SAGAING

Once an ancient capital, Sagaing lies 21 km south west of Mandalay, beside the Ayeyarwaddy River. The Sagaing Hills are dotted with pagodas and there are over 500 monasteries, a retreat for some 6000 monks and nuns. Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda, Kaung Hmudaw Pagoda (a copy of the Mahaceti Pagoda in Sri Lanka), and Ywahtaung village (home of the silversmiths' guilds) are places worth visiting.

IN-WA (AVA)

In-wa is another ancient capital, known as the Kingdom of In-wa during the Second Myanmar Empire. Today In-wa is a small town south of Amarapura. The sites to see in In-wa include Nanmyint Watch Tower, Maha Aungmye Bonzan Monastery, Bagaya Monastery, Lacquer ware Industry and In-wa Bridge spanning the Ayeyarwaddy River.