there. The school is supported by the Saarbrücken association "Förderverein Myanmar" and the travel organization "Studiosus Reisen" from Munich. As a tourist you are welcome there, you are shown around and can even get advice or treatment if necessary in the school clinic, which is financed from Germany.
Palaces
- Fort Mandalay (Royal Palace). Open: Mon-Fri 8 am-6pm.Price: Entry: $ 5.- The palace complex was built between 1857 and 1859 by the then King Mindon. A wall, each 2 kilometers long, stretches around the entire Royal Palace. The wall is 8 meters high and 3 meters thick along its entire length. The site is also surrounded by a 6.5 meter wide and 3 meter deep moat. There are three gates on each side that lead into the palace. In the meantime, you can visit some of the buildings in the palace. A bicycle or a rickshaw is ideal for exploring the fairly large area. The British captured Mandalay in the 3rd British-Burmese War. King Thibaw was exiled to India.
- Shwenandaw Cultural Museum - The museum shows statues of important personalities of the country.
- Observation tower - The new building from 1990 is also the city's landmark.
- Audience hall - The king's wives used to live there.
Museums
- Mandalay Folk Art Museum
- Shwenandaw Cultural Museum
Craft businesses
There are many craft workshops to be found in the city. Among other things, there are workshops for gold leaf production, stone carving and wood carving that are well worth seeing. As a rule, the individual trades concentrate on one area or one street within the city.
- Gold leaf production: 37th St. between 77th and 78th streets and on 78th Street between 35th and 36th streets. The regular and monotonous knocking noises from the workshops can be heard from the street.
- Stonemasonry: 84th St., near the Mahamuni Pagoda
- Wood carving: 84th St., near the Mahamuni Pagoda
- Ivory carving: 36th St. between 77th and 78th Streets, near Mahamuni Pagoda (east entrance)
- Bell foundry: at Myohaung train station
- Weaving: Corner 62nd / 19th road
More Attractions
- Yadanapon Zoo, North Moat Street (north of Fort Mandalay). Price: MMK 10.
activities
Puppet theater
There are very good opportunities to see classical puppet theater performances in Mandalay.
- Mandalay Marionettes and Culture Show, Garden Villa Theater, 66th St., between 26th and 27th Streets. Tel.: (0)2-24581, (0)2-38718. Price: Entry: $ 2.- Performance daily at 8:30 p.m. (duration: approx. 1 hour)
- Ambassador restaurant, Zegyo market.
- Grand restaurant, Zegyo market.
- - Start of the performance: 8:00 p.m. Well-known artist trio (Par Par Lay, Lu Zaw and Lu Maw), who have already been imprisoned because of their criticism of the ruling regime, but are now free again.
- The happy puppet, # 48, 28th St., between 73rd and 74th Streets. Price: Entry: MMK 1,000.- Performances every day at 8:30 p.m.
- Marie Min II Vegetarian Restaurant, 26th St., between 57th and 58th Streets.- Performances every day at 8:00 p.m.
shop
- Zegyo Market, Aung San Rd., Near 84th St.. Open: until 16:00.- This is one of the largest markets in the country.
- Yadanapon Market, 78th Main Rd, between 32nd and 84th Streets. Open: until 16:00.
- Kaingdan Market, west of the Zegyo Market.
- Mingala market, 73./30.
- Bayagyi Market, near Mahamuni Pagoda.
- Nyaung Pin Bazaar Market
- Night market, 84th Str., Between 26th and 28th Str. Open: 18: 00-21: 00.
kitchen
As a rule, all hotels also have a restaurant serving Myanmar and Chinese food. There are simple food stalls in the evening on 80th Street between 28th and 30th Street. Muslim Chinese Noodles are very popular in Mandalay and the surrounding area. There are a number of restaurants that offer this dish. The Htou moun is a traditional local very sweet dessert that is only offered in Mandalay.
Chinese: Many restaurants are located on 83rd Street (between 26th and 25th streets)
- Man restaurant, 83rd St., between 25th and 26th Streets. Feature: Chinese cuisine.
- Honey restaurant, 70th street, between 28th and 29th streets. Feature: Chinese cuisine.
Burmese:
- Sa Khan Thar Restaurant, # 24, 72nd Str. Tel.: 95 21066. Feature: Burmese cuisine.Open: 10: 00-21: 00.
- Aye Myitta Restaurant, 81st Str. Between 35th and 36th Str. Feature: Burmese cuisine.
nightlife
Although it is a big city, the nightlife in Mandalay is no livelier than anywhere else in the country. The tourist will normally find himself in the bar of one of the hotels in the evening.
accommodation
Cheap
to $ 20
- small rooms with fan / shared bathroom; large rooms with AC, shower / toilet, TV; including breakfast - roof terrace
- Yadanar Supon Hotel, # 12A, Aungsitthe Ward, Yezarni Rd, Nan Shie. Tel.: (0)2-31019, (0)2-31020.- bungalows with AC, shower / toilet, TV and refrigerator; including breakfast - friendly and familiar, ticket service, rents car with driver
medium
$ 20-100
- Golden Mandalay, # 78, Nga, 19 Str. (Intersection of Ye Zarni Road, .Nan-shae). Tel.: 95 (0)2-61488. Price: $ 17 / 20-23 (single / double).- Quiet guest house north of the city center towards MAndalay Hill
- Emerald Land Inn, # 9. 14th St., between 87th and 88th Streets. Tel.: (0)2-26990, Fax: (0)2-35645. Price: $ 30-60 (plus 20% tax).- Rooms with shower / toilet including breakfast and free transport to the airport / train station - pool, roof terrace
- Mandalay View Inn, # 17-B, 66th St., between 26th and 27th Streets. Tel.: (0)2-22347, Fax: (0)2-31219. Price: $ 35-43 / 40-58 (single / double) (plus 20% tax).- Rooms with shower / toilet, AC, TV and refrigerator; Breakfast included
- Mandalay Hill Resort, No. (9), Kwin (416.B), 10th Street (At the foot of Mandalay Hill). Tel.: (0)2-35638, Fax: (0)2-35639, Email: [email protected]. Check-in: 14:00.Check-out: 12:00.- Hotel with 206 rooms with modern facilities and a spa.
- Graet Wall Hotel, Block (901), 78th Road (between 42nd Str. & Theinpan Str.). Tel.: (0)2-68460, (0)2-68461, (0)2-68462, Fax: (0)2-61682, Email: [email protected].
Upscale
From $ 100
- Mandalay Swan Hotel. Tel.: (0)2-31219, (0)2-35678, (0)2-22498, (0)2-31625, Fax: (0)2-31219, (0)2-35677. Price: $ 80-160 (plus 20% tax).- Restaurant and beer garden, pool and tennis court
- Sedona Mandalay. Tel.: (0)2-36488, Fax: (0)2-36499, Email: [email protected]. Price: $ 150-1200 (plus 20% tax).The building mixes traditional Myanmar and modern architecture. The hotel overlooks the Royal Palace and Mandalay Hill. The hotel has a pool, fitness center, office center, tennis court and several restaurants.
Learn
Mandalay has a university. It is located in the south of the city, west of the royal garden. A Buddhist teaching facility, where foreigners can study, is located nearby Sagaing.
security
The same safety rules apply in Mandalay as in the rest of the country. It's a safe travel destination. Of course, you should always keep a close eye on your belongings.
health
Clinic:
- Mandalay's People's Hospital, 77./33. road.
- Aye Thiri 24 Hour Special Clinic, 26 (B) Rd, between 72nd and 73rd streets. Tel.: (0)2-32764, (0)2-32766.
Dentist:
- Dr. Mu mu, # 251, 81st Str.
Pharmacy:
- Thu Kha Thit Sar Pharmacy, # 209, 83 Str. Tel.: (0)2-25020.
Practical advice
Post:
- Main post, 81/22 road. Open: 09: 30-16: 00.
Burn CDs:In Mandalay there is the possibility to burn your photos on CD.
- Nice Photo Express, 35th Str., Between 82nd and 83rd Str.).- CD burning cost: $ 1.5 per CD
trips
 U-Bein bridge in Amarapura |
 The hills of Sagaing |
Closer surroundings:
- Amarapura - Former capital of the kingdom 11 kilometers from Mandalay. The well-known and very photogenic U-Bein bridge is also located here.
- Inwa - Former capital of the kingdom on an island 21 kilometers from Mandalay.
- Mingun - Here you can admire the results of the building-mad and megalomaniac King Bodawpaya. The largest intact and functioning hanging bell in the world, the remains of the unfinished largest pagoda in the world and several other structures can be found 11 kilometers north of Mandalay.
- Sagaing - 22 kilometers in the southwest of the city are some hills with several hundred monasteries - the spiritual center of the country.
- Kyaukse: This place south of Mandalay hosts the Elephant Dance Festival every October.
- Paleik: The place is near the new airport. Here is a pagoda with over 300 stupas (entry: $ 2)
- Tada U: The small village is south of Inwa. Here you can visit two pagodas (Shwe Kyetyet and Kyetkya)
- Taungbyon: A week-long festival takes place here in August during the full moon. For the 30 kilometer journey you take a taxi.
Further surroundings:
- Monywa - Commercial city with 100,000 inhabitants with nice excursion possibilities in the area.
- Pyin U Lwin (formerly: Maymyo) - City located at an altitude of 1,100m in the middle of a beautiful landscape. The city is known for its colonial buildings and horse-drawn carriages.
- Shwebo - The place, 80 kilometers north of Sagaing, was once a royal seat. However, not much of it has survived.
- Halin: This historic place is 3 hours drive north of Mandalay. Unfortunately, there is not so much left to see of the palace and city wall.
- Kyaung Myaung: In this place east of Shwebo there are a few potteries to visit
- Kyaukka: The village is 16 kilometers east of Monywa. There is the Shweguni Pagoda and the Htan Za Lote waterfall. The place is known for its lacquerware.
- Phowin Taung: The place is opposite the city Monywa on the other side of the river Chindwin. The 20 kilometer journey takes about 30 minutes. In the mountains of Phowin Taung there are caves with 450,000 statues of Buddha. Entry: $ 2
- Shwebataung: Place near Phowin Taung with many old Buddha statues.
- Sintkaing: Together with Paleik you can visit this place and the Hpa Lin Bo Pagoda there
literature
- : The glass palace. Blessing, 2001, ISBN 3896671200 , P. 606. - Historical novel. The action starts here in Mandalay with the expulsion of the last king in 1885
- : Buddha's underworld. In:GEO, Vol.June (2000), Pp. 102–114 (German). - Articles on Phowin Taung Caves
- Rudyard Kipling: Road to Mandalay - You can read the whole poem here on Wikisource
