Old Bagan Travel Guide Myanmar: The Temples Of Burma

Beyond just cultural shock, the abandoned temple city of Old Bagan, Myanmar, resembles a strange fantasy with its panorama of enigmatic and exotic pagodas.

As we entered the ancient Bagan temple ruins in Myanmar, we had the impression of being time travelers. There used to be over 10,000 shrines and monasteries here, and the remaining Burmese temples are quite intriguing to visit and take pictures of.

This comprehensive book will provide you with all the information you need to plan your trip to the Bagan temples, including directions and a list of must-see Myanmar temples!

The Past of Ancient Bagan

Pagan, a temple city established in the ninth century in ancient Burma by the Pagan empire, was the previous name of Old Bagan.

During the next 250 years, nearly 10,000 Buddhist monasteries, stupas, and minor temples were constructed in this sacred city, which was also the seat of a wealthy Pagan empire.

Following Kublai Khan’s Mongol invasion of the Pagan empire in the late 13th century, the temple city of Pagan was gradually abandoned and began to deteriorate.

Sadly, incompetent government attempts at rehabilitation in the 1990s—around the time Burma became Myanmar—further

destroyed some of these temples.

2019 saw the temple city of Bagan finally be granted a UNESCO World Heritage designation because of its cultural, historical, and religious significance; ever since its renown has only grown.

Myanmar’s top tourist destination these days is the Old Bagan Temples, which welcomed 4.5 million visitors in 2019.

Top Bagan Tour Packages

First of all, there are several options available if you’re seeking a decent driver or guide to show you around the temples in Burma. These include private taxi drivers in Bagan, guided full-day van tours, and motorbike tours.

Based on what we saw being quoted in Myanmar, these costs are fairly competitive, and the web reviews are also very positive.

These businesses are fantastic; we’ve used them for numerous trips and activities all around the world! Strongly advised.

As of 2020, it had no international lines and only a small airport at Nyaung-U (NYU) with internal flights from other airports in Myanmar. Flights from Mandalay (MDL) take only thirty minutes and cost $65, whereas flights from Yangon (RGN) take 1.5 hours and can cost up to USD 100 one way.

Skyscanner offers flight searches to Nyaung-U.

• Taxi

You can reserve a one-way private cab to Bagan online or through your Bagan hotel; the trip takes approximately three to four hours.

GetYourGuide offers private cab bookings for USD 87, which is among the lowest rates I’ve seen anywhere—online or off—and they have positive reviews.

Our encounter with the cab service was excellent. The car had decent air conditioning and was tidy. After dropping us off at our accommodation in New Bagan, the driver picked us up at the airport in Mandalay.

• Bus

Every day, buses departing from Yangon, Mandalay, and Inle Lake travel to Bagan.

It takes roughly five hours and costs $7 to get to and from Mandalay. Rather than take the expensive taxi, I believe we would do this both ways in the future.

When we returned from Bagan to Mandalay, we reserved the bus online with JJ Express, and we were quite pleased with their assistance. The bus featured very comfortable seats and nice air conditioning.

Visiting The Temples in Bagan

• Entrance Charge

For the Bagan region, tickets cost 25,000 kyats, or about 20 USD or EUR.

Although you have the option to pay in any currency, it is probably most affordable to do so in Myanmar Kyats, given the current exchange rates.

The five-day ticket is valid at all Burmese temples. You might not even have to pay at all, though, as it’s difficult to enforce the regulation because of how dispersed the temples are and how infrequently they check tickets in Bagan.

We spent days touring all of these Bagan, Myanmar temples, and the only time we ever had to pay for admission was when we went to see the sunset (which was, in any case, very mediocre) atop the man-made hill at Sulamani.

• Attire

Bagan is the city of temples, and Myanmar is a somewhat conservative nation.

It is therefore necessary to cover your knees and shoulders when entering the larger temples; nonetheless, knee-length shorts are acceptable.

Sandals are the ideal footwear option in Bagan, Myanmar, as you will have to enter the larger temples barefoot and be subject to dress code checks at the door.

How to Navigate Bagan

You’ll need transportation to move around the 40-square-mile area that makes up the Bagan Myanmar temples.

The most common modes of transportation in Bagan are the e-bike (electric scooter), bicycle, horse cart, and taxi. Each of these has advantages and disadvantages of its own.

The most common and affordable mode of transportation is the e-bike, which costs about $5 per day. A license is not necessary. There isn’t much of a drawback unless you’re not comfortable riding motorcycles in general.

Taxi:

the coziest and safest mode of transportation. Although you might need to travel a little farther, you can still drive to the majority of temples. The primary drawback is the cost, which is about $30 per day.

For our first day of visiting Bagan, we reserved a private vehicle with a driver; for our second day, we hired e-bikes from our hotel.

This was ideal because it allowed us to see the Burma temples using both modes of transportation and allowed us to get to know the area in the security and comfort of a car before exploring it on a scooter.

It’s hard to top the freedom of discovery that comes with riding an e-bike, but I have to admit, they’re a lot of fun.

Two people can ride each bike if you choose the more capable Taiyuan model, and the battery easily lasts a whole day and then some.

Top Bagan Temples to Visit

You’re undoubtedly wondering by now which Burmese temples are the best, as well as the must-see sights and activities in Bagan, Myanmar.

Though there are dozens of fascinating temples, monasteries, and archeological sites in Bagan, these are only a few of the attractions that caught our attention while we were there.

Several of the larger temples (Htilominlo, Sulamani, etc.) were undergoing restoration when we visited, so we had to pass them by.

• Bupaya Pagoda

 Although it was devastated by an earthquake 1,800 years ago, this restoration is largely accurate to the original.

• Temple Dhammayangyi

Although it’s not in the finest condition, this is the largest temple in Bagan, Myanmar. It’s close to a dirt mound where you may enjoy watching the sunset.

• Temple of Gawdawpalin

Large, white, 12th-century temple. Although access to the upper floor is no longer possible, the outside is stunning.

• Temple Lay Myet Hna

a pleasant one near the intersection of Old and New Bagan. Here, local artisans are offering paintings and other handcrafted trinkets for sale.

• Mee Nyein Gone

Our favorite was this one, which is close to Old Bagan town. You can explore two enormous temples there, in addition to a few smaller ones. The top of them looks like a great place to climb, but regrettably, it’s closed off.

• The Soemingyi Pagoda

When we visited, the pagoda itself was undergoing renovations, but the smaller temples that surrounded it made for beautiful pictures and sunset views.

• Yin-Ma-Na-Hpaya

Numerous little temples near Htilominlo are deserted.

• First Unknown Temple

This cluster of tiny Myanmar temples is located next to the Hotel Temple View Bagan, on the outskirts of the town of New Bagan. A native and his cows were the only other people here with us.

• Second Unknown Temple

Despite being one of our favorite temples in Bagan, not many people are aware of it. The Bagan Lodge Hotel is located across the street from it. We had the entire temple to ourselves, which is rather large. Here, we were by ourselves!

• Third-Unknown Temple

This location’s Google Maps pin simply describes the restroom as “beautiful and clean.” Hehe. The Htilominlo Temple is close by. This area has many lovely pagodas and temples, as well as some locally manufactured trinkets available for purchase.

Where to Stay

The Bagan Myanmar temples are surrounded by three distinct cities; however, they are all essentially the same:

• Old Bagan is more expensive, with high-end hotels. Many of the most famous Burmese temples are located here.
• New Bagan: Lots of budget-friendly and mid-range accommodation. Temples are very easy to reach. This is where we stayed, and we wouldn’t change a thing!
• Nyaung-U: Cheapest accommodation and lots of restaurants. It also has the NYU airport and the Nan Myint Tower for sunset viewing.

Trying to figure out these areas was a huge source of confusion for me when I was planning our Bagan trip, but after spending some time there, I’m happy to report that it doesn’t make a big difference which area you stay in.

The towns are all near temples you’ll want to see anyway; they all have good restaurants and hotels; and they’re not spaced very far apart from each other (just a couple of miles).

Just find a Bagan hotel that works with your travel budget and give it a go!

 Where We Accommodated

For USD 19 a night, we had an amazing stay at the Bagan HMWE Hotel in New Bagan town.

We received a pristine double room with a free rooftop buffet breakfast, a comfortable bed, strong WiFi, cool air conditioning, and hot showers at this price.

The staff was really helpful and rented us an electric scooter so we could explore the great restaurants and Bagan temples, which were only a short drive from the hotel!

Prices are subject to change, so always look for a good offer.

Is safety guaranteed in Myanmar?

Is it safe to visit Bagan, Myanmar? In general, sure.

While there are a few small, remote locations in Myanmar that are sometimes violent and unstable, these hotspots are not close to Bagan and are not intended for tourists.

All around the country, we were made to feel extremely welcome. In my opinion, Burmese people are far friendlier than Thai or Cambodian people.

Despite Myanmar’s recent tourist development, a large number of foreign visitors enjoy wonderful experiences each year.

The Ideal Time To Go To Bagan, Myanmar

Depending on your goals, several times are ideal to visit Bagan:

Temperatures below 80 degrees Fahrenheit are most favorable from October to February. Travelers prefer these months, particularly in December and January.

The hottest months, with highs of 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), are March through May. fewer visitors than during peak season.

The rainy season runs from June to September, although since Bagan is located on a dry plain with little yearly precipitation, these are also good months to visit.

Whichever month you decide to visit, the Bagan temples will undoubtedly be breathtaking.

Happy journeys!