Mahagandayon Monastery
မဟာဂန္ဓာရုံကျောင်းတိုက်
A large Buddhist monastic college in Amarapura, where more than a thousand monks line up each morning with their bowls for the procession and meal. It is a spectacle that calls for respectful distance.
Mahagandayon Monastery in Amarapura was founded in 1914 and is one of Myanmar’s largest Buddhist colleges, with more than a thousand resident monks. Each morning around 10 o’clock, monks in maroon robes walk in a silent line, holding their alms bowls, to the dining hall for their midday meal. It is a fixed stop for many tour groups. When watching, do not block the path, do not take flash photos up close, and do not hand out snacks to novice monks. It is about 1 kilometer from U Bein Bridge. You can visit in the morning for the meal procession, go to Inwa in the afternoon, and return to U Bein Bridge for sunset.
Opening hours
About 08:00–17:00 (monastic meal ceremony around 10:15)
Nearby sights
- U Bein Bridge
- Pahtodawgyi (Amarapura)
- Sagaing Hill
- U Min Thonze Pagoda
- Mahamuni Pagoda
- Snake Pagoda (Paleik)
- Shwe In Bin Monastery
- Inwa (Ava)