Myanmar Day 5 – Mandalay Expedition

Today is my Mandalay day trip and I would be walking a lot again as my leg muscle is really sour. Anyway The Boat leave to Mingun at 9am and back to Mandalay at 1pm and there are many tourist using this boat to visit Mingun.



I had my breakfast at 7:30am and start my 30 minutes walking from Rich Queen guesthouse to Mayanchan Jetty. The boat need more tourists in order to start the journey to Mingun and is a surprise that the boat have around 15 foreign tourists where my Mingun trip is a reality without cancelling.


Reaching Mingun at around 10am and I have 3 hours to walk around Mingun. There are 3 highlight at Mingun and the most I like is the Mingun Paya which is the unfinished temple with some crack during the earthquake. If its finish then it is one of the largest temple. There are entrance fee charge of US$3 for Mingun and Sagaing.


The next attraction at Mingun would be the Mingun bell which is the second largest in the world if the Mingun paya is completed.


The next attraction would be the Hsinbyume Pagoda which is the white pagoda and it is a lovely pagoda with beautiful scenery at the top as well. I complete the Mingun temple at 12pm and have my lunch at a restaurant near the Mingun jetty.


Reaching back Mandalay at 1:45pm and then get a motor taxi to engage for a half day expedition to Sagaing and Amarapura U-bein bridge for about 10,000kyats which I think is reasonable as well.
Before heading to Sagaing, I visited the temples around Mandalay like Kuthodaw Pagoda where it is the largest book where the Buddhism scipts is crave at the stone and there are many stone at the location. It is something special to have a look.


Then heading to Sagaing Hill for about 45 minutes with the motor taxi and is quite tough with a back pain sitting for long time and the cost is really worth I guess. Reach Sagaing hill and then walking up about 20 minutes and the scenery is beautiful with the view of the Sagaing bridge and also multiple white pagoda scattered around Sagaing.


Then heading to Ubein bridge at Amarapura for about 30 minutes journey by motor taxi. The bridge is really a old woodern long bridge but it is a romantic place sitting along the bridge or take a boat to watch sunset around the Ubein bridge. There are many locals like to enjoy the view at Ubein bridge as well.

It is a tiring day for me at Mandalay and I have a simple dinner and heading back to guesthouse to have a good rest. This is the last Myanmar city exploration before heading back to Yangon for a relax and rest day before heading back home.

Myanmar Day 4 – Journey to Mandalay

I have another half day at Bagan before leaving to Mandalay at 3pm. So I decided to rent a electric bicycle for about cost US$5 to cycle to New Bagan and Old Bagan to have a visit of full Bagan tour. I really love the electric bicycle as it is easy and less tiring after few day walking at Myanmar.



So I travel to New Bagan for about 30 minutes with some stop at the road for some ruins temple at Bagan passing by a Myinkaba village where the Manuha temple located but I did not visit cause I am focus on town rather than temples. New Bagan is similar to Nyaung U and Old Bagan is just another street of similar.



I am interested with the riverside where I just cycle into Lawkananda temple to have a last temple visit of Bagan and then have a break at the stall along the riverside before paying a visit to Si Thu Restaurant along the river to have a comparison with Beach Bagan Restaurant at Nyaung U and I still prefer Beach Bagan which is slightly better but there are nothing special of the sunset restaurant as mentioned.



Then after check out New Park Bagan, I have my lunch at a highly TA rated at Restaurant road, Nyaung U namely Weather Spoon Bagan. The owner and the restaurant is nice and friendly and I would like to recommend everyone as well. I hang around the restaurant for 2 hours before heading to the bus station for Mandalay.



The journey to Mandalay takes around 5.5 hours and its cost around 8,000kyats. We stop half way along the bumpy road to a local Myanmar restaurant and it is my first time trying Myanmar food. The first half of the road is through the bumpy and village road and another surprise is there are is another highway newly build take only take 1 hour to reach Mandalay which initially take additional 3 to 4 hours I believe.



Reaching Mandalay is another good experience as the city which are full of motor taxi and busy street. Without hesitation I took a motor taxi for about US$3 to go to Rich Queen Guesthouse which is quite expensive as it was 10pm and I am so tired without further consideration.
Rich Queen Guesthouse is near to the Mayanchan Jetty but it is not convenient to food or city center in my opinion. The 2 single bedroom cost me only US$20 which is quite reasonable for my budget. The most I like is near the Jetty as I am targeting to go Mingun the next day.

Next Day

Myanmar Day 3 – Bagan Adventure

Wake up at 7am and continue with my free breakfast included at 7:30am before going to the Hotel entrance to negotiate for a horse cart tour for about 15,000kyats to visit atleast 10 temples which is quite reasonable.



Here is the itinerary in sequence starting from 8am till 4pm for horse cart tour with some summary of the temples:-


Buu le' thee pagoda - The first simple temple which allow climb to the top for beautiful scenery view of Bagan. (Refer to above photos)


Sulamani temple - The temple with beautiful crave buddihsm story on the temple wall.(Refer to above photos)


Dammanyangyi temple - This is the largest temple in Bagan (Refer to above photos)


Anananda temple - This is one of the famous & important temple and it is still very active and lively among the locals for praying.(Refer to above photos)


Thabanyu temple - This is the tallest temple in Bagan.(Refer to above photos)


Shwe gu gyi temple - Another simple temple which allow climb to the top to have another view of Bagan.(Refer to above photos)

Mahabothi temple - Simple temple with the bothi tree.


Lunch at Sarabha at Old Bagan


Bupaya temple - The temple along the river.(Refer to above photos)


Gaw Daw Palin temple - I have no comment on this simple temple.


Htilo minlo temple - I believe it is beautiful red & grand temple between old bagan & nyaung U.(Refer to above photos)


Shwezigon temple - It is a temple similar to Yangon Shwedagon temple.(Refer to above photos)

Next Day