Then there is the “Thaye Zay Station Bazaar, a local market with a difference. For anyone who’s tired of popular tourist hot spots in Mandalay and wants a glimpse of ordinary Burmese social life, there’s no better way to spend your morning than shopping for produce at the “Thaye Zay” Station Bazaar.

The open-air market spans both sides of a railway track, springing to life in the morning when vendors arrive with close to one hundred pop-up stalls. This business is purely temporary however, seeing as the vendors are frequently required to remove their stock to make way for passing trains.

Thaye Zay Railway Bazaar, Mandalay

About one kilometer north of Mandalay’s symbolic moat, the open-air market spans both sides of the railway track and is named after the station nearby, coming to life every morning when a train pulls up with vendors from nearby villages.

A passenger train arrives each morning at 7 and 11 am. It only takes about 30 minutes from the time the train arrives and leaves. It would have been quite the experience seeing all the vendors having to quickly move their shops to let the train pass by. We got a chance to see ordinary Burmese people going about their day to day. The market is very busy with locals and the best part- no foreigners!

Everyone always wearing a traditional longyi and most women had their faces painted with “Thanaka” paste. The market has everything a villager may need- fresh locally grown produce, meats, fish, pre-cooked foods, apparel and house wears.

Vendor with Thanaka

Vendors at the bazaar, like those at the similar Maekong Market in Thailand, are sometimes required to pull their produce off the track to make way for an incoming train, especially during business rush hours from the early morning until noon.

The vegetables are fresh from the farm, and relatively cheap. You can marvel at the roasted harvest mice and sweet toddy palm sap available there. It’s just a very local place where you can see how ordinary Burmese country folk make a living.

Continuing your exploration, you head to the railway bazaar, a fascinating market experience where the locals ply their trade on the railway track, scattering each time a train come along. A vibrant cacophony of sights, smells and sounds offering a host of photo opportunities, this market is a must see for anyone who wishes to witness a unique side of life in Myanmar.

Locals at Bazaar,Mandalay

Watch out more about this Authentic Railway Bazaar (RFA Video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGgh8Y_Or7U

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As it has always been, the safety and security of our guests and associates remain our highest priority. We have been closely monitoring the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Sports, Myanmar statements regarding the corona virus (COVID-19) situation in Myanmar.

Specific steps we are taking include:

Hand Hygiene: Proper and frequent hand washing is vital to help combat the spread of viruses. In our daily meetings, our teams are reminded that cleanliness starts with this simple act. It’s important for their health and that of our guests.

Cleaning Products and Practices: Our hotels use cleaning products and protocols which are effective against viruses, including:

Guest Rooms: Hotels use cleaning and disinfecting procedures to clean rooms after guests depart and before the next guest arrives, with particular attention paid to high-touch items.

Public Spaces: Hotels have increased the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting in public spaces, with a focus on the counter at the front desk, door handles, public bathrooms, and even room keys, parking area, hotel entrance, lobby, restaurant, Golf Equipment, and Spa.

Back of House: In the spaces where associates work “behind the scenes,” hotels are increasing the frequency of cleaning and focusing on high-touch areas like staff lockers, storage rooms, all back offices and staff offices.

Ongoing Training: In addition to training on housekeeping and hygiene protocols, hotel associates are also completing enhanced COVID-19 awareness training.

We take standards for hygiene and cleanliness very seriously and are taking additional steps to ensure the safety of our guests during in the property. On a daily basis, our hotel team are working to ensure that they meet the latest guidance on hygiene, social distancing and cleaning processes.

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As it turned out, overtaking the palace- and King ThibawMin- was even easier than predicted. The British demanded unconditional surrender and that’s what they got.The King and Queen were put on a bullock cart and taken down to the river to be sent into exile in India.

The story goes that when the British soldiers pulled out their guns, the King dropped down to his knees and begged for his life to be spared. His queen, however, walked on her own defiantly towards the steamer on the mighty Irrawaddy.

After the British invasion, the palace was used by the colonialists as a base for troops in Mandalay and many of the royal treasures were looted and sent back to London ( many are still on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum).
Every global aggress or eventually must face a rising challenger. And so it was that during the Second World War, Japanese forces captured he Mandalay Palace and used it as a supply depot for their expansions in the region. In retaliation, the Allies bombed the compound and most of it was burnt to the ground.

Only one major wooden building survived-the Shwenandaw Monastery, which is built completely of teak and is decorated throughout with detailed and ornate carvings. The watch tower and royal mint were also undamaged. The rest of the Royal Palace has been rebuilt from scratch.

So, almost everything you walk through from the entrance hall all the way past the throne room and to the residences was constructed in the early 1990’s. Although it is faithful to the original design and some traditional construction techniques were used, modern materials like concrete and corrugated iron were incorporated into the reconstructions.
Visiting the palace is one of the best things to do in Mandalay. It doesn’t take too long to walk through the palace but it can take a long time to get into it. The palace grounds are massive and dominate the cityscape. They are huge square of about two kilometers on each side, surrounded by a 64 meter-wide moat. Only one entrance can be used by tourists-the eastern- and it can take a long time to get to it if you happen to be on the other side (where most of the hotels are).

There are some great tours in Mandalay, many of which include the Royal Palace. Have a look at these ones that I would recommend:
The reason for the inconvenience is because the actual restored palace takes up only a small space in the centre of the grounds. The rest of the area is used now as a military base and big signs (and guards) remind you that it’s a restricted zone.

At least it is back in the hands of the local people again, whatever the international view of the Myanmar military is.
After the British control and then the Japanese it seems there is now plenty of protection for this important symbol of Mandalay and Myanmar. Nobody will march unopposed through these gates again.

” The last Palace built by Burmese Royals”

When King Mindon Min founded Mandalay in 1857 he ordered construction of a new Royal Palace called the “Mya Nan San Kyaw”. The old Royal Palace in the former capital Amarapura was dismantled, transported to Mandalay and rebuilt there.

The Mandalay Royal Palace is the last Palace built by Burmese Royals. On the large complex are dozens of buildings including audience halls, throne halls, a monastery, a watch tower, a court building, a tooth relic building and a library where the Buddhist scriptures were kept.

“The citadel with the teak wood Palace”

The Palace that was completely made from teak wood was built in the center of a large citadel or fort. The square citadel was surrounded by four walls each 2 kilometers long with a total of 48 turrets. In the walls were 12 gates, one for each sign of the Zodiac. Around the walls was a 60 meter wide moat, crossed by a number of bridges.

“Watch Tower”

The watch tower is a very solid reddish brown cylindrical tower measuring 24 meters high. It is topped by a golden seven tiered Pyatthat roof. The stairway winding around the tower can be climbed, which gives a good overview of the Palace and great views of Mandalay.
The watch tower is one of only two original buildings left, the other one being the Royal Mint.

” Tooth relic Tower”

Close to the main entrance is the Burmese style tooth relic tower. The all white square structure has a small square relic chamber on top and a steep stairway leading to it. In spite of its name the building never contained a relic from the Buddha, it houses a Buddha statue instead.

“Supreme Court Building”

A number of Royal Mausoleums was erected for the remains of several members of the Burmese Royal Family. One if for the founder of Mandalay and the Royal Palace, King Mindon Min.

“Great Audience Hall”

The Great Audience Hall is another very attractive, intricately decorated building. The hall is about 75 meters long and topped with a seven tiered Pyatthat roof. In front of it are a few old canons. The wooden bargeboards and eaves boards on the roof are all carved in flower patterns. In the original building there were also gilded.

“Lion Throne Room”

The Lion Throne room contained the Lion Throne, an extremely richly decorated and ornamented wooden throne. In total there were eight thrones in the Palace, of which the Lion Throne was the most important.
On top of the Lion Throne room is a seven tiered Pyatthat roof, richly decorated and gold plated. This Pyatthat marks the center of the Palace.

“Glass Palace”

The Glass Palace is one of the largest and most beautiful structures of the Palace. This building was used as Kin Mindon’s personal living quarters. It contains two large rooms, one of which contained the Bee Throne, the other one was separated into a number of smaller rooms, which were the King’s living room and bed room , as well as a number of rooms for his Queens.

“Golden Palace Monastery”

The Shwenandaw Kyaung or Golden Palace Monastery is a very ornate teak building that was originally contained in the Palace compound. It was later moved to its current location just outside the Palace grounds and converted into a Buddhist monastery. The Golden Palace Monastery is the only major all teak building that remains of the original Royal Palace.

It has been a century since the last King of Burmese staying in the Royal Mandalay Palace. To date, it has been restored several times and become one of the most popular attractions to visit in Myanmar tours. Once witnessing the charm of the fabulous architecture and learn more about its history, it ensures to deliver you an interesting experience in the Golden Land of Myanmar.

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The country of Myanmar is full of beauty and really deserves a visit! I was amazed by all the places I have visited there! If you have planned to stay for 2 weeks, here are the destinations that I recommend:

Flying in Myanmar: the pros and cons

I used Golden Myanmar Airlines, as it was the cheapest. It was a good decision: I was satisfied with all my flights. The prices of domestic flights were between 65 and 90 USD at the time I travelled in the country. The price depends on how far the destination is and on the airlines you choose (some are more expensive). I booked my flights one month in advance and paid online. A friend of mine booked a flight last minute the day prior departure and the price was the same and seats were still available. There are 2 departures a day, usually one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

Here is the list of the best things to see, visit, and do in Yangon:

What to do in Inle Lake

I really enjoyed my trip to Myanmar and I am sure you will love it too! The architecture of the pagodas and temples, the friendliness of the Burmese people, the good quality of the local cuisine and the variety of things to do are some of the reasons why you should visit this country asap!

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When it appears that the COVID-19 disease is more deadly than seasonal influenza, it is obvious that your guests are afraid to travel or consider any other accommodation option safe. 

But, as a hotel, you can adopt a few preventive measures, and assure a safe stay for your guests. 

Well, we have covered the what, why and how of COVID-19 and which preventive measures hotels should take to assure a safe stay to your guests. 

What is Coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some causing illness in people and others circulating among animals, including camels, cats and bats

The 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new virus that causes respiratory illness in people and can spread from person-to-person. This virus was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wuhan, China.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has made a dedicated page that has comprehensive information on COVID-19. You can explore more of this outbreak from here.

How does it spread?

Coronaviruses in human spread just like the flu or a cold (from person to person). Someone who is actively sick with COVID-19 can spread the illness to others.

• Through the air by coughing or sneezing
• Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands
• Touching an object or surface with the virus on it
• Occasionally, faecal contamination

What are its symptoms?

The basic symptoms of the COVID-19 can include:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath 
• Runny nose

The symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure. Reported illnesses have ranged from people with little to no symptoms to people being severely ill and dying. 

How to keep your hotel safe from Coronavirus?

As a hotel, you should act immediately and start introducing preventive measures. Following are mandatory actions that you should immediately bring into practice:

1. Keep your staff aware of the disease

Though 99% of your staff must be fairly familiar with the outbreak to some extent. We would still recommend you to arrange a meeting and make them aware of it to all corners.  

Educate them about the preventive measures that they should take on your hotel premises. Also, brief them about the guidelines provided by the local health authorities.

2. Check whether any of your staff or guests have been infected

Have the infrared thermometers at your frontdesk to conduct temperature checks on all guests. Your staff can request all your newly arrived guests to measure their body temperature via a thermal scanner placed near the entrance. 

If you find any guests who are unwell with any symptoms of fever, flu or respiratory problems, ask them to consult a doctor immediately. Ask the sick suspicious guests to get their check-up done at the nearest clinic, checking in to the hotel. Take extra care while catering to international guests.  

3. Ensure cleanliness in every corner of your hotel

The COVID-19 virus spreads through the surface as well. So make sure every corner of your hotel is cleaned. 

Especially the surfaces or areas which are used frequently by your guests and staff members such as, the doors, the reception area, the front desk, lift or elevator buttons and so on. You can also apply plastic insulating films on the lift and elevator buttons, and change it every day to avoid germs spreading. 

Above all, if you have an in-house restaurant, ensure the cleanliness of your kitchen. Ask your chefs to wear surgical masks and wash their hands frequently.

All buffet or semi-buffet food should be served in smaller portions. It should be replaced or replenished every 30 minutes to avoid contamination. The crockery and utensils used at the buffet counters, including tongs, spoons and under liner should be changed and sanitized.

Besides, ensure that tableware including salt & pepper shakers, toothpick holders, sugar container, tent cardholders, menus and bill folders are being cleaned and sanitized on a daily basis.  

In addition to this, the main entrance and carpets at the hotel’s lobby are sprayed with qualified disinfectant every hour.

4. Use sanitizers and masks 

Provide your staff members with surgical masks, alcohol-based hand sanitizer (containing at least 60% alcohol) and gloves to wear. Ask them to always wear masks and use sanitizer frequently.  

If it is feasible, try to install the alcohol-based disinfectant hand rub dispensers at your front desk, reception area, in-house restaurant, cafe, meeting rooms or hotel lobbies. If you can’t, then at least keep big bottles of sanitizers at all these places. 

Keep sanitizers and surgical masks in each hotel room. Encourage your hotel staff as well as your guests to use sanitizers frequently. 

Keep helpful signs of washing hands and using sanitizers in common areas of your hotel.

5. Avoid handshakes. Do ‘Mingalabar’

Well, the handshake is a great way of transferring different microbes like viruses and bacteria from one person to another. So for the time being, ask your staff members to avoid shaking their hands with guests. Also, they should avoid frequent physical contact internally. 

Even the health experts warn that shaking hands is a prime way to spread the coronavirus. You should adopt some different methods of greeting people, like elbow bumps or Mingalabar. 

6. Maintain records

You should maintain accurate guest records. This includes maintaining guest registration records (name, ID Proofs, and other details), data of electronic locks, and security camera tapes. This is especially important if someone in your hotel has been diagnosed with the virus.

These records should be kept for a minimum of 90 days.

7. Check where your supply is coming from

Keep a tab on your suppliers and other outsourcing agencies. 

Ensure megastores from where you are getting inventory for your in-house restaurant is safe from COVID-19. None of your food or beverage should be sourced from Hubei province or Wuhan city, where the Novel Coronavirus originated from.

Besides, check whether the laundry services agencies are taking some preventive measures. 

So, this was all about how you can keep your hotel safe from corona virus.

And most importantly, when you are taking all these measures, keep your guests posted about the same. Highlight these measures being taken at your hotel in real-time on your website and social media pages. So, your guests can know that their stay at your hotel is going to be safe and pleasant. 

You have to take these measures sincerely, to be safe from this outbreak. Along with, as a hotel owner/manager consider these preventive measures for yourself too and be safe.

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The bridge was built in curved shape in the middle to resist the assault of wind and water. The main teak posts were hammered into the lake bed seven feet deep, supported by more than 1,000 poles.

Earning its rights as a must visit while in Mandalay. Many photographers flock here to take photographs of the bridge silhouette and the setting sun as the backdrop. It may be the most photographed spot in Myanmar.

The morning view was quiet, peaceful and also spectacular. Drove down to Amarapura early in the morning around 4:45am and managed to reach the bridge just right before the sun began to rise. The calm atmosphere in the early morning is exactly what I was looking for and you can only see monks from the near monasteries crossing the bridge. Great photography opportunities if you visit in the morning.

Lake Taungthaman was a clear light blue ad as flat as a mirror in the morning. The fishing boats were getting ready to start their day. We could see them in the morning mist in the distance. After the seconds of stillness passed, the sky was full of light and the landscape glowed. Everything  came back to life. Early fishermen cast nests in the lake. Birds glided over the row rippled water. The footsteps of tourists and the people of  near by who are ready for their workplaces began to clip-clop across the smooth woods. Prayers could be heard echoing across the lake. Farmers carried sacks across. More monks in large groups passed over U Bein Bridge.

Arriving back at around 6:15pm, there were quite number of locals hanging out on the bridge off-course the tourists have already positioned their camera setup, both on and off bridge. Would have been nicer if we took a boat ride to see the full length of the bridge. Due to time constraints, we just have to be contented on top of the bridge.

The reflections in the lake is stunning and the locals usually are out and about making it an enjoyable experience where you can watch them go about their everyday lives. The food shops, souvenirs shops are displaying along the road to the bridge. If you are looking tour in the lake while you can see the sun slowly drifts down towards the horizon over the bridge and the watery fields around, the residents of Amarapura use it to head home from their day’s activities. Facing  the right side of the bridge, there is a small Buddhist temple by the lake which has a perfect backdrop of the colorful sky.

U Bein Bridge is definitely breathtaking and worth seeing above most other things near Mandalay that I believe the true magic lies in experiencing there in sunrise. In here, I would like to give some tips for visiting to U Bein Bridge is

-Leave your hotel by 4:00am -4:30am to get there early for sunrise. For sunset not later than 5:20pm to get reach there

-Book your taxi for go and back and set rate for the driver. Do not take a taxi off of the street, they will overcharge

_Wear sunscreen. If you stay long past sunrise it will get hot quick so do not forget to bring hats.

-Watch your steps and please do not wear high-heels.

-Do not miss out to capture the sunrise or sunset at world largest and oldest teak bridge in Mandalay!

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SEHENSWÜRDIGKEITEN IN MANDALAY

Was wäre eine burmesische Stadt ohne Klöster und Pagoden? In Mandalay gibt es davon auf jeden Fall genug! Für einige Sehenswürdigkeiten gibt es ein Sammelticket. Das kostet 10.000 Kyat (ca. 7€) und ist für 5 Tage gültig. Folgende Sehenswürdigkeiten in Mandalay kannst du damit besuchen:  Mandalay Palace, Atummashi Kyaung, Shwenandaw Kyaung Kloster und die Altstadt von Inwa. 

KUTHODAW-PAGODE

Die Kuthodaw-Pagode ist auch bekannt als “Das größte Buch der Welt”. What? Rund um die Pagode stehen 729 kleine, weiße Stupas, in denen eine Marmortafel steht.  Diese stellen ein Blatt des größten Buches der Welt dar und es sind Texte der buddhistischen Lehre vermerkt. Besonders beeindruckend ist die Kuthodaw-Pagode zum Sonnenaufgang – ein unbeschreibliches Licht. Solltest du nicht zu den Frühaufsteher gehören, lässt sich ein Besuch der Kuthodaw-Pagode perfekt mit dem Mandalay Hill verbinden. Sie  liegt im Norden der Altstadt, sozusagen am Fuße des Mandalay Hills. Der Eintritt ist kostenlos.

MANDALAY HILL 

Der Mandalay Hill ist ein Hügel, auf welchem du nicht nur einen beeindruckende Pagode  begutachten sondern auch einen atemberaubenden Ausblick auf die Stadt genießen kannst: die vielen Klöster, Pagoden, der Mandalay Palace, der Fluss und die umherliegenden Berge. Die Wände und Säulen der Pagode sind über und über mit kleinen funkelnden Mosaiksteinen  bedeckt – ein tolles Farbenspiel mit dem Sonnenlicht – besonders zum Sonnenuntergang!

Anfahrt: Du kannst den Gipfel entweder zu Fuß, per Roller, mit dem Tuk Tuk oder dem Taxi erklimmen. Wir haben uns für die Roller variante entschieden und es war sehr angenehm, du kannst bis ganz nach oben fahren. Dort ist ein überdachter Parkplatz. 

Geheimtipp: Wenn du beim Hauptpalast die Treppen zu einem kleineren Gebäude  hinunter gehst, gelangst du zu dieser Fläche, wo du diese schönen Fensterbögen vorfindest. Der perfekte Ort, um den Sonnenuntergang zu beobachten.

Da ich einen Tag krank war, haben wir es leider nicht geschafft die folgenden Sehenswürdigkeiten zu besuchen. Uns wurden diese jedoch von vielen Reisenden empfohlen.

HANDWERKER-VIERTEL

Du kannst in Mandalay zahlreichen Handwerkern bei der Arbeit zuschauen. In dem Viertel der Goldschläger, wird das Gold immer noch per Hand geschlägert! In der  Schauwerkstatt “King Galon” in der 36. Straße kannst du diese Handwerkskunst bewundern. In der Nähe der Mahamuni Pagode befindet sich das Viertel der Holzschnitzer und Steinmetze.  

MADALAY PALACE

Der Mandalay Palace wurde zwischen 1857-1859 von König Mindon erbaut und ist der letzte königliche Palast der letzten birmanischen Monarchie. Das Gelände ist 4 Quadratkilometer groß und von einer dicken Mauer und einem riesigen Wassergraben umgeben. Im Jahre 1942 wurde die komplett aus Holz erbaute Anlage angegriffen und bis auf die Grundmauern niedergebrannt. Ab 1990 wurde versucht die Gebäude des Königspalastes so authentisch  wie möglich wieder aufzubauen.

SHWENANDAW KYAUNG KLOSTER

Das Shwenandaw Kyaung Kloster ist ein beeindruckendes goldenes Teakholz Kloster, welches von König Mindon als Privatgemach genutzt wurde. Es ist das einzige größere Gebäude, welches vom originalen Königpalast übrig geblieben ist.  

MAHAMUNI PAGODE

Die Mahamuni Pagode ist neben der Shwedagon Pagode und dem Goldenen Felsen in der Nähe von Hpa-An das wichtigste Pilgerziel für Buddhisten. Hier kannst du die heiligste Buddhastatue Myanmars bewundern, welche täglich von unzähligen Pilgern (nur Männern) mit Blattgolt beklebt wird.

FORTBEWEGUNG IN MANDALAY

Schaust du dir die Karte von Mandalay an, wir sie dich an amerikanische Städte erinnern. Mandalay wurde wie ein Schachbrett angelegt: Die Straßen verlaufen, sowohl von Norden nach Süden, als auch von Westen nach Osten. Sie sind alle durchnummeriert, demnach ist die Orientierung recht einfach. 

Auf den Straßen ist ein buntes Treiben angesagt: Roller, Autos, Fahrräder, Märkte … an den regen Verkehr in Mandalay mussten wir uns erst mal gewöhnen. Wir haben uns für einen Tag einen Roller gemietet, um die oben beschriebenen Sehenswürdigkeiten in Mandalay abzuklappern. Das empfehlen wir jedoch nur, wenn du dich sehr sicher fühlst und schön öfters Roller gefahren bist. Wir haben die Rushhour in Da Nang überlebt, deswegen haben wir es uns zugetraut. Den Roller haben wir bei TT Bike ausgeliehen und waren sehr beeindruckt von der Professionalität und dem Service. Die Roller sind in einem top Zustand, du kannst den Roller für 3,6,9,12, oder 24 Stunden ausleihen. Auf Wunsch wird der Roller dir sogar in deine Unterkunft gebracht und auch dort wieder abgeholt. Dieser Service kostet nicht extra. Hast du keine Lust auf Roller fahren, kannst du auch mit dem Tuk Tuk oder Taxi fahren oder dir für einen Tag einem privaten Fahrer mieten. 

SEHENSWÜRDIGKEITEN IN DER UMGEBUNG 

Wenn du in Mandalay bist, solltest du auf jeden Fall einen Tagesausflug in die Umgebung der ehemaligen Hauptstadt einplanen. Der einfachste und komfortabelste Weg diese zu erkunden ist definitiv mit einem privaten Fahrer. Wir haben einen Fahrer empfohlen bekommen und haben 45.000 Kyat (ca. 26 Euro) bezahlt. Mit Kyaw Kyaw haben wir Mingun, Sagain und Inwa besucht. 

MINGUN

Der erste Stopp unseres Ausfluges war das Dorf Mingun, welches sich nördlich von Mandalay befindet. Dort haben wir zunächst die Hsinbyume Pagode besucht, einfach nur beeindruckt das weiße Meisterwerk! Die wellenförmigen Terrassen machen die Pagode einzigartig. Damit sie auch jedes Jahr so scheint, wird sie jedes Jahr nach der Regenzeit neu gestrichen. Von oben hast du eine tolle Aussicht auf den Fluss und die Landschaft. 

Im Dorf Mingun begann König Bodawpaya im Jahr 1790 die größte Pagode der Welt, mit einer Höhe von 152 Metern, zu errichten. Der König schaffte es jedoch nicht die Manta Gyi Pagode bis zu seinem Tod fertigzustellen. Lediglich die 50 Meter hohe Basis der Pagode wurde errichtet. Ein starkes Erdbeben in 1838 führte dazu, dass die unfertige Pagode stark beschädigt wurde. Wie die Mingun-Pagode einmal aussehen sollte, zeigt die nahebei stehende fünf Meter hohe Pondawpaya-Pagode.

Auf der anderen Straßenseite kannst du die Ruinen zwei riesiger Löwen “Chines” besichtigen, welche ebenfalls stark vom Erdbeben beschädigt worden sind. Meiner Meinung nach, sieht das Hinterteil eher nach dem eines Elefanten aus … 

Zu der größten Pagode gehört natürlich auch eine große Glocke. Im Jahre 1808 ließ der König die 87 Tonnen schwere Mingun Glocke gießen. Mit ihren 3,7 Metern Höhe und einem Durchmesser von 5 Metern ist die zweitgrößte funktionierende Glocke der Welt. Damit der Glockengießer nicht noch ein weiteres solches Meisterwerk erbauen konnte, ließ König Bodawpaya ihn nach Vollendung umbringen. 

SAGAIN

Sagaing beherbergt etwas 600 Pagoden, Tempel und Klöster. Das Gebiet liegt auf einem Hügel und zählt zu den wichtigsten Orten in Myanmar. In Sagaing haben wir die U Min Thonze-Pagode und die Sun U Ponnya Shin Pagode besichtigt. Von den Pagoden hast du einen herrlichen Blick auf den Irrawaddy Fluss und die schöne Landschaft.

INWA 

Die ehemalige Hauptstadt des Königreichs Inwa (auch bekannt als Ava)  ist von Sagaing aus über den Irrawaddy-Fluss ausschließlich mit der Fähre zu erreichen. Die Überfahrt dauert nur wenige Minuten und kostet 1500 Kyat (ca. 1€) pro Person. 

In Inwa angekommen warten unzählige Pferdekutschen auf dich, die dich für 15.000 Kyat (ca. 10€) zu den Sehenswürdigkeiten bringen. Du kannst auch zu Fuß laufen, die Wege zwischen den Pagoden sind jedoch sehr weit.

Auf einem relativ weitläufigen Gebiet findest du hier eine Reihe an Klöstern und Pagoden. Einige davon sind schon sehr verfallen und verwittert, andere wiederum in besserem Zustand. Zudem ist die Landschaft sehr schön. Meine Highlights in Inwa waren das Maha Aung Mye Bonzan Kloster und die Yadana Hsmee Pagode.

U-BEIN-BRÜCKE

Die 1,2 km lange Teakholz Brücke befindet sich in Amarapura. Der Fußgängerübergang gilt als die längste und älteste Teakholzbrücke der Welt. Ein Besuch bei Sonnenuntergang ist sehr empfehlenswert, allerdings bist du besonders zu dieser Tageszeit mit einer Menge anderen Touristen dort. Wir haben uns ein Boot gemietete (15.000 Kyat, ca. 10€) und einen einzigartigen Blick auf die beeindruckende U-Bein-Brücke genossen und sind somit den Menschenmassen entflohen. Zwar gibt es auch andere Boote, aber die Fahrer achten darauf, dass alle eine einwandfreie Sicht auf die Brücke haben. Wir konnten tolle Fotos schießen – der perfekte Abschluss für unseren Tagesausflug in die Umgebung Mandalays.

UNTERKUNFT IN MANDALAY 

Wir haben drei Nächte in dem gemütlichen Hotel by the Red Canal übernachtet und haben uns sehr wohl gefühlt. Das Hotel liegt sehr zentral und vor allem in der Nähe einiger Restaurants und nur wenige Minuten vom berühmten Mandalay-Palast entfernt.

Das Boutique-Hotel ist wie eine kleine Oase der Ruhe in der quirligen Stadt. Ein kleiner Pool mit ein Paar Liegen laden zum Entspannen ein. Hier werden am Nachmittag kostenfreier Tee und Gebäck und am Abend kostenfreie Cocktails serviert. Eine tolle Möglichkeit, mit den anderen Gästen in Kontakt zu kommen. 

Das hoteleigene Restaurant Spice Garden ist das einzige indisch-myanmarische Restaurant in Mandalay. Hier wird eine große Auswahl an Geflügel, Meeresfrüchten und vegetarischen Speisen in ruhiger Atmosphäre serviert. Das Frühstück verfügt über eine Auswahl an Früchten, Brot, asiatischen Speisen, Müsli, Eierspeisen, süßem Gebäck, frischem French Toast und Crêpes. Dazu gibt es frischen Kaffee, Saft und Tee.       

Spa und Fitness: Was gibt es Schöneres, als sich nach einem erlebnisreichen Tag in Mandalay mit einer Massage verwöhnen zu lassen? Die Inneneinrichtung des Prana Spas ist inspiriert von der traditionellen Bauweise ländlicher Dörfer in Myanmar, wo die Innenräume der Gebäude auch im Sommer eine angenehme Temperatur haben. Zudem verfügt das Hotel by the Red Canal über ein Fitnesstudio, wo du dich auspowern kannst.   

Die Zimmer: Das Hotel verfügt über 25 Zimmer in 4 Kategorien, welche nach den vier wichtigsten ethnischen Gruppen in Myanmar benannt und auch demnach eingerichtet sind: Chin, Kachin, Rakhine und Shan. Alle Zimmer sind mit schönen Holzverzierungen dekoriert, sehr sauber, gemütlich und ruhig. 

FAZIT ZU MANDALAY 

Die Stadt ist zwar sehr groß und wuselig, jedoch super spannend! Wenn du für deinen Aufenthalt 2-3 Tage einplanst, schaffst du es auf jeden Fall alles zu sehen. 

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Taking this Irrawaddy Dolphin Watching trip in the hottest month in Myanmar turned out to be a great idea. As a group of 4 we opted for the 2 days/ 1 night trip and enjoyed the cooling breeze and beautiful scenery as we slowly made our way up the river.

What is an Irrawaddy Dolphin?

Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris) are an oceanic dolphin named after the Irrawaddy (Ayeyawaddy) River and are one of the world’s five species of dolphins that live in rivers. They have a grey body, a blunt forehead and nose, unlike the other oceanic dolphins, and can live up to 50 years. They use echolocation (sound) to hunt fish and communicate together. Irrawaddy dolphins are endangered and have an estimated total population of 7,100. They are found in only three rivers today, and there are less than 70 individuals left in the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar, where they are critically endangered.

What’s endangering Irrawaddy Dolphins?

• Shock by electrofishing
• Entanglement in gill nets or drift nets put across the river
• Lack of food as a result of over-fishing
• Pollution from mining and other industry
• Noise disturbance from large boats
• Less habitat from soil erosion

What is cooperative fishing?

Communication via calls and signals is made by both dolphins and fishermen, with the dolphins rearing schools of fish towards the cast net fishing boats and signalling to the fishermen to throw their nets when the fish near close to the boat. Only a handful of fishermen still practice cooperative fishing with dolphins these days. Communicating with dolphins and coordinating the throw with their signals takes years of skill and trust building with dolphins. The tradition is dying, as modern fishing practices and economics take over. Illegal electrofishing is also breaking down the trust between dolphins and fishermen, as dolphins are sometimes shocked and killed.

Ayeyawady Dolphin Protected Area

Myanmar’s Ayeyawady Dolphin Protected Area is the only place where you can see both Irrawaddy dolphins and the cooperative fishing tradition. It was the country’s first aquatic protected area, established in 2005, stretches for 74 km and has approximately 25 dolphins in the area. It is best visited from Mandalay on an overnight boat trip for 2 or 3 days in order to maximise your chances of spotting dolphins and having ample time to witness cooperative fishing in action. There are seven cooperative fishing villages that can be visited along the way that still maintain traditional culture, as well as other attractions such the 126 species of birds of the Upper Ayeyawaddy.

How Your Visit Helps

• Generates income for cooperative fishermen and their families
• Creates incentives for dolphin protection
• Raises awareness to protect dolphins & cooperative fishing
• Proceeds from the project’s revenue (5%) and donations by visitors help with community development

Spending 2 days 1 night on the river with Living Irrawaddy Dolphin Project was the best decision we made in Mandalay. The most amazing thing about this trip was not only seeing dolphins, but also learning about the unique relationship between local fishermen and dolphins. Cooperative fishing with wild dolphins doesn’t exist anywhere on earth but this part of the Irrawaddy River. One of the fishermen even told us a beautiful folktale about their relationship with dolphins.

Another thing we really enjoyed on this trip is we got to interact with the villagers. They showed us how to apply thanaka, how to wear longyi (traditional men’s sarong), how to throw a net, etc. It was a lot of fun! Food (cooked by the villagers) was very good and vegetarian friendly.

The moments on the boat from village to village were very relaxing too. I would love to try it again and would recommend it to anyone looking for a very authentic experience interested in getting to know life in rural Myanmar.

Your visit helps raise awareness for dolphin protection and generates income for local fishermen to continue their practice of cooperative fishing with dolphins. This is a social business. They are neither an NGO nor a strictly for-profit company.They use business to create benefits for communities and conservation. This project is an initiative of Living Irrawaddy Travel, a small local travel company.The Living Irrawaddy Dolphin Project is an initiative of Living Irrawaddy Travel and works with 6 communities to help them develop and market community-based ecotourism.

For your visit, you can get more detail information at info@hotelredcanal.com.

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This year 2019 is 160 years of Mandalay City, as the memorial day, the Royal families members organized and celebrate the donations with Mandalay citizens.

Hotel by the Red Canal family participate the donation to 160 monks with the Royal Families and the Mandalarians.The donation held in the “Thudhamma Zayats”, at the footage of Mandalay Hill are the most notable Zayats.

When King Mindon first laid foundation for building Mandalay Yadanabon, the Royal City, The Thudhamma Zayats are included together with Royal Palace, Moat, Kuthodaw (known as world biggest book and UNESCO Heritage site), the Congregation Hall, the Incomparable Monastery (AH-TU-MASHI) and Pitakataik (Library).

This shows how much Myanmar People care about well-being of their guest.Zayat for visitors are available in almost all the villages of Myanmar. Any visitors are welcome to stay in any monastery if they prefer.

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The exact date of Vesak is based on the Asian lunisolar calendars and is primarily celebrated in Vaisakha month of the Buddhist calendar and the Hindu calendar, and hence the name Vesak. In Nepal, which is considered the birth-country of Buddha, it is celebrated on the full moon day of the Vaisakha month of the Hindu calendar, and is traditionally called Buddha Purnima, Purnima meaning the full moon day in Sanskrit.

In Theravada countries following the Buddhist calendar, it falls on a full moon Uposatha day, typically in the 5th or 6th lunar month. The date varies from year to year in the Western Gregorian calendar, but usually falls in April or May. In leap years it may be celebrated in June.

Mandalay is famous and strange of celebrating “Sand Stupa Pagoda” among the other towns in Myanmar because six sand stupa pagodas are situated in quarters along the bank of “Shwe Ta Chaung Canal” that flows Maddaya to Mandalay city. “Maha Walu Ka”, “Mont Te Su” sand stupa pagoda always renew two days ahead of “Kason” fullmoon day every year. First day, people have to finish sand stupa pagoda within one day .

Second day is preparation time for donation to monks and Buddha. Fullmoon day is pagoda festival day and make donations. Sand Stupa Pagodas have to build within one day and that last for the whole year that should not miss out to visit and see there.

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