Bagan Guide
Whenever we saw photos of Bagan with the beautiful sunrises and the hot air balloons in the sky, the urge to see it with our own eyes got bigger and bigger. Finally we managed to check this off our bucket list and we can tell you: It was stunning as we imagined it!We highly recommend you going there and therefore wrote this Bagan Guide to make your trip and the climbable pagoda hunting easier. 😉
What to do – Bagan Guide
The area of Bagan is covered with more then 2000 temples and pagodas and the best way to explore this area is to rent an electric scooter (normal scooters are not available) and to roam around interdependently.
The rental fee is about 6k – 8k kyat (3,40 – 4,50€) a day and the battery lasts round about 40km.
The best times for exploring are sunrise and sunset because then the views are amazing.
Especially the sunrises are special because from October to March you can see about 20 hot air balloons in the sky every morning.
We can honestly say we saw the best sunrises on our whole trip in Bagan.
Which pagodas are climbable?
Since 2018 the government is restricting the climbing of most of the pagodas.
But don’t worry, there are still some where it is still possible. 😉
We can recommend the following places:
The “Sunrise Temple”
Download the app Maps.me and search for “Sunrise Temple”.
This Pagoda doesnt have a real name but it provides the perfect view.
Coordinates: 21.156784, 94.867959
Right next to it is another one with a great view.
Alotawpyi Temple
There is a climbable pagoda behind the Alotawpyi temple and offers a really good view and another perk is that you its not far from the town and reachable by a good asphaltic street so you dont have to wake up as early as for the other places.
Just walk behind the temple and you will see it.
Coordinates: 21.144475, 94.853628
Edit: December 2018: We received the info that this pagoda is now locked with a gate!
The “Bagans best viewpoint”
Thats the name on Maps.me and truly its a great viewpoint but maybe not the best for sunrise because the balloons are quite far from there.
But for the sunset is perfect.
Coordinates: 21.144613, 94.853966
General Info:
- the staircase of 1. and 2. is small and almost hidden in the inside of the temple
- for sunrise/sunset you should be there at least 30 minutes earlier because these places get busy and there is not a lot of space on top of them
- there are mostly official guards who are checking your Bagan ticket (more info below)
Entry fee
When you arrive in Bagan you have to get the Bagan Archaeological Zone ticket which costs 25k kyat (14€) and is valid for 5 days.
Taxi drivers will most likely bring you to the ticket booth before continuing to your accommodation.
If you negotiate with the driver you may avoid buying it but please be aware that there are sometimes guards at the pagodas who are checking the tickets.
Where to stay – Bagan Guide
We had a great stay at the following two hotels:
Both places have really high standard rooms, amazing hospitality, a beautiful property with a refreshing pool and a delicious breakfast buffet with a huge selection is included as well.
There is nothing more to ask for. 🙂
You can book them directly here:
Where to eat
One place which really stood out with delicious and fresh food is:
How to get there
There is a really good bus connection to Bagan:
From Mandalay:
Duration: 6 hours
Price: about 8k kyat (4,50€)
From Inle Lake:
Duration: 8 hours
Price: about 11k kyat (6,20€)
Please Note: When you arrive at the bus station the taxi drivers will most likely try to overcharge you. Have a look around and you will spot signs with the official rates. Don’t pay more than that even when the drivers lie that those are old prices, that is wrong.
We hope that our Bagan Guide is helpful for you.
Enjoy your trip to Bagan and the stunning views.
Don’t travel without a travel insurance because you may regret it later.
Read more here.
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