Sagaing Region & Division

The place is located opposite Mandalay on the other side of the Irrawaddy River.

Sagaing is a large division with countless religious monuments such as beautiful pagodas, temples and shrines. The whole fit very well with the picturesque stream which carries the water down from northern Myanmar. 

Mingun and the Hsinbyume Pagoda is somehow together with Mandalay a "Myanmar Fairy Tale" full with pagodas and temples plus a unique Buddhist culture. Although people are very poor it's amazing what they built over the century, read more. 

Since most interesting spots are located close to riverbanks and the “Sagaing Hills” behind it’s a must see destination when on holiday. There are also several popular Buddhist meditation centers which are ideal places to unwind and streamline your head. Do some sightseeing in the afternoon to visit the marvelous Buddha shrines such as the Kaunghmudaw Pagoda and many more.

Alternative transportation What a great stuff for people like Al Gore, ride on the buffalo, use candle lights and so on, I wonder why they don't do it? Don't they argue against cars. power stations etc. Ok what about riding on the horse or use the coach? If you like this alternativ lifestyle just visit Myanmar to live it in real time.

Probably the most famous are Sagaing Pagodas.

Kaunghmudaw Pagoda has a unique architecture. Several monasteries and nunneries are around. Plus meditation centers in the Sagaing Hill close to the Irrawaddy opposite Mandalay, read more.

Monasteries gives the whole place a spiritual aura actually here is the essence of old Burma. In terms of nuns they wont talk of monasteries because they can't be ordinated in the country. It's not similar to monks, read more.

Here is the famous monastery on top of Mount Popa near Bagan.

The best probably is to hire a car with a driver guide (it’s not expensive ) and start on a day trip. This way within one day you will see what it takes you several if you do it on your own, it saves you an enormous amount of time. Also on such a trip you will see spots you won’t since the guide know them and you don’t, also a guide book wouldn't help a lot because it is often very difficult to find the way around. 

The topology, continuous up and down, makes it difficult to walk or using the bicycle. Although Mandalay on the other side of the river is an ideal cycling district since it is very flat.

Buddhist devotees built many monuments >

 
The whole has one idea, to gain merit to come back in the next life cycle in a better condition, this is common believe of the faithful.

In the "internet age" this sounds a bit strange and let the whole look like a modern "Disneyland" of a big proportion.