You found a cheap ticket and go to Asia without a plan. How you will spend the holidays at the other end of the world? Don’t worry if the road brings you to Myanmar, the former Burma, visit Mandalay, the second largest city in this country. Here are five attractions that you can visit in Mandalay:
Bridge U Bain
This is the longest bridge in the world built of wood. Its debt is over 1,600 meters stretching across the lake Taungtaman. It is very popular place to enjoy the sunset, and monks often visit and meditate on it. At each end of the bridge there are bars and various street caterers that offer homemade food.
The world’s biggest book
Placed on Kutodav peju, the world’s largest book actually is a series of white columns. Every column contains a marble slab inscribed with text from Triptakata, Buddhist holy book. It takes more than a year to read the book, which extends to 729 columns, of course if you read it uninterrupted for eight hours a day.
Shwenandaw Kyaung
This magnificent monastery is built completely of wood with intricate carvings around the exterior and a lot such carvings in its interior. The monastery was erected on the foundations of the royal palace, but after the death of King Mindy piece by piece is moved to today’s location at the foot of Mandalay Hill.
Driving a boat
Driving a boat on the Irrawaddy River provides a completely new perspective of the city. There are many places which can be reached by water. Boat trip to Bagan lasts 11 hours and is incredibly popular, but if you want shorter trips then you can visit Mingun, an hour downstream, where you can view the largest bell in the world.
Sagaing Hill
On the top of the hill there are gold columns and several temples. The best view to the hill is possible to be reached by the water or road bridge that passes over the river. It is an amazing adventure to get on top of the hill, which is home of 45 golden statues of Buddha.