Mandalay Sightseeing
Your tour starts this morning with a visit to Amarapura, a former royal capital. Here, you'll visit Mahagandayon Monastery, where in the morning, monks and novices line up to receive their daily offering of alms and food from faithful Buddhists. Pause to enjoy the atmosphere of U Bein Bridge, a picturesque teak bridge which extends over one kilometre across Taungthaman Lake, and the highlight of any visit to Amarapura. From Amarapura, turn back to Mandalay itself, stopping first at Mahamuni Paya. Worshippers flock daily to the shrine at four in the morning to observe the unique face-washing ceremony. En route to the pagoda, stop to observe the laborious process of gold-leaf beating, where gold is painstakingly hammered out into tissue-thin squares. Continue to Shwenandaw Kyaung, or the Golden Teak Monastery. Built entirely of golden teak, this intricately carved wooden monastery was once part of the Mandalay Palace. Afterwards visit Kyauktawgyi Paya, famous for its monumental seated Buddha, carved from a single block of marble. Continue to Kuthodaw Paya, known also as "the world's biggest book". Around the central stupa are miniature pavilions, each housing a slab of marble numbering altogether 729, these slabs are inscribed with the entire Tripitkata, or Buddhist scriptures. The final stop is at Shwe Kyin Old Monastery, an old monastery at the base of Mandalay Hill, which was built during the period of King Mindon.
Accommodation: Bagan King Hotel
INCLUDES : Breakfast