Hot, busy and not immediately beautiful, Mandalay is primarily used by travellers as a transport and day-trip hub. But even amid the central grid of lacklustre concrete block ordinariness lurk many pagodas, striking churches, Indian temples and notable mosques. West of centre towards the fascinating Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) riverside, shadier backstreets link countless little-visited monasteries. And there's plenty of fascination to be found delving into a range of craft workshops and arts performances.