Epic Travel → Asia & the South Pacific → Myanmar → Bagan

Location: Western Mandalay State, Myanmar

Time Required: 1 -2 days

Red Tape/Notes: None

What’s Nearby?: Sunrise Balloon Ride Over Bagan

Bagan was the capital of Myanmar from the 11th to the 13th centuries, during which time its rulers constructed numerous huge temples and stupas, many of which are still standing. These include Shwezigon Pagoda with its golden stupa; Ananda Temple which is considered one of Bagan’s architectural masterpieces; Htilominlo Temple with its delicate plaster carvings; Myingaba Gu Byaukgyi Temple which has UNESCO protected mural paintings, and Shwesandaw Pagoda, which has beautiful sunset views. Really it’s hard to go wrong, since everywhere you look is a picturesque temple or pagoda. And although we felt rather lazy, it was nice taking a horse cart to see the area for at least part of the day. You’ll also have the opportunity to stop and see some of the local homes and how the families live (the children in this country are really adorable), which provided a nice cultural perspective. I also highly recommend visiting the market – you’ll see a wonderful cross-section of local goods and people, and also visiting one of the nicer lacquerware workshops – this is one of Myanmar’s best known handicrafts and it’s actually pretty amazing how they produce it.

Epic Travel → Asia & the South Pacific → Myanmar → Bagan