Bagan: 2,000 Temples on a Plain

The Pagan Kingdom at its 11th-13th century peak built an estimated 3,500 temples on the alluvial plain of the Irrawaddy River in central Myanmar. About 2,000 still stand. Walking or cycling among them as the morning mist clears over the plain, with a balloon drifting silently above, is one of the most otherworldly visual experiences in Southeast Asia. Nothing prepares you for the sheer density of the thing. Most visitors need a day just to stop finding it disorienting.

The temples range from enormous, like the Dhammayangyi with its massive brick walls and unusually dark interior (the builders may have been deliberately constructing a monument under royal compulsion; some historians suggest the king who commissioned it was killed before completion and the interior was bricked up in his absence), to tiny village pagodas you can enter alone and stand in silence.

The Main Temples

Ananda Temple (1105 AD) is the finest surviving example of Bagan’s unique architectural synthesis of Mon and Indian styles. Four standing Buddhas 9.5 metres high face the cardinal directions from inside. The gilded exterior and the whitewashed towers are the most-photographed in Bagan. The interior murals from the 11th century survive in fragments; later renovations have added layers that purists find excessive. It remains extraordinary.

Dhammayangyi Temple is the largest by floor area. The inner passages were bricked up in antiquity and the reason remains debated; what exists now is a massive outer shell with corbelled vaulting and an atmosphere of genuine heaviness.

Sulamani Temple (1183 AD) has the best-surviving interior mural paintings and allows climbing to the upper terraces for views over the plain. The scenes painted on the walls, faded but legible, include jataka tales and scenes from court life.

Shwezigon Pagoda is the most sacred site in Bagan: a gilded stupa built by King Anawrahta to enshrine Buddha relics, still an active place of worship. Remove shoes before entering the compound; monks and worshippers are present throughout the day.

Sunrise and the Balloons

The hot air balloon flights over Bagan depart before sunrise and give the most dramatic aerial view of the temple field. Operators include Balloons Over Bagan and Oriental Ballooning; flights run from mid-October to mid-April and cost approximately $380-460 per person. Book ahead in peak season (November through February) as flights fill.

For ground-level sunrise: arriving at one of the larger viewpoint temples (Pyathada or Shwesandaw) before dawn puts you on top of a structure above the morning mist with the temple canopy stretching in all directions. This is better than the balloon if budget is a concern; it is a different experience, not an inferior one.

Getting Around

Rent an e-bike from guesthouses in Nyaung-U or Old Bagan (around $5/day) for maximum flexibility. Horse carts operate as guided tours; the drivers know the sites well and the pace suits the landscape. Cars with drivers are available for day hire through hotels.

Myanmar Context

Travel to Myanmar requires awareness of the country’s political situation since the 2021 military coup. The ethical considerations around tourism here are genuinely complex; research the current situation and the arguments on both sides before making a booking decision. Access and entry requirements may have changed from when this was written.

When to Visit

November through February is the best season: temperatures 20-30C, clear skies for photography. March through May is very hot (40C+). The wet season June through October makes some roads muddy and balloons don’t fly.