We arrived in Bagan, Myanmar very early. Like two hours before the bus was supposed to get there (think 3:30 AM)… You have to pay a crazy fee to get into Bagan (your taxi will stop at a little toll booth — it’s about 20 USD), which we had heard about but weren’t sure what to expect.
Bagan, Myanmar
Obviously, we couldn’t check into our guesthouse, so we rented e-bikes (electric bikes, just like motorbikes but they are electric and go very slow), and headed to one of the Pagodas to catch the sunrise. We, unfortunately, didn’t stay long enough that morning to see the hot air balloons. The crowds were ABSURDLY CRAZY and pushy and it was just too much for us.
After six long hours of waiting and some free breakfast, we were finally able to check into our rooms at Shwe Nadi Guesthouse. It was in a very good location (about a fifteen-minute bike ride to the pagodas) and we were happy to stay where we were. We then decided to nap all day and head back to Old Bagan for the sunset.
If you’re arriving early, keep in mind that you are going to be exhausted. I don’t know many people who can get a good night of rest on a bus (if you can, God bless you), so you’ll probably end up wanting to get some extra hours in during the day if you can. We were okay doing this because of the amount of time we planned to spend in Bagan.
On day two, we skipped the sunrise and slept in until about 8 AM. After the most delicious free breakfast (samosas, omelets, fruit, toast and more!), we hopped on our bicycles to get a full day of exploring under our belts.
Bagan is beautiful. Its as if you’ve stepped out of the pages of a fairytale and into real life. Everything is so picturesque. We spent a nice amount of time, riding our bikes and visiting several different pagodas before heading back for the hot part of the day. We decided on lunch and then massages to pass the time.
A Magical Place!
While traveling, it’s important to be wary of how hot it can be during the day! Make sure to drink lots of water and apply sunscreen!!
On our final day, we finally got to see the hot air balloons during sunrise… and it was well worth the wait. It was incredibly magical, especially because I wasn’t feeling very well. I almost didn’t get out of bed to go. I’m so glad that I did. The hot air balloons floating over the sunrise was by far the highlight of my visit!
I would definitely travel to Myanmar. I had a wonderful time visiting Bagan and Inle Lake. Yangon wasn’t my favorite, but we were only there for a few days. I would have loved to have seen Mandalay, but the flights out of there were just too expensive for our budgets. Everyone is so friendly in Myanmar. It made our visit incredible!
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