If you are planning a trip to Myanmnar, Old Bagan is inevitably already on your list. Bagan ( ပုဂံ ) is an ancient city in Mandalay, Myanmar. It was once the capital of the Pagan Kingdom and today over 2,200 temples and pagodas still stand and as a testament to the endurance of the people.
My trip started as a seven hour bus ride from Yangoon to Bagan. You have the option of a VIP charter or a regular bus but really, non-VIP is the way to go. You will break at rest stops, have the opportunity to see more of the countryside, and get to eat local. Finding people that speak English can be a challenge but still with some patience and hand gestures, anything is possible. At our gas station stop managed to order a delicious rice with curry and fried egg.
Not being able to communicate has it’s own host of complications in Myanmar especially when arrivals are in the the middle of the night, your accommodation does not accept credit card, and the nearest place to get cash will not open till morning. In any case, this is why we backpack, right? To figure it out as we go along.
Done right, Old Bagan can be incredibly affordable from food, to hotels, to motorbike rentals. Once you arrive, you can get tours around town, ask directions from your hotel, or better yet, wander the streets and ask advice for what to do from kids on bikes or elderly people in doorways.
Most of the pagodas in Old Bagan are closed with only three that have access to the top. But that doesn’t mean you are stuck on the ground. The point of visiting Bagan and Myanmar as a whole, is to slow down, take time, meet people, and proceed with respect. Many townspeople and business owners alike have access to the pagodas or know someone who does. You just need to invest some time to get to know locals who are eager to meet you, and sure enough you will get insider tips on what best to see and do.
Sleep early because skipping the sunrise in Bagan is like skipping the city as a whole. It was perhaps the best sunrise of my life, atop a pagoda, hot air balloons in the distance, and locals starting to stir to get their day underfoot. Follow that magical experience with a trip to the morning market and you did everything right.
Be friendly, take time to meet people even if the conversation is made with hand motions and smiles, and show how appreciative you are for the opportunity to visit. A great mini souvenir are paintings made and sold by the kids around town. Buy one. Everyone will appreciate the gesture.
Surasak (Em) currently lives in Bangkok, Thailand and is an avid adventurer, traveler, photographer, and mountain climber. These days you can find him scaling cliffs throughout Europe and Southeast Asia.
“I’m a dirt person, I trust the dirt. I don’t trust diamond and gold.”
You can follow more of his adventures here on instagram.