Mandalay Hotel Reviews
Easy to get around. Take a "Baby-Car" to catch the atmosphere.
We bought more artwork in Mandalay than the rest of the location combined.
Visitors should see Mandalay Hill, Royal Palace and if possible take a half-day trip to Mingun temple. Regular service departs ferry pier early in the morning and returns about lunch time. It is possible to hire a private boat which gives better flexibility and also ensures your money goes to a local person, rather than a government-owned operator.
I have visited many palaces throughout the world. Some palaces and truly stunning and amazing. Even smaller palaces were generally interesting, charming and exciting in their own way. However, despite its large size, there is nothing to see inside the royal palace of Mandalay. It feels like an empty Hollywood stage set. All the buildings are empty. All you see are identical pillars after pillars inside each and every building. <BR><BR> You can see a nice sunset at the top of Mandalay Hill. Many students studying English go there to meet foreigners, practice their English, and learn about the outside world. The are among the friendliest people that tourists can meet.
Mandalay seems to be a little world all of its own. Exchange rates are lower there and things are a bit more expensive. However the people are lovely. A very friendly trishaw driver found us on our first day and we left ourselves in his charge from then on. Without him we would never have sat in the office of the headmaster of a monks'' training school discussing the syllabus nor have been served ultra sweet tea and cake at a wedding before having our photos taken with the bride and groom. If you have the chance do go and see the Moustache Brothers, forget the dinner and shows that the hotels put on , this is the real thing.
We visited Mt Popa after two days hard temple visiting at Bagan. The Mt Popa resort provided a very welcome break for our feet and the cool temperature and pool aided our relaxation prior to more temple visiting in Mandalay. The temple at Mt Popa is a little glitzy especially compared to those at Bagan and watch out for monkeys on the walk up. If you''re heading to Mandalay by road from Bagan (highly recommended, you see so much more this way even if you do break down), Mt Popa is a lovely place to stop.
Great place for a relaxing few days in the mountains walking and reading books.