BAGAN
Overview
Stretching over 41,000sq km with 4,000 thousand relics, Bagan is an irresistible attraction. Every temple or stupa is a unique piece of art and belongs to a different time, so the masters had made them diverse with their own creativeness of mural paintings, stucco, stone inscriptions or plaques. We can get lost in a temple just by chasing its twilight beauty, when the outside light illuminates its windows, murals and mysterious statues with amazing stories. At sunrises and sunsets, visitors can’t help coming to the Old Bagan to contemplate the sun hang over a horizon, prolonging above thousands different-shaped stupas, temples, emerged from the red dusty ground or river. Many tourists do not hesitate to try expensive balloon rides in the morning to contemplate the best-ever sunrise in the world, before landing to visit the relics. You can also save time to go further to Salay incomparable wooden monastery, garden, and Mountain Popa near Bagan, lingering your stay at the town for relaxation. For other tourists, visiting to Bagan will not be fulfilled without joining a biking trip or traditional horse cart ride, when you swing on the back of horses to wander along small paths zigzagging between relics, stopping at any place that captivate your eyes, taking off your shoes before entering. And the whole progress will give you an unforgettable feeling as well as admiration to the masters’ works.
Food & Drink
First-time tourists in Bagan may find themselves confused when it comes to the eating decision; that’s why this food guide was created to solve this puzzle for you. In Nyaung U, Old Bagan and New Bagan you will find many small markets, restaurants and eateries where you can grab a bite or shop to picnic at the temples. Also in Bagan itself, the number of souvenir stalls is growing, which also sell snacks and drinks.
Typical Burmese breakfast begins with a freshly prepared omelet, a noodle soup with crunchy vegetables and black tea. You sit on low chairs in a tea shop and observe the peaceful morning life. Often you can see young monks passing by in their religious routine. They hold bowls in which the villagers feed freshly cooked rice, curries or snacks.
Fish is an important part of traditional Myanmar cuisine. Tasting this dish on a restaurant terrace with fascinating view over the Irrawady River and enjoying the magnificent sunset will bring you incomparable experiences.
Mohinga is available in many varieties throughout the country. It consists of fish, together with chopped banana blossoms, lemon grass, onions, garlic and shrimp paste. It is boiled into a soup with rice noodles and garnished with coriander and lime.
Burmese-style Vegetable curries is flavored with a large variety of ingredients such as coconut milk, ginger, onion, mushrooms, pepper and of course, curry powder. Much oil is exploited when cooking and heated medium. The vegetable dish is served over rice noodles or rice.
Travel Guide
Myanmar is a land of temples and pagodas with Buddha images and figures in every corner. Yet nowhere are they as concentrated as in Bagan. The place is next to Angkor (Cambodia) at the top of the list of architectural highlights that you should have seen in your life. More than 4,400 religious buildings were built between the 11th and 13th centuries on a mere 40 square kilometer area in and around Bagan. A count in the 1990s has shown that today there are still about 2,230 of them - in different good condition.
The best (and most popular) travel time in Myanmar is from mid-October through February, when it's cooler and driest. You can also travel in the summer months during the rainy season, when the nature is particularly green and most showers fall in the afternoon or evening. The sunshine hours in Myanmar vary between about 9 in the main season and 2 to 6 in the off-season (end of May up to and including September).
Airplane: The airport is located a few kilometers from Nyaung U Airport (NYU). From here there are several flights per day between Bagan and Yangon, Mandalay and Heho.
Train: There are daily train connections to and from Mandalay (8 hours) and Yangon (17 hours). However, delays of several hours are not uncommon, and so 17 hours can quickly become 22 hours.
Boot: There is a popular boat connection between Mandalay and Nyaung U. At least 10 to 12 hours must be scheduled for the route. It usually starts early in the morning.
Bus: Bagan is connected by bus to all major destinations in Myanmar. There are several daily direct buses from and to Yangon (10 hours), Nyaung Shwe at Inle Lake (8 hours) and Mandalay (5 hours)
Train: There are daily train connections to and from Mandalay (8 hours) and Yangon (17 hours). However, delays of several hours are not uncommon, and so 17 hours can quickly become 22 hours.
Boot: There is a popular boat connection between Mandalay and Nyaung U. At least 10 to 12 hours must be scheduled for the route. It usually starts early in the morning.
Bus: Bagan is connected by bus to all major destinations in Myanmar. There are several daily direct buses from and to Yangon (10 hours), Nyaung Shwe at Inle Lake (8 hours) and Mandalay (5 hours)
Old Bagan: visit Ananda Temple, which is large and impressive both inside and out. Its highlights are the four interior gilded Buddha statues, its golden dome and impressive architecture.
Nyaung U: visit the Schwezigon Pagoda - the figurehead of Bagan and probably the most famous pagoda in the region.
Minnanthu: visit Shwesandaw Pagoda, one of the best places to see the picturesque sunset over the Bagan fields. It was built as one of the first pagodas under King Anawrahtas’ order.
Nyaung U: visit the Schwezigon Pagoda - the figurehead of Bagan and probably the most famous pagoda in the region.
Minnanthu: visit Shwesandaw Pagoda, one of the best places to see the picturesque sunset over the Bagan fields. It was built as one of the first pagodas under King Anawrahtas’ order.
Mount Popa:(approximately 1,518 m) an extinct volcano with tropical rainforest growing in its crater, now part of the National Park, home to about 125 different species of birds and numerous butterflies.
Boat trip on the Irrawady: Around sunset is the best time to take the trip. At the Bupaya Pagoda, there are boaters waiting for guests all day long.
Boat trip on the Irrawady: Around sunset is the best time to take the trip. At the Bupaya Pagoda, there are boaters waiting for guests all day long.
OUR PICK: Two to three full days in Bagan, staying in a hotel, then departing for a day trip to Mount Popa and two or three-day to Mandalay and Inle Lake for sightseeing and relaxation.
Hot air balloon ride over Bagan: Season for balloon rides is from October 1st to March 31st. There are three ballooning companies in Bagan: Golden Eagle Ballooning (yellow), Balloons over Bagan (red), Oriental Ballooning Bagan (red).
Temple tour: Explore the temples especially at sunset. Visit the mystical temples: Shwesandaw Temple, Pyathatgyi Temple, South Guni and NOrd-Guni Temple, as well as the Thitsar Wadi. You have several transportation options: by E-Bike, bicycle, horse carts, or cars.
Shopping tours: Bagan is famous for its lacquer art. The elaborately painted and decorated boxes, plates and vases are offered everywhere on the roadside and in special shops.
Cultural tours: inclusive of astonishing museums, temples and pagodas of the region as well as historical sites.
M.I.C.E tous theme tours, educational tours, charity tours and meditation tours
Hot air balloon ride over Bagan: Season for balloon rides is from October 1st to March 31st. There are three ballooning companies in Bagan: Golden Eagle Ballooning (yellow), Balloons over Bagan (red), Oriental Ballooning Bagan (red).
Temple tour: Explore the temples especially at sunset. Visit the mystical temples: Shwesandaw Temple, Pyathatgyi Temple, South Guni and NOrd-Guni Temple, as well as the Thitsar Wadi. You have several transportation options: by E-Bike, bicycle, horse carts, or cars.
Shopping tours: Bagan is famous for its lacquer art. The elaborately painted and decorated boxes, plates and vases are offered everywhere on the roadside and in special shops.
Cultural tours: inclusive of astonishing museums, temples and pagodas of the region as well as historical sites.
M.I.C.E tous theme tours, educational tours, charity tours and meditation tours
Activities
Unsere Wahl: Frühes Aufwachen, um den besten Sonnenaufgang der Welt zu genießen; Ballon über dem Bagan; Besuchen Sie Überreste mit Pferdewagen und entdecken Sie jedes abwechslungsreiche Kunstwerk an jedem Stupa oder Turm.
Radfahren Touren
Verwenden Fahrräder oder Pferdewagen anstelle von Fahrzeugen, um die Gegend sauber und ruhig zu halten und das Vieh der Einheimischen nicht zu erschrecken.
Kultur Besichtigungen
Übernachten in einem Hotel in der Nähe des Flusses, genießen lokales Essen mit den Einheimischen, schlendern durch Nyaung-U und besuchen die Shwezigon-Pagode bei Sonnenuntergang
Deluxe Busfahrt
Geben den Einheimischen Arbeit, indem Sie anstelle von Flügen mit dem Nachtbus oder, wenn möglich, mit dem Nachtbus oder dem Flussweg von / nach Yangon und Mandalay reisen.
Religiöse Touren
Toller Ort für Meditation, religiöse Touren, Bildungsreisen und Themen touren über bildende Kunst.