Mandalay
The name of the city is reminiscent of the famous poem
by Rudyard Kipling “Road to Mandalay”. Mandalay, last capital of
Myanmar’s Kingdom, is the second-largest city of Myanmar and lies
on Ayeyarwaddy River. In its center is the restored Mandalay Palace
from the Konbaung Dynasty, surrounded by a moat. Mandalay Hill provides
views of the city from its summit, which is reached by a covered
stairway. At its foot, the Kuthodaw Pagoda houses hundreds of
Buddhist-scripture-inscribed marble slabs. Mandalay truly deserves
to be one of the top cultural cities of Myanmar. Not only the city itself, but also the surrounding towns Mingun, Sagaing, Ava, Pyin Oo Lwin, and more are major attractions and worthwhile to spend a few days.