Two must-see places in Mandalay: Sagaing Old Town and Inwa Old Town
Mandalay Division is a division of Burma encompassing the western edge of the Shan Plateau and the northern part of the Pegu Mountains, with the Irrawaddy River flowing from its northwestern side. Most sections of the river form the boundary with Sagaing and Magwe divisions.
The city of Mandalay has the remains of the Dafrin Castle, the Forbidden City, temples, monasteries and the old British Government House. The suburb of Mandalay Hill is 260 meters above sea level, with exquisite temple architecture at the top and white pagodas lining the square below the hill. It is one of Myanmar's Buddhist holy places and a tourist destination.
When it comes to Burma, one must mention Mandalay! This city carries the history of several dynasties in Myanmar. There are two must-see places in Mandalay: Sagaing Old Town and Inwa Old Town.
Sagaing Old City:
Sagaing, the ancient city, is located on the west bank of the Irrawaddy River, just across the Ava Bridge. From 1760 to 1764, it was the capital of the Shan kingdom, and the entire city was built on a mountain (Sagaing Hill), densely forested, with pagodas and temples scattered in the jungle as you look across the river.
Many monks come here to practice, making it an important Buddhist shrine in Myanmar.
The path up Sagaing Hill is very steep and you can see pagodas of all kinds, large and small, all the way up.
It is said that there are more than 500 pagodas and temples on the mountain, and as many as 6,000 monks are practicing, so you can meet monks resting or chanting at any time along the way.
The ancient city of Inwa:
The ancient city of Inwa, located 35 kilometers south of Mandalay city, was the capital for four centuries. The city is surrounded by water on all sides and is separated by water like a small island. To the north is the Irrawaddy River, across which is the Sagaing Mountains, to the east is its tributary, the Mitanga River, and to the south and west are canals that connect the two rivers. Unlike other ancient cities, which are square in layout, Inwa has the overall shape of a crouching lion.
The city has survived the 1838 earthquake and World War II, and most of the ruins that can be seen today are scattered among the woods and farmlands.
Sagaing and Inwa are two ancient cities with history in every corner, attracting countless devotees.
The only way to get to the other side of the river is by boat (1000K/person return), and the only way to get to the other side is by hiring a horse-drawn carriage (10000/person). The road there is very rough. Walking or cycling will be very hard, and of course the carriage ride is really bumpy.