Mandalay Region · Myanmar
Where to stay in Mandalay
Mandalay is a city in Mandalay Region, Myanmar, home to about 1,226,000 people.
- Best months
- December and January
- Nearest airport
- MDL33 km · Mandalay International Airport
- Currency
- MMKkyat
- Time zone
- Asia/Yangon
- Language
- Burmese
About
About Mandalay
Mandalay is the second-largest city in Myanmar, after Yangon. It is located on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, 631 km (392 mi) north of Yangon.
The very name Mandalay evokes the splendours of old Burma. But most people will be surprised to learn that Mandalay is not an old city, not even a medieval one, but rather a new city created by King Mingdon Min in 1857 as the new capital of the kingdom of Ava. Mingdon moved the capital from Amarapura to this site at the base of Mandalay Hill as it was more easily defendable against British attack. Only two Burmese kings ruled from there, King Mingdon and King Thibaw, before the British conquest of Upper Burma in 1885.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Mandalay
See
Mandalay has a "Mandalay Zone Fee" of 10,000 kyat that covers most of the central attractions and lasts for about a week. Buy it from the first attraction you visit. The tickets are not always checked at all attractions and you might be able to get individual cheaper tickets for some attractions. Access to the Mandalay hill requires an additional entry fee of 1,000 kyat, and Mingung and Sagaing are 5,000 kyat extra both (not always enforced).
- Jade Market
- Flower Market
- Maha Myat Muni Paya
- Kuthodaw Paya
- Sandamuni Paya
- Shwe Kyi Myin Paya
- Shwenandaw Monastery
- Atumashi Kyaung
- Royal Palace
- U Bein Bridge
Do
- Mandalay Hill
- Gold leaf pressing tour
- Mandalay Marionettes Theatre
- Mintha Theater
- Moustache Brothers
- Waterfall Hill
- A Glimpse of Mandalay Cooking class and day tour
- Amaravati Thai Massage
- City Park
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Mandalay to stay in
Most budget guesthouses are around 25th St, between 81st and 84th Streets. There are many more than those listed here.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Mandalay
50 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata; the 40 best known are shown, by the number of Wikipedia editions that cover them. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Amazing Mandalay Hotel | 0.4 km | |
| Ayarwaddy River View Hotel | 2.5 km | |
| Diamonds Inn | 0.7 km | |
| E-outfitting Golden Country Hotel | 2.6 km | |
| Eastern Palace Hotel | 4.1 km | |
| Garden Hotel | 0.5 km | |
| Gold Leaf Hotel | 1.7 km | |
| Golden City Light Hotel | 1.4 km | |
| Golden Hotel Mandalay | 4.4 km | |
| Great Wall Hotel | 1.7 km | |
| Hilton Mandalay | 2017 | 2.2 km |
| Hotel Boss | 1.9 km | |
| Hotel Dingar | 1.7 km | |
| Hotel G-Seven | 1.6 km | |
| Hotel Hazel | 1.7 km | |
| Hotel Mandalay | 2.0 km | |
| Hotel Moe Thee | 1.8 km | |
| Hotel My World | 1.3 km | |
| Hotel Myat Nan Taw Win | 6.3 km | |
| Hotel Shwe Pyi Thar | 5.0 km | |
| Hotel United | 2.9 km | |
| Hotel Victory Point | 0.8 km | |
| Hotel Yadanar Oo | 2.6 km | |
| Ibis Styles Mandalay Centre | 2020 | 4.5 km |
| Kaung Myint Hotel | 0.7 km | |
| Ma Ma Guest House | 3.3 km | |
| Mandalay City Hotel | 2003 | 0.4 km |
| Mandalay Swan Hotel | 2.1 km | |
| Mercure Mandalay Hill Resort | 1995 | 2.6 km |
| Nylon Hotel | 0.5 km | |
| Oway Grand Hotel | 0.8 km | |
| Perfect Hotel | 4.8 km | |
| Power Hotel | 2.4 km | |
| Pullman Mandalay Mingalar | 2019 | 4.4 km |
| Ritz Grand Hotel Mandalay | 4.4 km | |
| Royal Diamond Hotel | 1.3 km | |
| Royal Mingalar Hotel | 1.7 km | |
| Royal Pearl Hotel | 0.5 km | |
| Royal Yadanarbon Hotel | 1.4 km | |
| Rupar Mandalar Resort | 1.7 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Mandalay
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Mandalay are December and January. April is the warmest month, with average highs of 37 °C; October is the wettest, with about 202 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Mandalay: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Mandalay International Airport (MDL), about 33 km from the city centre in a straight line.
Getting around
The best and most flexible way to see the city is by bicycle, as traffic isn't as heavy as in other Asian cities. The cheapest local transportation network consists of mini-trucks, loaded with passages on two benches on the back. They run along routes all over Manadaly starting at the centre at the market at 84th/29th. A number (Burmese symbol) defines where the truck is going and usually two people are standing at the back, shouting their destination and helping people get in. If you catch one at the main hub, it is easier to ask people for the right number and price.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
MDL · Mandalay International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Mandalay
Eat
Mandalay is a former capital of Myanmar and a major trading centre between Myanmar and its neighbours, China, India and Bangladesh. As a result, it has a notable array of specialities from various regions in Myanmar and from other countries. Cuisine from the Shan State (usually including fermented pastes, vegetables and meats) is popular in Mandalay which has a sizable Shan minority. Muslim Chinese noodles, pronounced pan-THEI-kao-sweh (flat thin noodles mixed with an array of spices, chili, and chicken), are also famous in Mandalay and the surrounding hills.
Stay safe
Mandalay is a haven for drug kingpins and is a main trading centre of illicit drugs. In 2005, an explosion occurred at Zegyo Market. However, Mandalay is generally a very safe city.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Mandalay: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Mandalay?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Mandalay are December and January. April is the warmest month, with average highs of 37 °C; October is the wettest, with about 202 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Mandalay?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Mandalay International Airport (MDL), about 33 km from the city centre in a straight line.
What currency is used in Mandalay?
kyat (MMK).
Nearby
Destinations near Mandalay
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.