Travel Guide: A First-Timers Guide to Bagan
Part 1
{You may access Part 2/Day 2 of our stay in Bagan here, and Part 3/Day 3 here.}
In the expansive area of Bagan, Myanmar brims with culture, heritage, and mesmeric views. The enduring architecture of the pagodas built by people long gone, dot the region providing visitors with a lick of their opulent past, helping them build memories that would last for an eternity. Standing as a testimony of the power, affluence, and craftsmanship of the dynasties that built them, temples in Bagan are a legacy of the Pagan Empire which once thrived in this region of Myanmar.
When we embarked on our journey to Myanmar, we had little idea about how fascinated we would be by the time our visit came to an end. My husband, Vikram, and I had been invited by the Ministry of Tourism, Myanmar, to experience the country’s beauty. We started as tourists only to return as lovers of the country.
I often fail at finding the right words to describe my captivation of certain places, so it really did take me more time than it usually does, to put together a guide for all of you in words that would do justice to the experiences I enjoyed in this lovely country.
I have witnessed the magnificence of Borobudur in Indonesia and not very long ago, Angkor Vat took our travel experiences up a notch. Bagan reinforces the fact that every place is uniquely special and a comparison would only scar our experiences. With Myanmar being relatively less explored by tourists than other places that we have been to, I can say without a doubt, that this is the time when people really should travel to the country; before tourism tramples on its virgin beauty and strips off its natural façade ~ mostly without intending to do so ~ simply because tourism no matter how sustainable we attempt to make it, has its own impact which may not always be translated positively.
In an attempt to provide you with a vivid picture of my experience at Bagan, I give you a compilation of some great tips in this Bagan Travel Guide: A First-Timers Guide to Bagan.
Bagan ~ A Heritage, A Legacy, A Haven
Once the capital city of the powerful Pagan Empire than ruled most of present-day Myanmar, Bagan has aged beautifully. While it may not offer the same magnificence as in its fledgling days, there is something intoxicatingly beautiful about the place that would have you return more than once to get a taste of its fabulous experiences.
More than 10,000 temples and pagodas once called this place home, but time ravaged many, and the 2,200 that remain today endeavour to recreate the awe and amazement that the place would have once enjoyed.
Day 1
Seated on a flight in Yangon which would take us to one of those rare places on Earth where temple tops peek out of the trees painting a visual treat in hues of green, blue and brown; I hoped that Bagan would be everything had I heard and read. As we touched the runway in Bagan, I realised that the views from the sky were my preview to a magical four-day trip.
We were warmly greeted by our guide who was waiting with a taxi at the terminal. A pleasant hour’s drive took us to Aureum Palace where we stayed in utter luxury for the next three nights.
Nestled quietly amidst the rising pagodas in the Bagan Archaeological Preservation Zone, Aureum Palace spoils travellers who have a weakness for luxury accommodations. The tasteful décor, the quaint architecture of the villas, the intricacies of the woodwork in the villas, the warmth of its staff, the deliciousness of the foods served at its restaurants, and the serenity of the private lake ~ knitted together an elaborately enchanting experience that delighted us in every way!
Seated in the Jasmine section of the resort, our villa was located on a private lake that offered breathtaking views of Bagan. I couldn’t imagine a better place to stay. The soothing waters of the lake, the ancient temples rising above the trees, the gentle breeze sweeping over the palms, and the refreshing greenery of the place ~ offered more experiences that quickly transformed into memories, etched forever in our travel diaries.
We had arrived in Bagan before sunrise. Shirking off all weariness from our travel, we excitedly looked forward to enjoying a hot air balloon ride that had been scheduled for us. I am sure you would have come across beautiful pictures of Bagan in travel magazines or on your Instagram feed. Lovely as they look on paper or web pages, nothing beats the experience of being there and swooning over the theatrical work of man and nature that are in total harmony at Bagan.
Our hot air ballooning was arranged with a company named “Balloons Over Bagan” that used red balloons. I was later made aware that there were two other authorized hot air ballooning companies in Bagan, one used green and the other used yellow balloons. Every morning the three colours would create a beautiful panorama in the sky.
A red and white bus scuttled up to the resort at 5 AM, and I was in complete disbelief when I learned that it was going to be our ride to and from the hot air ballooning site. I guess living in an urban city has definitely spoiled me. I often end up choosing comfort over experiences. But there was no choice here, so experience it was, and a brilliant one at that as these buses were from the time of the World War. We sat awkwardly on one of the wooden benches in the bus as it began its bumpy ride.
With the site in view, the means of transportation to the site was no longer of accord. All I could think of was floating in the skies. After a light breakfast, we hopped onto the balloon’s basket eager to be a part of the view that we had endearingly gazed at in magazines. The winds were on our side and the weather promised to oblige, so we got to enjoy the full duration of 45 minutes of the flight {I am told that some rides could be as short as 20 minutes when the weather is less favourable}.
The balloon lifted off from the ground up in the air and with clockwork precision, the sun began to light up the Earth and skies ~ as if it knew its role just like a seasoned actor does. We were asked to sit down for the launch, and shortly after were given the OK to stand. We were accorded a bird’s eye view of magnificent Bagan, as the golden glow of the rising sun cast a magic spell on the hundreds of temples and pagodas below. Experiences are what make us who we are ~ this is one experience that will last a lifetime in our memories!
Stepping back on land after our avian journey was disappointing because the skies offered so much in terms of beauty. But we didn’t know that terrestrial life in Bagan was equally exciting. After a glass of champagne, we chugged back to the resort on the same bus that had brought us to the ballooning site.
We reached our resort at 8:30 AM and decided to lie back and lose ourselves once again in memories of our early morning experience.
It wasn’t until 4 in the afternoon that we decided to set out exploring the area around our hotel on horse cart.
That reminds me of another thing about travel; I have realised that sometimes it takes us to travel to another corner of the world to appreciate things closer to home. Horse carts hardly fit the category of adventure for Indians, and here I was, reminiscing my childhood days in Varanasi ~ a city known for the Holy Ganges in addition to horse-drawn carriages. Take me back to India and ask me to ride on a horse cart and I would gently turn you down, but in Bagan, I was certainly enjoying the ride and soaking in the views. Travel does change us, for good.
We returned to our resort at 5 PM exhilarated by the experiences that we had gathered through the day, but it wasn’t to stop. We took an elevator to the private watch tower {Nann Myint or Bagan Tower} of Aureum Palace, where Vikram and I lost ourselves in the spellbinding views of Bagan augmented by the final rays of the sun as it gracefully dipped into the horizon. Standing stalwartly at a height of 196 feet {60 meters}, the tower has an outdoor rooftop that treats its visitors to a breath-taking 360-degree view of Bagan along with the untamed Irrawaddy meandering in the distance.
We had a sumptuous dinner which was accompanied by traditional entertainment that brought the day to a delightful end as we retired to our villa. We also realised that the serene environment of Aureum Palace livens up every evening with traditional dancers, puppeteers, and folk music performers taking the stage to entertain guests.
To conclude: Bagan is a fabulous destination. I have never been anywhere like it. Some of the times it enthralled us; at other times we weren’t sure whether we would enjoy it like the bus or the horse cart ride. But every moment in Bagan was brimming with experiences… experiences that we miss deeply now that we are back home.
I hope you enjoyed this Bagan Travel Guide: A First-Timers Guide to Bagan. There is too much to lay it down for you vividly in just one blog post 🙂 you may access the others here: Myanmar Packing Guide / Inle Lake Travel Guide / Shwe Inn Tha Floating Resort / Yangon Travel Guide / Vintage Luxury Yacht Hotel. The rest have been linked in the post above.
Disclaimer: This review was done on an invitation from the Ministry of Tourism, Myanmar. Due judgment and care have been applied by the author to remain objective and unbiased in the review.
Myanmar has been on my bucket list for a very long time as I have numerous friends who have travelled to or have lived there… It’s heartening to see that throughout the Colonial period, wars and military governments, the Burmese people have kept their traditions and have been loyal to where they come from. Your photos are delightful and capture the essence of the place beautifully!
Thank you for your kind words, and I do hope you find an opportunity to visit soon, Kashmira.
Aahh ~ so well written! Loved all the details! Bagan is one of my favourite places in South East Asia! I really thought I’d get “templed” out there but I did not! I look forward to following more of your adventures… ❤️
Thank you, Shivang.
Neither did we… loved every minute in Bagan!
Beautifully written and expressed! I will be visiting next week and was really looking forward to a ride on the hot-air balloon in Bagan, and am now even more excited after reading about your experience!
Thank you, Anupama. It’s an experience like no other!
Those words and that creativity… Bagan is such an absolutely stunning place to explore! I have an eternal love for ancient temples, they calm my soul and soothe my being…
Thank you for your appreciation, Ravikala.
“Never did the world make a queen of a girl who hides in houses and dreams without travelling.” – Roman Payne
Stunning photographs, and what a stupendous read! ❤️
Thank you so much, Pooja!
There is a calming effect in your words… Love the photographs, too! I am looking forward to hot air ballooning in Bagan, and am encouraged that you had a great experience! xx
Thank you, Poonam. Glad to be of help.
What a spectacular place! Life only comes around once, so do whatever makes you happy, and be with whoever that makes you smile! Thank you for sharing your exciting travel experiences with us, Tanya! ❤️
Aww, thanks my friend!
Wow! This post is gold, and I love the photographs… I adore the way everything is encompassed by trees and greenery in Bagan – it makes the place a lot more fascinating!
Thank you, Akil. Bagan truly is magical, and should be high up on your list of places to explore!
How incredible to float in a hot air balloon above ancient religious sites! No words to praise these pictures and, of course, the write-up is heartfelt!
Yes, it is! Thank you very much, Gaurav!
Thank you for sharing these mesmerising images! It is impossible to visit every temple and pagoda in Bagan but the beautiful Shwezigon with its gold plated pagoda glittering in the sun is a sight to behold! And, I agree that Myanmar is a country best explored now – while it’s relatively free of bustling tourists.
Thank you for your warm appreciation, Punit.
The hues of a picture perfect destination… I’m not really one for bucket lists, but I need to visit Bagan – it looks magical! ❤️
Glad to be of help, Nilesh.
Your Bagan photos are so awesome! And thanks for this exceptionally informative post! I’d like to ask – is the hot-air balloon season on hold for May until August?
Yes, those months experience rain so there is no ballooning, Suvendu.
I LOVE your blog, Tanya! And yes, the pagodas and temples and luscious greenery is best seen via a balloon ride over Bagan… The experience of floating in the sky watching the sunrise with an aerial view of the pagodas and temples made me forget all my worries! And the trip ends with drinking champagne and eating fruit in the middle of open fields while the day is still breaking!
…and while you gently float in the sky you see the numerous hot air balloons flying alongside and wave out to them cheerily, Saksham!
The temples of Bagan are so much more striking than I imagined… Myanmar has been on my must-travel-to list for quite some time, however your post has pushed it way up!
Yes, they are. 🙂
Your words are touching and these pictures are beautiful! ❤️❤️❤️ Myanmar is a fascinating country. Pagodas dot the landscape, farmers tend to their emerald green rice paddies and the pace of life mirrors the slowly changing seasons… So glad that you got to experience it!
You are so sweet! Thank you, Piya.
Love this share! ❤️ A boat ride on the Irrawaddy river to watch the magnificent sunset is another unforgettable experience, Tanya! My Bagan trip included a visit to a lacquerware factory, sampling the simple local food at a village where countless small bowls were laid out in front of me, and a Bagan massage which left me sated with happy memories!
More on what you’ve shared in my next post, Mandeep. 🙂
Take a lil’ swirl here and a slow pirouette there.
Come, lets explore the pagodas away…
While the stars play out music,
And the moon sings our song…
Bagan is one of those places whose very existence seems to defy reality! ✨✨✨ Loved your version!
Thank you for your sweet words, Namrata.
Beautifully written and amazing shot! And what a beautiful and blessed experience! It is no doubt that Myanmar is home to many enchanting sites, from glorious Inle Lake to the fascinating ruins of Bagan… I need to plan my visit soon!
It’s easy to soak in the striking beauty of Myanmar, Swikriti. Do check it out!
Bagan is poetic, filled with stunning (peaceful) landscapes and surrounded by traditional villages, pagodas and stupas! ✨ And the amazing reality is that not only is this a tourist destination, but many of these Pagodas are used daily for prayer!
Bagan opened up so many culturally unique experiences while we were there…
Exploring Bagan in its entirety must be amazing! My travel paradise would be somewhere here … in fact, I want to be there right now! ❤️
Sometimes I have no words for things that I feel for the most…
Hand stretched out, the dried grass caressing her fingers as she moved forward.
Walking toward the horizon as the sun set in her eyes…
The ancient city of Bagan is probably the most photographed, recognised sights of Myanmar…. You are such a delight of an influencer, and I can’t agree more with your thoughts! ❤️
It is almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream…
I’m humbled by your kind words, Ghazala.
Love this so much! Myanmar (Burma) is such a rich country in culture, history and pagodas! And the temple city of Bagan with its countless stupas is breathtaking! Of course, its beauty tells another story and the people who come here to pray, visit or pay their respects, give off more than positive vibes… ✨✨✨
I hear you, Abhinav. I found myself chanting, walking in circles and truly being in the moment!
This is totally stunning! Who doesn’t love tales of temples, smiling locals and tasty local food! I hope Myanmar will be the next chapter for me… Have a great day and keep up the great work, Tanya!
Thanks for your sweet comment, Mehboob.
Bagan makes my jaw drop and my heart stop! I would love it there…
I’m now ready to set my intentions for the year 2018. This coming year, I want to be a better version of myself. More fundamentally, I want to be happier! And Myanmar can make that happen!
Very sensitive of you to resonate like this, Aamir.
Beautiful post and such precious pictures! ❤️ I’m delighted to have come across your blog, Tanya! On another note, I can’t believe 2017 is almost over. Each year just seems to pass faster than the year before!
So glad you liked it, Roshika! Thank you for stopping by…
Such a heartfelt write up and touching pictures! Mornings in #Bagan seem to be nothing short of magic! ✨ I need a vacay like this!
Isn’t it dreamy?! If Myanmar isn’t already on your bucket list then make sure you add it on, Nishant.
Ahhh ~ love this! ❤️ Bagan is truly an amazing destination where you need time to merge yourself into the local culture and gain authentic experiences… and it no-doubt holds a special place in many enlightened souls who pass through.
Bagan was an unforgettable experience!
What a wonderful tribute to Bagan! It’s always so special being able to read an unexpected and inspired account of a place you love! Your words are truly a beautiful embodiment of love and joy, Tanya! ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for your appreciation, Muskan. It means a lot to me.
Flipping between two worlds. Between two parts of the same story.
Pondering on what’s already written and wondering what coming next.
Filled to the brim, with thoughts… ✨
How wonderful to discover the stories of another who is equally passionate about travelling! And, I would definitely want to be the editor of my own life, too! Keep inspiring!
I’m so glad to hear this! Thank you, Tirthankar.