THE ROAD TO MANDALAY & ANCIENT BAGAN

It was a clear dawn late 1287; thunder rolled eerie in the distance, but the only clouds were dust rising on the horizon. As the thunder of Kublai Khan and his Mongol hordes grew louder and the ground beneath the 13,000 temples began to shudder, the people of Bagan shuddered with it. What had taken a thousand years to build would be ruined in a thousand minutes.

Some 2,220 temples and stupas remain in good standing today, hundreds with ancient mural paintings still in tact. You can tour one of the world’s greatest archeological and architectural wonders by horse and carriage, bicycle or on foot. Please don’t ride the goats! Sunsets and sun rises viewed from a temple-top can be positively surreal!

The “Mandalay Array” is a term we coined to indicate the impressive number of impressive places to visit both in and around the city. No tour of limited duration has the logistical setup to get them all in, but this one comes close and you will have your choices. There is the longest teak bridge in the world at Amarapura; the ancient capitol of Inwa; the world’s biggest book; the great unfinished rock temple at Mingun; the Holy Hills of Sagaing with its 600 monasteries and nunneries along the Irrawaddy, and of course, much more!

To sample this Burma travel itinerary click the Itinerary tab above. For more destination details, please see Burma Destinations.