Yangon's so over. The new Burmese capital to see and be seen is Mandalay, Myanmar's second largest city and the epicenter of culture in the country. t's replete with attractions like Mandalay Hill, Mandalay Palace, and religious sites like Bargaya Monastery and Mahamuni Pagoda. Plus, it's often used as a gateway to the ancient city of Bagan, which is one of the world's greatest archaeological sites (and is also one of our top Asian destinations to visit in 2014).

Piqued? Regional carrier SilkAir has just launched flights to Mandalay, which will opeate on a thrice weekly basis through a circular routing with Yangon. The flights will depart Singapore's Changi Airport at 11.35am on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and return on the same days at 8.50pm. They'll be operated by Airbus A319 and A320 aircrafts, which feature both Business and Economy Class cabins. 

Fares start from S$406 for a round trip ticket in June; see www.silkair.com for more details. Alternatively, you can also choose to fly with budget carrier Golden Myanmar Airlines, which flies a daily Singapore-Yangon-Mandalay service—it'll set you back around $385 for a round trip ticket. We personally think it's more value for money to fly with the full-service SilkAir, though—it'll cost you just a couple of dollars more for perks like inflight entertainment and meals. 

Psst: Eat your way around Mandalay this July with these specialist tours.