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Destination in Myanmar
Around Mandalay
Amarapura
 Amarapura
meaning "City of Immortality" is a city in the Mandalay Division
of Myanmar, situated 11 km to the south of Mandalay. The locals
sometimes refer to it as Taungmyo (Southern City) to distinguish
it from Mandalay (Northern City). U Bein Bridge is just across
the Taungthaman Lake. King Bodawpaya (1781-1819) of the Konbaung
Dynasty founded Amarapura to be his new capital in 1783, soon
after he ascended the throne. In 1795, he received the first
British embassy to visit Burma. Bodawpaya’s son, King Bagyidaw
(1819-1837), moved the Court back to Inwa in 1823. From
1841-1857, King Mindon Min (1853-1878) decided to make Amarapura
the capital again, before relocating to his planned city of
Mandalay in 1860. Today, little remains of the old city, as the
palace buildings were dismantled and move by elephant to the new
location, and the city walls were pulled down for use as
building materials for roads and railways. The city is known
today for silk and cotton weaving, and bronze casting. It is a
popular tourist day-trip from Mandalay. Here are some of the
popular places to visit in Amarapura.
- Pahtodawgyi – A paya built by King Bodawpaya in 1820 outside
the city walls
- Bagaya Kyaung – wooden monastery founded by King Mindon
- U Bein’s Bridge – a 1.2 km wooden footbridge (longest teak
bridge in the world)
Monywa
 Monywa
is a city in Sagaing Division, Myanmar, located 136 km
north-west of Mandalay on the eastern bank of the Chindwin
River. It is along the Mandalay-Budalin branch railway line but
is best reached by bus as the road from Mandalay is in
reasonably good shape. Monywa is a major trade center for
agricultural produce from the surrounding Chindwin Valley,
especially beans, orange pulses and jiggery (palm sugar). In
addition, the local industry includes mills for the production
of cotton, flour, noodles, and edible oils. Monywa's rough
cotton blankets are famous throughout Myanmar. Other regional
crafts include bamboo and reed products, bullock carts and
agricultural implements.
Major attractions
- Thanboddhay Pagoda - The major tourist attraction in Monywa
is the Thanboddhay Pagoda, it dates from 1303, although it was
reconstructed in 1939. It is said to contain over 500,000 images
of Buddha.
- Twin Taung (or) Twin Hill - It is a hill in Budalin
Township about 3 kms east of the river. It is about 200 meters
above the surrounding area. It has a deep lake on top of it.
This lake is full of Spirulina, which becomes a medical product
of Myanmar.
- Shwe Guni Pagoda - About 20km east to the town, there is a
33 meters high Buddha image dating from the 14th century.
- Kyaukka Village - This village is just beyond Shwe Guni
Pagoda. It is the main center for the crafting of lacquerware
since the Konbaung Era.
Po Win Taung
 The
cave is with over 400,000 ancient Buddha images and statues and
murals dating from the 14th to the 16th century.
Mingun
 Mingun
is a town in Sagaing Division, Myanmar, located about 11 km up
the Ayeyarwady River from Mandalay.
The main attractions are
-Mingun Pahtodawgyi - It is the ruined Mingun Paya, a
Buddhist temple with the remains of a massive stupa begun by
King Bodawpaya in 1790. If the constrution had been completed,
it would have been the largest in the world at 150 meters. It
was again damaged by 1838 earthquake.
-Mingun Bell - King Bodawpaya has a gigantic bell cast to go
with his huge stupa. The Mingun Bell weighs 90 tons, or 55555
viss and is today the largest uncracked, ringing bell in the
world. Mingun Bell is situated right next to the Mingun
Pahtodawgyi. King Bodawpaya dedicated to construct a gigantic
Pagoda, a gigantic bell and a gigantic lion during his reign.
But he was not able to complete the pagoda.
-Mya Theindan Pagoda - It is also known as Hninbyume Pagoda
because it was donated by the Hsinbyume Princess, who was one
the Queen of King Bodawpaya. It is just next to the Pahtodawgyi.
Innwa
 Innwa
was also known as Ava in the ancient times. It is a city in the
Mandalay Division of Myanmar, situated just to the south of
Amarapura on the Ayeyarwady River. It is also called Ratnapura
meaning "City of Gems". Innwa was the capital of Myanamr from
1364-1841. Prior to this, Sagaing had been the capital, but
after Sagaing fell to the Shan, the court moved across the river
to Innwa. The kings of Innwa set about restoring Burmese
supremacy, which had disintegrated after the fall of Bagan. In
1555, Innwa fell to the southern Burmese Kingdom of Taungoo, but
in 1636, the king of Taungoo relocated his own capital to Innwa.
In 1752, the Mon revolted against Burmese rule and sacked Innwa.
A couple of years later, the founder of the new Konbaung
Dynasty, Alaungpaya, crushed the Mon revolt, and after a period
with Shwebo as his capital, re-established the court in Innwa.
After the British conquered Lower Myanmar, after the Second
Anglo-Burmese War, Upper Myanmar was commonly called the Kingdom
of Innwa. During the reign of King Bodawpaya (1781-1819), the
capital was moved to nearby Amarapura. However, his successor,
King Bagyidaw (1819-1837), moved the Court back to Innwa in
1823. When a tremendous earthquake caused extensive damage in
1841, Innwa was finally abandoned for Amarapura. Little remains
of the ancient capital today.
Some popular places to visit :
- Maha Aungmye Bonzan – A Buddhist monastery built by the
wife King Bodawpaya in 1818
- Nanmyin Watch Tower – a 27 meter masonry tower, all that is
left of the Innwa Palace
- Innwa Bridge – a 16 span cantilever bridge built by the
British in 1934, and the only structure to cross the Ayeyarwady
River.
Sagaing
 Sagaing
is the capital of Sagaing Division in Myanmar. It is located on
the Ayeyarwady River, 20 km to the southwest of Mandalay on the
opposite bank of the river. The Sagaing Hills are noted as a
religious retreat and has over 400 cloisters for monks and nuns.
About 10 km from Sagaing is the Kaunghmudaw, an enormous
dome-shaped pagoda built by King Thalun in 1636, on the model of
the Mahacetic Pagoda of Sri Lanka. The Sagaing (Ava) Bridge
built in 1934 links Mandalay and Sagaing across the Ayeyarwaddy
River. It was bombed by the British to stop the advancing
Japanese Army during Second World War. At the nearby village of
Ywataung, you can see silversmiths making silverware by
traditional methods.
Popular places around
- Thabyedan Fort - This is the last ditch defence by the
Myanmar, before the third invasion of the British. It lies just
left to the Innwa Bridge.
- Kaungmudaw Pagoda - It is a huge whitewashed edifice is
situated 10km from the town of Sagaing. The dome shaped pagoda
rises up to 46 meters. At the base of the pagoda, there are 812
stone pillars, each one with a hollow and an image of a Nat in
it.
- Sagaing Hill - The hill has a number of small pagodas, and
now with many meditation centers. The Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda
is located on the Sagaing Hill.
Kyaukmyaung
A riverside town on the Ayeyarwaddy 17 miles east of Shwe Bo
is famous for its glazed pottery industry. The use of pots and
other earthenware containers for cooking and tableware
originated about 500 years ago. Pots were used for storage of
foods such as fermented fish or Ngapi, fermented fish sauce or
Nganpyaryay, cooking oil and water. Traditional eating utensils
included lacquered round wooden or split bamboo trays called
Byatwaing, circular tray on a stand used for serving meals,
called Duanglan, earthen bowls or basins called Myayzalone and
glazed earthen basins called Aindonsintthoke. Although today,
steel, aluminum, brass and bronze pots are popular, most local
still use earthenware pots for cooking. They believe cooking in
earthenware makes tastier, more aromatic, tender and sweet.
There is a traditional art specialty forms like cocks, peacocks
and animals in circular or squares are made that you would
marvel. Pots, bowls and jars of small, medium and huge sizes
that are floated down the river, tied tightly together with
canes like large rafts. Sometimes are towed by tugboats and
distributed all over the country.
Mogok
 Mogok
is a city in the Mandalay Division of Myanmar, located 200 km
north of Mandalay and 148 km north-east of Shwebo. It is also
known as the "Land of Gems". At 1170 meters in elevation, the
city has fairly temperate climate year-round, and is home to
mostly Bamar, with large minorities of Shan, Lisu, Palaung,
Karen ethnic groups, as well as Chinese, Indians and Nepali.
Mogok has been famous since ancient times for its gemstones,
especially ruby and sapphire, but semi-precious stones such as
lapis lazuli, garnet, moonstone, peridot and chrysoberyl are
also found. The gems are found in alluvial limestone gravels by
means on panning, tunneling and digging pits by hand. There is
little mechanization of the mining.
- Gems Markets (Htar Pwe) - Rubies and sapphires are Mogok's
life blood. Peik Swae Gem Market is located at the eastern end
of Mandalay-Moe Meik Road. The Min Thada Gem Market is on the
westernmost edge of town.
Mongshu
After Mogok, has become famous as the new ruby-land of
Myanmar. Mongshu stone tract at Lihsaunghtauk hills has
attracted a large number of national and foreign gem lovers. Te
main market is in Taunggyi and Tachilek. Even the famous Mogok
is surprised to hear the news of its rival. Some jewelers like
to call the Mongshu ruby as 'red diamond'. For Myanmar ruby is
the king but other gems must stand beside like queens, knights,
bishops and castles. Mongshu stands a day and a half ride away
by car to the northeast of Taunggyi.
Pyin Oo Lwin
 Pyin
Oo Lwin was formerly known as May Myo. It is a resort town in
Mandalay Division in Myanmar, located some 67 kilometers east of
Mandalay, and at an altitude of 1070 meters (3510 feet). It was
initially a Shan village situated between Naungcho and Mandalay
on the Lashio-Mandalay road. During the British colonial
occupation, the British, in 1896, developed it as a hill station
because of its cool alpine climate, especially during the hot
season. The colonial government of Myanmar would move to May Myo
during the hot season to escape from the high heat and humidity
of Yangon. The name May Myo means May Town in Burmese, and comes
from the town's first administrator, Colonel May. As a legacy of
the colonial period, the town has approximately 10,000 Indian
and 5,000 Nepali inhabitants, who served in the British Indian
Army and settled in May Myo after the British left, and granting
independence to Burma. May Myo was also an important educational
centre during colonial times, with the Government English High
Schools, such as St. Mary's, St. Michael's, St. Albert's, and
Colgate, all based in the town. It is also home to the Myanmar
Defence Services Academy (DSA).
Major Attractions
- Kandawgyi National Garden - It was known as May Myo
Botanical Garden. It consists of a variety of plants, trees,
flowers and animals. It is a 49 acres natural forest. It opens
daily from 7am to 5.30pm.
- Pwe Kauk Water Fall - It is 8km from the town, off the
Lashio road. It is a pleasan picnic spot.
- Peik Chin Myaung - This is a large Buddhist shrine cave
about 27km from the town. About 600 meter path leads through the
cave. Inside the cave are several Buddha images donated by
locals.
Shwebo
Shwebo is a city in the Sagaing Division of Myanmar, located
113 km north-west of Mandalay on the eastern bank of the
Chindwin River. The area around Shwebo was the site of the
anient Pyu city-state of Hanlin. Shwebo was royal capital of
Myanmar under King Alaungpaya (who was a Shwebo native) from
1760-1764. He used the city as a base from which to conquer
Innwa and Lower Myanmar, establishing the Third Myanmar Empire.
His successor, King Hsinbyushin, moved the capital to Amarapura
in the 1780s, and the city has been in decline ever since. As
with Monywa, the city is a trade center for agricultural
produce, especially beans, rice and sesame from the surrounding
plains between the Mu and the Ayeyarwady River. Major
Attractions ? The major tourist attractions in Shwebo are its
numerous Buddhist temples, and the ruins of Alaungpaya's palace.
The city is still surrounded by its ancient moat. |
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