AROUND MANDALAY You Cansnoopaboutpottery Factories

AROUND MANDALAY you cansnoopaboutpottery factories. off;nearbyisKyaukmyaung,ariverside towndevoted topottery,last dynastykicked where offthetravelways, astupa-filledtownwhere east,Shweboisfurther Myanmar’s tain; further a carnivalesquepagodaandhundreds ofcave fromabuddha-shapedmoun- temples carved mere presence –thatrequire overnight stays. FourhourswestofMandalay,Monywaisnear localssometimesslipintoapproving laughter where atyour real wide-eyed ones,thekind hills offer roomtoexplore, spacetomeditate andviewsoftheAyeyarwady. third finished.At oneofMyanmar’smostreligious destinations,Sagaing’stemple-studded Mandalay –steps leadupabattered stupamore massive thananyother…andyetonlya sites surroundedbyvillagelife. –aboatrideuptheAyeyarwady(Irrawaddy)from InMingun capital ofInwa(Ava), leadsvisitorstoahandfulofancient aflatbedferry thenahorsecart hundreds ofmonksandfisherscarryingtheirday’scatchhome. At thecanal-madeisland slow-moving Mostofitiseasyday-trippotential. horsecarts. battered stupasandpalacewallslostinpalm-rimmed ricefieldswhere localsscootbyin What putsMandalayonmosttravellers’ mapsloomsoutsideitsdoors–formercapitalswith Around Mandalay 276 © LonelyPlanetPublications Further out of town, northwest of Mandalay in Sagaing District, areFurther ofMandalayinSagaingDistrict, acoupleoftowns– outoftown,northwest In Amarapura,for-hire teak-pole rowboatsdriftbyathree-quarter-mile bridgeusedby

„ „ „ „ „ HIGHLIGHTS

Peek intoancientpottery traditionsat GotoBagan thebackway–via Climb Lookover hundreds ofpagodasandthe Jointhemonkparadecrossing lined with giant potsboundfordelta villages ( p289) admiring the ( p286 ), where in youcanjoinmonkeys by aboatridefromMandalay stupareachedished, butstillking-sized, religiousimportant sites Hill Ayeyarwady River fromatop stunning world’s longestteak bridge,Amarapura’s ( p283 ), oneofMyanmar’smore Mingun Paya U Bein’sBridge Hpo WinDaungCaves ( p284 ), anunfin- ( p278) Sagaing Monywa

Kyaukmyaung

Daung Caves Hpo Win

Chind Monywa

w in River ( p292 ), ararely visited riverside village

Kyaukmyaung Ayeyarwady Sagaing Hill

River Paya Mingun U Bein'sBridge Mandalay AROUND MANDALAY 277 (pagoda festival), p279 p279 (pagoda festival), paya pwe 02 AMARAPURA AMARAPURA GETTING THERE & AROUND & AROUND THERE GETTING All of these destinations are best reached via best reached these are destinations of All % royal capital, the Myanmar’s penultimate (pro- Amarapura now-modern town of 7 miles south of nounced amuRA-puRA), is well known by the many day- Mandalay, built for its 1849 pedestrian bridge trippers setting posts. The 1000 teak on the over of too, Lake is gorgeous Taungthaman wide to see, though more most much and there’s easy to (and sometimes not scattered are sites if for walking find). Allow time and energy ANCIENT CITIES ANCIENT CITIES its day trips claims to fame are real Mandalay’s you can ancient cities, which to some distinct cart or foot – Amarapura, visit by boat, horse Pagoda as the Snake Inwa and Sagaing, as well You’ll to the north is Mingun. upriver at Paleik; ‘Archaeological need to pick up Mandalay’s (government-bound; Zone’ $10 combo ticket or the main sites, ) to visit Inwa’s p261 see to visit Mingun and Sagaing/Mingun $3 ticket No- Bridge). Sagaing (if you cross the old Ava other sites. at the for tickets one checks amrpšr Mandalay ( p255 ). Three of the ancient cit- the ancient of ). Three p255 ( Mandalay outside Inwa and Sagaing) ies (Amarapura, by pick-ups, reached door are Mandalay’s taxi go on day trips by (seebut most visitors hours a few are Shwebo ). Monywa and p278 by bus; Monywa Mandalay of west and north with and slow-train connections also has air useful and a with bus connection Mandalay to Bagan.) en route See the p191 ( Pakokku & Away sectionsGetting in individual There details. more destinations for West of Monywa, p289 p289 West of Monywa, Mingun, p285 p285 Mingun, Amarapura’s Kyauktawgyi Paya hosts this Amarapura’s Kyauktawgyi Paya (Yadanagu) South of Amarapura, p280 p280 South of Amarapura, (Yadanagu) Paleik, p282 p282 Paleik, Inwa, p281 p281 Inwa, Kaunghmudaw Paya, near Sagaing, p283 p283 near Sagaing, Kaunghmudaw Paya, ANCIENT CITIES •• Amarapura

Irinaku Festival Irinaku of Lights Festival Hpo Win Daung Festival Inwa Nat Pwe Festival Paleik Waso Festival Mingun Nat Festival Mingun Nat Festival

„ „ „ „ „ „ LOCAL FESTIVAL LOWDOWN LOWDOWN FESTIVAL LOCAL „

In 1760 the capital back across the shifted In the chaos after the fall of Bagan, it was the fall of after In the chaos By the late 18th century, kings turned to By the late

HISTORY HISTORY

reaching 40°C (104°F), and April and May and April and May 40°C (104°F), reaching back of (and the trees the Dust cakes bake. not raining. your throat) any time it’s CLIMATE CLIMATE sometimes here, it’s hot Mandalay, in As end of the British conquest of Myanmar 25 conquest of the British end of years later. was moved back to Amarapura in 1841. Then was moved in 1860 the seat power was transferred of until the it remained where to Mandalay, was again the capital but, following the ter- caused 1838, which con- of rible earthquake to all thesesiderable damage cities, the capital position from 1764 to 1783, after which time which position from 1764 to 1783, after Amarapura became the capital. In 1823 Inwa four years. Inwa only regained its pre-eminent its pre-eminent Inwa only regained four years. river to Sagaing, where it remained for just it remained to Sagaing, where river a royal in 1752, and the capitala royal in 1752, and the was briefly (then Shwebo stationed in his home town of called Mokesebo). early 14th century), but in 1364 Inwa suc- early 14th century), but himself ceeded it. Alaungpaya appointed materials from an old capital and left the area from an old capital and left the area materials farming villagers. to roseSagaing that first prominence (in the to when a new reign began, the royal entourage began, the royal entourage when a new reign the construction of the new king took much of astrological forces to pick a site. Generally, a site. astrological forces to pick by breaking new ground (and often the bricks ground (and often new by breaking to build old palace buildings) and wood from a new capital. cal chairs in the area around Mandalay. At Mandalay. around in the area cal chairs sought new kings their legacy to build first, of the third and last Anglo-Burmese War in of Myanmar played musi- capitals of 1885, the From the fall of Bagan (Pagan) to the end to the end Bagan (Pagan) the fall of From lonelyplanet.com