I am two days into my first-ever visit to Mandalay, a beautiful city with a dynamic and vibrant atmosphere. Today we decided to visit Sagaing Hill Monasteries, U Bein Bridge, Taung Tha Man Lake (Taungthaman Lake), and Kyauktawgyi Temple in Amarapura– the places I have long wanted to visit.
First Stop At Sagaing Hill
From Mandalay to Sagaing Hill Monasteries was about 24 km, crossing the Irrawaddy river by private car; it took us about 45 minutes to get there. Sagaing was the capital for only three years before nearby Inwa took over in 1764. However, it remains an important spiritual town attracting many people to meditate in its monasteries. From the hilltop, I could see the evidence of hundreds of stupas breaking out through the greenery of the hillside. It was a great view of the town, the Irrawaddy river, and the Ava (Inwa) bridge.
Visiting Soon U Ponya Shin Paya Pagoda
I have visited one of the pagodas, Soon U Ponya Shin Paya, on one of the southern hilltops of Sagaing Hill. It was built in the early 1300s and beautifully decorated with glass tiles, interesting paintings, and statues—what a great view from there. But, of course, I could also see many temples, Buddhist universities, and pagodas.
By the time we reached the base of the hill, it was already hot like crazy. It was uncomfortable walking on the temple floor barefooted. Remember that the floor was so hot that walking barefoot for a long time can give you a blister.
Finally At The World Famous U-Bein’s Bridge
Next stop U-Bein’s bridge which crosses Taung Tha Man Lake in Amarapura. Not so far away from Sagaing, but narrow winding local roads took us 30+ minutes to cover 20 km. It was early afternoon when we arrived west side of the lake, not a good time for pictures, so we decided to relax and have our lunch at one of the beachside restaurants.
I have always had a great fascination with visiting and walking on U Bein’s bridge across the lake. It’s around 1.2 km long and is the largest teakwood bridge – 1000 mostly wooden piles support it. Along the bridge, there are several shaded sitting areas, and also there are several tea stalls.
One of the best times to visit U Bein Bridge is at sunset, with excellent photo opportunities and a lovely peaceful atmosphere, mainly if you hire a rowing boat and enjoy the picturesque view. The first time I visited was on my way from the airport to Mandalay hotel, during the early afternoon, but the second time I was lucky to be there and experience the spectacular sunset. So I would highly recommend an early morning or evening trip.
Walk Over the Bridge
I enjoyed crossing the bridge in the evening; the environment after sunset and the view was out of the world. There are sitting benches and a few lookout areas to make your walk more enjoyable.
Visit Kyauktawgyi Pagoda and The Village
We finished our lunch by the lake and got Plenty of time until sunset, so we hired a rowing boat run by the locals to get to the other side of the lake. It was a great experience to view the bridge and the beautiful scenery from a far distance.
Once on the other side, we walked through the village to get to the Kyauktawgyi Pagoda. From the outside, it looks like a replica of the Ananda Temple at Bagan. It is famous for 8 meters, 900 tons Buddha statue placed at the center. I had to climb up to stick some golden stickers on top of it. The Pagoda is most famous among the locals and gets its energy during the Kyauktawgyi Paya festival, generally held for seven days in October.
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