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| View of the Bagan plain from one of the ruins |
Bagan is on the itinerary of many tourists visiting Myanmar. Initially I was a bit hesitant on adding Bagan to my list of places to see because I wasn't too keen on crowds. But being interested in Buddhist history and architecture I decided not to skip this place. I am really glad I took that decision. Bagan was spectacular!
Bagan is often called Myanmar's Angkor Wat. While not as touristy or grand, it is still stunning in its own way. Bagan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in central Myanmar, flanked by the Irrawady River on one side. It is home to more than 3000 pagodas built between the 9th to 11th centuries. It is said that at its zenith, the Bagan plain had more than 10,000 Buddhist pagodas and monasteries!
It is a dry and dusty place with pagodas dotting the landscape. It is impossible to see each and every pagoda in Bagan. They all have similarities while managing to remain unique. A popular thing to do in Bagan is rent an ebike (like a scooty) or a tuk-tuk and zip across the plains. The big temples are popular with tourists, but stepping off the beaten track to check out lonely roadside pagodas and ruins is an adventure in itself! But beware of snakes in the bushes.
Bagan has lots to offer in terms of beautiful architecture, good food, friendly people, and nice shopping. There are even hot air balloon rides for those who are more adventurous (and have some money to spare).
In this blog post I will give some basic information on getting to and around Bagan, where to stay, what to see and do, and what to eat. This post is more informational than storytelling.
Getting there - We took Myanmar National Airlines flight from Yangon. The nearest airport to Bagan is Nyaung U, which is 15 minutes away from the Bagan plains. The journey was about an hour, and the flight was mostly empty. We were given a complimentary snack box and the flight was fairly comfortable. But this is the priciest way of getting to Bagan (It cost $150 for two of us). Other ways include taking the night bus or train. I would not recommend taking the train because it is unbearably uncomfortable and slow (based on my other journeys...more on that later). The night bus is cheap (about $12-20 per person and is 9 hours long) and not too bad.
Temperature - Bagan is a dry plain and is completely landlocked. It is located in the centre of the country and is basically a huge dust bowl with very little actual tree cover.
Temperatures can get extremely hot during the day time. We were there before the summer season, and we were already feeling the heat (mind you, I live in the tropics and I'm accustomed to heat).
Carry lots of water, sunscreen, and a big hat. Most big temples also have refreshing fruit juices and tender coconut stalls. Keep a look out for those!
Temperatures cross 35°C daily. Evenings are pleasant and cool, but afternoons can get unbearable.
Rules to follow - There is an entrance fee of 25,000 Kyats per person (18 USD). This covers entry to all the pagodas and archaeological museum, and is valid for 5 days. Carry the pass with you at all times because there are random checks. Some tourists claim that they only check it at Ananda Temple, so they advice not buying the ticket and skipping Ananda temple. But this is not true. If you are coming by flight, they won't let you exit the airport without buying a pass. If you are coming by bus or train, you still need to buy the pass because there are random checks at many temples. The site pass can be bought at the bus station or at Ananda Temple.
Stay - There are many hotels in Bagan, catering to every budget. There are 3 areas in Bagan where people can stay- Old Bagan, New Bagan, and Nyaung-U.
- Nyaung U is close to the airport and has a lot of new hotels, e-bike rental shops, and restaurants catering to tourists. But it is a little far from many of the pagodas.
- Old Bagan - The more expensive hotels and resorts are here. The vibe is nice and it is very close to the popular pagodas and also the Irrawady River. Lots of local food joints as well, but more on the expensive side.
- New Bagan - This is where the hostels, budget guesthouses, and locals are located. I liked this area best because we found nice food, was easy to get to many pagodas, and has a more relaxed vibe. There are a couple of money changers here too. We stayed at a lovely place called Morning Star Guesthouse. It is run by a very friendly Scottish-Burmese couple. It was budget but the rooms and service was more than what we paid for! Our stay was very comfortable and pleasant. PS- my review is not sponsored! I genuinely enjoyed my stay there and highly recommend this place to anyone visiting Bagan.
Getting Around - There are three main forms of getting around in Bagan; E-bikes, Private Cars/Taxis, Tuk-Tuk.
- E-Bikes and bicycles - These are the cheapest mode of transport. I wouldn't recommend bicycles because Bagan is huge and hot. It can get very tiring. E-bikes are more convenient. They look a bit like Vespa scooters but run on battery power. They cost around 6000 - 10,000 Kyat per day (4-7 USD). They are convenient to use and give you the freedom of exploring where you want. They are a little tricky to ride though, especially for first timers. They require some practise to ride safely. I did try this but I was not confident about riding on the main roads, so ultimately we did not rent an e-bike.
- Private Cars or Taxis - These are comfortable, air-conditioned, and come with a local guide who will take you to all the popular places. They are definitely more expensive, around 50-80 USD per day. They are not so flexible if you want to explore off the beaten track. Make sure to agree on the price beforehand.
- Tuk-Tuk - These are not so common but they are slowly gaining popularity. We hired a Tuk-Tuk from our hotel. The guy was very friendly and took us to all the usual touristy places and would also stop at less touristy places when we asked him to. We paid 30,000 Kyat plus tips (22 USD) for the whole day. I must admit I was a bit unsure of whether he would be trustworthy, but I was pleasantly surprised at how friendly and knowledgeable he was. Here are his contact details-
Ko Ye is his name. He's a very friendly guy, speaks good English, and knows his way around Bagan.
What to see - Pagodas, pagodas, and more pagodas! Just kidding. Pagodas and temples are plenty, but take time to sit by the Irrawady river, or wander through local villages observing life there.
Bagan is a sleepy town but people are very friendly. Please do remember to support local handicraft people over there. They work very hard to produce beautiful sand paintings, tapestries, and lacquerware. We bought a couple of sand paintings from itinerant vendors. Most tapestries don't cost more than 10-15 USD. I was told that some of the vendors charge higher than local rate for the tapestries and was advised to bargain.
But there is something I would like to remind my readers. Many of these people struggle to make a meager living. They will never have anywhere the amount of money that tourists from developed countries have. They probably have to work all year to make what an average tourist spends in a few weeks. So is it really fair to haggle for a few dollars with these people? I think there is nothing wrong with paying a few extra dollars if it means that street hawker will have some more money that week.
Enjoy your stay in Bagan!
Check out my other posts on Bagan for a more in-depth look into the place!
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