Discover the timeless beauty of Mandalay, Myanmar — explore golden pagodas, ancient palaces, artisan workshops, and scenic river landscapes. Plan your unforgettable Mandalay journey today!
As the second largest city in Myanmar, located north of Yangon, about 716 km, it was the capital of Myanmar under the Mindon Dynasty (1857). With a lifespan of more than 142 years and long-standing historical relics, Mandalay is always a special attraction for all visitors to Myanmar. Mandalay is also a famous city with thousands of years old pagodas, preserved intact to this day. At the same time, this is also one of the cradles of Buddhism.
What is the best month to travel to Mandalay?
There are three basic seasons in Mandalay: cool, hot and rainy. The average temperature is 26 degrees, hot during the day and cools down at night.
Cool season: from November to February, the weather is pleasant, little rain, cool temperature. This is also the peak tourist season here. If you want to come to Mandalay during this time, you need to plan a specific schedule and book services such as hotels and tours in advance to avoid being overloaded.
Hot season: from March to April, the weather is quite hot, with little rain. If you travel during this time, don't forget to prepare items to protect yourself from ultraviolet rays from the sun such as sunscreen, sunglasses, sun hats, etc. Klook also recommends that you participate in outdoor activities after 4:00 p.m., when the sunlight has cooled down.
Rainy season: from May to October, heavy rain, humid. Flights may be delayed due to rain, traveling between locations also becomes more difficult. However, if you go during the low season, you can save quite a bit on service and accommodation costs, #teamKlook should consider which season is reasonable to go!
How to get to Mandalay?
From Vietnam, you can choose to fly to Mandalay International Airport. The round-trip ticket price is about 4 million VND. However, there are currently no direct flights from cities in Vietnam to Mandalay, so you need to transit 1 or 2 legs. To make your trip more convenient, book Mandalay airport shuttle service in advance at Klook , helping you save time booking a car and not worry about being "ripped off" when booking a car at the airport.
Activities Not to Miss When Traveling to Mandalay on Your Own
Mahamuni Temple
Built in 1785 by King Bodawpaya (Konbaung Dynasty), Mahamuni Pagoda is a popular pilgrimage site in Mandalay. It is also where the Buddha appeared some 2,000 years ago. The pagoda is known for its 13-foot-tall (about 4m) seated Buddha statue, which is the most revered Buddha statue in the country.
If you visit Mahamuni Pagoda in February and July, you cannot miss two traditional festivals here: Mahamuni Pagoda Festival (February) and Chinlone Festival (street football). Besides, Mahamuni Museum is also a place worth visiting, which displays everything about the life of Buddha, from his birth to his final nirvana.
Mandalay Royal Palace
Completed in 1959, this is the last royal palace of the Burmese monarchy, the residence of King Mindo and King Thibaw - the last two kings of the country. The entire architecture is built of wood, gilded and painted red with sophistication. Not only representing the majesty of the king, the palace is also a solid wall, protecting the entire royal family from enemy invasion. The wall system is 2 km long, 8 m high, 3 m thick, with 48 artillery launchers, outside is a deep moat, bringing magnificence and splendor.
Today, Mandalay Palace remains the pride of the people of Mandalay for its architecture and history, attracting millions of visitors every year.
Shwenandaw Monastery
This is the largest teak monastery in the area. It is where King Mindon came to meditate and read scriptures, and it is also where the king breathed his last in 1879. The predecessor of Shwenandaw Monastery was the Golden Palace, covered in leaves and gilded glass. Later, King Mindon completely renovated it with teak wood and elaborate carvings depicting the life of Buddha. Although it is a monastery, there are no monks living here, and it is currently only a place for sightseeing.
Dee Doke Falls
Located on the outskirts of Mandalay, this is a place that few tourists know about, but is a familiar place for locals. You will definitely be surprised by the beauty of Dee Doke Waterfall. With clear water due to the rich and abundant minerals, this is truly a "fairyland" on earth. In winter, when the weather drops, the water temperature at the waterfall is always warm, allowing you to play comfortably without worrying about catching a cold.
The road to Dee Doke waterfall is quite far and dangerous, you should go with local people to avoid getting lost and other risks.
The Old Capital of Amarapura
Amarapura was the ancient capital of Myanmar under King Bodawpaya of the Konbaung Dynasty. When coming to Amarapura, you cannot miss the Maha Gandhayon Kyaung Monastery and experience watching the sunset on the U Bein wooden bridge on the outskirts. The U Bein Bridge crosses Taungthaman Lake, is 1.2 km long, and is made of teak wood requisitioned from the palace in Inwa when they moved the capital to Amarapura. Construction began in 1849 and was completed in 1851. This is considered the longest and oldest bridge in the world.
U Bein Bridge is one of the ideal places to watch the sunset when traveling to Mandalay.
Kuthodaw Pagoda
This is a complex of temples and more than 700 small marble stupas. The main pagoda is 57m high and is modeled after the Shwezigon Pagoda in Nyaung U near Bagan. It is also known as the “World’s Largest Book”, inside are 729 stone slabs hand-carved with the Buddha’s Tripitaka in Pali. Each slab has 2 sides and is placed inside a small temple. Construction began in 1857, the engraving began in 1860 and took 8 years to complete. One of the attractions for visitors when coming here is the fragrant scent of jasmine flowers planted in the surrounding area.
Mandalay Hill
Mandalay Hill is located at an altitude of 240m, visitors to the pilgrimage tower at the top of the hill need to climb 1,729 steps on the southern staircase, or can also use the escalator, car or bus. On the way to the top of the hill, you will encounter many pagodas along the road. From the top of Mandalay Hill , you will see many famous places such as the Royal Palace, Sagaing Hill, Ayeyarwady River and Mingun in the west, Yankin Hill, YaeTa Khun Hill in the east.
Inwa Ancient City
The ancient city of Inwa is located 35 km south of central Mandalay and was the capital of Myanmar for four centuries. The city is like an island, surrounded by water; to the north is the Irrawaddy River, across the river is the Sagaing Mountains, to the east is a branch of the Mi Tange River, to the southwest is the canal where the two rivers converge.
To visit the citadel, you need to take a bus to Inwa city, then take a boat to the other side of the river. Moving between locations in the citadel by yourself is quite complicated because of the rugged terrain. You should join a guided tour to get the best sightseeing instructions.
Mingun Ancient Village
Mingun ancient village is located at the upper reaches of the Irrawaddy River, where many of the “treasures” of the land of ten thousand pagodas converge. Here are the stupa, Mingun bell and the extremely famous Chinthe statues, which are considered treasures by the people.
Mahar Aung Myay Market
Mahar Aung Myay Market, also known as the Jade Market , is a world-famous jade market. You can find everything from raw jade to exquisitely crafted jade statues here. Outside the market, a variety of jade is sold, from raw jade to exquisitely polished necklaces, all on simple wooden stalls. If you are looking for the famous Myanmar jadeite, you will need to pay a $1 entrance fee to enter the market.
Explore Mandalay Cuisine
Mohinga Fish Noodles
Mohinga is a traditional noodle dish of the people of Myanmar, the main ingredients of the dish are fish and fresh noodles (in some coastal areas, fish is replaced by meat with many different recipes). The broth is cooked with roasted ground rice, garlic, lemongrass, onion, fish sauce, ginger and chickpea flour. This is considered a familiar breakfast of the people of Myanmar. However, you can also find this dish at local tea shops or on the shoulder poles of street vendors at any time.
Samosa Salad
Samosa is a fried dumpling originating from India. When traveling to Myanmar, the dumpling was transformed with ingredients such as chickpeas, onions, cabbage and potatoes, creating an attractive salad on many streets. The dish is not simply fried vegetable ingredients mixed together, the rich broth is the secret to making the salad more special than ever.
Shan Rice
A unique fish rice dish of the Shan people - an ethnic group in Myanmar, bordering Mandalay, and considered the land of excellent dishes. Rice is cooked with golden turmeric water to enhance the flavor and color of the dish. After being cooked, the rice will be pressed onto a plate, served with crispy fried fish meat, and fragrant garlic oil. The spices of the dish such as garlic, chili, pepper, cloves have helped Shan rice become a favorite dish of most tourists when coming to Myanmar.
