Shwe Bo (Sagaing Region)
Shwebo is the native town of U Aung Zay Ya, the founder of last Myanmar Kingdom - Kone Baung Dynasty (1752 – 1885) - and the first capital of that Dynasty. The town had four other different names before it was renamed to current name – Shwebo (meaning the golden leader) – by King Alaungmintayar (U Aung Zay Ya) after conquering Mon King.
- Category: Surroundings of Mandalay
Pyin Oo Lwin
Pyin Oo Lwin is an old colonial hill station exists 1050 meter above sea level, 68 km south-east of Mandalay. It was built by Colonel May in 1886 and formerly called Maymyo (May’s town). Because of its geographical existence, Pyin Oo Lwin has moderate temperature cool in average all year round.
Pyin Oo Lwin can be reached by road or rail. The uphill and downhill by road has a couple of S-bends before it gets to Pyin Oo Lwin. One can have the bird’s eye view of Mandalay and surrounding panorama when reaching to the view point at the 21 mile (34 km) en-route. The town is also famous as “the city of flowers” for its abundance in varieties of flowers like asters, dahlias and chrysanthemums, etc. Today coffee and strawberries are widely grown in large plantations as a commercial basis.
- Category: Surroundings of Mandalay
Sagaing
Sagaing is at 21 km south-west of Mandalay on the west bank of Ayeyarwaddy river. Sagaing became a capital of an independent Shan kingdom around AD 1315 after the fall of Bagan when dynasty was not so important in Myanmar.
Today, the enormous dome-shaped pagoda Kaunghmudaw built by king Thalun in 1636 is distinct landmark. The real attraction of Sagaing is the Sagaing hill where the whole area is covered with many pagodas, temples and very green shady trees.
- Category: Surroundings of Mandalay
Amarapura
Located at around 11 km south of Mandalay is one of the ancient capitals of last Myanmar kingdom called Amarapura which signifies the City of Inmortality. It is also called “Taung Myo” the southern town. Amarapura was the capital of Myanmar for three discrete periods during the Konbaung dynasty in the 18th and 19th centuries before finally supplanted by Mandalay in 1857. Although any significant remnants of the ancient city can be hardly found, the nowadays suburb of Mandalay city still maintains the traditional art of silk weaving.
- Category: Surroundings of Mandalay
Mingun
Mingun is located on the western bank of the river Ayeyarwaddy, approximately 11 Km north-west of Mandalay. It is reachable by boat from Mandalay across the river - 1 hour for up-river and 40 minutes for downriver.
- Category: Surroundings of Mandalay
Inwa
Just about 20 km southwest of Mandalay; Inwa, one of the important old cities lies at the confluence of Myitnge and Ayeyarwaddy Rivers.
The former Inwa was a capital of upper Myanmar from AD 1364 until 1841. Farms, villages, monasteries and ruined pagodas are scattered around the area within the old city walls. Some parts of the wall are in particularly good condition while some have been restored. Some monuments erected during the Inwa era still remain as worthy visiting sights.
- Category: Surroundings of Mandalay
Moegoke
Moegoke is the famous town lies in a beautiful mountain valley, 206 kilometers to the north-east of Mandalay and its elevation is approximately 1,160 meters above the sea level. The mountain ranges of Moegoke are a part of the great Shan plateau but the town itself is in Mandalay Division. It is alternatively known as “Ruby Land” because it produces the highest quality ruby in the world.
- Category: Surroundings of Mandalay
Monywa
Monywa lies on the eastern bank of the Chindwin River. The journey to Monywa takes about three and half hours drive from Mandalay via Sagaing which is approximately 136 km west of Mandalay.
The ancient name was Thalawadi, said to be a large village in the Bagan Era. Monywa serves as a major trade center for agricultural produce especially beans, pulses, sesame, cotton and jiggery (palm sugar). Copper is mined near Monywa.
- Category: Surroundings of Mandalay