Mandalay – The Heart of Myanmar

Today our guide and driver will greet you at your hotel to embark on a full day of sightseeing in Mandalay and Mingun.

Begin with a walk up Mandalay Hill. Rising 240 meters above the city, the hill provides a great viewing platform of the surrounding countryside, Irrawaddy River and city center. At the base of the hill you’ll stop to visit Shwe Nandaw Kyuang- or Golden Palace Monastery- which is noted for its intricate wood carvings and to Kayuktawgyi Pagoda to view the huge marble Buddha. The marble is from Sagyin quarry and took 10,000 men almost two weeks to transfer the rock from the riverside to its current location. You will finally visit Kuthodaw Pagoda, home to ‘the world’s largest book’, a collection of more than 700 marble slabs inscribed with Buddhist teachings. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant by the riverside.

This afternoon take a boat trip up the Irrawaddy River from Mandalay to the riverside village of Mingun, enjoying the picturesque scenery of this river and the lifestyles of the local people who live and work on these waters. Unlike Ava and Amarapura, Mingun was not a royal capital yet has many interesting sites to see.

You will visit the Mingun Bell which weighs more than 87 tons and is more than 3.7 meters tall. This is the world’s largest uncracked bell. Just south of the bell you’ll also visit Mingun Pagoda, a giant brick structure built in the late 1700s and although it was unfinished due to economic troubles it is still an impressive site. Mingun’s other highlight is the Hisnbyume Pagoda, a white-washed temple built to resemble Mount Meru. Throughout Mingun there are small neighborhoods crafting traditional basketry and other artistic items and there is plenty of time to stop and interact with the craftsmen and friendly locals. Return by boat late this afternoon, as the sun begins to set. From the jetty transfer back to your hotel. End of services.