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Amarapura
Maybe you miss this Myanmar's forgotten city: Amarapura! Explore a place steeped in history, once a grand capital adorned with ancient temples and monasteries. You'll get to see serene lakes, marvel at the iconic U Bein Bridge, the world's longest teak bridge, and wander crumbling palaces whispering tales of a bygone era. Amarapura offers a glimpse into Myanmar's rich heritage, waiting to be discovered.
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Amarapura Overview
Amarapura means “the immortal city”, it was chosen to be the capital of Myanmar during the reign of the Konbaung Dynasty from 1783 to 1859. Nowadays, it is a famous township in the Mandalay region and the place of many historical monuments, including the famous U Bein Bridge.
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Amarapura people doing alms
What To Do And What To See In Amarapura?
The perfect blend between the rich history and modernity of Amarapura is showcased beautifully in its inviting destinations. Here are some places that we highly recommended you check out.
U Bein Bridge
Crossing over Taungthaman Lake, the bridge is the most famous attraction in Amarapura for being the longest teak wood footbridge in the world. The bridge has been in use for around 200 years yet still stands tall thanks to the teak wood used in the construction of the bridge. The best time to visit the bridge is during sunset; the view will then look like a magnificent painting with the sun setting down, framing the bridge and nature.
Ruins of the Amarapura Palace
The teak columns of U Bein were once used to hold up the Amarapura Palace. It was built back in the 18th century under the reign of King Tharrawaddy Min but later was taken apart to use the bricks to build the Mandalay Palace, followed by the request of King Mindon Min, and the columns to build U Bein Bridge. Today, even though only some destroyed parts of the palace remain, which includes the tomb of King Bodawpaya and King Bagyidaw as well as parts of the old moat, people can still imagine vividly how majestic the palace was back in its prime time.
Tomb of the kings in Amarapura, Myanmar
Maha Gandhayon Monastery
Another attraction in our cannot-miss is the famous monastery Maha Gandhayon Kyaung. At around 10 in the morning, young monks of Maha Gandhayon Kyaung would stand in line to go for a daily alms round. This practice is for monks to collect food as they are not encouraged to engage in labor work but instead spend all their might on learning and contemplating Buddhist teaching. In return, this gives laypeople the opportunity to make merit.
Mahamuni Buddha Temple
This is one of the major pilgrimage sites in the southwest of Mandalay, Myanmar. The most famous part of the temple must be the Mahamuni Image which was originally made in Arakan, it is also one of the five likenesses of Buddha made during his lifetime. According to the legend, when Buddha himself visited the Dhanyawadi city of Arakan, his image was cast following the request of King Sanda Thuriya, after it was finished, he breathed upon it, making the image completely take after his appearance.
What To Eat And Drink In Amarapura?
Due to the geographic location, Chinese, Indian, and Thai cuisines have all had a certain degree of influence on the cuisine here. The combination between those cultures and the distinctive taste of Myanmar will make sure that no visitors will be able to resist the food of Amarapura.
Nan gyi thoke
Nan gyi thoke is also known as the Mandalay version of mont di, which is the collective term for dishes using thick rice noodles. The thick round rice noodles, or nan gyi, are mixed with chicken curry and chili oil, giving them a mouthwatering shiny yellow coat, then garnished with toasted chickpea flour, sliced onions, chilis, crispy noodles, slices of hard-boiled egg, and zested with lime or lemon.
Meeshay
Meeshay is a rice noodle dish that originated from Chinese mixian and is now a specialty of Shan people. It is a bowl of rice noodles mixed with various ingredients, such as pig’s tail and skin, then topped with meat sauce, it is usually eaten with mohnyin tjin - a popular Shan pickle made of mustard greens, carrots, and other vegetables fermented in rice win. Aside from the noodle, guests are also served a bowl of clear broth and Burmese fritters called kyaw as a side dish.
Enjoying Meeshay in a local way
Shan khao swe
Shan khao swe or Shan noodles is another famous street food that you have to try. The dish is made with rice noodles in chicken tomato sauce and topped with garlic, chili oil, and pickled vegetables. Created by Shan people and under the influence of Thai cuisine, it is a delightful combination of sweet, sour, and salty tastes.
Burmese pork offal skewers
Also known as wet tha dok hto, these pork offal skewers are made by either deep-frying or blanching in light soy sauce, then eaten with a garlic and chili dipping sauce.
When To Visit Amarapura?
Myanmar has three distinctive seasons: hot season (March to May), rainy season (June to October), and cool season (November to February). During the hot season, Amarapura can feel very hot and overwhelmingly dry while the rain season gives you rain every single day. Therefore, we definitely suggest the time from December to January as the weather then can be more predictable and tolerable.
Tours From Amarapura
Amarapura - Inwa
Another destination you can travel from Amarapura to is Inwa. Inwa or Ava is a former royal capital of the Burmese Kingdom, it locates at the mouth of lakes in the Kyaukse District, which explains the meaning behind the name of the city - “mouth of the Lake”. Significant sites in Inwa include Nanmyint Tower, Maha Aungmye Bonzan Monastery, Bagaya Monastery, etc.
Amarapura - Mandalay
With the road distance of only 10km, Mandalay is the ideal place to continue your Myanmar exploration. Mandalay - Myanmar's second-largest city - resides on the Irrawaddy River's east bank. It is the economic, educational, and health center of Upper Myanmar, as well as the cultural center of Burma.
Amarapura - Yangon
From Amarapura, you can also take the trip over a road distance of about 620km to Yangon. Yangon is Myanmar's largest city and former capital. The city is most famous for Shwedagon Pagoda – Myanmar's most sacred and remarkable pagoda.
Visiting Yangon from Amarapure, Myanmar
Are you prepared for a trip to Amarapura? We hope our article has provided enough information about Amarapura. If you still want to know more, don’t hesitate and contact our team at Asia Links Travel via the information down below!
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