3 Best Sights in Myanmar

The city's name is derived from this hill, which, at nearly 800 feet, can seem a lot more like a mountain when you're schlepping up it on a 100-degree day. For those unable to make the climb, there's an elevator as well as a road to an escalator that leads up to the gilded Sutaungpyei Pagoda at the top of the hill. Burmese Buddhists have been coming here for nearly two centuries, paying their respects, and you'll still see monks here, mostly sweet teenage boys who are eager to chat with visitors and practice their (already quite good) English. On the way up, you'll see a giant standing Buddha, his right hand pointing to the city. Legend has it that when the Buddha visited Mandalay Hill, he prophesied that in the year 2400 (Buddhist calendar), a "great city" would be founded at the bottom of the hill. In the Gregorian calendar, that year is 1857, exactly when King Mindon decreed that Mandalay would be Burma's new capital. Sunset over Mandalay is best viewed from the top of the hill, and the climb can take 40 minutes, so give yourself plenty of time. Bring wet wipes to clean off your feet.

If you've got an extra day in Bagan and have tired of the temples, this is an easy half-day trip. Fifty miles southeast of Bagan, the extinct volcano of Mount Popa, known as Popa Taung Kalat, rises to 2,418 feet, on the flank of Taung Ma-gyi (the "Mother Mountain"), an extinct volcano which is almost 4,980 feet high. It's a 777-step barefoot climb all the way to the top; along the stairwell are souvenir sellers and, at the top of Mount Popa, a complex of pagodas, monasteries, shrines, and stupas, collectively known as Popa Taung Kalat Temple. Beware of monkeys who can turn nasty if they sense you've got treats and whose droppings are everywhere; wet wipes are a must. A taxi (four passengers) from Bagan will run you around K45,000, and you can stop on your way at a palm sugar plantation and distillery. Nearby Popa Mountain Resort is lovely and offers great views.

If you fancy more exercise than stepping your way to the top of Mount Popa and intend to take to the trails around Taung Ma-gyi, the "Mother Mountain," allow an additional full day (or leave at dawn) and bring your hiking shoes. There are a variety of hiking trails, some leading to the rim of the volcano crater and others to waterfalls. The word popa comes from the Sanskrit word for flower, and as you're hiking up, you'll see how lush it is, and how the vegetation changes with the altitude. This is a good hike on which to follow a guide; your driver should be able to find you one or you can ask at Popa Mountain Resort. From there to the crater can take up to five hours.