Best Things to Do in Myanmar’s Mysterious Ancient City of Bagan
Bagan is one of the main attractions in Myanmar. It is an ancient temple city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site located on a curve of the Ayeyarwady River, in the Mandalay Region of Burma. This city of indescribable beauty consists of 2200 Buddhist temples and pagodas. Yes, 2200! There is no place on Earth as unique as Bagan.
Interesting facts:
- Bagan covers an area of 104 square kilometers
- Bagan is also called the “ Sea of Temples”
- From the 9th to 13th centuries, Bagan was the capital city of the Pagan Kingdom.
- There once stood more than 10,000 Buddhist temples and pagodas in this area.
Best Things to Do and See in Bagan
1. Hot air balloon flight
The best way to experience the breathtaking landscape with hundreds of temples is to fly on a hot air balloon at sunrise over the city. It is a beautiful sight to see how the sun brings new life to this mysterious ancient city.
Price: a hot air balloon ride in Bagan starts from $255 per person (1 hour)
2. Visit the largest temple - Dhammayangyi Pahto
Dhammayangyi Pahto is the largest and the best-preserved temple in Bagan. This temple, built by king Narathu in the 12th century, has a dark and terrifying history. It is said that king Narathu built this temple to atone for his sins: he killed his father, brother, and wife. Dhammayangyi Pahto is famous among tourists for its unique pyramid shape. Tourists can walk down the temple’s corridor and archway and listen to its dark history hidden within the walls.
"Dhammayangyi Pahto"
Besides Dhammayangyi Pahto, the most visited temples and pagodas in Bagan are Ananda Temple, Sulamani Temple, Thatbyinnyu Temple, Shwesandaw Pagoda, Thambula Temple. Here are the photos and the map of most famous temples in Bagan.
"Ananda Temple"
"Sulamani Temple"
"Thatbyinnyu Temple"
"Shwesandaw Pagoda"
"Thambula Temple"
3. Explore Bagan Archaeological Museum
After visiting temples and pagodas in Bagan, tourists like to explore Bagan Archaelogical Museum to learn more about the history, archeology, and arts of Bagan. The museum has a huge collection of ancient objects including Bagan arts, crafts, sculptures, ancient Buddha images, frescos, and even old pieces of Bagan literature.
Timings: 08:00 am – 04:00 pm
Best time to visit Bagan: October – late March
Bagan has three parts: Old Bagan (close to most of the temples, but accommodation is expensive), New Bagan ( a few temples, but accommodation is cheap), Nyaung U ( area with the airport, train, and bus stations).
Temples in Bagan are situated far from one another. There are various ways to get from one temple to the other: by bicycle, by e-bike, by car. Also, you can join the horse-drawn carriage tour.
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