Bagan, Myanmar, is one of the most picturesque places I have ever seen. Around every bend is another temple — maybe large with several levels, maybe small with only one or two levels, sometimes flocked with tourists, sometimes without another soul in sight. You can make your way around the temples by e-bike (moped) and explore for days never seeing the same place twice. You can even take a hot air balloon ride at dawn for a completely new perspective of the area. Or you can sit on the ledge of a temple surrounded by people from all over the world and watch as the sun sets behind the silhouette of hundreds of stupas.
The stupas range in size from very small…
… to medium…
… to gigantic.
Sometimes there is a tour guide waiting to show you the temple’s secrets.
Sometimes the temples are white and adorned with flowers.
Sometimes they are golden and brilliantly reflect the midday sun.
The temples are swept regularly, which is nice for the visitors as shoes are not allowed inside.
Passageways can be quite small.
You will find Buddha in many of the temples.
And sometimes a grasshopper.
Some temples are adorned with carvings of flowers.
Others have guardians watching your every move.
You can watch the sun rise over the temples from a seat high in the sky.
Or flock to one of the largest temples to watch the sun set behind silhouettes of hundreds of temples. It’s best to stake out a spot early.
While driving around Bagan, you may encounter heavy traffic.
You can enter many of the temples.
But some you must admire from the outside only.
With over 2000 temples to explore, you could spend weeks exploring in Bagan.
After all that exploring, you might need to take a short break. Make sure to do so in a picturesque location.
Definitely a place I could go back to again and again!
