One day in Mandalay
We slept well in the quiet Downtown @mandalay hotel for our first night in Myanmar. After a light breakfast - including Nutella, we returned to the phone company to buy an Ooredoo SIM card for Kro. The WiFi was extremely slow and patchy at the hotel (like in most hotels in Myanmar) and a 3G/4G connection was the best and only way to "stay on the line".
Armed with good walking shoes and a loaded Google map, we explored the main sights within Mandalay, the second largest city in Myanmar. On second thoughts, we should have rented bicycles as the distances were quite long. So, if you are reading this and you are in Mandalay, go get that bicycle!
Walking the Moat
Anyway, we strolled east along the clutter free sidewalk surrounding the moat encircling the Grand Palace. We skipped the palace. Foreigners can only enter the attraction by the east entrance and must pay a fee. We didn't want to. So we kept walking toward the temples.
Golden Monastery
Shwe Nan Daw Kyaung, also know as the Golden monastery was the first on the list. The palace is one of the rare building which survived the Second World War destruction. The monastery was originally part of the palace complex of Amarapura and was shifted to Mandalay to become the royal apartment of King Mindon. The finely carved teak wooden monastery was stunning, particularly the interior carvings.
Next up was the monastery formally known as Maha-Atula-Waiyan and commonly known as Atumashi. Nice architecture but was missing the wow factor.
The World's Largest Book
We left for the Kuthodaw Pagoda, one of the most attractive and popular destinations in Mandalay. The building was interesting as it houses the worlds largest book. So we went looking for that enormous book. We looked everywhere but we couldn't find it. Was that book still around? How could we miss the largest book on earth? The reason was simple. We were in the middle of it. Let us explain. The book consisted of 729 marble slabs with teachings from the Buddha. Each page was about 1.5 metre by 1.1 metre and 14 centimetres thick. And each page was preserved in one the 729 identical whitewashed stupas. Genius!
As we were flipping through that peculiar book, we received a Thanaka treatment, a yellowish-white cosmetic paste made from the bark of the Thanaka plant. The cosmetic powder has been used for over 2000 years by all women in Myanmar. Men rarely use it. Only foreigners like us do.
Puppet Show
After washing off the powder from our faces, we finished the day with the famous Mandalay Puppet Show. A word of advice. Book early to get the best seat. 1,2,3, 7,8,9, 16-21 have the best viewing. The show was funny and the live orchestra playing traditional music was enjoyable. Plus it's a great way to support the local community and keep puppetry alive.
Essential Mandalay tips
- Rent a bicycle! Distances between sights are long. Walking is exhausting in the heat. Bicycles available for rent near most hotels (~2,000 kyat/day).
- SIM card essential: Hotel WiFi is notoriously slow in Myanmar. Get Ooredoo or Telenor SIM (available at phone shops, ~$5 USD with data). 3G/4G is your best option for staying connected.
- Shwe Nan Daw Kyaung: The Golden Monastery is a must-see. One of few buildings to survive WWII. Incredible teak carvings inside. Entry fee applies.
- Kuthodaw Pagoda: Home to the world's largest book! 729 marble slabs (each in its own white stupa) inscribed with Buddhist teachings. You're literally standing inside the book!
- Thanaka experience: Try the traditional cosmetic paste worn by Myanmar women. Made from tree bark, used for over 2,000 years. Fun photo opportunity!
- Puppet Show: Book Mandalay Puppet Show in advance! Best seats: 1,2,3, 7,8,9, 16-21. Live traditional orchestra. Great way to support local culture and keep puppetry alive.
- Grand Palace: Entry fee required (foreigners pay, locals free). Must enter from east gate only. We skipped it - you can see the moat and walls for free from outside.
- Where to stay: Downtown @mandalay hotel is quiet and centrally located. Expect slow WiFi - hence the need for local SIM card!
Note:
Pin These Moments
📖 World's Largest Book
Standing inside the world's largest book at Kuthodaw Pagoda - 729 marble slabs in 729 white stupas!
✨ Golden Monastery
The stunning Golden Monastery with intricate teak carvings - a rare survivor from WWII destruction.
🎭 Puppet Magic
Enjoying the famous Mandalay Puppet Show - keeping traditional Burmese puppetry alive with live orchestra!
Have you been to Mandalay? Did you discover the world's largest book? Did you watch the puppet show? What was your favorite sight? Leave us your comments below. We would love to hear from you.