Things to do in  Mandalay

Mahamuni Buddha Temple, nestled in the majestic Mandalay Hill in Myanmar, is a venerable sanctuary that reveres the Mahamuni (Great Sage) manifestation of the Buddha. This pagoda is significant to Mandalay locals and was constructed to house a timeworn 12.5-foot (3.8-meter) tall Buddha statue that predates the conquest of Arakan.

A former capital of the Burmese kingdom, Amarapura very much shows its royal roots, with a beautiful old palace and pagodas that draw in a regular stream of visitors from nearby Mandalay. One of the city’s most recognizable sites is the U Bein Bridge, constructed entirely from teak wood in the middle of the 19th century.

Peppered with golden pagodas, Mandalay Hill looms over what’s otherwise a very flat city. This 790-foot (240-meter) hill is significant for the locals of Mandalay; according to legend, the Buddha visited and prophesied that a thriving city would be built below. It’s the perfect place to watch the sunset and admire the city's glimmering stupas.

Located upstream and across the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) River from Mandalay, Mingun was once an ancient capital of Myanmar. The area is most famous for the Mingun Pahtodawgyi Pagoda, a massive unfinished stupa, in addition to one of the world’s largest ringing bells, and the architecturally unique Hsinbyume Pagoda.

Nestled at the foot of Mandalay Hill, this grand wooden monastery is decorated with intricate carvings depicting Buddhist parables, animals, and flowers. Made entirely of teak, the building has been painstakingly reconstructed since it was engulfed in flames during World War II, and remains the only wooden structure in the Mandalay Royal Palace complex.