Mandalay - the last capital of the kings of Myanmar and the second largest city in the country after Yangon is .This is the world famous center of Buddhism, there are more than 700 beautiful pagodas in it .Main Attractions: Amarapura - the ancient city of the royal dynasty, where the Mahagandajon Monastery is now located .Among the unique relics of the city - the largest in the world "Book in stone" on 729 marble slabs, the Mahamuni temple, a unique Buddha statue, which, according to legend, was personally attended by the Buddha Shakyamuni (and certainly gave valuable recommendations).
19.02, 23.04 Cambodia - Laos - China - Myanmar - 4 countries in 20 days
"The wonders of Asia. Mysterious Shangri-La from 322 000 rubles.
Climate Mandalay
Clearly +36 ° С in the afternoon +20 ° С at night ° С water |
Clearly +37 ° С день +21 ° С at night ° С water |
Clearly +37 ° С день +22 ° С at night ° С water |
| Mandalay weather forecast for 10 days | ||
| Average monthly temperature, ° C | ||||||||||||
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| in the daytime | + 28 | + 28 | + 31 | + 36 | + 38 | + 37 | + 34 | + 34 | + 33 | + 33 | + 32 | + 29 |
| night | + 13 | + 13 | + 15 | + 19 | + 25 | + 26 | + 26 | + 26 | + 25 | + 24 | + 23 | + 19 |
Transport
It is easiest to travel around the city by taxi, but remember that when landing in a car there is no fixed price, the number of passengers is taken into account, each has to pay a separate fee.
Kitchen and restaurants
You can eat up to a dump for 2000 kyat (ie less than two dollars), but this does not apply to the center and tourist places. A snack with tea and pies costs 500 kyat. It is necessary to try Vanudu (condensed milk with fruit) and avoid a specific sauce from rotten fish.
Of spirits pleasant taste has a local whiskey "Grand Myanmar", rum "Myanmar", is especially curious rum of 15 years of aging in a clay bottle, which is carefully embedded in an embroidered pouch. Also unusual is the "Herbal" rum with antimalarial effect, which is sold in large stores "Dagon Star" in Yangon.
Restaurant Zandro (address: 27th Road, 75th х 76th (Bet)) is equipped simply, but with taste. The cost of a hot dish is 1, 5-2, 5 $, local delicacy "Red Crab" - $ 3, 5 $, fruit fresh - 0, 4-0, 5 $, beer - 1, 2 $. In downtown there is an interesting institution Lashio Lay Restaurant, which is located at the intersection of 84 and 23 streets, next to the Classic Hotel, which features Shan cuisine. Inexpensive, and most importantly - insanely delicious.
Entertainment, sightseeing and sightseeing Mandalay
In the center of the city stands the Palace, guarded by the fort of Mandalay with towers, twelve gates. The palace is built according to the same principles as Angkor (Cambodia) and Borobudur (Indonesia) and it should be said that the sacred place for construction was selected scrupulously and methodically: many ancient astrologers worked. 89 main halls are amazed by the luxury of the scenery, the exquisite decoration that contemporaries managed to recreate from photographs, paintings, manuscripts preserved on palm leaves.
Near the northeastern corner of the Kremlin, there is the famous Kutodav Paya complex with 729 stone pavilions, each of which has one "page" .Of all the pages of the grandiose stone book, the full text of the Tripitaka in the Pali language .For reading such a huge book it takes 450 days continuously .Nearby is another pagoda Sadamuni (Sandamuni), attracting tourists and believers with stone slabs with Buddhist texts .The graceful monastery of Shwenandaw (Shwenandaw), all of its kind, recalls the former grandeur of the huge magnificent palace of King Mingdong Ming .
Mandalay Hill
The Mandalay Hill is easy to find, it is located to the north-east of the city center, towering above the squat houses light-winged pagodas, ready just about to break into the skies from any gust of wind. This is an amazing complex of buildings, fenced off from a bustling world, firstly, 2,000 steps, to be more precise 1,729, and secondly, a wall.
Local monks poetically call the hill the place where the "Ten Burmese Flowers" bloom .And the lesser feat the pilgrim can decide on is climbing the main staircase on foot .At the level of 425 steps, by the way, there is a pretty platform for viewing .This is not the last stop on the way to the top: somewhere you can wander through the picturesque halls, in some secluded corners you can buy Buddhist souvenirs, but you will hardly miss the hall of the hermit U Kanti, where relics from Peshawar are stored .These are three fragments of the bone of the Gautama Buddha delivered to Mandalay 2000 years ago .
Maha Muni Pagoda
Another pride of the second capital of Burma is the Mahar Myat Muni pagoda, which holds in its bowels a four-meter golden statue of the Buddha. It is always crowded: there are many who want to touch the statue. The image of the Buddha was brought from the conquered Arakan kingdom complete with six bronze statues: the elephant Airavata, three mythical lions and two soldiers in the image of Shiva.
- Buy at the entrance to the pagoda Mahamuni small gold plates to rub them into the statue of the Buddha along with many other believers. This happens during the morning ritual of ablution of the Face of Buddha Maha Muni, protected by special glass.
- Admire 42 species of rare orchids grown in the National Botanical Gardens of Pien-O-Lwin, not far from Mandalay.
- Share a meal with the monks of the Mahagandhayon monastery in the town of Amarapura.
- Wander through the Mandalay Chinatown at night to visit the lively night market.
- To buy souvenirs in local marble and tin shops, where the most amazing commodity is the sikara for spiers made of gilded tin leaves, creating a melodious fairy tale in the wind.
Incomparable Monastery
Another grandiose architectural project is Atumashichawn or the Incomparable Monastery. This is a stunning wooden building on a high platform with a wide ceremonial staircase. Inside the temple there is a large lacquer sculpture of Buddha, fragments of sacred texts of Theravada Buddhism and other unique values.
Evening program
Must visit the evening show of the Mustache Brothers, which includes elements of national dance, drama, satire. Also in Mandalay there are two puppet theaters: Mandalay Marionettes and Mintha Theater. The first is old, and is known all over the world, the second is somewhat younger, with a cozy chamber atmosphere. Local puppeteers are real virtuosos, dolls are extraordinarily beautiful and elegant, the whole action is accompanied by playing musical instruments, the elements of Burmese dances are skillfully interwoven in the performance.
Suburbs of Manadalaya
First, it is worth looking into the city of Amarapura, which in the 18th century was the capital of the state, and is now famous for the tombs of two famous kings - Bigyado and Bodapaya .Quiet provincial corner, located on the shore of Lake Taungtman .Naturally, the tourists, above all, the Mahagandhayon monastery, are curious to tourists, during the excursion on which you can learn in detail the modern life of the monks of Burma .Just recently, the restored Mandalay Fortress and the Royal Palace opened their doors .A string of tourists reaches for the bridge to Amarapura, whose wooden laces are thrown across the lake .Built in 1850, this is the longest teak bridge in the world (its length is 1, 2 km) .
Inva and Sagain
If you travel 21 km from Mandalay, you can visit the town of Inwa, which was once called Ava. His pearl is the monastery of Borgaya (The Grand Bargaya), decorated with floor arabesques, carvings, figures of birds and animals. The equally exotic ancient capital of Myanmar is the city of Sagain, one of the most popular places for meditation, where experienced mentors are spiritually directed to the world of harmony and self-knowledge.
Mingun
If you move 11 km up from Mandalay along the Irrawaddy River, the road will certainly bring you to Mingun city, where the famous Mingun stupa is located, which is still unfinished and thus not reached the planned heights .There is also a small copy of the stupa Mingun - Pondawya Pagoda (Pondawya) .But the most important sight of Mingun is a giant bronze bell weighing 90 tons, which is the biggest "ringing" bell on Earth .Seven wavy terraces symbolizing the seven mountain chains surrounding the sacred Meru mountain, wrapped in the magic pagoda of Hsinbyume, an amazingly romantic and calming picture . Photos Mandalay (1)