Discovering the Enchanting Charms of Mandalay, Myanmar

I love everything in Mandalay except the heat. We went there in the month of June, which is the hottest season in Myanmar. Anywhere under the shades, I felt as if I was in an Air-Con room. Welcome to Mandalay, the most cultural city in Myanmar.

Nestled in the heart of Myanmar, Mandalay is a city that beckons travellers with its rich history, cultural heritage, and captivating sights. Renowned as the last royal capital of the country, Mandalay has a distinctive allure that emanates from its regal past and the vibrant pulse of its present-day life. From majestic pagodas to bustling markets, this city offers a tapestry of experiences that will leave visitors spellbound. Join me on a photo journey as we explore the enchanting charms of Mandalay and unravel its hidden treasures.

A Journey on the Yangon Circular Railway, Myanmar

If you are going to visit Yangon for the first time and want a quick introduction of the city without any tour or local guides, you could simply hop on the Yangon Circular Train for a nostalgic journey around the city, where you can get a close up on the daily life of the Myanmar people and also capture some beautiful images of the changing landscapes.

The Yangon Circular Railway was built by the British during the colonial times back in 1954. The railway track loop consists of 39 stations and it covers a distance of 45.9km; the slow moving train that runs through urban, suburban and rural areas takes about 3 hours to complete a single circuit journey. Today, the railway has about 200 coaches, and it runs 20 times a day with up to 150,000 tickets sold daily. The circular railway is the cheapest way to travel around Yangon and it is mainly used by the lower income passengers to get from one place to another along the course. In recent years, taking a train ride on the Yangon Circular Railway has become one of the top things to do in Yangon.

The Faces of Myanmar/Burma

In 2014, I traveled to Myanmar/Burma for the first time. Since after, I became to like this country very much. The things that really impressed me are the people, food, culture and the countless temples around Burma.   

When I first stepped onto the Burmese soil, the very first thing that caught my attention was the yellowish white paste on the faces of the women, children or even young men. This yellowish white paste is called Thanaka and it is made from ground bark. This unique feature of Burma's culture is used as a cosmetic to beautify skin and also to protect skin from the sun.