Bagan (formerly known as Pagan) was the capital of the Kingdom of Pagan from the 9th to the 13th centuries. This kingdom was the first to unify the area that is now Myanmar, establishing the Burmese culture and ethnicity, as well as Theravada Buddhism, in the region. Over this period of rule, as the city and kingdom grew in influence and stature, over 10,000 temples were built on the plains surrounding the capital next to the Irrawaddy River but the huge amount of earthquake damage over the years means that only 2,200 temples remain, in varying states of repair.
2,200 temples is still a heck of a lot to explore and in our 3 days here I fear we have merely scratched the surface. We have, however, managed to visit a good array of them, including ones housing intricately painted frescoes, bas reliefs and gold-leafed Buddhas. We spent our first day with a local Burmese guide which was an excellent way to learn about the history of the area and understand what we were actually seeing. If you find yourself in Bagan, look out for Christopher who works from Ostello Bello Hostel – he is highly recommended! |
Criss-crossing over sandy back roads with him on electric scoters enabled us to get to some of the more out of the way structures and provided a welcome relief from the bus loads of tourists that descend on the more popular structures. The scooters were so much fun we hired them again the other days to explore more of the area ourselves and at just $5 a day, it is easily affordable. We often ended up somewhere other than where we were headed as the sandy tracks meander seemingly endlessly over the plains, but in doing so, we saw many temples hidden away that were both charming and beautifully serene. |
By far the most spectacular way to view Bagan, however, is from a hot air balloon. Arising at 5am might seem like a chore, but it is totally worth it when you take off from the ground as the sun is rising and see the sprawling Archaeological Zone laid out below you. We were lucky enough to have the perfect weather for our balloon trip this morning and enjoyed the stunning views of the temples with the famous Irrawaddy River beyond. Top that off with a couple of glasses of champagne on touch down and it really was a perfect start to the day!
Tomorrow sees another early start (4am!!!) as we start our boat trip up the Irrawaddy to Mandalay. We might just squeeze in one last scooter jaunt this evening though to catch the sun setting behind the mesmerizing temples of Bagan and get our tally slightly closer to that 2,200!