Myanmar – Part Three: Monsoon Madness in Mandalay

Note: This post was originally written in 2013. Due to civil unrest in 2022, travel to Burma is currently not advised by the US State Department. Please check the current conditions before planning a visit.

Pop quiz…raise your hand if you knew that the Mandalay Bay casino in Las Vegas is themed (albeit very loosely) after Burma/Myanmar?

No takers? Well, never fear, I’m not sure many people have ever made that particular connection.

I know I never gave it much thought until I started booking flights for Myanmar. Just a fun fact I thought I’d share with you all as we continue our 3-city tour of Myanmar.

Mandalay is Myanmar’s second largest city and home to half of the country’s monks. But most people are surprised to discover that the city isn’t ancient at all.

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to book through these links, I receive a small commission, which I will undoubtedly blow on more flights (it’s a vicious cycle).  All of this internet voodoo takes place at no additional cost to you. 

In fact, technically Las Vegas is older.

Mandalay was created by King Mindon Min of Burma in 1857 as the new capital of the kingdom of Ava. By contrast, a group of Mormons were the first permanent Las Vegas settlers in 1855.

I know, I know, I am just full of fun facts today!

After beginning our Myanmar journey in Yangon, we then spent a few days exploring the temples of Bagan. Today, we arrive in Mandalay, the final stop on our week-long tour.

Where to stay in Mandalay

We piled into a taxi for the 45-minute drive into central Mandalay and to our hotel – the clean, new and very affordable (at just $41/night) Hotel Yadanarbon.

After checking in and ditching our bags, we grab a map and decide to take a walk over to check out the enormous Mandalay Palace complex. The palace encompasses nearly half the map and seems to be just a short walk away.

Mandalay Palace

Due to the scale of the map it turns out to be a much longer walk in the heat (and occasional rain) than we anticipated. So we stop for lunch along the way to re-group in the A/C.

Eventually, we make it around the enormous moat-enclosed complex to the eastern entrance. This is the only one tourists are allowed to enter and definitely not the closest entrance to where we arrived.

We buy our tickets and enter through the palace walls.

Built in 1857, the royal palace was reduced to ashes by the British during World War II. In the 90’s it was completely renovated and re-opened to visitors in 1996.

The palace complex reminds me a lot of Beijing’s Forbidden City, both in its design and its massive size. Except without the excessive crowds. In fact, like many of the tourist sites we’ve seen throughout Myanmar, we practically have the whole place to ourselves.

We wander the grounds going in and out of buildings for a while. Then, deciding we’ve seen enough, we begin the long walk back out.

This time we elect to take a taxi instead of walking the two or three miles back to the hotel. Outside our hotel, we are stopped by a local guide. He offers to drive us around to a few of the most popular sights later this afternoon followed by a trip up to Mandalay Hill for sunset.

These are all things on our list and since the weather is decent (no sun but no rain either) and his price is right, we agree.

We depart the hotel at 4pm and begin our tour at the Atumashi Monastery.

The Atumashi Monastery

The monastery is one of the 7 monuments built simultaneously when King Mindon founded the new capital in 1859. The monastery burnt down in 1892 and was used as a Christian Church in the early colonial period.

It was reconstructed along with the Mandalay Palace complex and also re-opened in 1996.

Shwenandaw Monastery

From the Atumashi Monastery, we walk next door to the Shwenandaw Monastery.

Made entirely out of teak wood, the monastery is part of the original royal palace built by King Mindon. It was moved to its current location by his son, King Thibaw in the late 19th century and is adorned with beautiful intricate wood carvings.

It is the only major building from the original wooden royal palace to survive the bombing during World War II. And thus, it’s the only authentic part of the royal palace which can still be seen today.

Kyauktawgyi Pagoda

Next stop, the Kyauktawgyi Pagoda which means “Pagoda of the Great Marble Image.”

The pagoda contains a giant image of the Buddha carved out of a single block of marble from the Sagyin Hill in 1865.

For our last stop before heading up the hill for sunset, we want to see what we’ve read is “the world’s largest book.”

Located at the foot of Mandalay Hill, the Kuthodaw Paya was built by King Mindon in the 1800’s. The 729 white stupas within the complex contain the complete text of the Tripitaka, Theravada Buddhism’s most sacred text.

Combined, they comprise the world’s largest book.

Mandalay Hill

As the designated time for sunset approaches (despite any real evidence of the sun), we move on to our final stop, Mandalay Hill.

There are two ways to get to the top of Mandalay Hill, drive up or make the one-hour hike.

Figuring we’ve already put in our walking miles today, we elect to drive. The top of the hill is dotted with pagodas and temples and there’s a terrific open area at the top that allows for 360-degree views of the city below.

It’s a simply fantastic view. Unfortunately, there is no sign of a sunset thanks to the cloud cover. So after enjoying the views from every angle, we call it a day and head back toward the hotel to find some dinner.

Before leaving our guide and driver, we make arrangements to tackle the rest of our Mandalay agenda – a trip out to the former royal capital of Amarapura – in the morning.

Day 2 – The former royal capital of Amarapura

The next morning we awake to a vigorous downpour outside our window.

Pleased that we have hired a car and driver for our 40-minute ride out to Amarapura. we grab our rain gear determined to make the best of it.

Meaning “City of Immortality,” Amarapura is situated just 7 miles south of Mandalay. King Bodawpaya (1781-1819) founded Amarapura to be his new capital in 1783 but despite the translation of its name, it was later moved.

From 1841-1857, King Mindon decided to make Amarapura the capital once again, before relocating to his planned city of Mandalay in 1860.

little remains of the old city. The palace buildings were dismantled piece by piece and moved by elephant to the new location, and the city walls were pulled down for use as building materials for roads and railways.

Today, Amarapura is best known for silk and cotton weaving. It’s also a popular day trip for tourists from Mandalay.

The plan for the day is to visit the Mahar Gandaryone Monastery and the famous teak bridge, the world’s longest.

Since sunshine isn’t a requirement for either, we press on.

But as soon as we step outside our hotel to meet our driver, we realize just how little rain it takes to flood the streets of Mandalay. The rain has only been falling for an hour or so but the already suspect Mandalay street infrastructure has clearly admitted defeat.

The street in front of our hotel (a pothole-laden dirt road) already has spots of rushing water. We step gingerly to get in the taxi while avoiding total foot submersion.

Once in the confines of the dry taxi, we settle in for the ride to Amarapura.

Along the way we pass numerous intersections filled with standing water. Locals wade through as if this happens every day (and it might this time of year).

Miraculously, we eventually arrive at the monastery without the car being swept away at an intersection resulting in a CNN-worthy rescue attempt. The rain is pounding on the roof of the car but our driver points in the direction we should walk and indicates that it’s time to get out.

Here goes nothing.

The Mahar Gandaryone Monastery

Founded in 1914, the Mahar Gandaryone Monastery and religious institute is one of the largest teaching monasteries in Myanmar.

More than 3,000 monks of all ages (including some very young novices) reside at this center for monastic study and strict religious discipline. We’ve come to the monastery for the same reason the other tourists do.

To witness the ritual of the monks partaking in their main daily meal.

But as soon as Angela and I arrive, the whole thing just feels wrong. The novice monks are busily setting row after row of tables with bowls of food in the open air dining room.

There are a few other tourists around and none of us know exactly where it’s okay to stand. It’s all just a bit awkward…like we really shouldn’t be here.

Yet for some reason tourists are apparently invited to witness this process each day.

When it’s lunchtime, the monks begin to arrive by the dozens. Each carrying umbrellas that perfectly match their burgundy robes to protect them from the torrential downpour. (I mean, hey, just because you’ve sacrificed material possessions doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style!)

Eventually, one of the monks who seems to be in charge comes around to the side of the dining hall. He directs us around to the other side for photographs. At least then we know we’re in the right place but it still feels strange to just watch them eat.

It doesn’t seem to bother the monks. But they also don’t seem overjoyed about it.

After the meal is done, one by one they reclaim their discarded umbrellas and return to their studies. When everyone has filed out, Angela and I still can’t shake the feeling that tourists shouldn’t be coming here and intruding on a monastery like this.

It was very different my only other monk experience with morning alms in Laos. That was a truly special experience where tourists were able to either participate in alms or just fade comfortably in the background.

Read More: Destined for Laos: The Beauty of Luang Prabang

This whole experience just reeks of disrespect. We search the monastery grounds for a donation box to ease our Nikon-carrying tourist guilt but are unsuccessful. Unsatisfied, we give up and head back to the car.

The U Bein (Teak) Bridge

Our next and final stop in Amarapura is the U Bein Bridge, more commonly known as the “teak bridge.”

Stretching for nearly a mile across Taungthaman Lake, the 200-year-old bridge is the longest teak bridge in the world. It’s also a popular place to watch the sun set each night. Since we’ve given up all hope of a sunset while in Mandalay, we settle for a morning visit after the monastery and call it a day.

Typically, tourists elect to walk across the bridge and then take one of the colorful local boats back.

Since it’s all we could do not to slide off the bridge in the rain, we skip that part. After walking a quarter-mile or so across, we return to shore and the dry interior of the taxi.

The Zay Cho Market

Back in the car, the plan is for our driver to drive us back into town and drop us at Mandalay’s main market, Zay Cho, for a little shopping.

But after walking through the market stalls for a bit, we find everything a local might need (clothing, electronics, toiletries) and nothing a tourist might want to buy (souvenirs, jewelry, gifts).

As it turns out, Mandalay is definitely not the place to go for shopping. There aren’t many (or any) shops that particularly cater to tourists. But luckily, we manage to pick up a few last-minute souvenirs at the airport the next day.

At this point we are technically walking distance from the hotel. But the rain continues unapologetically creating newly-formed rivers of water that make navigating on foot tricky.

Of course, there aren’t really taxis around either. So we start walking, varying our route every time we come upon a flooded road.

While most of the locals drive, bike and walk right through the ankle-deep water, I can’t help but be wary of whatever lurks below the surface of the water.

We almost make it all the way to the hotel without having to submerge our feet in the water. Until, that is, we reach one last intersection where we are trapped. So we wade in and it’s just as gross as I feared. But at least nothing bites me or crawls on me. I consider that a win.

Finally, we arrive back at the oasis of the dry hotel. And since we can’t bear the thought of heading back out into the flooded streets, we stick with the hotel’s restaurant for dinner.

The next morning, it’s time to leave the rain-soaked streets of Mandalay, and the rest of Myanmar, behind.

Final thoughts on Myanmar

It’s been an incredible week in Myanmar.

The somewhat lackluster city of Mandalay notwithstanding, the country has a startling number of impressive sights to share with the world. And we didn’t even see the region many say is Myanmar’s best, Inle Lake.

But despite recent improvements, Myanmar remains a very troubled land.

In 2011, a quasi-civilian was sworn in and national hero Aung San Suu Kyi was released from house arrest. But the government is still one of the world’s most corrupt and much of what tourists spend within the country on flights and hotels will end up lining government coffers.

For many years the tourism boycott persuaded most to steer clear of Myanmar entirely.

Today, that ban is lifted but it’s still up to each traveler to decide whether to visit. While much of the initial cost of your visit will go to the government, once inside the country you still have the choice to spend your money with local guides, at family-run restaurants and on traditional crafts.

The people of Myanmar are not their government.

They are gentle, inquisitive, engaging and passionate. They are eager to share their country and their way of life with the world. The women are strikingly beautiful and the children will steal your heart.

The country has such a rawness about it. There are none of the ubiquitous 7-11’s that have invaded Southeast Asia. In fact, you won’t even find a modern gas station (though these days you will find plenty of ATMs).

I got the joy of experiencing a country that has been shut off from the rest of the world for so long and seeing the excitement on the faces of those who are ready to share their home with the world.

It was truly a magical experience and one I will always treasure. So yes, the doors are open…but should you go? It’s up to you, of course, but I say go.

And go now while that initial purity still remains. Go while the women still wear thanaka and there’s not a McDonald’s or KFC to be found. Go before the hawkers spread out from Bagan and color the beauty of the country’s other majestic sights.

Go before there’s a Hilton or a Marriott or reliable power or monsoon-proof streets.

There aren’t many countries in the world with so much as yet undiscovered grandeur left for travelers to explore.

So go now. And smile at everyone. You’ll be immensely glad you did.

Next stop…back to Thailand.