Inwa

Inwa or Ava, locates in Mandalay Region, Burma (Myanmar), is an ancient imperial capital of consecutive Burmese kingdoms from the 14th to 19th centuries. But the capital city was finally abandoned after it was completely destroyed by a series of major earthquakes in March 1839. That the reason why the city is now somewhat a world away from the hustle in Mandalay. But that laid-back vibe is also the main charm of the city.

The site is now an ancient rural backwater, dotted with ruins, monastic buildings and stupas. Interesting attractions include the impressive, teak-built Bagaya monastery and its surrounding stupas, the Maha Aungmye Bonzan, and the Nanmyint watch tower.

Bagaya monastery

Many visitors like to explore by horse cart, and that place is also a great choice for cycling around to discover the countryside life and its friendly villagers. The legacies of the old Inwa are really worth taking a lot of photos.

Climate, best time to visit

Inwa has 2 types of climates prevailing, namely the tropical monsoon climate and tropical savanna climate. The temperature there is quite hot, which is always above 30 ºC all of the year. The highest average temperature in Inwa is 38°C in April and the lowest is 31°C in July. The rainy season is from May to October when the precipitation can nearly reach to 1000mm at its peak.

The best time to visit Inwa is from December to January. Remember to take a water bottle with you while exploring the city.

How to get in and out

Inwa is about 21 kilometres (13 mi) south of Mandalay. You can fly to Mandalay International Airport then take a car or hire a motorbike to get to Inwa.

There are also Daily Expresses from Yangon to Inwa.

Discovering the city on a horse cart or a bicycle is an exciting experience.

You can go back to Mandalay for the transit to further parts of Myanmar.