Mandalay is the former royal capital of Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) and can be found in the north of the country, on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River. Mandalay offers the perfect blend of golf and sightseeing and makes for a tremendous golf holiday.
Travelling to Mandalay is easier than you may think and the Mandalay International airport accepts flights from Bangkok and Chiang Mai in Thailand, Kunming in China, Hong Kong and Singapore. Therefore, if you are travelling from the United States or Europe, you can combine two destinations to make one great golf trip.
Mandalay is home to some fantastic pagodas and temples, with Mahamuni Pagoda, Golden Palace Monastery and Kuthodaw Pagoda being among the best to visit. The latter is home to the world’s largest book, which comprises of 730 marble tablets and this is a sight you will not want to miss during a Mandalay golf holiday
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Other things you must see in Mandalay include Mandalay Hill, which offers great views of the city and surrounding area, Myanmar Marionettes, which is a puppet theatre telling traditional tales and Jade Market, which is home to many jade traders and to see them in action is an interesting experience.
There are three excellent golf courses to play in Mandalay and you will want to allocate plenty of time to enjoy each of them. Shwe Man Tuang Golf Resort, Shwe Sar Yan Golf Course and Ye Dagon Taung Golf Club offer varying challenges and combine to make for a great golf holiday in Mandalay.
The climate in Mandalay is semi-arid, due to its location in the central dry zone of Myanmar.
Temperatures are generally hot with the months of April and May seeing the hottest temperatures, which can exceed 35º centigrade. The year is split into two distinctive seasons, wet which runs from May to October and the dry which spans the remaining 6 months.
Apart from visiting the many monuments, temples and monasteries Mandalay has some wonderful street markets that are full of local street food vendors, which is a great way to sample the delights the Myanmar cuisine.
It is a relatively young city, having been built in 1857 under the orders of King Mindon.
Mandalay Palace is an impressive sight and provides an insight into the desire of the King to create a prestigious and modern city.
Mandalay is robust in its design with streets running north to south and east to west, creating a grid-like pattern.
If you stay within the downtown region of the city getting around is best done on foot, with many temples, markers and the Mandalay Palace all easily accessible.
Travelling further afield would require the hiring of either a moped or a taxi which are inexpensive and functional ways of getting around this busy city.
If you are going to be visiting the attractions, then get yourself an entry ticket which allows entry to many of the sights and that are valid for 7 days.