Mandalay was a bit of a running rejuvenation for me. I haven’t been running a lot of miles while traveling (see my past article on setbacks while backpacking), but I know it is something I’ve wanted to do more. While the heat in Bagan stopped me a lot from training, the cloud coverage, and spectacular places to run made it much easier for me to strap on my trainers and actually get in a few miles while visiting Mandalay.
The King’s Palace in Mandalay is a massive chunk of land that obstructs the city. It is found in the southeastern block and is about five miles in area. It is a main tourist destination, but most cheap backpackers will decide to not pay the 10 dollars needed to enter the area (it is pretty dull, and the money goes directly to the oppressive government).
Instead of going in, I decided I would run around the complex. I started my run from Garden Hotel near the intersection of 83rd and 26th Street. For a country as wild as Myanmar, you wouldn’t expect a coherent street grid system, but the beautifully mapped out city is fantastic for not getting lost. 83rd is a straight shot to the palace, about 600m from the fence. The entire complex is a box, which has a moat surrounding it. For the run itself, you can follow the two sidewalks lining the moat, and do a full square.
