Mandalay Hill
To the northeast of the virtually flat Mandalay, there is the 800-foot (243-m) high Mandalay Hill. Atop the hill sits Sutaungpyei Pagoda, which provides a panoramic view of Mandalay, the Ayeyarwady River, and Sagaing Hill – the flat landscape makes it possible to see a wide expanse of landscape. It takes 45 minutes to walk to the top of the hill.
More about Mandalay Hill
From the south entrance, stairs at the base of the hill lead up a moderate incline. Your climb up 1,729 starts between two lion statues, which are known in Burmese mythology as chinthes. Just before dusk, large crowds will gather to watch the sun set behind Sagaing Hill. If you want to avoid the crowds and don’t mind getting up early, you could opt for a sunrise visit instead. You can also reach the pagoda by a road and an escalator on the north side, but what's the fun in that? Take the walk and feel rewarded by one of the prettiest views in Myanmar.
