←Myanmar travel guide
Mandalay Region, Myanmar
Mandalay
Myanmar's last royal capital, alive with craft traditions and monasteries
ArchitectureCultureHistory & Heritage
Mandalay sits on the eastern bank of the Ayeyarwady River and served as the final capital of the Burmese kingdom until the British annexation in 1885, leaving behind a walled Royal Palace, a moat, and Mandalay Hill with its panoramic views. Today the city is a centre of Buddhist scholarship and traditional crafts, including gold-leaf beating, marble carving, and silk weaving.
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Best time to visit
November to February (dry season)
Region
Mandalay Region
Main airport
Mandalay MDL (MDL)
Discover
Top Things to Do in Mandalay
History
Mandalay Royal Palace
The Mandalay Royal Palace was built in 1857 to 1859 by King Mindon as the centrepiece of his new royal capital, enclosed within a two-kilometre square of walls and a wide moat. The teak structures within the compound, including the throne hall and royal apartments, were largely destroyed during the Second World War and subsequently reconstructed, offering visitors a sense of the palace's original layout and scale. The surrounding moat and fortified walls are particularly photogenic in the early morning.
Culture
Mandalay Hill
Mandalay Hill rises 230 metres above the city and is ascended by a covered stairway of 1,729 steps lined with shrines, pagodas, and meditation alcoves leading to a hilltop temple complex. The summit affords wide views across the Ayeyarwady plain, the Royal Palace moat, and on clear days the distant hills of the Shan Plateau. The hill holds deep religious significance in Burmese Buddhism and draws both pilgrims and visitors throughout the day.
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Plan Your Trip
Getting Around Mandalay
Tours, stays, transfers, and flights — curated partner options are on the way.
Tours & Activities
Skip-the-line tickets, guided tours, and day experiences — curated partner options are on the way.
Coming soonWhere to Stay
Hotels, apartments, and guesthouses across every neighbourhood — booking options are on the way.
Coming soonAirport Transfers
Private and shared rides between the airport and the city centre — partner options are on the way.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Myanmar
Entry requirements vary by passport. Check the requirements for your specific passport on the Myanmar page at Yoogo.
Myanmar uses the kyat (MMK) and cash is essential for the vast majority of transactions, including restaurants, markets, and local transport. US dollars in clean, unmarked, post-2006 notes are accepted at many hotels and travel agencies and can be exchanged for kyat; ATMs are available in Yangon, Mandalay, and other major cities, though supply can be unreliable.
Myanmar has experienced significant civil unrest following the military coup in 2021, and many governments have issued high-level travel advisories for much of the country. Travellers should consult their government's current travel advisory before making any plans and monitor the situation closely before and during any trip.
Air travel between Yangon, Mandalay, and Bagan is the quickest option for covering long distances, with several domestic carriers operating regular routes. Intercity buses, including comfortable VIP coaches, connect most major destinations, while shared taxis, trishaws, e-bikes, and horse carts serve local journeys; boat and ferry travel is common on the Ayeyarwady River and on Inle Lake.
November to February is the most popular and comfortable period for travel, with dry conditions and temperatures broadly in the range of 20 to 30 degrees Celsius across most of the country. The hot dry season runs from March to May, and the southwest monsoon brings heavy rainfall from around mid-May to October, though some regions remain accessible year-round.
Burmese is the official language and is spoken throughout the country, alongside more than a hundred ethnic minority languages and dialects. English is spoken by hotel staff, tour guides, and many shopkeepers in Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan, and Inle Lake, though outside major tourist areas and cities a basic knowledge of Burmese phrases or a translation app will be very useful.
Hepatitis A, typhoid, tetanus, diphtheria, and polio vaccinations are widely recommended for travellers to Myanmar; hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, and cholera vaccines may also be advised depending on the regions visited and the length of stay. Malaria is present at lower altitudes across the country, and antimalarial medication is recommended for most itineraries; travellers should also take care with food and water hygiene throughout.
Tipping is not a traditional custom in Myanmar and is never obligatory, but it is warmly appreciated by service staff, guides, and drivers. Tour guides typically receive the equivalent of USD 5 to 15 per person per day depending on group size, while rounding up restaurant bills or leaving a small amount for hotel housekeeping is a thoughtful gesture.