Myanmar (Burma) — Mandalay Hill, Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma)
A long and very hot walk up a hill in my socks
March 2015
Mandalay Hill has a series of pagodas (paya) along a very long and hot path that leads up to the main pagoda, Sutaungpyei (means wish-fulfilling) Pagoda, at the top. The Mandalay Hill site was very touristy, with sellers on the steps and many small shops at the top.
Be warned!
If you decide to go up Mandalay Hill, it is a very long, challenging, hot climb, particularly as you are not wearing shoes. Pack plenty of water.
Why no shoes? Well, it is a religious site, and you are not allowed to wear them. Hence, my advice is to wear thicker than regular socks, which might seem mad in heat, but they will protect your feet from the path.
After I made the long and exhausting climb, I discovered that you could take a taxi to the top. If only I had known!
It is worth the effort if you are fit enough to do the climb in your socks and the heat.
The start of my walk-up Mandalay Hill was easy to find. I was told to look out for two giant white sculptures. As shown in the photo below, the sculptures can be easily missed.
The start.
From the starting point, I thought it wouldn’t be too far. I was wrong.
On the route, I encountered many pagodas.
And the trail goes on and on up Mandalay Hill.
One good thing is that the trail is covered, so you are out of the sun.
Along the route, people tried to make a kyat (local currency) or two by selling gifts, snacks, and drinks.
One of the more bizarre things (shown below) were the “scenes” along the path where you could stop and have your photograph taken and printed for a small fee.
Does anybody stop at these and have their photograph taken? On my walk up the hill, I saw no one stopping.
And the trail up Mandalay Hill goes on.
Looking back down the trail, it was shocking to see how far I had climbed.
And there was still a way to go.
A lot of people seemed to live and work by the side of the stairway.
And the trail went on.
And the path went on.
And the trail continued up Mandala Hill through more pagodas.
I did like the pointing Buddha. It seemed to be telling me to turn around and go back down the hill. But at this point, I had come too far to turn around and go back.
As I climbed, the views down to Mandalay got better.
The views from the route up Mandalay Hill were good.
So many pagodas.
Some stairs on the route were ridiculously steep.
And everywhere, there were people selling clothes, food, and souvenirs.
Finally, I got to the top, and the views were spectacular.
And the following photo shows the route back down. If you look closely, you can see the large white sculpture I passed at the start of my climb.
The pagoda at the top of Mandalay Hill was worth the effort of the long climb or the short taxi ride if you have decided not to walk.
But if you want to take photos, you have to pay. The cost was 1,000 kyats (US$1.00; 80 p).
For the fee, you get a small table that you must attach to your bag or gear.
So many people were selling stuff on the Mandalay Hill walk.
And people were making beads.
One problem with all the businesses along the path was that all the waste generated was dumped by the trail side.
But people still enjoyed the long, hot climb.
Mandalay Hill was worth the effort. It was tough in the heat and with no shoes, and by the time I got back to the bottom, I needed to put my shoes on. My feet were killing me.
The experience was not diminished by the people selling stuff on the route. But, the vast amount of rubbish littering the hillside did impact the experience. It was a real shame.
Back at the bottom of the hill, I looked up the trail and realised it was a false summit. What I had thought was the top was not, which explained why the hike took so long. If I had known the distance, I may not have done it, which would have been a shame as it was a memorable experience.
