About
Bagan is an ancient city in central Myanmar, in the Mandalay Region of Asia. It is known above all for its temples and pagodas, of which the facts give more than 2,000, built in the 11th to 13th centuries. For many visitors, the reason to come is simply to see how much of that old Buddhist landscape still stands across the plain.
What the visit is like
Bagan is a place to wander rather than to tick off a list. The temples and pagodas are spread across a wide area, so the experience is one of moving slowly from one site to the next, stopping wherever something catches your eye. Many people spend their time on foot, on a bicycle, or by a slower means of transport between sites, and then pause to look at the brickwork, the carved details and the way the structures sit against the open land.
Planning your trip
- Allow time. With so many temples, a short stop will only scratch the surface, so plan at least a day or two if you can.
- Dress for temples. These are active Buddhist sites, so modest clothing and removing shoes at the entrance of shrines are the usual courtesy.
- Look at the sites in several lights. The plain looks different in the early morning, in the middle of the day and as the sun goes down, and each gives the pagodas a different character.
- Check current conditions before you go. Visiting arrangements and travel details can change, so confirm them with reliable sources close to your trip.
Around Bagan
Bagan sits in the Mandalay Region, so the wider area of central Myanmar is within reach for those who want to see more of the country. Visitors interested in the temples can combine a stay here with time in the surrounding region, where the pace of life and the views of the countryside offer a useful contrast to the ancient sites.