Bagan
Bagan, formerly known as “Pagan,” is an ancient city located in the central region of Myanmar. Its large concentration of Buddhist temples, pagodas, stupas, and ruins have deemed it a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as many of these structures 11th- and 12th-century structures are still standing. Bagan is a beautiful historical and cultural city to discover, with a more relaxed atmosphere than Mandalay and Yangon.
Travel tip #1: Bagan is not just a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but also an Archeological Zone. Tourists must pay a fee of 25,000 MMK (~$17 USD) when entering Bagan. Your bus or taxi driver will know to stop at one of the toll booths as you enter the city. If they don’t do this, be sure you find a hotel to pay this fee once you are in Bagan. Hold onto the paper they give you, as you need to show it when temple hopping around the city.
Places of Interest
Popular Temples and Pagodas:
- Sulamani Pagoda: also known as Sulamuni
- Dhamma Yan Gyi: largest temple in Bagan
- Shwesandaw Pagoda: second highest temple
- Mahazedi Temple: contains a full set of glazed terra-cotta tiles
- Ananda Pagoda: very well preserved
- Manuha Temple: home to a large reclining Buddha statue
- Shwezigon Pagoda: a must-see golden temple in Nyaung-U
- Shwegu Gyi Pagoda: smaller, but near the Golden Palace
- Tarmani Pagoda: a possible place to watch the sunset
- Mimalaung Kyaung: a possible temple to catch the sunrise, albeit a bit far from the balloons
Sunrise and Sunset: Catching both the sunrise and sunset is a well-known tourist activity in Bagan. For good reasons, the government has been cracking down on climbing these ancient structures. This means many of the popular sites are now guarded or off-limits to climb and it is more challenging to find a temple for an elevated view. My recommendation is to trust one of the locals—who you will probably have to pay a little money to—as they know which places are not guarded. Talk to fellow travelers for their tips on places to go, too.
Sulamani Hill: This is a manmade hill created specifically for tourists to view the sunset. It is located near Sulamani Pagoda on the bank of Nyaung Lat Phat pond. Although it does have a great view, the crowds can be a bit much.
Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride: I did not go in a hot air balloon while in Bagan, but have heard amazing things about this experience. The hot air balloons give you a birds-eye view of the city during sunrise as you float over temples and pagodas. You need to make a reservation ahead of time. Be sure to dress warm, as it is cool up in the sky! Check-out this article from Culture Trip about hot air ballooning in Bagan!
Minnanthu Village: Minnanthu is located east of Bagan. It is a traditional agricultural village which specializes in the production of sesame and peanut oil. Some tours stop here, but you can also visit on your own. The villagers will charge some money for you to enter their space, but they are incredibly kind and friendly.
Nyaung-U: About 4 kilometers away from Old Bagan is a town named Nyaung-U. The local airport is here, as well as transportation connections, restaurants, hotels, and Shwezigon Pagoda. This is the best places for a chance of nightlife while in Bagan.
Spa of Bagan: Spa of Bagan is up a residential street in New Bagan. It’s a wonderful place to relax and receive an awesome massage for a small price. Very professional and clean, they even offer complimentary pre-massage tea and snacks.
Lacquerware shops: Lacquerware is a traditional craft that has been practiced in Bagan for centuries. It is a tedious and time-consuming process which takes years to master. Between Old and New Bagan is a small village called Myin Ka Bar. Here you can find numerous family-owned lacquerware workshops, like Maung Aung Myin Art Gallery of Bagan. The owner was incredibly kind, gave me a tour, and taught me about the process! If you want to purchase lacquerware, I suggest going to one of these workshops to buy directly and learn a bit more about the craft.
Ananda Street Market: Leading up to Ananda Pagoda are people selling various crafts and items, such as lacquerware, marionettes, and pottery. This is a good place to purchase small handicrafts or just see the different types of items commonly produced in Bagan.
Bagan Golden Palace: Not a very popular place for tourists, especially because you must pay a separate entry fee of 5,000 MMK (~$3 USD). The Golden Palace features impressive golden structures which are all new, as this site is a recreation of the original. I would not recommend going, but you can always pass by the entrance on your way into Old Bagan.
Travel tip #2: Support the locals by purchasing their handicrafts, art, and agricultural products. Bagan and much of Myanmar is a cultural trip, making locally produced items important to their lives and the local economy.
Food
Mani Sithu Market: Located in Nyaung-U, this busy local markets is a fantastic spot for a glimpse at local life, purchase fruit or veggies, and support the locals by purchasing what they sell. The market alleyways are filled with spices, herbs, fruit, vegetables, meats, and more. It’s best to go after 9:00 am, as the crowds won’t be a large and you will have stayed out of the locals’ way during their morning shopping time.
New Bagan Market: Smaller than Mani Sithu Market and located in New Bagan, this local market is another great place to support the local Burmese people. Get a meal from a vendor, buy some fruit to snack on later, and interact with the locals—they’re very kind and friendly!
Good Share Teashop: Off the paved road connecting Old Bagan/ Nyaung-U and Minnanthu Village, you will find this local teashop. It’s quite big and has lots of seating. I stopped by here for a break from the morning sun to enjoy a cup of sweet, milky Burmese tea.
Khaing Shwe Wha Vegetarian Restaurant: I loved this little spot so much! I tried their tamarind leaf salad as well as potato curry with rice, and they served a complimentary dessert of fruit alongside candied tamarind and ginger. The service was wonderful and the food was delicious.
Yar Pyi Restaurant: A smaller family-owned restaurant in Old Bagan, Yar Pyi serves vegetarian and vegan cuisine. I loved the laid-back vibe here for breakfast, as I was able to talk to the owners and meet their baby girl. Their coconut veggie soup with a side of rice was the perfect way to start the day.
The Moon (2) Be Kind to Animals: There are two The Moon locations—one in Old Bagan and a second in New Bagan. The first location is across from Yar Pyi while The Moon (2) in New Bagan is a little off the beaten path. The Moon (2) has gorgeous wooden architecture and is quite peaceful. Although many people recommend these two restaurants in Bagan I was not as impressed with their food compared to Khaing Shwe Wha and Yar Pyi, as I feel The Moon caters to tourist tastebuds.
Black Rose Restaurant: Located in New Bagan, this place was an unexpected find. It’s near the roundabout-like area in the center of the town. Their fish curry was really tasty, as well as the coconut rice and tea leaf salad. A second location is being opened down the road in New Bagan.
Mohinga: A little bit far from the main road near residential areas is Mohinga. There were a lot of locals at this restaurant and the prices were significantly lower compared to The Moon and Black Rose. Their menu was mainly rice and noodle dishes, but be sure to try their mohinga!
Tamarind candy: After many meals in Bagan, a small lacquerware dish filled with paper-wrapped tamarind candies would be placed on the table. These tamarind candies were some of the best I’ve had and very fresh. You can ask the restaurant owners if you can purchase a bag or two from them, as they make a great edible souvenir.
Travel tip #3: I found many restaurants in the Bagan area were catered toward tourists. The locals didn’t eat at many of these places, but rather at the local markets and from street vendors. Definitely try the street food in Bagan if you have a chance—it’s good!—but supporting local businesses by eating at restaurants is also a solid choice.
Transportation & Accommodation
Bagan is a fun and easy place to travel around as a solo traveller or with companions. Even though tourists are not allowed to operate motorbikes in Bagan, electronic bikes (e-bikes) are available for rent. E-bikes are great because they are inexpensive [usually 8,000-10,000 MMK (~5-6 USD) per day], easy to drive, and make very little noise. Ask your hostel or hotel where you can rent an e-bike. Make sure it’s charged before riding around for the day, as well.
If renting an e-bike is not an option or is not a preference, there are horse drawn carriages and tuk-tuk drivers throughout Bagan. It will be a little more expensive to hire one of these drivers for the day, but this also takes away the potential hassle of navigating to various temples out of your hands. Similarly, taking a taxi into town is common if you are dropped off at Nyaung-U and need to get to Old or New Bagan.
While Nyaung-U has more high-end hotels, there are a fair amount of accommodation options in Old Bagan and New Bagan. You can search for accommodation in Bagan [here] on Booking.com. I stayed at the Bagan Empress Hotel in New Bagan and loved my stay there. I opted for a shared hostel-style room that had a private bathroom and air conditioning. The staff were incredibly accommodating and polite, even helping me coordinate my bus ticket to Yangon. Another option in New Bagan that’s fairly popular for backpackers and is known for being quite party-hard is Ostello Bello. This is an Italian hostel chain that also hosts tours, trivia nights, and more. If you prefer to sleep, this is not the best choice. If you like to socialize and stay up late, Ostello Bello is a great choice.
Travel tip #4: Within Bagan there is Old Bagan and New Bagan. New Bagan was created when the government wanted to make the area more tourist-friendly so it could be classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As a result, residents were evicted from their homes in (Old) Bagan and forcibly moved to the area which is now known as New Bagan. Staying in New Bagan is the preferred place to stay to help support the locals that were forcibly moved to this area some years prior. While Old Bagan is closer to many of the temples, New Bagan is really not that far away by e-bike and makes for a easy drive to see the temples.
Climate
Bagan’s climate is relatively hot throughout the year. The seasons change at around the same time, with summer monsoon rains starting in May and continuing throughout September. It frequently rains during this time, but it’s not as heavy or torrential as other areas in the tropics. The coolest months fall between November and February. This time of the year has very little rain, dry air, and cooler temperatures. It can be a bit dusty due to the lack of rainfall, but the weather is best for traveling and temple hopping. It begins to become warmer and more humid from March through May, making this the hottest time of the year. It is important to drink plenty of water whenever you visit Bagan to avoid dehydration!
