Where To Catch The Best Sunset In Myanmar?

Regarding Myanmar, sights of thousand glowing gold-gilded temples will immediately pop up in my mind. And I bet that you think about them as well. But do you know that Myanmar is also home to one of the best sunset observation point in the world?

Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay are full of unforgettable experiences, but the longest and oldest teak bridge of U Bein will blow your mind and give you exceptional moments.

Where Is U Bein Bridge?

When it comes to Myanmar travel, international tourists usually pick popular cities like Yangon with the number of temples, monasteries featuring unique Buddhist beliefs and authentic cultural values. In addition, these cities also hide much modern beauty with newly built skyscrapers and shopping centers.

Not many people choose to visit the countryside of Myanmar. However, this doesn’t prevent some wanderlust souls to go off the beaten track and set your foot on U Bein Bridge. The U Bein goes cross Taungthaman Lake located in Amarapura township, Myanmar. It is around 10 km from the heart of Mandalay. This is a familiar place for locals and Buddhists to watch the stunning sunset casting down Taungthaman Lake.

The Impressive History Of U Bein Bridge

The bridge was built in 1851 and it took 3 years to complete. U Bein has a total length of 1.2 km with more than 1,000 pillars supported.

Thousands of wooden planks and wooden poles used to construct the bridge were taken from the residences of the old Inwa royal palace, which was once the old capital and was destroyed. The bridge was built in a soft curve connecting the bank to the other side of Taungthaman Lake. It is supported by wooden pillars that were driven into the bottom of the shallow lake. Above are the wooden panels that make up the surface of the bridge.

When stepping on the U Bein, you may feel a bit scared because it is a little trembling. But in fact, many parts have been reinforced with cement for safety, so there’s no reason to be afraid.

So far, U Bein still holds the world record of the longest and the oldest teak bridge. The CNNGo, one of the most renowned travel magazine has listed U Bein Bridge and one of the most beautiful sunset spots in the world.

U Bein Bridge At Sunset

The scene of the most beautiful U Bein bridge is probably in the late afternoon when the sun starts to fall. Spectacular reflection of trees and grass on the background of bright green colors, mixed with bright orange colors covering the bridge, through the impressive wooden piles.

In the late afternoon, from the bridge, Taungthaman lake looks like a pan of the soul. The yellow color stretches over the entire lake surface, the waves match the span.

The most incredible thing is there’s no sound of traffic, factory, or construction.

The afternoon from U Bein Bridge is so peaceful because the monks and the locals enjoy a leisure walk from the temples to their homes. The saffron-swathed monks filing through the streets receiving alms from the faithful Buddhist followers.

That beauty also becomes more wonderful and more romantic if you can take a boat to the center of the lake and gain a panoramic view of both bridge and its magnificent sunset.

If you do not have the opportunity to watch the sunset at U Bein, do not miss the sunrise in the early morning. What you can expect is purely stunning. We will be watching the scene of the red flag will show up on the peaceful Taungthaman lake. Then the lights suddenly faded away, giving way to a glowing red circle shining from across the river. The sun was so slowly and slowly rising. 

How To Catch The Best Sunset At U Bein Bridge

The nearest city from U Bein Bridge is Mandalay, which is around 10 km away. So you can easily take a cab from the city center to the south. After approximately 20 minutes, you will arrive at U Bein Bridge.

For the best views, we’d either recommend hiring out a boat and watching the sunset from the lake, or making your way to the far side of the bridge where you’ll find some local tea shops on the bank. Here you can sit back and enjoy a nice cold refreshment as you watch the sun setting in the far off distance. And if you choose to have a nice cruise on wooden boat, you can totally see this bridge from the bottom. Boat rental 3 people cost about 10,000 Kyat (around 7 bucks). In all cases, it’s better off getting there early to take the best seat.

After filling your camera with the spectacular U Bein sunset, you can have a walk on this long-standing teak bridge. On both sides of the lake are villages and temples of people around here, you can also spend some time to explore them. 

It’s more than just a peaceful rhythm of life of the local people here! You can also discover more colorful cultural features of a Buddhist metropolis. Surely there will be many interesting things for you!

You can come here at any time of the day but for the most complete experience, come early in the morning or in the evening. Not only can you admire the great beauty of the bridge, but you will witness the monks wearing saffron clothes walking under the yellow sunlight, the scenery is extremely magical and unique. It is a common thing, so take your chance