Multi-day Trips Mandalay

Travel advisory: Official advice is firm: the US government says not to travel to Myanmar, and the UK says not to travel to Sagaing or north of Mandalay city and to avoid all but essential travel to Mandalay itself. Violence, drone attacks, curfews and internet shutdowns are continuing, and the March 2025 earthquake damaged many sites around the city. Check the US State Department and UK FCDO before making any plans.

Multi-Day Trips from Mandalay

Multi-day routes from Mandalay historically combined the city with Mingun and Amarapura. Under current official advice these are not trips to plan, and the condition and access of the sites below are unconfirmed since the March 2025 earthquake.

The city

• Mandalay Hill is a pilgrimage hill with pagodas along its slopes.
• Mandalay Palace was the royal residence in the Konbaung dynasty. The earthquake damaged its walls and gates.
• Kuthodaw Pagoda is known for 729 marble slabs inscribed with Buddhist scriptures. Surveyors reported serious structural damage.
• Gold leaf, wood carving and silk weaving workshops were a long-standing part of the city’s crafts.

Beyond the city

• Mingun lies in Sagaing Region, where the UK advises against all travel. Hsinbyume Pagoda was largely destroyed, and the Pahtodawgyi is damaged and closed to climbing.
• Amarapura is known for U Bein Bridge, a long teak footbridge.

Practical notes

• Dress modestly at religious sites and remove shoes before entering temples.
• The climate is hot, with the hottest period from March to May.