DAILY EXCURSIONS FROM MANDALAY

MINGUN Only an hour's boat trip from Mandalay, Mingun is noted for its 90-ton bell, which is the largest ringing bell in the world and its unfinished huge pagoda, the world's largest piece of bricks with 50 meter in height, obscuring life along the river banks. Since one must go bare-footed in all pagodas, it is quite a climb to the top - finished or unfinished - but the views over the village and the river are spectacular.

Pahtodawgyi Pagoda,Mingun

SAGAING Situated 21 km southwest of Mandalay, Sagaing Hills is known as the heart of the Buddhist religion with over 400 monasteries for monks and nuns. The sunsets over the Ayeyarwaddy River, viewed from Son Oo Ponyashin Pagoda, are breathtaking.

La Padamyar Sedi,Sagaing Colina

AMARAPURA
"Clackety-clack, clackety-clack" you hear while strolling through Amarapura, nowadays famous for silk and cotton weaving, but in ancient times known as the "City of Immortals".

El U Bein Bridge,Amarapura

The former capital of Upper Burma (until 1850) is located idyllically at the Thaungthaman Lake which is crossed by the U BEIN BRIDGE, a teak footbridge spanning 1.2 km, the world's longest of its kind. Why not having a Chinese tea at the banks of the Thaungthaman Lake before you walk accross the bridge to the

KYAUKTAWGYI PAGODA,
which houses an excellent seated Buddha image and has wonderful well-preserved frescoes in the four entrance porches..

BAGAYA MONASTERY
You will find here over 400 Buddha statues and the oldest Buddhist scriptures which are written on palm leaves.

PYIN OO LWIN, also known as Maymyo, when it was a British hill station. The old stagecoaches are still operating as local taxi service. There is plenty to see, such as the wonderful Botanical Garden, Pwe Kauk Waterfall, the busy market and the newly built Pye Lone Chan Tha Pagoda, which houses a mysterious Buddha image. Why not taking a train one early morning which takes a winding curcuitous route up through the hills at sunrise! El Jardín botánico en Maymyo  El Carruaje del caballo en Maymyo

En route encounter wonderful markets for rice, beans, peanuts and corn. Highlights are the
 

THANBOKEDE PAGODA with over 500,000 Buddha images,

El Templo de Thanbuddhay en Monywa

LEDI KYAUNGTAIK
where over 806 stone slabs of Buddhist scriptures are inscribed,

BODDHI TAHTAUNG,
which means 'One Thousand Bo Trees', and, not to forget,

SHWE THALYAUNG,
the Reclining Buddha, over 70 meters in length and - again - the largest one in the world.

MOGOKE
It is said that the land of Mogoke existed about 1-thousand million years ago…  after a 5 and a half hours drive north of Mandalay you will arrive to the City of Gem Mines . Located at 3,800 ft, picturesquely and naturally surrounded by chains of high mountains, Mogoke also enjoys a temperate climate. Observe the mining techniques by which these precious stones are taken from the alluvial limestone gravel!

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© 1999 Myriam Grest Thein