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MANDALAY AND SURROUNDINGS
Mandalay is 79 meter above sea level and was founded by King
Mindon in 1856. It was the royal capital of the last monarchy of
Myanmar. The city earned its name from Mandalay Hill, 236 meter
high hill at the north-east of the palace. The city was completely
destroyed in the fierce fighting of World War II, including the
royal palace and so the pride and glory of Mandalay has been
partially restored. It still has great importance as a cultural
center. And this royal city is the heart of handicrafts and
cottage industries, artistry and religion. About 60% of all the
monks in Myanmar reside in the Mandalay area. It’s also said that
Mandalay residents speak better Burmese than anyone in Myanmar. It
is centrally located in Myanmar linked with waterway, railroads,
motor-roads and domestic airline-network to the capital city,
Yangon and other cities nation wide
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| TRANSPORT How to
get there?
You can travel to Mandalay by car, by air or by train.
Where to stay there?
You can stay in modern hotels, motels and inns with excellent
services and courteous staff.
Where to eat there?
You can try local food or any other continental food plus
Asian cuisine.
It is centrally located in Myanmar linked with railroads, motor
roads and domestic air network to Yangon, the capital city of
Myanmar and nation wide cities. The visitors will be ravished by
the scenery of Mandalay. The mighty Ayeyarwaddy river is also
useful for Island Water Transport using up-and-down cruising along
Myanmar's cities.
MANDALAY AND SURROUNDINGS
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MANDALAY HILL
Legend claims that Lord Buddha had made a prophecy that a
great city would be arisen at the foot of Mandalay hill which
rises to 230 meters. Half and hour climb up the steps brings
you to the panoramic view over the palace, Mandalay and pagoda
studded countryside. There is an elevator at the main entrance
to save your walk.
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MANDALAY PALACE
The palace was almost completely destroyed by fire during
the World War II but the remaining-palace walls, city gates
and the moat can still be seen. Models or replicas of the
palace were built recently.
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KYAUKTAWGYI PAGODA
Stands close the southern entrance to Mandalay Hill. This
huge seated Buddha Image carved from a single block of marble.
It was built by King Mindon in 1865. Those who wished to study
the treatise of Buddhism can completely see and read them.
“Pali” Language is used in the inscription.
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KUTHODAW PAGODA
Known as the world’s biggest book for standing around the
central stupa are 729 marble slabs on which are inscribed the
entire Tripitaka. Each slab is housed in its own individual
small stupa. Built in 1859 by King Mindon. Those who wish to
study Buddhism treatise completely there. “Pali” Language is
used in the inscription.
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ATUMASHI KYAUNG
This Atumashi Kyaung (unrivalled Monastery), traditional
Myanmar Monastic construction – a masonry base topped by a
wooden building was built in 1857 by King Mindon. It was
caught fire in 1890. Although it is now only a pale shadow of
its original form, the ruined building is still impressive.
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SHWENANDAW KYAUNG
This Shwenandaw Kyaung (The Golden Monastery) is of great
interest, not only as a fine example of a traditional Myanmar
wooden monastery, but also as a fragile reminder of old
Mandalay Fort.
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MAHAMUNI PAGODA
It is the landmark of Mandalay. 4m-high seated image is
cast in bronze completely covered the figure in a 15cm- thick
layer of gold leaf by thousands of devout Buddhists over the
years. King Bo Daw paya brought the image from Rakhine State
in 1784. Many devotees are present everyday visiting the
pagoda. It is the must to visit while you are in Mandalay.
Each morning at 4 am, Yedaw Sayadaw and his accompany wash the
Mahamuni’s face and even brush its teeth – an event well worth
getting up early to see.
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ARTS & CRAFTS
Myanmar arts and crafts are abundant in Mandalay and you
can get some really good. There are many little shops selling
gems, wood carving, stone curving, and tapestries, silk and
other crafts.
SURROUNDINGS
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Some 11 km south of Mandalay
is the town of Amarapura. It was the capital of Konbaung
Dynasty during the reign of King Bodawpaya when he moved its
capital to Amarapura in 1783. After forty years of reigns, the
capital was moved to Inwa and Amarapura was left desolated.
Although the glorious days of Amarapura were short-lived, the
great events occurred during the reigns. Places of interest
are Pahtodawgyi Pagoda, U Bein Bridge, 1.2 km long teak bridge
across the Taungthaman Lake, Kyauktawgyi Pagoda, Nagayon
Pagoda, Mahagandaryone Monastery with a famous collection of
Buddha Images where more than a thousand of monks who take
their last meal of the day at 10 am in the morning in total
silence and Cotton and Silk Weaving Cottage Industry.
Significantly, U Bein Bridge attracts foreign tourists for its
unusual bridge construction-with no nails studded. It is an
amazing Myanmar's old architecture method indeed. U Bein
Bridge attracts tourists for its unusual bridge construction
with no nails studded.
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One of the most scenic sites
of Myanmar with numerous pagodas crowning the top of the hills
lay 21 km south-west of Mandalay and west bank of the
Ayeyarwaddy River. Sagaing is famous as a Buddhists retreat
where over 400 monasteries for monks and nuns are located for
Buddhist studies and meditation around the Sagaing Hill which
is dotted with pagodas. Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda, the dome
shaped Kaung Hmudaw Pagoda, and Ywahtaung (home of the
silversmiths' guilds) are places worth visiting. Innwa Tadar (Ava
Bridge) is the oldest bridge built across Ayeyarwaddy. Nearby
is the famous Thabyedan Fort. Myanmar of all over the country
would visit Sagaing for the purpose of religious retreat.
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Innwa lies at the confluence
of the Ayeyarwaddy and the Dothtavati rivers about 20 miles
south west of Mandalay. The King Thadominbya founded the city
in 1364 and it flourished for nearly three hundred years
bringing forth its Myanmar culture and literature to the
highest pitch. Nanmyint Watch Tower, Maha Aung Myay Bonzan
Monastery, Bagaya Wooden Monastery, Menu brick monastery and
alms bowls and Lacquer ware Industry are the highlights of
Inwa.
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Located about 11 km upriver
from Mandalay on the western banks of the Ayeyarwaddy River,
is a town well-known for its 90 ton Mingun Bell, the largest
ringing bell in the world; a mammoth unfinished Mingun Pagoda
overlooking the Ayeyarwaddy River; Settawya Pagoda, and
Sinbyume Pagoda and 45 minutes cruise along the river can view
some of the village life of the people on the river banks.
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A place where there are past,
British Colonial buildings exist. Over 1000 m above sea level,
the foothills of the Shan Plateau, a popular hill station
about 69 km away from Mandalay. It is always known as Pyin Oo
Lwin by the natives was renamed Maymyo after Colonel May, a
British officer in the Bengal Infantry who was stationed at
this hill station. It is well-known for its colonial style
houses with large compound and pine tree and silver oak around
in town. It is also known as Pan Myo Daw (the city of flower).
Interested places are 175 hectare National Kandawgyi Park, Pwe
Kauk and Ani-sakan Waterfalls. One that you should not miss is
a ride on the old horse-drawn coach.
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Situated some 136 km north of
Mandalay, Monywa is the centre of the Chindwin Valley. Being
the second largest river of Myanmar, Chindwin is important for
trading in the area. History has it that Monywa was founded in
the Bagan era (1044-1287) and it was formerly called "Thalarwady".
It is noted for its unusual temples. One of the most famous is
Thanboddhay Temple, which resembles Indonesia's Borobudur
because of similarities in its architectural design. It was
built between 1939 and 1952 by Moenyin Sayadaw enshrines
512028 status Some grottos are built since Bagan Period but
wall painting are still in good condition. You can also visit
the amazing place of 1000 Boddhi Trees (kind of Banyan tree)
under each of which was built a Buddha image. Four kilometers
past Thanboddhay is 90 meters long reclining Buddha image on
top of a hill. A very small museum, inside of which are 9000
Buddha images, attached with the reclining image. Another
highlight of Monywa is the Crater Lake of Twin Hills.
According to geologists, it was the crater of an extinct
volcano some five million years ago. But another version said
that it was the effect of a meteorite, and rainfall
subsequently filled the crater to form a lake. There is now an
algae processing plant there. Po Win Taung / Shwe ba Taung are
on the West Bank of Chindwin River. There, temples and caves
are curved out of volcanic rocks and inside walls of some
caves are decorated with 13th century / 18th century mural
paintings. The water way from Monywa to Bagan by boat is only
four and a half hour trip. But you will find it very short, as
the landscape of both riversides is more than just
picturesque. You will also see the confluence of Chindwin and
Ayeyarwaddy rivers on the way. You will be ravished by the
scenery of mighty Ayeyarwaddy River and its river bank.
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