4’000 would already be a lot. And 400’000 would definitely be enough, one might think. But, according to the locals, there are about 4’500’000 Pagodas in Bagan. We did not count or see all of them, but yet we are convinced that this number could be true.
We headed to Bagan with a boat from Mandalay. It took us about 10 hours and provided us with a mild sunburn, back pain and restless legs. The landscape that drifted by was rather monotonous: Sand, trees, grass, a few wooden houses and, of course, Pagodas. Short: We were glad when we finally arrived. In comparison to other places in Myanmar, Bagan is rather expensive. Everything from accommodation to food and bike rental is almost double the price of other places in the country. Add to that the fact that Myanmar is per se not one of the cheaper south-east Asian countries, which means you’re likely to spend quite some money in Bagan.
The most famous and apparently attractive activity in Bagan is the balloon flight during sunrise. We gave it a thought, but decided rather quickly not to spend USD 300 per person for 45 minutes in the air. And besides, the flights are booked out weeks or even months in advance, so if you plan to do it, be sure to book ahead of time. Being thus forced to stay on the ground, we climbed the biggest Pagoda with what felt like one billion other tourists, and defended our hot spot in the first line of sight. The view was spectacular, and we were not even that jealous of the balloons flyers. We used them as very pretty accessory on our photos instead.
Once in a while, when travelling on a lower budget, it is very important for your own well-being to treat yourself with something special (at least that is what we love to do from time to time). The breakfast we indulged ourselves in at an exclusive resort by the river side was exactly of that manner. After that great morning feast, we set out to explore the countless Pagodas riding an electro bike. (The only option – since foreigners are apparently not allowed to ride motorized bikes around here…)
The day passed by and we met a lot of travelers and had some interesting chats with them. When the evening approached, we went back to our sunrise Pagoda and climbed the stairs again for the next spectacle: The sunset.
At last, a little secret tip (which is not so secret after all, being no. 1 on Tripadvisor in town): The burger at Weather Spoon’s is epic. Yes, we had a fat old american burger in the midst of 4.5 million Pagodas. And we loved it.
Recent Comments