THEGUIDE
mandalay
118
FAHTHAI
1 _
WHAT WE
RECOMMEND
Mandalay's bustling
gem market is the place
to go for wholesale
stones. Shop for rubies,
sapphires, pearls and
jade, which is highly
prized across the border
in China.
2 _
KNOW THE
NUMBER
729 – the number of
marble slabs inscribed
with the Buddhist canon at
Kuthodaw Pagoda.
3 _
SIAM SPA
Sedona Hotel’s reputation
for excellence can be
experienced at its Siam
Spa, which is well known
in Mandalay for its body
scrubs, from traditional to
Thai style, which are very
reasonably priced.
(Sedona Hotel, Cnr of
26th and 66th Sts)
COUNTRY
CODE
+95
EXCHANGE
RATE
MMK970 = US$1
FREQUENCY
1 flight per day
from Bangkok
CHALK WHITE
pagodas at
Mandalay's
Hsinbyume Paya
Temple
T O W E R P O W E R
Top 3
insider
travel tips
Rest Your Head
MYA MANDALAR HOTEL
It’s not one of Mandalay’s most
exclusive hotels by any stretch
of the imagination, but Mya
Mandalar offers terrific value for
money, with large, clean rooms
and bathrooms, friendly service
and a rather funky bar. It even
has a decent swimming pool
– something you’ll be grateful
for given Mandalay’s often
punishing climate.
(Cnr of 27th and 69th Sts)
Top Tables
TOO TOO
This seemingly unexceptional
eatery is, in fact, among the
most popular spots in town
for traditional Myanmar fare.
Too Too offers a dazzling array
of curries that come with a
similarly diverse assortment
of side dishes; the range of
flavours on offer is hard to beat.
A word to the wise: make a
point of getting to the restaurant
early because by 12.30pm, most
of the popular choices will be
long gone.
(27th St, between
74th and 75th Sts)
Bottoms Up
HUNTER’S CAFÉ & BAR
This elegant establishment
opened its doors early last year
and has already earned rave
reviews from both locals and
the travel media, with some
even tipping it to become the
city’s top drinking spot. (We
think it already is.) The offerings
on its simple but inviting menu
are worth sampling when you
need a break from local fare.
(27th St, between 80th and
81st Sts)
Stop
to Shop
SHWE NAGAR
As any local will tell you, the
best traditional Myanmar
footwear – customarily referred
to as “slippers” – comes from
Mandalay. At the top of the list
of retailers is Shwe Nagar, which
stocks a wide range of offerings
for both men and women, the
latter in a dazzling array of
colours and styles.
(80th St, between 31st and
32nd Sts)
Mandalay
TEXT: THOMAS KEAN
