4 / 5 - 2 reviews
How to get there
One hour by boat from Mandalay
When to go
From December to March
Minimum stay
Half a day
Mingun (Myanmar)
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avec1o
Practical information on Mingun
Reviews of Mingun
Located 11 km upriver from Mandalay, this enchanting former capital on the opposite side of the Irrawaddy River is something you absolutely must visit when staying in Myanmar (formerly Burma). It is possible to combine a visit to Mingun with a visit to Sagaing.
My suggestion:
Take the boat to get there. It's not in the best condition, and it's very slow, but you have time to slowly – then, very quickly, almost impatiently – see the place you're heading for approaching.
My review
There is a chargeto enter the site, but it's largely worth it. This is an excursion on which you will be offered the chance to travel in an ox-drawn cart, or people will try to sell you local arts and crafts items.
But get away from all this and head off on your own to explore Mingun's magnificent pagoda.. You first see it from a distance, in it's green setting. Then its size starts to become more apparent as you approach closer. Its whiteness is dazzling. I enjoyed losing myself in its various passages and delighted in the sounds of its little bells.
I didn't forget to slip beneath the famous Mingun bell and read all the graffiti added there over the years. Nor did I forget to satisfy my curiosity by wandering around the sanatorium, which has been converted into a retirement home.
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avec1o
Mingun can be reached by boat from Mandalay and is famous for it's impressive unfinished pagoda, as well as for the Hsinbyume Pagoda.
My suggestion:
Mingun can be toured in half a day. It's time enough to see the Mingun Paya - the unfinished pagoda - as well as the Hsinbyume Pagoda and Mingun clock tower, the biggest intact clock tower in the world.
My review
The advantage of Mingun is its geographical location. Consequently, Mingun is a great half-day out, if you're in the Mandalay region. You can include Ava, Sagaing and Monywa in the same excursion.
Ox-driven taxis sit on the banks so that, after your cruise along the Irrawaddy, you can hire one to give you the complete tour.
The unfinished pagoda is currently 50m high, which is about a third of its planned height. Had it been finished, it would have been the tallest in the world. Today it resembles a gigantic block of stone.
The Hsinbyume is more beautiful. You can climb up its seven terraces to get a fantastic view of its surrounds.
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Damien Eschbach
70 travelers' photos
