The Incredible Temples of Bagan, Mynmar

Everyone loves ancient ruins.  I find that we are drawn to find out about the past and to explore how people lived centuries ago, we already felt as if we had stepped back in time, but to enter the grounds of Bagan, we definitely felt that nothing had changed here for centuries.

Birds Eye View

Built between 1000 and 1300 AD, Bagan has to be one of the least visited temple complexes in South East Asia.

For Centuries, the Burmese people had lived within the grounds of Bagan, but unfortunately as with everything in Myanmar, the military started clearing them out in 1990.

Located on the banks of the Ayeyarwaddy River, it is a sight to behold.

Time Stands Still

Unesco tried to make it a world heritage sight, but the Myanmar Miliary Junta has refused and restored the temples in a shoddy manner.  They didn’t stay true to style or design, but  still it is a magnificent place to visit for the sheer volume and scenery.

Thatbyinnyu Pahto

With over 2000 Pagodas and Temples spanning across 40 miles of land it is truly magical to stand atop Thatbyinnyu Pahto temple to look out over the countryside.

Seeing Ruins by Horse Cart

We saw the ruins on horse cart. I highly recommend this way of seeing them.  There is a lot of ground to cover and to travel from place to place listening to the clip clop of your horse really puts you in a great mood.

Young Monks at Shwezigon Temple

We visited many temples on our first day. The first stop was the Shwezigon Temple.  It was magnificent.  A huge golden temple that was so large, we had difficulty fitting into our photo.  Many of Myanmar’s temples are fashioned after this temple and it is still used as a place of worship.

Shwezigon Temple

Our next stop was Ananda Pahto.  It was the inside that was extraordinary with 4 giant Buddha Statues facing north, south, east and west.   We also saw Buddha’s footprint.

Ananda Pato, Buddha

The highlight was standing atop to actually see a panoramic view of all of the temples. This was the view I had seen on so many travel shows in the past. The view that made me want to go there and the view that was definitely worth the trip.

Bagan Temples

Like everything in Burma, Bagan was not easy. Children tried to make money by selling post cards or to give you a tour.  The days were hot and you had to make sure to see the temples early in the morning, and because of the history of how the junta is treating its people, you can’t help but feel guilty entering the grounds. After all, your entry fee is going directly to an oppressive regime.

Man at Work in Bagan

However, when I gave my horse cart driver a large tip on top of what we paid him for the tour I felt that I was at least helping him in my own little way. He had just had a baby a week earlier, so tourist money would be desperately needed for him since that is how he makes his living.  And I do sound like a broken record whenever I say this, but I feel that to visit a country can only help it.  How would you feel if the whole world refused to take notice of you because of your government? If people keep visiting and attempting to travel responsibly, change is bound to happen.

Reclining Buddha

On a side note: I hear that there are luxury resorts and a golf course at Bagan, thank God I never saw them. I cannot believe that people would go to the grounds of an ancient and important spiritual place in history to play golf.

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