Top Mandalay Hotels

The city centrepiece is the giant walled square of Mandalay Fort. Surrounded by a moat, it is still of strategic importance and youll have to pass military checkpoints to enter. Inside is the 150-year-old Mandalay Palace. Much of the original has been reconstructed after various battles. Although it has royal dimensions, today its a rather plain, nondescript structure with a few mildly interesting features, but not much. Surrounding rust coloured cabins are topped with aluminium roofs - and arent very inspiring. The watchtower isnt bad but the miserable museum display looks like a load of junk brought down from someones attic. As far as palaces go, its a disappointment - best appreciated from a distance. Of the scores of monasteries around the religious city, the best architectural example is the finely carved Schwe-Nan-Daw. This is only surviving part of the original Mandalay Palace and was taken down, relocated and converted into a monastery. The 19th century wooden structure is fading due to decades of weathering and recent botched renovations, but does have a certain something and is the only real remaining window on the last kings of Burma.

It was from Mandalay Hill that Buddha allegedly prophesied a city on the plains below. The hilltop temple is rather predictable but the view from this handsome mound is quite enchanting. Mandalay, a grubby city close up, is quite scenic from the holy hill, and the patchwork of paddy fields, river and countless monasteries makes for a serene sunset, particularly with the murmur of the praying monks drifting from the monasteries.

Maha Muni temple holds the highly venerated image of the Maha Muni Buddha. According to legend the big statue is one of a handful cast when Buddha was still alive. It was later plucked from the neighbouring Arakanese and carted across mountains by victorious Burmese armies centuries ago. Only men are allowed to approach the legendary image, and they are constantly patting on layers of gold leaf. The fantastic figure is now 6 inches thick with gold and has adopted a swollen, bloated appearance. Outside are Khmer bronze figures from Angkor that have been on quite a tour after being looted by army after army. Not surprisingly, they look a bit battered. Centuries of rubbing for luck have worn them further.

If youre interested then theres gold leaf making in Myetpayet Quarter on 36th Street. Demonstrations show just how far one little blob of gold can go.

A little out of Mandalay is Amarapura, the ancient capital. Theres not much splendor, but plenty of charm. U Beins Bridge is much better than its boring postcard images and is a very enjoyable stroll. The appealing and simple 200 year-old bridge is the longest teak structure in the world, and stretches across the calm lake. At either end are some crumbling temples going back a few years, the simplest of restaurants, and rural daily life. Boatmen will row you across if you prefer. Very laidback and well worth it.

Theres not much going on in Mandalay - a disappointment considering its the second city of the country. Dining is very ordinary overall, and sometimes awful. But some good shows can distract you in the evening. The finest restaurant in Mandalay is the excellent Mediterranean Uno in the Sedona. Bright with Latin flair and a lively menu, Uno is the most classy restaurant outside the capital. Great staff and a good little cocktail bar.

Next door at the Mandalay Swan Hotel is the popular Peking Restaurant. The Asian menu jumps around from night to night with respectable Chinese, Mongolian and Thai buffets. The best thing about this place is the flamboyant traditional entertainment. Traditional dancers, musicians and puppeteers dance and play their hearts out for the guests. With a strong Chinese influence in Mandalay, there are a number of authentic Chinese restaurants. Emerald Green, Golden Duck and Oriental House are the better choices.

Often top of the list for recommendations is the local Thai restaurant, Kos Kitchen. Amarapura Restaurant out of town is probably the best of the many Burmese options.

The Mandalay Marionettes is a skillful and entertaining cultural show. Energetic puppets jostle around at the small theatre on the corner of 27th and 66th streets each evening.

The famous local comedians, the ever-popular Moustache Brothers draw big crowds with their spontaneous comedy. Their small theatre is on 39th Street. The humour seems lost on the generals, the odd political jibe has seen jail sentences for the brothers of up to 7 years.

Lorries rumble in and out and various traders like to blow off steam here. The incidence of AIDS is supposed to be horribly high but you wouldnt know it - it seems pretty tame, at least on the surface. There are one or two bars here and there, but excluding the well-behaved one in the Sedona, nothing sophisticated. Nagoya on 24th Street has live music and not far away is the karaoke lounge Star Light. Kabar Thit and Pacific combine karaoke lounges with beauty salons, at least publicly.

Another disappointment! Mandalay is more of a trade centre than a shopping centre, so dont expect plazas or brand names, shopping is very functional and basic. A few bits and pieces may interest you but the few modest craft shops will need some hunting out. If youre on the lookout for gems from the notorious Burmese mines, you can find some excellent bargains. Mandalays average markets have little of interest and trade mainly essentials. Zegyo and Yadanabon Market might have the odd traditional item. The Night Market near the station is a forgettable blend of snacks and vegetables with a whiff of soggy rubbish.

The marble quarried at Sagyin 27km north of the city is carved in various workshops into imposing statues or more portable pieces and carvings to take home. The main workshop is on the Sagaing-Mandalay road.

There are a few handicrafts, puppets and tapestry shops around town, but nothing much to write home about. Aung Nan is a good one and lies close to the Maha Muni temple.

Gems, jade and jewellery are in abundance. Hotels have a trustworthy selection of course, the Mandalay Swan in particular, and they can recommend reputable dealers. The Rich Gems is one of the better gem and silverware shops. If you are serious, get the paperwork and take the hike north to the rugged gem trading town of Mogok - the source of some of the best gems in the world.

The Internet is illegal. Emails are permitted and can be sent from the 3 large hotels but are all read - in and out - by the government. They usually go through each day but can be delayed by 5 days if theres a lot of text. Attachments jam things up, so forget those. With the governments beady eyes on your mail youll obviously need to avoid politics. If you are expecting Mandalay to be a smaller version of Yangon, think again! As with the rest of the country, the banks are effectively out for foreigners due to their ludicrous exchange rates and charges. Your options are limited to the exchanges you make at your hotel or with the black marketeers. Also travellers cheques may not be accepted - the situation changes. On top of this there are no ATMs.

With the shambolic financial system you may have to consider changing money on the black market. Some are quite reputable, even professional, and they offer the best rates. Jewellers often run little sidelines, if closed, your concierge can point you in the right direction.

VISA is the only foreign credit card that is accepted, and only then by the largest hotels. Commission rates are between 7 and 10%. It is incredibly difficult to use credit cards outside the capital, even when booking flights.

Note: getting money electronically is almost impossible, stock up on plenty of hard cash before you leave Yangon, this is a country like no other, its financial and communication systems are a disaster zone.

Mandalay is quite a small and navigable city and its easy enough to get around. It is set out in a grid with unimaginatively numbered streets. The roads leading out arent too bad but youll pass through regular army checkpoints. Mandalay is on the dodgy smuggling route to China and many places north of here require travelling permits.

The taxis seem to be in a better condition than in Yangon, but they also cost double. Theres no such thing as a meter of course so youll have to bargain hard. Passing motorbikes are happy to offer taxi services and can be haggled before hopping on the back. Pedaling around, often near the moat are the eager cyclo drivers. Theyre cheap and offer enjoyable way to get around the town centre.

Pick-ups seem to double as the minibuses of Mandalay and are probably cheap if you dont mind the chaos and the squeeze.

For day trips around the area, its a good idea to hire a car with a driver. Again just ask around, one will pop up in a flash. They happily shuttle travellers long distance to Mt Popa, Bagan and Inle Lake for about the same price as an airfare, but the weather can be a factor as some roads disintegrate in the rains.

Mandalays trains rumble into the remote North. Neglected and basic, few visitors bother with them. The exception is the express service south to Yangon which does offer decent sleepers for the supposed 12-hour trip. The track is uneven and long delays the norm.

Boats are available at Gawwein jetty. The Irrawaddy Princess sails weekly between Bagan and Mandalay during the peak months of May to September. The comfortable Princess leaves Mandalay at noon on Thursday and pulls into Bagan Friday evening. The reverse cruise leaves Sunday evening and takes a day.

Impressive but a huge white elephant, Mandalay International Airport is a modern and spacious and well-run terminal. Unfortunately for the government there has only ever been 1 international flight here, an Australian charter jet. The deserted airport is strangely located in the middle of nowhere an hour from Mandalay - arrange transfers or get ripped off.

The ruined remains of a short-lived capital Sagaing lie half an hours drive away. Sagaing is Mandalays mini-Bagan and offers a nice assortment of brick stupas spreading along the riverbank and up Sagaing Hill. This major Buddhist centre has hundreds of monasteries and brims with nuns and monks. If your trip involves Bagan you might consider skipping this and avoiding a case of temple overdose. But still, the view from the hill is worth the effort. Perhaps Mandalays highlight is the trip to Mingun. An hours enjoyable boat ride away is the river island with several very interesting attractions. The giant brick cube was intended to be the worlds largest zedi, but construction was abandoned after the death of the king that commissioned it, and an earthquake sealed its fate. Huge chunks have toppled off but you can clamber to the top and enjoy some good views. Not far away down the dusty path takes you to Mingun Bell, the largest uncracked bell in the world. Leave a small donation, and feel free to try to crack it with the hammer. Mingun also has several ruins, stone lions and pagodas dotted around within easy walking distance, the best of which is large whitewashed Hsinbyume Paya. Expect to be mobbed by souvenir sellers when you come ashore.

If you have the time, consider a trip to cool, green Maymyo a few hours drive away. On the shady trade routes to China this strange little hill station has a sort of Wild West feel about it. There are even horses and carriages jingling about. Some old British architecture and gardens lend this town some delightfully confusing contradictions. Maymyo is the unlikely site of a world-class botanical garden complete with a cool moist climate, rolling hills, swans and flowers.

Mandalay has plenty of colourful festivals, many coinciding with a full moon. The faithful flock to all temples, Maha Muni in particular, which is virtually overwhelmed. The city sees a week of fairs and local events on Independence Day, 4th January.

The frolicking 3-day Water Festival in hot mid-April is good for a laugh. Supposedly a religious celebration of the start of the New Year, the festival is always ends up being a water-fight of national proportions. If you venture out be prepared to be drenched by strangers, everyone gets it - shocked tourists, monks and old ladies.

One of Mandalays big festivals sees thousands of monks and nuns converge on Sagaing during Tazaungmon, the full moon of October to November.

Tour offices are non-existent but there are some small tour operators that are very willing to tailor make a tour to suit. Hotels are in the best position to help, and the free Today magazine is invaluable. Many leading guidebooks can be surprisingly inaccurate.