Bagan Ancient City, Myanmar

During the period of prosperity of the Pagan Kingdom, almost 4,500 Buddhist stupas, temples, and monasteries appeared in the Bagan plains. Many of them were destroyed, but it is still possible to see more than 3,800 of them. Moreover, some temples are in great condition. No wonder why Bagan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, tourists can see numerous stupas, the local name for pagodas or chedi. Perhaps, the Shwezigon Pagoda is the most notable temple in Bagan. This is a giant building with a golden cupola. The height of this stupa is 99 meters. Near the temple, there are smaller buildings that are older than the city. The Sulamani Temple was built in 1181. This building is a fabulous example of early and medieval Burmese architecture. The first style is reflected in flat horizontal objects. The second architectural style is clearly visible in vertical elements. This combination of details adds uniqueness to the building and makes the Sulamani Temple a must-see attraction for all tourists who visit Bagan. The inner décor is an elegant blend of carved ledges, attics, and walls with paintings. Talented craftsmen could restore the inner décor of the building, so tourists can see the exact temple that masters created centuries ago.

Not all countries have a direct connection to Myanmar. It may be easier to fly to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur or Singapore first and then take a flight to Yangon. It is easy to reach Bagan from Yangon. Tourists, who don’t want to make airplane rides, can reach Myanmar by land from Thailand. In this case, they will need to get a short-term Thai visa as well. There are regular bus rides from Yangon to Bagan. Mandalay also offers ship rides to Bagan, but the time in transit will be longer in this case – up to 12 hours.
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