How to get to Dee Doke Waterfall from Mandalay
Dee Doke Waterfall is a series of two turquoise blue lagoons with a small waterfall approximately an hour away from Mandalay, Myanmar. Visiting Dee Doke Waterfall is the perfect way to cool off and relax in the warmer months in Myanmar. This post will guide you on how to get to Dee Doke Waterfall from Mandalay.
Dee Doke is also referred to as Dee Dote which can be a little confusing. I'm not sure which is the correct or preferred spelling.
About Dee Doke Waterfall & Lagoon
Dee Doke Waterfall and Lagoon gets it’s beautiful turquoise blue color from the surrounding minerals in the limestone surrounding karst. There are two main natural pools you can swim in. A lower larger pool with a small waterfall and an upper pool, both of which are worth visiting. There are also a series of very small layered rock pools you can dip yourself in but not really large enough to swim in. The Dee Doke waterfall itself is rather small and not super impressive, but most people come here to relax in the beautiful water.
Dee Doke (Dee Dote) is perfect for anyone that likes traveling off the beaten path. It’s a hidden gem and not very frequented by foreign tourist. You will mostly find local families and friends swimming and picnicking at Dee Doke trying to beat the heat.
Transportation options to get to Dee Doke
Pre-Paid Sim Cards
If you have an unlocked smartphone having a prepaid sim card with a data plan will come in handy. Ooredoo or Telenor both offer prepaid sim cards with plenty of data for less than $10 USD. Also in order to use ridesharing apps like Grab, you will need a data plan. Alternatively you can also download offline area maps onto your smartphone with google maps or maps.me
eSim
If your phone excepts esims I highly recommend Airalo for it's ease of use and convience since you can purchase a plan thru their app and have connection when you land.
Directions to Dee Doke from Mandalay
Getting to Dee Doke Waterfall from Mandalay is very straight forward as there are only two main roads you will take.
- Get on Route 3 (Mandalay-Lashio Rd) and drive south for approximately 10-18km. The distance will depend on what point you are getting on Route 3
- You will pass through a multilane toll both (This means you will be getting close to your next turn)
- You will see a Full Max Petrol Station on your right. Turn right on the road directly before the Full Max Petrol.
- This unnamed road will go thru a small village residential area for about 1/2 a km.
- Continue on this open road for 21km and look for the kilometer markers placed on the right side of the road. See pictures below.
- In between km marker 20 and 22 there will be an unmarked entrance to Dee Doke Waterfall on the Left.
Parking
After turning into the Entrance to Dee Doke (pictured above) it’s only a few hundred meters before you will reach the parking area. There is no entrance fee to the Dee Doke Waterfall, but there is sometimes a parking attendant that will charge you to park your motor scooter for about 300k-500k ($0.22-0.37)
Food and Drinks
In the parking area you will find a couple of small family run restaurants and vendors selling food and drinks. Also along the hiking path you will find a vendor or two that sells drinks and snacks.
Hike to the lagoons
After you park your scooter on the right hand side the will be some natural steps leading up the mountain side. There aren’t really any signs but there was only one obvious path that I could see, so it should be rather straightforward. The hike is not to strenuous but may require a water break on a hot day.
Walk up this trail for about 20 minutes and you will come to a split.
If you go Left it goes to the lower swimming lagoon with a small waterfall. This lagoon is larger than the upper lagoon.
If you go Right at the split it will take you to the upper swimming lagoon after a couple minutes hike. This lagoon is smaller but well worth the visit.
Places to Stay in Mandalay
Located in the center city near Mandalay Palace. Private rooms and dorm bed available. For the social traveller or expat looking to meet people.
Located near Royal Palace and Mandalay Hill. Private rooms, family rooms and dorms available. Weekly activities and common social areas to gather.
Located a little away from the bustling center city in a quiet neighborhood. Private and family rooms for those seeking a peaceful atmosphere.
Final Thoughts
Whether you are looking for some of the hidden gems near Mandalay with less crowds or just want to cool of in some amazing beautiful water. A journey to Dee Doke Waterfall and Lagoons are well worth the effort and also an inexpensive activity to do for those on a shoestring budget. Although sightseeing beautiful temples can be great sometimes you just want to kick off your shoes and relax in some cool water. If that’s your vibe than Dee Doke Waterfall is the place for you.
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