Top 9 Attractions in Bagan - Must See Attractions

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.

16-Day Myanmar In-Depth Tour with Irrawaddy Cruise Mandalay - Bagan - Inle Lake - Yangon - Ngapali

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. More Gerd, Jan 2018

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. More Gerd, Jan 2018

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. More Carol Jones, Feb 2023

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 :) More Len S, Feb 2023

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 More Pho Lover, Feb 2023

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! More Danielle Blount, Feb 2023

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. More Kaaren, Feb 2023

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. More Barbara Cornyn, Jan 2023

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.

Sulamani Temple—Ruby of Bagan

The most frequently-visited temple in Bagan, the Sulamani Temple was built by King Narapatisihu, who found a small ruby on the ground on the Bagan Plains and built a temple in its place. The word Sulamani means “small ruby” and is a fitting name for this sand-orange and elegant "crowning jewel".

The temple itself is surrounded by a high wall which can be entered through elaborate gateways, one at each cardinal point. Sulamani is especially well-known because of its layers of terraces and spires, which give the structure a mystical fairytale appearance.

Inside, intricately carved stucco embellishments adorn the doors and windows, exhibiting incredible craftsmanship and artistry.

Thatbyinnyu Temple—Two-Story Giant

Thatbyinnyu Temple is unique because it is one of the earliest two-story Buddhist temples and unlike many other temples in Myanmar is not symmetrical. At over 120 feet tall, Thatbyinnyu towers above other monuments nearby. The area around the temple is just as beautiful as the temple itself and offers a panoramic view of Bagan.

In contrast to many beautiful temples, Thatbyinnyu is quiet and not crowded. It offers a peaceful setting for photographs and for enjoying the scenery. The interior is quite large and visitors can explore and interact with locals who set up stands to sell their paintings and artwork. Thus visitors can find authentic souvenirs, as well as relax and enjoy Bagan culture.

Gubyaukgyi Temple—Murals of Buddha

Known for containing the oldest original paintings in Bagan, Gubyaukgyi Temple is a must-see for lovers of art, beauty, and history alike. The temple’s exterior is Indian-influenced in its architecture, with an elegant spire on top.

Once inside, visitors are met with a beautiful surprise. The interior walls and ceilings of the temple are covered with ancient murals, telling stories from the previous lives of Buddha. The murals have been well-preserved because the temple is lit with natural lighting from large perforated stone walls.

Each mural is paired with a caption written in old Mon. These captions are the earliest examples of Old Mon in Myanmar making it an important site for the study of the ancient language. No photography is allowed inside the temple, in order to preserve the murals for future generations.

Hot-Air Balloon Flight—Temples from Above

Taking a hot-air balloon ride is the uncontested best way to see the thousands of temples scattered across the Plains of Bagan, and provides an unforgettable experience.

Balloon tours normally begin at 6:30 am, just a few minutes after sunrise. They offer a bird's-eye view of the monuments in the misty orange morning light. The picturesque spectacle of the temples at sunrise from red balloons above, has become iconic for travelers in Myanmar.

Hot-air balloon flights in Bagan normally cost around $330 per person and are seasonal (from October to March). Because the experience has become a crowd-favorite in recent years, tours should be booked well in advance. For more information on hot-air balloon flights in Bagan, travelers can look here.

Irrawaddy Sunset Boat Trip—Relax on Still Waters

After a full day of temple sightseeing, sometimes a little laid-back relaxation is in order and a sunset boat trip on the Irrawaddy River is a great way to achieve that. From the river, travelers can gain a charming view of boats silhouetted against the sun, with mountains behind, not to mention the monuments scattered across the plains.

Truly picturesque and romantic, an Irrawaddy sunset boat trip is a good way to cool down at the end of the day.

Tours normally last about an hour and boats hold around 10 people. More private and romantic boat rides are available for couples willing to pay a little extra. Normally tea and snacks are served on the boat

Horse-Cart Ride—Authentic Adventuring

The archeological site of ancient Bagan is contained within an area of 16 square miles. Never mind traveling from temple to temple, sometimes one monument in itself is almost too big to be explored on foot.

One option for your transportation within Ancient Bagan is to take a horse-cart ride. Horse-carts are the traditional mode of transportation and can be easily booked in the city, or found near the larger temples.

Although more time-consuming than other forms of transportation, a cart ride allows travelers take in the scenery while exploring, instead of hurrying from site to site.

The landscape in the Bagan Plains is very beautiful and makes for some great pictures that can be easily missed when in a rush. Most cart drivers speak a little English and can act as your guides for the less-visited areas of Bagan.

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