Ananda Temple—the Westminster Abbey of Burma
This graceful temple is also known as the "Westminster Abbey of Burma", for its elegant and symmetrical design. The golden spire on top can be seen from miles across the Bagan Plain and is lit up at night by spotlights, creating a beacon in the sky. The temple itself is well-known for its four gold-leaf Buddha statues, each standing an impressive 30 feet tall.
Built in 1090AD, Ananda Temple is one of the largest and best-preserved temples in Bagan. It is still very important to local people.
From late December to early February there is a large festival at the temple to celebrate the lives of the farmers in the area. The festival attracts thousands of villagers in their traditional horse-drawn carts, to camp around the temple and celebrate.
It is a great opportunity to catch a glimpse of life in Myanmar and experience the relationship between the people and their religion.
What Our Customers Said
Excellent planned and executed Myanmar excursion
Asia Highlights and their local Myanmar partner "mAsia" did an excellent job in planning and execution of a one week trip to Myanmar.The various tour guides and drivers had good knowledge and good command over English. MoreGerd, Jan 2018
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Excellent planned and executed Myanmar excursion
They never failed to be at the agreed locations and on time. Cars provided spacious and in very good condition. Hotels booked met our expectations - especially Yangon, Bagan, Lake Inle. MoreGerd, Jan 2018
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In good hands with Sam
Sam Ol took very good care of us - lots of information, listened to and answered all our questions, was passionate about the places we visited and about his people and country. He was kind, had a great sense of humor, and made sure we felt safe and comfortable at all times. He helped us to fall in love with Cambodia in 3 short days. MoreCarol Jones, Feb 2023
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Best tour guide in Cambodia
When we first arrived at the airport in Siem Riep it was so nice to be greeted by Mr Sam Ol. We instantly fell at home when we saw his friendly smile. We were impressed by his great English and knowledge of the temples. On the tour to the temples Sam took care of us every step of the way. He took awesome pictures of us. It felt like we were on a tour given by our brother who is also a professional photographer. Also, we appreciate his humor as well as the fact he had an answer for every question we had. I give Sam 5 stars, best tour guide ever :) MoreLen S, Feb 2023
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Mr. Sam
Mr. Sam our guide in Cambodia, he and the driver out standing service they went above and beyond touring, my wife so amazed beautiful country, we're planning back here near the futures. Thank Mr. Sam,We'll feedback the whole trip next week when we be home in US MorePho Lover, Feb 2023
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Vietnam/Cambodia/Thailand
We are still in the middle of our trip, but we are just finishing up our time in Cambodia and our guide, Borin, has been AMAZING!!! He has truly made our time here unforgettable and I plan on referring all of my friends and family to come visit this beautiful country! Thank you, Borin, for everything you did to make our trip so fantastic! MoreDanielle Blount, Feb 2023
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Excellent service and Wonderful Guides
All of our guides have been terrific. Mr. Sam in Siem Reip was especially wonderful. Both he and our driver were polite, safe knowledgable and informative. Sam made our trip memorable and enioyable. We will definitely recommend Sam and Asia Highlights to our friends. MoreKaaren, Feb 2023
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Great tour guide Charity at Siem Reap
Our experience in Siem Reap could not have been any better thanks to our outstanding and cheerful guide, Charity. Her very good English speaking made it so easy to learn so much from her. She understood and answers all of our questions.She was relaxed and very knowledgeable. She went out out her way to help us make amazing pano photos of the cotton trees at Siem Reap and on our sunset cruise. She also advised us on Chanrey Tree restaurant—what we found to be the very best vegan restaurant on our first three weeks of our Asia tour. So glad to have vegan meals with very little oil!!! We are not supposed to have oil and is very hard to find vegan with no oil. Went went back the next night. MoreBarbara Cornyn, Jan 2023
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Shwesandaw Pagoda—A Climb with a View
Shwesandaw Pagoda is one of the most impressive temples in Bagan. Standing at 328 feet tall, it is visible from a great distance. The Pagoda itself is different from the usual golden bell shape seen in Myanmar. Instead, Shwesandaw has two octagonal bases and five square terraces, each topped with a stupa.
A stone staircase ascends through each terrace to the top of the pagoda, where travelers can take in the view of the surrounding temple-dotted plain. The best time to see the scenery from the top is at sunrise, when there is a soft mist clinging to the ground, or at sunset, when the sky's reflection dances on the Irrawaddy River.
Shwezigon Pagoda—Graceful and Glimmering
An important center for prayer and reflection, the Shwezigon Pagoda is an excellent place for interacting with locals as they come to worship. It has a classical golden bell shape and was one of the first of its kind to be constructed. After it was built, Shwezigon became the model for all subsequent pagodas in Myanmar.
The Shwezigon Pagoda is resilient; a survivor of invasions and natural disasters. Because of this, Shwezigon has occasionally been renovated over the centuries.
Originally, the pagoda was gold-plated but during one of its renovations, it was re-plated with copper, giving it a stronger but equally beautiful finish. It’s an especially breathtaking sight during sunset and sunrise, when the oranges in the sky mix with the golden monument and create an incredible glimmering display.