Kingdom of Myanmar
Your ultimate travel guide. Save time, and money!
Most travelers arrive in Bagan by bus from Yangon in Central Myanmar or Mandalay in North Myanmar. Travel time from Yangon to Bagan by bus is around 10 hours. From Mandalay, the bus ride should take 5 to 6 hours.
Visa: I am a Philippine passport holder, I do not need a visa to enter Myanmar for short stays of up to 14 days. For others, check your passport exemptions here.
List of Temples you can see with your tourist pass. It will cost you 25,000 MMK for Bagan Archaeological Zone Fee. But there are temples that requires extra payments for admittance.
1. Thambula Temple — Built by Queen Thambula in 1255, it's a lovely ornate brick temple. However the four entrances have been partially bricked up and the top half closed with mesh. Location: 5W73+5M Wet Gyi Inn, Myanmar (Burma).
2. Nanda Pyinnyar Cave— This small temple has the most well-preserved and probably has the best murals of all the temple. Plus, a few meters away you’ll see the man-made cave used by the monks as a sleeping quarter and cooling area during the harsh heat outside.
3. Narathihapatae Hpaya — Named after the king who built this two story temple, its renowned for its murals. However a lot were lost with plaster damage during the earthquake. There is now a much-needed project to restore and protect these treasures.
4. Lemyethna — Unusual as being white-washed and having only a single-storeyed- structure. Its names after its builder who was a minister at the court of King Htilominlo in 1223. It’s alternately known as the Temple of Four Faces with porches protruding from all four sides. I'm intrigued about the area with a matrix of stone foundations that is "Off limits to the ladies"
4.1 Pagoda no. ?? — Three bell shaped pagodas just right across the
Lemyethna.
5. Than Pyin Swar Pagoda — A little temple, very peaceful and serene as it is, so far removed from the well-known temples and so far away from the towns of New Bagan and Nyaung-U. Near Thitsarwadi Temple, just a bit further up an unmarked dirt road. Alone it might not be worth the trip, but if you're in the area seeing Thitsarwadi or Dhammayazaka, it's worth a brief side trip.
6. Dhammayazaka(Dhammayazika) Pagoda — The temple was under construction while we were there, but still worthwhile as this temple has the cool golden stuff on top.
7. Shwesandaw Pagoda — Looks a bit like Aztec pyramids if not for the stupa. Grounds are hot in the afternoon; I wonder why there aren't any carpets like in the other major pagodas. Many smaller shrines around the main pagoda for a more focused worship.
8. Thatbyinnyu Phaya — This is one of the first two storey structures built in Bagan around 1144. It's an impressive site towering at over 60m above the plains. A photogenic temple when the light is right. It is the highest pagoda in town so it's worth visiting. The place is wearing slowly after the earthquake a few years ago (numerous cracks inside) so, you better check the place before it vanishes in the future.
9. Ananda Temple — Described to us as the most beautiful temple in Bagan. It does not disappoint. It has received much attention and restoration. Besides the architecture, the huge amount of original statues is impressive.
10. Dhammayan Gyi Temple — Worth a visit but can be very crowded with lots of tourist stalls outside it. Limited where you can walk around within the temple but the back story of this temple is quite something and interesting to look around. You are required to pay to enter.
11. Sulamani Temple — This temple has some great paintings - well preserved. What was interesting to see was that there seemed to be two layers of paintings from different times and some script as well. Detailed paintings of stories with boats and people - we didn’t have a tour guide so not sure of the story behind it - would recommend going with one for the full experience.
12. Shwezigon Pagoda — One very old and beautiful temple at Bagan. Shoes are not allowed inside or at the compound of the temple and as such, it's advisable to go in the evening, to avoid the heated floor at noon. Great to capture the beauty of Shwezigon Pagoda with the lighting, cool evening and the locals offering their prayers. A great place for photography too.
The haunting beauty and juxtaposition of the stupas and spires rising above the Bagan plain veiled in morning mist creates an unforgettable panorama which rivals any of the more famous and renowned attractions in the world such as the Egyptian Pyramids or Machu Picchu in Peru.
One of my favourite countries i’ve visited. One of the best actually.
Our sweet ride brought you by KLOOK.
Accommodations and transportation;
KLOOK, AirBnB, AirAsia
Cheers to people i’ve meet along my journey —
Brey Malones & France Bautista
Places, People, Experiences.
xx