Mandalay, Myanmar - This Might Be Myanmar's Most Worthwhile City 🌆

"If Yangon is covered in colonial traces, then Mandalay is the real, unadulterated Myanmar." 🤩 . . About Myanmar's Overnight Buses 🚌 The journey from Yangon to Mandalay spans about 600 kilometers, and taking an overnight bus (sleeping through the ride) is the best option. During this Myanmar trip, I took three overnight bus rides: 1️⃣ Yangon → Mandalay 2️⃣ Mandalay → Bagan 3️⃣ Bagan → Yangon Riding these buses felt just like the Sinh Tourist buses in Vietnam—bumping along quiet roads at night, accompanied only by the hum of the engine and a sky full of twinkling stars outside the window. ✨ This long-distance bus journey was an experience to cherish... . . Why I'm Obsessed with Mandalay – The Charm of This City ❶ U Bein Bridge 🌉 Stretching 1,200 meters, U Bein Bridge is the world's longest teak bridge. Its pillars, beams, and planks are all made of precious teak wood, constructed in 1851 during King Mindon's reign of the Konbaung Dynasty. The entire bridge was built without a single nail, relying solely on mortise-and-tenon joints. Despite enduring 170 years of weathering, it has never undergone major repairs yet remains sturdy—a rare historical marvel. 😲 ❷ Monk Meal Almsgiving (Thousand Monk Meal) 🧎‍♂️ At the end of U Bein Bridge lies Maha Ganayon Kyaung, Myanmar's largest monastic school. As a Theravada Buddhist country, monks strictly follow rules like "no eating after noon" and "alms begging." They eat only two meals a day: one at 4 AM and another at 10 AM. After noon, they consume nothing but water. Every morning at 10 AM, tourists from around the world gather along the path to watch monks line up for their meal. Visitors often place offerings (food, donations) into the monks' alms bowls along the way. ❸ Inwa (Ava) Ancient City 🏰 Located about 15 km from Mandalay, Inwa is a riverside island accessible by a 5-minute ferry ride. Once the capital of Myanmar for four centuries (Ava Kingdom), it was heavily damaged in WWII. Now, scattered ruins hide among lush trees and farmland—a poignant testament to time's passage. 😌 This was also where Zhu Youlang, the last emperor of China's Southern Ming Dynasty, fled into exile, and where Mu Tianbo, the last Mu Prince, met his end... ❹ Mandalay Palace & Mandalay Hill 🏯 At the palace, climb the watchtower for a bird's-eye view of the entire complex. Nearby Mandalay Hill offers another adventure—barefoot climbing up countless steps to the summit. Enjoy the pagodas, sunset, and city lights—an unforgettable experience! 🌇 . . Mandalay's Transport Hack – Grab Motorbikes 🛵 Southeast Asia's ride-hailing app Grab is a game-changer in Myanmar, especially for booking motorbike taxis! Need to go to U Bein Bridge or Inwa? No problem—just Grab a bike. So convenient! After bidding farewell to Mandalay, I boarded a night bus to the mystical plains of Bagan! 🌅 #Mandalay #Myanmar #MyanmarTravel #UBeinBridge #SoutheastAsiaTravelGuide