Mandalay
Perhaps the best sights of Mandalay are the Shwei-in-bin Monastery, a regal teak structure that is a rare example of traditional Burmese design; the iconic Mandalay Palace, a reconstructed, restored complex that was once home to a line of Burmese kings; and the surreally elaborate Kuthodaw Pagoda, a white marble structure dating from the 1800s.
Experiences
A handpicked selection of experiences endorsed by our experts. If you can’t see what you’re looking for, let us know, as our extensive network of local contacts can open many doors.
Contemporary Art Tour
Along with Yangon, Mandalay is one of Myanmar’s burgeoning centers of contemporary art, with new galleries opening and buzz beginning to build here. Get a firsthand look at awakening artistic and political expression in a country where it has long been discouraged.
Cruise on The Road to Mandalay
Take a cruse on The Road To Mandalay, a luxury cruise ship named after the Rudyard Kipling poem. Board the ship in Mandalay and sail down the Irrawaddy to Bagan (or vice versa), stopping along the way to experience the sights and sounds of sleepy, rural Myanmar. Your time on the ship will be spent enjoying talks by experts, cultural dance and song, even acrobatics, all with the luxuries and amenities of a luxury hotel.
Kuthodaw Pagoda
Built by King Mindon in the 19th-century, Kuthodaw pagoda is home to the world’s largest book – a series of 729 white marble tablets on which the Buddhist scriptures are carved. The tablets are arranged in groups as four sides of a square, with each square crowned by a white stupa, making for a remarkable sight en masse.
Mahamuni Paya
Visit the Mahamuni Paya and see the famed Buddha, covered in gold leaf daily by pilgrims. Join in and add a small amount of gold leaf to the Buddha.
Mandalay Hill
Do as Burmese Buddhist pilgrims have done for hundreds of years and hike to the top of Mandalay Hill (790 feet in altitude), a merit-making endeavor in the mind of the faithful. There are four pathways up to the top of the hill, the most commonly used of which is marked by two famous "chinthes," or giant lion statues (rendered with artistic flair) guarding the path entrance.
Mandalay Palace
Home to the last kings of Burma, Mandalay Palace fell to British forces in 1885; subsequently, the Palace became a symbol of Burmese identity and independence. While the palace was destroyed in World War II, it was rebuilt in the 1990s. Today, the reconstructed palace features traditional Burmese architecture, with a wide moat, defensive walls, carefully manicured gardens, and low structures under elaborate, tiled roofs.
Po Win Daung Caves
Embark on a full-day trip to the seldom visited Po Win Daung caves. Although little known to the outside world, the hundreds of caves here, carved out of sandstone rock, are considered by academics to contain one of the richest repositories of Buddhist statues and fresco paintings in all of Southeast Asia.
Shwei-in-bin Monastery
Visit the Shwei-in-bin Monastery, a fine example of traditional Burmese wooden architecture, and one of the few which survived the test of time. Built from teak, a hard wood native to southeast Asia, Shwei-in-bin Monastery is full of elaborate woodcarvings and detailed Buddhist artwork.
Shwenandaw Kyaung Monastery
Visit the beautiful Shwenandaw Kyaung teak monastery, which was once part of Mandalay Palace before being disassembled and relocated to its present location in 1880. Built entirely out of teak wood and abounding in intricately carved depictions of the life of the Buddha, Shwenandaw was one of few buildings spared during World War II bombing.
U Bein Bridge
Stroll across U Bein bridge, the world’s longest teak bridge, which is three-quarters of a mile long and one of Mandalay’s landmarks.
Myanmar Regions
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Exclusively Asia
With Remote Lands you'll travel with people who have made Asia the solitary focus of their own lifelong adventure. As our guest, you'll discover Asia on a journey that is completely, authentically your own, adapted from our own remarkable experiences and adventures over the years.
With Remote Lands you'll travel with people who have made Asia the solitary focus of their own lifelong adventure. As our guest, in the continent that our north American founders Catherine and Jay have adored and explored for decades, you'll discover Asia on a journey that is completely, authentically your own, adapted from our own remarkable experiences and adventures over the years.
Travelogues
An Asia-focused magazine brought to you by Remote Lands - a platform for adventure, luxury, and authenticity from experts and explorers around the continent.
Rubies, Dolphins, and the Rarer Road to Mandalay
- Author
- Travelogues
East to the highlands, north to the Rubies, west to the Irrawaddy, and cruise down south for a circumlocutory Road to Mandalay.
Pyin Oo Lwin: An English Town in Burma
- Author
- Thomas Bird
Thomas Bird travels to Pyin Oo Lwin for horse-drawn carriages, colonial architecture, and a little England outside of Mandalay.
Four Luxe Riverboat Cruises in Myanmar
- Author
- Jim Algie
Myanmar riverboats have been traveling the Irawaddy since Burma’s colonial days, and these four are the premier luxury options for discerning travelers.
What Others Say
Here is a small selection of the kind words our clients have said about us recently.

A couple from New York
Remote Lands planned a wonderful trip for us to Myanmar. The itinerary included many unique stops that would not have been available to us in a packaged trip.

Solo Traveler from Hong Kong
My Remote Lands guide was excellent in every sense. She was truly sensitive and instructive on local customs and their meanings and applications.