Day trips from Mandalay: Top 5 excursions

Recently we uploaded our post of things to do in Mandalay and, while there is plenty to do within the city, there are also a few wonders to be discovered in the surroundings using Mandalay as a base camp. Some of our most amazing experiences in Myanmar were these little day-excursions. Here’s a list of amazing day trips from Mandalay.

Amazing excursions from Mandalay

1. U Bein Bridge

U Bein Bridge is a very famous location in Myanmar. It is located near the former royal capital Amarapura and crosses the Taung Tha Man Lake. The 1.2 km (0.75 mi) bridge was built around 1850 and is the oldest and longest teak wood bridge in the world. The bridge was actually built with wood from the former royal palace in Inwa.

Local crossing through the U Bein Bridge in low tide (and season)

The bridge is an important passageway for locals, and its particularly busy in July and August, when the lake is at its fullest. You can walk from the old royal capital of Amarapura to Kyauk Taw Gyi Pagoda. The best moment to go? Well, sunrise and sunsets because of the magical light it gets.

U Bein in high season, when the lake level nearly reaches the bridge

U Bein Bridge at sunset

Travel tip: if you are occidental-looking, be ready to have some locals ask for pictures with you. This happened throughout our trip, but particularly here.

2. Amarapura

The last royal capital before Mandalay, this city sitting next to the Taungthaman Lake and the U Bein Bridge has still some things to offer. The roads are wider than in Mandalay, and the alleys are twisted, giving it a more rural feel than the modern city. A few pagodas are interesting, such as Taung Mingyi Pagoda, and there are remainings of the walls of the city. Werawsana Jade Pagoda, the only pagoda in the world made entirely of jade, is a highlight of the area.

The Werawsana Jade Pagoda

Amarapura is also known for its silk weaving, so if you want a good quality longyi (the local traditional skirt) or a silk scarf, here’s your chance! Other handicrafts like bronze sculptures, tiles, pottery and baskets are also manufactured here.

3. Sagaing

Sagaing is an ancient royal capital (14th century and then again briefly in the 18th century) situated 20 km south-west of Mandalay on the opposite bank of the Irrawaddy river, across the Yadanabon Bridge. It is famous for the high density of Buddhist monasteries, and it has become an important religious and monastic centre.

The Yadanabon Bridge and at the end the Sagaing Hills

Sagaing Hill differentiates itself from Mandalay for the lack of crowded and dirty roads. Instead, golden and white pagodas are spread among a green hill, shining with the reflection of sunlight. At the top of the hill you’ll find Soon U Ponya Shin Paya, which is the point with the best views in the region.

View from Soon U Ponya Shin Paya at the top of Sagaing Hill

Another interesting stop in our Sagaing trek is the U Min Thonze Pagoda, or the pagoda of the 30 caves. It is a spectacular pagoda in a long shape with 30 pillars and endless Buddha statues with a view to the whole Sagaing.

The spectacular U Min Thonze Pagoda

Young nuns praying at the U Min Thonze Pagoda

Travel tip: with the Mandalay Archeological Zone Ticket (10,000 kyat) you’ll also gain access to Sagaing Hill. You can buy a separate ticket for each attraction, but it’ll be more expensive.

4. Inwa

Inwa or Ava is another ancient imperial capital of several Burmese kingdoms from the 14th to the 19th centuries. After a series of major earthquakes in 1839 it was finally abandoned. Today, an archeological site remains that is very attractive for the visitors. It was one of the highlights of our trip.

To reach Inwa, you will probably take a boat from the other side of the Irrawaddy river and they will take you directly to the ancient city. Entering the city of Inwa feels like going into a magical land of Jungle Book ruins among banana plantations, rice fields and basically with no tourists.

Travel tip: they will offer you a ride in a horse carriage at the entrance. We decided that the horses didn’t look like they were treated very well and we decided to walk instead. Perhaps that is why we didn’t see any tourists. I really recommend this because you get to decide your way and see much more “off-the-beaten-path”. Plus, you save some kyats and you don’t support the way these animals are being treated.

We discovered this construction hidden among banana trees, out of the main road (not possible with the carriages)

A Burmese woman with her child crossing the overflooded lake

5. Mingun

Mingun is a town located north-west of Mandalay, 11 km up the Irrawady river. It is a wonderful location with two of the most incredible temples of the country (and let me dare to say the world).

The boat ride

Since it is on the other side of the Irrawady river, so the best way to get there is by boat (which is an experience by itself). We took the boat at the Mingun Jetty (click here for a map). They made us walk through very thin and unstable wooden planks held by them over the muddy water and then jump through several rows of boats until we reached ours. Then, they gave us some chairs to place wherever we wanted over the deck.

When we sailed, we started seeing small floating towns, a small taste of what we would see later on in Inle Lake. And from afar we could already see the massive Mingun Pahtodawgyi.

Floating village in our boat trip to Mingun

Life in a floating house in our boat trip to Mingun

View of Mingun Pahtodawgyi and Hsinbyume Pagoda from the boat

Mingun Pahtodawgyi

The first we did when we landed was to visit Mingun Pahtodawgyi, an uncompleted stupa that started building in 1790 by King Bodawpaya. The construction never finished because astronomers foretold the King that the kingdom would end if it were ever completed. The aim was to build the largest stupa in the world, and, if finished, it would have been at 150 m tall (490 ft). Some damages are visible from the earthquake in 1839.

Mingun Pahtodawgyi

In front of the stupa there is a little shop were some really funny ladies sell some souvenirs. They made fresh thanaka (the whitish paste that Burmese people wear on their face) for us to try. Next to these stores there’s a big rock that if you come close it is designed to look like an elephant. Also, some of the cutest stray dogs were playing around that area.

My friend Esther and I trying on some traditional Burmese thanaka

Elephant-shaped rock in Mingun

The most beautiful stray dogs

Further down the main road you will find Mingun Bell, a 90 tons bell that King Bodawpaya had cast for his magnificent stupa. For a long time this was the largest bell in the world, later surpassed by the Bell of Good Luck in Henan, China. You are supposed to strike the bell three times for good luck.

Hsinbyume Pagoda

If you continue down the same road, you will find one of the most beautiful temples in Myanmar, even in the world. That is the instagram-famous Hsinbyume Pagoda, also called Mya Thein Tan. It was built by King Bagyidaw in 1816 to honour his favourite wife, Hsinbyume (Lady of the White Elephant). The temple is crisp white and built in a circular way, with waves all around it. If you climb up the temple you will have great views of Mingun Pahtodaugyi and the river.

The stunning Hsinbyume Pagoda

Getting lost in the whiteness of Hsinbyume Pagoda

The fantastic views of Mingun Pahtodawgyi from the top of Hsinbyume Pagoda

Closing statement

Due to their location, we suggest you combine U Bein, Sagaing and Inwa on one day, and then Mingun can be a half a day trip (boats leave Mandalay at 9 am and come back at 1 pm).

As you see there are some wonderful day trips you can take while you are in Mandalay and, if you add it to all the things you can do within the city, it makes it a place worth stopping for a few days. If you would like more ideas on what to do while you’re in Myanmar, check out this post.

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