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Bagan Myanmar Travel Guide
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, however, are considered active sacred sites, so when visiting roaming among the stupas, feel free to show off all your best behaviour, and be sure to remove your shoes before entering or stepping onto any of 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.
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 take down the ticket number when you check in.
Staff at the ticket booths round out their salaries by selling pirate copies of George Orwell`s Burmese Days for around US$5, though if you negotiate you can get them down to $2.
By plane
You can fly to Bagan from Yangon on Air Mandalay, Air Bagan, or Myanma Airways for about US$ 65. 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.
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.
By bus
Comfortable bus links from Mandalay are available for US$8 one way. Night buses from Yangon leave in the afternoon and arrive early in the morning, and cost 18000 kyat at the ticket counters north of the Yangon train station.
By boat
A daily express ferry service runs down the Irrawaddy from Mandalay to Bagan taking about five hours. One way tickets are US$ 25.
A (very) slow ferry covers the same route frequently and costs US$10. Takes anything from 14 to 17 hours, but is a great opportunity to mix with the locals. Plastic chairs are available to rent on board. Otherwise, bring something to sit on and a cover for the early hours (leaves around 5am) and evening. Locals will be grateful to share theirs if you ask or if they see you shivering.
Get around
- For an unparalleled view of the Bagan plain, you can take a hot air balloon ride at sunrise through a company called Balloons Over Bagan, for US$ 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.
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.
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