From Wikitravel

Bagan is an area in the Central region of Myanmar.

[edit] Understand

Bagan, also spelled Pagan, on the banks of the Irrawaddy River, is home to the largest area of Buddhist temples, pagodas, stupas and ruins in the world with many dating from the 11th and 12th centuries. The shape and construction of each building is highly significant in Buddhism with each component part taking on spiritual meaning.

[edit] History

Bagan became a central powerbase in the mid 9th century under King Anawratha, who unified Burma under Theravada Buddhism. It is estimated that as many as 13,000 temples and stupas once stood on this 42 sq km plain in central Myanmar, and Marco Polo once described Bagan as a "gilded city alive with tinkling bells and the swishing sounds of monks' robes". Approximately 2,200 remain today, in various states of disrepair. Some are large and well maintained, such as the Ananda Pahto, others are small tumbledown relics in the middle of overgrown grass. All sites are considered sacred, so when visiting be respecful including removing shoes before entering or stepping onto them.

Bagan's golden age ended in 1287 when the Kingdom and its capital city was invaded and sacked by the Mongols. Its population was reduced to a village that remained amongst the ruins of the once larger city. In 1998, this village and its inhabitants were forcibly relocated a few kilometres to the south of Bagan, forming "New Bagan" where you will find accommodation in its handful of cheap, quaint, clean hotels and religious centres.

Despite the majesty and importance of Bagan, Unesco has failed to include it on its world heritage site, because it says some temples were rebuilt in an un-historic way. Nonetheless, the site is arguably as impressive as the Pyramids of Egypt: a dry, vast open landscape dominated entirely by votive architecture.

[edit] Get in

When entering Bagan you pass through a ticket booth where you present your passport and purchase a US$10 ticket valid for your entire stay (July 2010). These passes are also needed for accommodation as hotels and hostels record the ticket number when you check in.

Staff at the ticket booths sell pirate copies of George Orwell's Burmese Days for around US$5, though if you negotiate you can get them down to $2.

[edit] By plane

You can fly to Bagan from Yangon on Air Mandalay [1], Air Bagan [2], Asian Wings [3] or Myanma Airways [4]] for US$ 93. Air Mandalay and Air Bagan also fly from Mandalay. (Yangon airways ceased operations for a while, but say they will resume operations on 16 October 2011).

From the airport to New Bagan, it takes about 15-20 minutes by car, and usually this will cost around 7000-10000 kyat. Most midrange and luxury hotels will give you a free pickup from the airport.

[edit] By train

• Overnight trains run daily from Yangon, departing at about 4PM and arriving in Bagan at about 9AM the following day, at prices ranging from a few thousand Kyat (a few dollars) in second class, to US $50 for a "luxury" sleeper.

• There is a direct train service running from Mandalay to Bagan with two departures daily. Tickets are available directly at the railway station and cost about US$6 one way. The journey takes about seven hours.

Most train routes in Myanmar are fairly nice, however when going on the Mandalay-Bagan route expect the train to be incredibly crowded. You will also have limited room to store your stuff, as well as cramped uncomfortable sitting conditions.

[edit] By bus

Comfortable bus links from Mandalay are available for US$8 one way. Night buses from Yangon leave in the afternoon and arrive early in the morning, and cost 18000 kyat at the ticket counters north of the Yangon train station.

[edit] By boat

A daily express ferry service runs down the Irrawaddy from Mandalay to Bagan taking about five hours. One way tickets are US$ 25.

A (very) slow ferry covers the same route frequently and costs US$10. Takes anything from 14 to 17 hours, but is a great opportunity to mix with the locals. Plastic chairs are available to rent on board. Otherwise, bring something to sit on and a cover for the early hours (leaves around 5am) and evening. Locals will be grateful to share theirs if you ask or if they see you shivering.

[edit] Get around

• For an unparalleled view of the Bagan plain, you can take a hot air balloon ride at sunrise through a company called Balloons Over Bagan, for US$ 295 per person. These balloons are British made and have a perfect safety record. They do not operate during the summer.

• You can rent a horse cart with a driver for around 12 000 - 15 000 Kyats for a full day.

• Travelling around on a rented bicycle is quite easy (you do not have to compete with much vehicular traffic on the roads) and economical (as little as US$1 per day). In the morning, before it gets hot, is a particularly pleasant time to do this. People tend to rise late around Bagan, so travelling forth at 8 AM or so really emphasizes the sense of Bagan as "abandoned." Later in the day, particularly during the warm season, it may be uncomfortable to do this. In the dry season, bicycling through the sandy paths connecting the more remote temples can be harrowing exercise, but this is still the best way to get to where you want to go cheaply.

[edit][add listing] See

• Ananda - Bagan's holiest temple, built by the third king, Kyan-zit-tha in 1091. Ananda comes from the Pali word "anantapannya", which means "boundless wisdom". The temple houses four Buddhas facing the cardinal directions, which represent the four Buddhas who have attained Nirvana. The fifth, Maitreya, is yet to appear.

[edit][add listing] Do

The mood of the village is laid back and, after a day biking around in the stone forest of stupas, the evening entertainment is entirely DIY.

• Rent a bike : most midrange-luxury hotels will offer the opportunity to rent a bike starting from 1000 kyat per day. Most of the area in and around Bagan is flat and very easy to bicycle your way around. Don't forget lights since most bikes have none.
• Rent a horsecart : the classic way to visit interesting sites in Bagan. A day tour around the temples will cost about 10-15.000 kyat per cart (up to 4 people). You can either tell the driver where you want to go, or let them decide for you. Usually, they will try to bring you to a lunch place where they get a commission, but this is not a bad option (prices are normal in this establishment).
• Dhammayangyi Temple. (the thickest): This most massive temple in Bagan was constructed by king "Na-ra-thu" in the mid of XXII century. The decreasing six terraces and the main structure resemble the plan of a pyramidal shape. It was the copy of Ananda temple, and has two corridors inside constructed in a plan in perfect Greek cross. But the interior passage has been closed by bricks for the unknown reason. The masonry job of this temple so remarkable that even a needle cannot penetrate between two bricks. Besides, the complicated architectural style of this temple creates the arguments on the number of floors and on the completion of the building. What is more is the founder of this temple was in a bad reputation for the killing of his father and his brother so as to get the throne. The story told again the founder had the killer of the persons who were responsible for the mistake of this amazing edifice during the construction. These reasons generate so many riddles and mysteries that lead to be known as ghost haunted temple for some inhabitants.  edit

[edit][add listing] Buy

Bagan offers lacquerware, cloth paintings, T-shirts and other handicrafts. As elsewhere in Asia, it is "friendly" to grant a client 10% off. It is common for initial prices to be double what you can get with bargaining. If you probe further, remember to always keep the bargaining friendly.

[edit][add listing] Eat

There are many places to eat in Old Bagan serving the traditional Burmese dishes, especially good old noodle soup. Some of the buffets are excellent; for about USD 1.50 you can eat to your heart's content from dozens of different traditional dishes.

• Mahar Bagan, Khayee Road, Khan Laung Quarter, New Bagan. One of the better restaurants in Bagan, with a cheerful and friendly owner who speaks good English and seems happy to indulge customers in stories about the area. The menu consists primarily of Chinese-style dishes. The restaurant serves an excellent array of traditional Burmese food, but you have to drop by 4-5 hours in advance to let them know your order, as most Burmese dishes take a long time to prepare.  edit
• The Moon Vegetarian Restaurant, North of Ananda temple, Old Bagan, ☎ 061-60481. Not only the best veggy restaurant in Bagan, but overall just a great eating experience. Every single bit of food on the extensive menu is freshly prepared, and there's always a special dish of the day. Place sits around ~15pax, so you won't have to sit with the big tourist groups. Costs around 5 USD/pax.  edit

[edit][add listing] Drink

As everywhere else in Myanmar, there's plenty of Myanmar Beer to go around.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

Most accommodation nowadays is found in New Bagan or Naung U. In Old Bagan, only some government-involved, luxury hotels remain.

• Pinsa Rupa guesthouse. US$4-5 for a single room and US$8-10 for a double including a standard breakfast. Rooms on the roof are nice. The owner speaks very good English and is very informative and helpful. Located in Naung U, on the main road south-east of the market.
• Thante Hotel, Nyaung U. Clusters of rooms set in bungalows all located around a central pool. Close to the market. Excellent service. Midrange prices.
• New Heaven, Nyaung U. A run-down hotel once rated as Lonely Planet's "our pick", New Heaven has been coasting on its Lonely Planet review for years. Dirty, small rooms are smelly and expensive. Electricity is inconsistent. Staff are rude.
• Thasin Hotel. Bungalows and rooms overlooking a (rebuilt) pagoda. There is also a salon, expensive internet access, a limited library, billiards, a scenic pool, and a nice breakfast room. Mid-range prices in the summer, may be more expensive during the year.
• Kaday Aung Hotel, Hninn Pann St., Kyansitthar Quarter (Near Manuhar Temple, Myingabar village), ☎ +95-62-65070, [5]. checkin: 02/26/2009; checkout: 03/01/2009. Garden and pool is ok but the cold environment from the shade of trees is priceless. The rooms are well decorated with woods and bamboo fixtures and arts, dinner and dance shows at outdoor restaurant, buffet breakfast with local and continental menus are so delicious. All staff smile all the time and manager is very helpful. Facilities are well suited for 3 stars level. US$20-40.  edit
• Amazing Bagan Resort, Adjacent to the Bagan Nyaung Oo Golf Club (About 10-15 min. from the airport with a taxi.), ☎ 95 61 60035, 53, 54, [6]. checkout: 12:00. A luxury resort at a bargain price. It's located a bit outside "everything", so to get to the nearest town or even shop it's necessary to rent a bike or take a taxi. It's a very quiet, beautiful and tranquil place. They can arrange horse cart rides to see the temples with pick up from the hotel for 13 000 - 15 000 Kyats for a full day. Bikes can be rented free of charge. Nice and large swimming pool. Wireless internet is free of charge as well in the lobby. The restaurant serves excellent food and isn't too expensive. Main dishes can be had for around 5-10 USD. The reception staff is very friendly, polite and helpful. The rooms are big, only problem with that is that the small air cons in the rooms have a hard time cooling the rooms. Owned by a local Chinese businessman. 53-75 USD.  edit

[edit] Get out

From Bagan, you can do a day trip to visit Mt. Popa. This attraction is a temple on a cliff. You walk the stairs up (about 100 metres), barefoot (as the place is considered holy). The stairs are not very clean because of the presence of large numbers of monkeys. The views from the top are good.

The bus service to Inle Lake is one of the worse in the all country. The bus is incredible small, with no space whatsoever for your legs, and the road is in really bad state all the way. The price is 10,000 kyats and leaves daily at 4am and takes 9 hours to Kalaw. Add a couple more to the junction town for Inle.

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