Where to Begin with Bagan!?

After three memorable and action-packed days in fast-paced Yangon, Matt and I were looking forward to relaxing in low-key Bagan, a region in central Myanmar that is famous for its 2,000+ ancient Buddhist temples. We booked an overnight bus to Bagan from Yangon with a company called Joyous Journey (JJ) Express, unsure of what to expect but encouraged by positive online reviews and word-of-mouth. Myanmar doesn’t have a well-developed train system and domestic flights are insanely expensive, so buses tend to be a go-to for backpackers and high-end tourists alike. To maximize time and money, overnight trips can be the most economical approach to in-country travel. Plus, we didn’t have to pay for accommodation that night, which was great! Our bus was very comfy, with seats that reclined far back and leg rests that pop up and kept our feet elevated. The company provided snacks, water, and blankets, and although there is no bathroom on the bus we made two stops (one at 10pm and one at 2am) during the 10-hour journey. I slept like a baby through the entire trip, listening to calm music and keeping any light out with an eye-mask. Matt struggled to sleep, however, due to the winding and bumpy roads that left him jostled in his seat. I, of course, have no recollection of this jostling!

Getting comfy on our overnight bus. There were even TV screens on the back of each seat!

Our bus pulled up at the Bagan station at 5am, and it was still dark outside as we negotiated to split a cab with another traveler to our hotel in “New Bagan”—a part of town with many hostels, hotels, and restaurants for travelers on a mid-range budget. It’s located about two miles from “Old Bagan” which houses the majority of the temple sites. We stayed at the Morning Star Guesthouse, and absolutely adored the staff for being so accommodating. They let us relax in an open room for a couple of hours as they rushed to ready ours by 8am—all of this despite the typical 2pm check-in policy. We napped for a few hours before dropping off heaps of laundry at the front desk, so grateful that they offered an affordable washing and drying service with a same-day turnaround time! The guesthouse was started by a laid-back British man who was in the process of expanding the property. He seemed to prioritize hospitality, and everything from the free breakfast to the front garden with its ping pong and lounge chairs was impeccably presented. For $3 each, we rented electric bikes—or “e-bikes”—from our hotel to use for exploring Bagan in the afternoon and evening. Matt had two years of experience riding an e-bike around China, so for him this was a casual and somewhat nostalgic adventure. It was my first time riding an e-bike and took me a few minutes to get used to the feeling, but I quickly caught on. The mode of transportation makes it incredibly convenient to bop from temple to temple, so every hotel in the area has a fleet for guests to rent at their leisure.

Still a bit groggy from our overnight bus experience, we immediately sought out coffee and lunch at a hippie vegetarian restaurant called “Be Kind to Animals: The Moon.” The food was amazing, and even though we were only in Bagan for two days we dined at “The Moon” three times. We ate glass noodle salad, pumpkin and ginger curry, eggplant salad, pineapple curry, a fruit pancake, fruit salad with mint and honey, tea leaf salad, and many more delicious dishes over the course of our time in town. The restaurant had a calm ambiance; it was entirely outdoors under a bamboo-thatched terrace and the seating areas were welcoming with colorful pillows and candles on each table.

One of our favorite meals so far: Pineapple curry, rice, tea leaf salad, and coffee at "Be Kind to Animals: The Moon."

Bagan itself was an incredibly interesting and rewarding touristic experience. During the city’s height between the 11^th and 13^th centuries, it housed over 10,000 Buddhist temples, pagodas, and monasteries. Now about 2,200 remain and many are under construction for preservation. We rode our e-bikes around the area for almost seven hours, stopping at about 15 temples and passing dozens along the way. Tour groups from all over the world flock to Bagan on busses and many backpackers like us were also e-biking around the ancient archeological zone. All guidebooks and online blogs recommend the “top temples” to check out during a day in Bagan, so we made sure to see all the highlights and then some of the “off-the-beaten-path” locations. We wore flip-flops because we were required to remove our shoes in each temple, often sprinting from the shoe drop-off location across scorching pavement to reach the cool interior of any given temple. The many religious sites we visited featured a variety of architectural designs and building materials, many painted white and topped with gold adornments and some made of a red stone. The majority of the well-preserved locations have interior frescoes of Buddha as well as large Buddha sculptures. We climbed through the tight passageways with other tourists as many visiting Buddhists prayed in front of these depictions.

Pulling our e-bikes up to one of the lesser-known temples in Bagan.

Ananda Temple, dated 1105.

Shwesandaw Pagoda, dated 1057.

Shwezigon Pagoda, dated 1090.

One of the ancient Buddha frescoes inside a temple in Bagan.

Our dirty feet after a day of biking through dust, wearing flip-flips, and walking barefoot around the temple facilities. We showered before we went to bed, don't worry!

As we e-biked back to our hotel, we watched the bright red sun dip low behind the temples which was pretty unforgettable. Exhausted, we spent the next day just hanging out at our hotel, applying for jobs, and eating at “The Moon.” We woke up early the following morning to catch another deluxe bus to Kalaw, our next stop. Exiting the hotel at dawn, we caught sight of dozens of hot air balloons flying high over Bagan. This is a popular way to see the temples, though a ride costs about $350 a person—not in a backpacker’s budget! Regardless, it was beautiful to see the balloons soaring in the clear sky above the historic region. Perhaps we will return someday and take part in viewing Bagan from above!

Hot air balloons above Bagan.