Myanmar - The hidden gem of Asia

Mandalay...

is a huge city that fits the atmosphere of this country really well (contrary to the a bit different Yangon). It is an important junction for travelling further north, so you can make a stop here 2 times, or try to directly board transport that’s bringing you to your next destination.

Mandalay Hill was probably my favourite part of the city. After climbing a lot of stairs, you think you reached the top, only to find more stairs. Since this goes on for a while make sure to bring water and enough motivation to do this. However, while climbing the hills the temples and structures around you constantly change, and it feel a little like entering a new world after the next section of stairs. Maybe I am exaggerating, but I honestly loved the place, especially after being rewarded with a great view from the top.

U Bein Bridge is a cool place to visit for sunset, however it is a little outside of the city. It is quite crowded and full of (local) tourists. However, the shaky wooden bridge has an adventurous touch to it, and I can’t argue that the sunset there looks stunning. We just took a taxi there, which wasn’t the cheapest option, but it was a rather spontaneous trip.

Of course, there are countless Pagodas that you can visit and the city offers a lot of opportunities for cool day trips, so extending the stay here is definitely an option! Something else that can be done in the city is walking around the big royal palace in the middle (you can’t miss it, it’s a huge square on the map).

Finally, I am going to share one of my favourite activities in SEA with you, that can also be done in Mandalay. We went to the cinema. yes. I flew to the other side of the world just to go to the cinema. You might think I am crazy. But not only are cinemas there super cheap and show English movies, but they also offer a little insight in people’s ordinary life. Did you know that the national anthem is played, and everyone is standing up at the beginning of a movie?... I can’t recommend it enough to experience it for yourself, and nobody is able to do sightseeing every evening anyway.