We rented next door to our hotel an eletric bike. Everyone call them e-bikes. At a cost of 9000K (£5, 7USD), we cruised freely amongst over 2000 pagodas of all styles, sizes and various states of disrepair with some dating back to the 11th century. We explored famous temples spread over the old Bagan including the Ananda Pahto Temple, the Dhammayangyi Temple, the Sulamani Temple, and the Shwegugyi Temple. We also get lost and found deserted ruins where most tourists will never even get close to. That was the most amusing part of the adventure.
The sacred pagodas and beautiful temples were scattered across the plains of Bagan creating a mystical and striking landscape. We saw a lot of them. Most didn't have a name. Just a number.
Most of the iconic photographs of the town were taken at sunrise or sunset with the ancient monuments silhouetted against the mountains in the backdrop. So we spent most of the day looking for the most secluded and best spot for the night. Following the August 2016 earthquake, the majority of temples and pagodas were closed due to the enormous damage they suffered. Therefore, it was difficult to find a building where we were allowed to climb on.
Luckily we found the Bulethi temple. We sat, relax and took in the panoramic views of endless stupas stretching off to the horizon with the sunset as background.
A few words of advice
- Wake up early to catch the sunrise.
- Wear flip-flops as you will need to remove your shoes all the time.
- Rent an e-bike. Biking the area is the best way to explore the pagodas and the more remote monuments.
- Take plenty of water. It can get hot, boiling.
- Get lost and don't be scared to take the small and dirty trail. You never know where you might end up.
- Be careful if you want to climb up a temple. And don't climb the one closed to the public.
- Don't forget to buy the entrance ticket that covers you for visiting the whole archaeological zone at 20USD or 25,000K per person. If you don't want to pay, avoid the main temples as they will have checkpoints.
- Find a good spot for sunset and bring a good camera.