Two Days in Bagan, Myanmar
Exploring the temples and pagodas in Bagan by scooter
Bagan Pagodas and Temple Adventure
Exploring Bagan by Scooter
From the ninth to the thirteenth century, Bagan was the capital city of the Pangan Kingdom, and more than ten thousand Buddhist temples, monasteries, and pagodas were constructed on the plains in and near Old Bagan.
To this day, 2,200 remain, and on a January day, we found ourselves on a minibus on our way to see at least some of them and to explore Old Bagan.
Bus From Mandalay to Bagan
Our five-hour bus ride from Mandalay to Bagan was on a small commuter minibus. At one point, the bus was full, and ad-hoc seats were made in the center aisle.
Sunrise, a hot air balloon, temples and pagodas on the horizon in Bagan, Myanmar
The roads in Myanmar are bumpy, but something is constantly happening along the way, with people getting off and on the bus and vendors approaching the bus with goods and snacks for sale.
We booked with OK Express Minibus and paid $16.00 each. As they say, part of the journey is getting there, and we had read that the bus rides can be somewhat of a challenge and not that comfortable.
I would have to say we were positively surprised. The bus stopped for a lunch break, and a reasonable amount of time was given to use the bathroom or stretch our legs.
Passengers onboard the OK Express Mini Bus from Mandalay to Bagan in Myanmar
BaobaBed Hostel
We paid $35.00 per night for three nights at the BaobaBed Hostel in Bagan.
BaobaBed is a typical hostel, with young, friendly, and helpful staff. The lobby has a pool table, and the rooftop pool and bar have live entertainment or a DJ in the evening. We had a private room with a standard bath. Nothing spectacular, but comfortable.
We settled into our room, moved the two single beds together, and made a queen bed. We hung out at the hostel and in our room for the evening, still a bit queasy after the stomach issues I had earlier in the day. We had a very light dinner from the hostel bar.
The roof top pool at the BaobaBed Hostel in Bagan, Myanmar
Bumpy Start in Bagan
While I was feeling better, Di became horribly sick throughout most of the night. We finally managed to get some sleep in the wee hours. We didn’t feel adventurous when we woke up, despite the luring attractions just outside our door.
We had toast and fruit for breakfast and returned to the room for a nap, exhausted. We thought, maybe we would head out after lunch. We had noodles for lunch, and I did some photo editing, but the energy level was still low.
The hostel was arranging a sunset scooter trip late afternoon, so we signed up and decided more rest was in order, which was a good decision. By the time the sunset trip departed, we had rented a scooter and were ready to go.
The scooter trip took us to a viewpoint by the Irrawaddy River in Bagan
Sunset Scooter Trip
The sunset scooter trip wasn’t as much a guided tour as it was “Follow us to where you can see the sunset, check out the sunset, then follow us back to the hostel”.
It was okay, very low-key, but I think we had expected more of a tour to a few different spots. In hindsight, it was perfect for us as it was a good way to gradually get back into adventure mode again.
The atmosphere by the Irrawaddy River was indeed serene. A couple of young men were fishing in the River, and we stayed until the sun dipped down over the Rakhine Yoma mountain range.
Two young men were fishing by the Irrawaddy River as the sun set over the Rakhine Yoma mountain range
Exploring the Temples and Pagodas of Bagan
You cannot underestimate the value of a good night’s sleep while on the road. We woke up well-rested and ready for our 5 am e-scooter pick-up, $5 for the day. We immediately headed out to find good spots to view the hot air balloons flying quietly over the plains.
While the hot air balloon ride looks amazing, we found the $300.00+ per person price tag too steep and decided to keep both feet on the ground and view things from our scooter.
Sunrise in Bagan, Myanmar
We were not concerned about “must-see spots” on our morning ride. We did find our way to the Sulmuni manmade hill, which gave a tremendous panoramic view of the plains.
Although we saw many other sunrise explorers on this January morning, there was a wonderful and respectful etiquette among travelers.
Hot air balloon ride over Bagan
Everyone was hushed, and no one was pushing to get the best spots for photos. It was magical to see the sunrise over the pagodas, to watch and listen to the birdlife, and to see the hot air balloons drifting by.
The vast majority traveled the plains by e-scooter, another big plus, as they make very little noise.
Breakfast and Laundry
Along with a new appetite for adventure, we had our appetite for food back. We returned to the hostel for a big breakfast and collected our laundry, which was drying outside.
Work and play in Bagan
The Market in Bagan
Looking ahead to the next move, we wanted to pick up a few snacks for the long bus ride from Bagan to Inle Lake. We had the scooter, so it was easy to head to the center of Old Bagan, where we parked by a huge market spread over a few blocks.
It was largely a fresh food market, with everything from fruit and vegetables to rice, meats, nuts, seeds, and spices. The market was partially covered, and you walked through a maze of narrow alleys surrounded by sights, sounds, and scents. Nearby, we found what we were looking for in a convenience store.
A woman tends to a stand at a fish market in Bagan, Myanmar
Temples and Pagoda Tour by Scooter
After our practicalities were done, we were back on the scooter again, this time with the aim of visiting 14 “not to be missed” pagodas. It was going to be an adventurous afternoon.
Di was on the back of the scooter with an actual map and Google Maps yelling left, right, no, the other right. It was a ton of fun.
Below is a map of some of the highlights in Bagan.
Map of the pagodas and temples in Bagan, Myanmar
We quickly realized that one afternoon was not enough time to explore the endless number of pagodas, temples, and monasteries.
You could spend days, if not weeks. It was, however, fascinating to scooter up and down the dusty roads of the plains. If a pagoda looked interesting, we would stop, but some just circled and quickly moved on. There were just so many.
Shwezigon Pagoda
The Shwezigon Pagoda, completed in 1102, was the first stop on our list and probably the most spectacular. You could perhaps argue that you should save Shwezigon for last. The gold leaf-gilded stupa and surrounding temples and shrines are undoubtedly impressive.
Shwezigon Pagoda in Bagan, Myanmar
We walked the grounds for a while, in awe at the sheer spectacle, watching Buddhist monks in prayer and tourists snapping selfies in the sun.
Ananda Temple
Second, we decided to stop at the Ananda Temple, a Buddhist temple built in 1105. Nicknamed "Westminster Abbey of Burma," Ananda Temple is hailed as an architectural wonder.
An earthquake destroyed it in 1975, but it was completely restored and looks fantastic. Many of the temples and pagodas in the region are currently under structural and chemical conservation.
The Ananda Temple in Bagan, Myanmar
Outside the Ananda Temple, vendors set up stalls along the entrance offering souvenirs, clothing, and memorabilia, but it never felt overly extravagant.
The late afternoon sun was getting lower on the horizon, but the light that found its way to the open courtyard was warm and created a fantastic aura. It is the kind of place you likely never forget if you have been there.
We visited twelve spots on our list before heading to the sunset spot near the Pyathegui Pagoda. Here is a list of the most noteworthy, in no particular order. Kyauk Myat Maw Pagoda, Inn Pagoda, Dhammayan Gyi Temple, Sulamani Temple.
Diana in the courtyard of the Ananda Temple in Bagan, Myanmar
The sunset spot near the Pyathegui Pagado was very crowded, so we decided to skip it and do another last stint along the plains at dusk.
Our scooter almost died on the way back to the hostel. We only just made it and swapped it for another so that we had a mode of transportation to get us to dinner.
Our Last Evening in Bagan
Di found us a great restaurant, Weather Spoon’s Bagan. It is located near the Shwezigon Pagoda.
After dinner, we hit the rooftop bar for a well-deserved drink and live music.
Weather Spoon’s Bagan Restaurant near the Shwezigon Pagoda
Final Thoughts
If this is your first time visiting our blog, this is a quick reminder that we are currently in our mid-fifties, and when we arrived in Bagan, things were a bit challenging.
Sleep-deprived and both with various stomach issues, it took us a day to get ready for Bagan. I am sure younger travelers experience this as well, and these are the bumps on the road you have to overcome.
Bagan sunrise scooter tour
After we regained our usual stride, Bagan was everything we could have hoped for in a travel destination. It was so radically different in culture and sights from our usual Scandinavian/Canadian surroundings.
In essence, Bagan delivered an epiphany moment of travel. These were the kind of adventures, ups and downs, and awe moments that we were hoping to experience when we started our travel project four years earlier.
Read our next post from Myanmar:
Scooter trip selfie in Bagan, Myanmar
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The photos in this article are made using a Fujifilm X-Pro2. Lenses: XF 14mm f/2.8 R - XF 23mm f/1.4 R - XF 35mm f/1.4 R - XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR (links to my camera and lens reviews). Editing was done in Capture One Express. I used Fujifilm film simulations for some of the photos.
