Private Full-Day Mandalay Heritage Charter Car Tour

Mandalay Hill is a good place to have a great view of the city and surrounding areas. You can either walk or ask for a driving to the top. If you have enough time, a 30-minute walking is strongly recommended. En route, you’ll not only enjoy the fun of hiking, but also be able to admire a Buddhist statue and some little pagodas. Once you reach the top of the hill, there are two temples, the Sandamuni and Sutaungpyei Pagodas. Here, at this tranquil site, pilgrims often present offerings and pray.

Now you see the Mandalay Palace is a replica, because the original palace was destroyed during WWII. It was built by King Mindon in 18 century and surrounded by a beautiful moat. As the home of King Mindon and his family, it is one of the land mark of Myanmar. Stroll the extensive grounds and enjoy the shady, ancient gardens, playgrounds, and swimming pools. For those interested in its military aspects, security ports for soldiers, horses, and archers can be viewed. You will also encounter sheds for the royal animals, audience halls and a monastery. Royal clothing is on display and can even be worn for photos.

Shwenandaw means “Golden Palace” because it was once part of the Royal Palace. No longer plated in gold, this monastery still exhibits intricately carved 19th-century architecture. As you walk through, you will see stories told in the beautiful relief carvings. All around the walls and roofs are shapes or designs etched into the beautiful teak. The main shrine houses a gilt statue of the Buddha.

Built in 1857, the exterior of this temple is completely covered in gold. The real treasure, however, is in the 730 marble structures that comprise the ‘book’ containing the whole of the Buddhist canon. As you meander through these rows of stupas, you will see that each tablet contains approximately 100 lines. When completed in 1868, the words on each stone were plated with gold. The gold was looted several decades later, but the tablets remained and are recognized as the world’s largest book.

We will have a break for a cup of traditional Myanmar-style tea or coffee, which is complimentary. A favorite tea house with the locals. You'll find dozens of tea shops serving up quick eats in addition to tea and coffee. If you are feeling hungry, pick one of tea shops and seat with locals. (Optional).

Stands outside Amarapura, Werawsana Jade Pagoda is reputedly the world’s first pagoda built entirely out of jade, is said to have been built using 10 million kg of jade. A series of chambers for praying and making merit ring the roughly 75-foot-tall structure. The exterior walls are inlaid with arrays of carved amulets, sculpted leaves, and inscriptions.

The driver will drop you at the river jetty just south of the Inwa Bridge. From there you’ll take a short ferry ride (1,300 Kyat round-trip) across the Mytinge River. Innwa, sometimes also referred to as “Ava”, is the former capital of the country, and its oldest buildings date back to the 14th century; but each renovation brought a new style of architecture. The splendor of the past can be seen in the huge fort walls, standing ever-vigilant around the old buildings. The visiting route covers around 6km, so taking a horse cart to get around the ancient city is mostly recommended (Optional). The price has been fixed at 10,000 Kyats ($7.40) for a 2-hour horse carriage tour around the area that includes the 4 main sites – Bagaya Monastery, Yandana Sine Pagoda, Nan Myint Watch Tower, and Mai Nu Monastery. Go back in time on a horse-drawn carriage to this ancient city. The enchantment here is the glimpse of history you get from a city which was destroyed by invasions and earthquakes, and later rebuilt. Here you can also see the Maha Aung Mye Bonzan monastery. Unlike its counterparts, this marvel was made of brick. The entrance is guarded by stone chinthes and its ornate design makes it a must-see for any traveler.

In the afternoon, you can take a seat and relax at a local shop or stroll along the lakeside, to observe local people’s lives, and enjoy a breathtaking sunset there. For a nice change of pace, stroll across Taungthaman Lake on the longest teak bridge in the world. The water levels vary according to the season, but the lake will always give you a sense of serenity.