Travel advisory: The US government advises against all travel to Myanmar, and the UK advises against all travel to Sagaing and the area north of Mandalay and against all but essential travel to the city itself. Conflict, drone strikes, curfews and internet shutdowns are part of daily life in the region, and the March 2025 earthquake damaged many sights. See the US State Department and UK FCDO for current advice before you plan.

Attraction Tours in Mandalay

Tours of Mandalay’s sights have long followed a familiar circuit of monasteries, pagodas and craft workshops. None of the stops below can be confirmed open to visitors, and several are known to be damaged.

The traditional circuit

• Mandalay Palace: the former royal compound inside a large moat. Walls, gates and a watchtower were damaged in the March 2025 earthquake, and public access is unconfirmed.
• Shwenandaw and Atumashi: teak and masonry monasteries near the palace. Their condition is not reported.
• Kuthodaw Pagoda: 729 marble slabs of scripture, with serious structural damage reported after the quake.
• Mahamuni Pagoda: a venerated Buddha image covered in gold leaf. A building in the compound collapsed in the earthquake, and reopening has not been confirmed. Women have never been permitted to approach the image.
• Mandalay Hill: a covered stairway pilgrimage to a hilltop temple. Access is unconfirmed.
• Craft workshops: gold leaf, marble and wood carving. Operation is unconfirmed.

Day trips to Mingun, Sagaing and Inwa lie in areas with stricter warnings. An elephant centre and a Mogok excursion are not supported by reliable sources.