Mandalay has a surprising amount to offer for those seeking lesser-known sites and activities. Almost as though it has risen from the ashes, Mandalay exists today as a young, lively and vibrant city, famous for its culture, education and arts. The city is also home to some of the country’s most lively and colorful markets. Mandalay’s gem market for example, is the largest of its kind in the country and a great way to witness the experienced buyers and sellers do what they do best.
Then there is the “Thaye Zay Station Bazaar, a local market with a difference. For anyone who’s tired of popular tourist hot spots in Mandalay and wants a glimpse of ordinary Burmese social life, there’s no better way to spend your morning than shopping for produce at the “Thaye Zay” Station Bazaar.
The open-air market spans both sides of a railway track, springing to life in the morning when vendors arrive with close to one hundred pop-up stalls. This business is purely temporary however, seeing as the vendors are frequently required to remove their stock to make way for passing trains.
Thaye Zay Railway Bazaar, Mandalay
About one kilometer north of Mandalay’s symbolic moat, the open-air market spans both sides of the railway track and is named after the station nearby, coming to life every morning when a train pulls up with vendors from nearby villages.
A passenger train arrives each morning at 7 and 11 am. It only takes about 30 minutes from the time the train arrives and leaves. It would have been quite the experience seeing all the vendors having to quickly move their shops to let the train pass by. We got a chance to see ordinary Burmese people going about their day to day. The market is very busy with locals and the best part- no foreigners!
Everyone always wearing a traditional longyi and most women had their faces painted with “Thanaka” paste. The market has everything a villager may need- fresh locally grown produce, meats, fish, pre-cooked foods, apparel and house wears.
Vendor with Thanaka
Vendors at the bazaar, like those at the similar Maekong Market in Thailand, are sometimes required to pull their produce off the track to make way for an incoming train, especially during business rush hours from the early morning until noon.
The vegetables are fresh from the farm, and relatively cheap. You can marvel at the roasted harvest mice and sweet toddy palm sap available there. It’s just a very local place where you can see how ordinary Burmese country folk make a living.
Continuing your exploration, you head to the railway bazaar, a fascinating market experience where the locals ply their trade on the railway track, scattering each time a train come along. A vibrant cacophony of sights, smells and sounds offering a host of photo opportunities, this market is a must see for anyone who wishes to witness a unique side of life in Myanmar.
Locals at Bazaar,Mandalay
Watch out more about this Authentic Railway Bazaar (RFA Video)