Bagan Travel Guide – Visit Bagan – Budget Travel In Myanmar (Burma)

The ancient city of Bagan is fast becoming a must-visit destination to rival Angkor Wat. Visit Bagan to experience the UNESCO Heritage archaeological zone.

The zone covers 26 square miles and offers incredible sunsets and sunrises filled with hot-air balloons, and approximately 3000 temples and pagodas.

During our stay in Yangon, fellow travellers spoke of the site’s beauty and incredible landscapes. What they forgot to mention was the warmth of its people. Everywhere you go, you are met with smiles and greetings of ‘min-ga-la-ba’. Myanmar is not yet tired of its touristic status. In fact, it is probably the major city least influenced by western culture in the whole of Southeast Asia. If you are visiting Myanmar, Bagan should be top of your itinerary. See it before it changes!

Where To Stay In Bangon

There are three main areas in Bangon where you will find most hostels: Old Bagan, New Bagan and Nyaung-U. Old Bagan is the best place to stay to visit the temples. New Bagan is where many of the town’s residents were forced to move from Old Bagan as tourism began to take hold. Nyaung-U is the busiest area and the closest thing you’ll get to a ‘city’ atmosphere.

These are some of the best budget hostels in Bagan, according to user reviews. These are affiliate links to the Agoda web site. I found Agoda to be much better than booking.com in Southeast Asia. I receive a small amount for any bookings made through these links at no extra cost to you.

• Jasmine Villa Family Hostel
• Shwe Nadi Guest House
• Crown Prince Hotel
• Bagan Empress Hotel
• Maya Bagan
• Baobabed Hostel Bagan
• Ostello Bello
• Golden Crown Motel
• Sweet Garden Motel

Yun Myo Thu Hotel

We spent our first 2 days in New Bagan, staying at a place called ‘Yun Myo Thu Hotel’ (map). We arrived before 6 am after taking the night bus from Yangon. Our check-in was not until 2 pm but our room was ready by 7 am, which was a real bonus as we were very tired and it meant we could catch up on sleep and still have the afternoon to explore.

The hotel is divided into individual cabin rooms. The grounds of the hotel are very green and there seemed to be some renovation going on; it looked like they were building a pool.

The rooms were a good size and had hot showers, a fridge and television. The beds were clean and comfortable. The WiFi signal was not always great but that was our only gripe.

Each morning, they served a free breakfast where we were given a choice of typical Myanmar food (noodles, rice, eggs) with juice, coffee and fresh fruit.

It was a good base for us to explore the quiet area of New Bagan. It didn’t feel a sociable place to meet others but that may have been because we were travelling in low season and I think there were only 2 other people staying in the whole place!

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We paid £29.66 for a two night stay in a twin room with en-suite bathroom.

Click here to book a stay at Yun Myo Thu Hotel.

Baobabed Hostel

Following our stay in New Bagan, we moved on to be nearer the archaeological zone. This stay would coincide with my birthday so Joanna took care of the booking. She found a hostel located halfway between Old Bagan and Nyaung-U called ‘BaobaBed Hostel’ (map).

The moment we entered the hostel, I knew it was going to be a great place. The reception area also has a bar and serves food and there was a pool table, table football, live sports on TV and free Burmese cigars.

Posters on the walls advertised nightly events and there was lots of relevant information on the reception desk on buses and booking trips. The hostel also had many bicycles at the entrance which were free to rent. We used these everyday during our stay.

Our room was also very impressive. Situated on the first floor near a chill-out room which offered books and free water refills, it was bright and airy with a clean bathroom with hot shower. The bed was very comfortable and had electric points on either side.

Once we had settled in to the room, it was time to explore the hostel further. Walking past the laundry facilities on the second floor we found the stairs to the rooftop bar.

The bar is great value and run happy hours between 4 and 8 pm. It closes at 10 pm but you can then go downstairs and have more drinks, though this also closes before midnight. Bagan is not a party town. The bar is a great place to meet people and on our first night, we made many new friends who we then went out for food with.

A real bonus to the bar area is the pool. Whilst small, it is always kept clean and it is a great way to cool down (though the pool itself is warm).

We had originally only booked for 2 nights in ‘BaobaBed Hostel’ but we extended for one night and then for a further two which tells its own story as to how much we enjoyed it here. The staff deserve a mention as they were always friendly and helpful and we got some good tips on places to visit that we would not have otherwise known about.

We paid more than our usual budget but the room was very nice. Dorm rooms are much cheaper and the facilities looked well-maintained and clean. I really can’t recommend this hostel highly enough. One of the best on our entire travels.

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We paid £124.25 for a 5 night stay in a double room with en-suite bathroom.

Click here to book a stay at BaobaBed Hostel.

Staying In New Bagan

After we had checked in to our hotel and caught up on some much needed sleep after the 10 hour bus journey, we headed out to explore New Bagan.

Where To Get Laundry Service In Bagan

Our first task was to find a place that provided laundry services. Laundry is a pain when travelling. There’s nothing worse than handing over a bag full of smelly, sweaty washing only to get it back the next day and it only being slightly less smelly. We have had mixed experiences and we always check online for reviews. The place that had the best reviews would only do our laundry if we paid for the clothes individually rather than weight so we declined. Instead, we handed over our smelly clothes to a small family-run e-bike rental business near the hotel where Sabae Street crosses over Khatter Street and they did a great job for 3,000 MMK per kilo.

Exploring New Bagan

After having lunch at a local restaurant, we decided to see one of the noteworthy pagodas in the area: Lawkananda Pagoda (map). On our way, we passed many local traders.

The pagoda is situated on the banks of the Irrawaddy River.

We then wandered the dusty roads of New Bagan which wasn’t at all as we’d imagined. We were expecting a place that was very catering for back-packers but it seemed very local with empty distances between stores.

Ostello Bello Bagan

In the evening, we decided to visit ‘Ostello Bello Bagan’ (map): a hostel just a short walk from our hotel. We had read that it was a very socialable hostel with a bar and food available. On our way, we walked past places we had seen earlier. They were now all lit up. New Bagan looked very different in the evening.

We arrived at the hostel to find a very cool bar but with no-one in it. After ordering pizza, the place started to fill up and before long I was playing guitar with a local guitarist and a traveller who played violin. The group of travellers were singing along and it was a great evening, despite the sometimes questionable choice of songs!

Royal Restaurant

The next we day, we spent the day chilling, leaving the hotel only for some Burmese food at a local, highly-rated restaurant called ‘Royal Restaurant’ (map). The Burmese curries were delicious.

The next day, we took a taxi to our hostel in between Old Bagan and Nyaung-U (see above). The taxi was 7,000 MMK and took around 10 minutes.

Bagan Archaeological Zone Fee

Tourists are expected to pay a 25,000 fee to visit the archaeological zone area. The ticket is valid for 5 days. Usually, your taxi driver will take you to the ticket office as you arrive in Bagan but ours took us directly to the hotel. This made us feel a little uneasy as we didn’t want to get a fine for not having a valid ticket through no fault of our own. After some research, we learned that you can buy tickets at most of the bigger temples. With this information, we felt at ease and headed out to visit some temples and pagodas.

Shwezigon Pagoda

After checking in, we decided to take the bicycles to see some of the temples and pagodas. The first one we visited was ‘Shwezigon Pagoda’ (map), the sister pagoda to the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon.

The pagoda was a visual treat and already more impressive than anything we had seen in New Bagan.

Temples and Pagodas of Bagan

We then cycled to Anawrahta Road. From here, you can take any of the dirt roads that lead from the main road and immediately find yourself surrounded by pagodas and temples of all shapes and sizes. You cycle to one, then spot another nearby and so on it goes. I had saved a list of temples to visit on my Google Maps account, but it wasn’t really necessary. Most people take e-bikes but we feel more comfortable on bicycles. It was tough going at times and we must have sweated litres.

Some temples are locked but you can go inside most. If a temple is locked, you may come across a local who will gladly open it up for you. Inside you will find Buddhas of many sizes.

Drinks With Other Backpackers

In the evening, we took advantage of the rooftop bar. We immediately made new friends from New Zealand, Germany, Chile and France and, after many happy hour beers, we headed to a local restaurant, ‘Nway The Delicious Myanmar Food’ (map). Unfortunately, it wasn’t delicious. It was too spicy for everyone at the table and most of it went uneaten.

Bagan Temples

I woke up with a bit of a hangover, remembering it was my birthday so would be doing it all again that evening. We headed out to see more temples but we had to cut our exploring time shorter than planned as it was so hot. It is definitely a good idea to explore the area early in the day, particularly in the high season.

Burmese Food In Bagan

Having cycled around in sweltering heat, we had worked up an appetite. We headed for lunch at ‘TS Bagan’ (map), a highly-rated restaurant which was slightly away from the main tourist areas. It was so good to sit down and the waiter turned on the fan and brought us a jug of ice-cold water which we gulped down quickly. The waiter was really friendly to us and couldn’t have made us more comfortable if he tried. The food, unfortunately, was just average which was a shame as the hospitality was second to none.

Birthday In Bagan

We had planned to go somewhere a little different to the typical Myanmar restaurant for my birthday but, after a few beers in the rooftop bar, we instead headed to a local restaurant called ‘Queen’ (map) with our new friends. This restaurant was much bigger and served western food as well as the traditional Myanmar plates that we had not enjoyed the previous night.

It couldn’t have been more different. I ordered a red pork curry and it came with an egg side, fried veg, tomato salad, cucumber and peanut salad, chili flakes and rice. It was so good, we visited another three times!

Where To See The Sunset In Bagan

The next day was one of relaxing around the pool until it was time to enjoy one of Bagan’s famous sunsets. Some people from the hostel had visited a small hill the previous night near ‘U Sauk Pan Hpaya’ (map) and had the place all to themselves so we decided to join them and others at the same location.

It was much different this time, with dozens of horse and carts transporting tourists to the hill.

As we reached the top of the small hill, more and more tourists arrived.

Pretty soon, local kids were trying to sell postcards. They were very funny and made a couple of sales.

Joanna soon became the centre of attention with some of the Asian tourists who were keen to have their photo taken with her!

As it was very cloudy, the sunset didn’t quite live up to the standards of some we’d seen on our travels but it was still an incredible experience watching night time fall over the many temples.

If you are travelling in the peak season, you can expect something more like this (image provided by thislifeintrips.com).

Sharky’s Bagan Deli & Cafe

As we had stayed local for my birthday, we moved my birthday meal to the next night. We wanted something a little different and had spotted the huge ‘Sharky’s Bagan Deli & Cafe’ (map) on one of our cycling trips. Reviews called it a ‘Bagan institution’. What it turned out to be was over-rated and over-priced. The place is huge and it was empty so there was no atmosphere either. A disappointment.

Bagan Market

At breakfast the next day, the manager told us about a small traditional village that was worth visiting. It sounded like a plan. But first we cycled to the local market, ‘Mani Sithu’ (map).

The market is a lively place selling a mix of tourist items and local produce. Unlike many other markets in Southeast Asia, the vendors do not push to sell you anything, instead allowing you to browse at your own pace. As there had been rain earlier in the morning, a lot of the market was wet and muddy so we didn’t stay too long.

Minnanthu Village

We cycled the 10 km to ‘Minnanthu Village’ (map). The first thing we came across was a viewpoint from which you could look over the village and the many surrounding temples and pagodas.

We entered the village but we felt a little intrusive, though the locals we came across seemed happy enough that we were there. Pretty soon, it started to rain so we cycled back out of the village to find shelter.

It was here where we were approached by a local lady who came and sat with us. She introduced herself and asked if we would like a tour of the village. She said we could pay ‘as we like’ so we took her up on the offer.

As we entered the village she explained that the village had been in existence since the 11th century and they constantly suffered from droughts, which is why there are huge urns everywhere catching the rain water. There is a local primary school but people from the village rarely have the opportunity of further education. They are very poor people so it is impossible to judge them for opening up their lives to tourists in this way.

Our guide then took us to see local sand art. You can buy the art but at no time were we pressured into doing so.

We then continued our tour around the village.

Our guide even took us inside one of the homes of the local people.

We then moved on to see bamboo photo frames being made. The girl was very friendly and didn’t push us to buy. She explained that she makes two a day and sells them for 3000 MKK (£1.62).

We then moved on to the work area in the centre of the village. This is where cotton from the local trees is made into clothes, scarves and cloths.

Our guide then showed us the materials used for making traditional Burmese cigars. We didn’t get to try them or see them being made as the person who does this wasn’t there. Our guide did show us how to smoke them, though.

We then moved on to see how traditional bamboo lacquer is made. Everyone was so friendly and more than happy to explain the process to us.

They had a store in the back and the woman was eager for us to take a look, ensuring there was no pressure to buy. She explained that her whole family are involved in the production and she also explained how they colour the intricate patterns.

And with that, we said goodbye to the village and our lovely guide. I offered her 5,000 MMK and asked if that was OK. She said, ‘Of course,’ and thanked us and said goodbye about 30 times.

It was such a wonderful experience being invited into the lives of this small community. Though they are selling their crafts to tourists, this is not a tourist trap. It is a genuine Burmese village that has been in existence for nearly 1000 years. I felt privileged to have the opportunity to step inside their world for a short time.

More Temples Of Bagan

We left the village to explore the nearby temples. Our first stop was ‘Lemyethna Temple’ (map) which is unusual for the area because of its whitewashed walls. People from the village repaint it every few years and that is why it looks so new, compared to others in the area.

There were many other impressive temples in this area.

As we were making our way from temple to temple, a Burmese man with excellent English approached us and struck up conversation. He was an English teacher and had three students with him: all awkward, male teenagers. He was super-friendly and asked if we would chat with his students as it would be a great experience for them. We entered the temples together and the conversation continued.

Outside the temple, he asked for photos.

I thought we would then say goodbye but he offered to show us around the nearby temples. I’m glad he did as he knew EVERYTHING about them and was more than happy to share his knowledge. He took us to ‘Nanda Pyinnar Cave’ (map) where we were able to look at some incredible art in the small temple before heading into the underground monastery.

Our new friend seemed to want to take us with him for the rest of the day but we were getting very hungry and it was getting later than we had planned to stay out so we said our goodbyes. Our journey back to the main road was lengthened by having to stop and take photos of the amazing surroundings.

Good Food In Weather Spoon’s?

For those unaware of ‘Wetherspoons’, it is a chain of terrible pubs in the UK serving cheap, almost out-of-date lager and terrible food in a soulless environment. It has been known to host meeting points for far-right, extreme groups and its owner is an absolute Brexit-supporting moron. Rant over.

Thankfully, the ‘Weather Spoon’s Restaurant and Bar’ (map) in Bagan is nothing of the sort. It is a small but busy restaurant and bar serving delicious Burmese food at very reasonable prices.

I had a Burmese chicken and potato curry and Joanna had Tofu in tomato sauce. The tofu here is totally different to anywhere else as it is made with lentils and chickpea flour and has a potato texture. Great food.

Where To See The Sunrise In Bagan

On our last full day, it was time to finally see the sunrise in Bagan. Other travellers in the hostel had been and said it wasn’t as spectacular as they had hoped because of those pesky clouds. But we had to at least try.

We chose the same viewpoint we had visited for the sunset. We arrived to find just 3 people sat on the hill. When we climbed the hill, we discovered that one of those people was an official checking tickets.

He was surprised when I said we didn’t have one. He explained that we needed to purchase one. We had said all along that if we are asked to buy, then we’d buy. We hadn’t been avoiding buying a ticket; we just had not yet had an opportunity to do so. We hadn’t been taken to the check in centre on arrival and we hadn’t seen a single ticket check in any of the temples we visited. It still hurt a bit that we got to see every single temple and pagoda for free but had to pay 25,000 MMK (£13.50) to sit on a hill!

It was a very calm way to start the day: watching the temples and pagodas appear in the sunlight as the music of monks hung in the distance. Predictably, the sunrise was spoiled by the clouds and there were no hot air balloons to be seen.

We had simply arrived in Bagan at the wrong time. If you come during peak season, you can expect to see something that looks a little more like this (image provided by travelthestory.com.

Yet More Temples Of Bagan

As we were up early, we had the bikes, it was cool and we were close by: we decided to visit Old Bagan. Most of the temples around here were ones I had saved to my Google Maps as they had been recommended by numerous other blogs.

The first one we came across was ‘Shwegu Gyi Phaya’ (map) which blew us away just by its size alone.

We visited more temples before heading towards ‘Bu Paya’ (map) a golden, bulb-shaped pagoda on the banks of the river.

From ‘Bu Paya’, there are great views over the Irrawaddy River.

Even though it was early, the food traders were already setting up for business.

Our next stop was the 12th century temple, ‘Gawdawpalin’ (map).

And finally, we visited ‘Ananda Temple’ (map). This was one of my favourites due to its size, the four huge standing Buddhas and the hundreds of small Buddhas within its walls.

And that was the end of our temple and pagoda viewing in Bagan.

Is Bagan Worth Visiting?

No trip to Myanmar is complete without a visit to Bagan. In fact, I’d go as far as saying to trip to Southeast Asia is complete without a trip to Bagan. I now understand why people told us we must visit. It is such a beautiful, magical place and you can easily spend a week here. Every time someone left the hostel to move on to their next destination, it was with sadness. We felt the same. The Bagan pagodas and temples are as impressive as Angkor Wat and the people are so friendly and always greet you with a smile. We extended our stay twice. We loved Bagan and you will too.

For more information, visit https://www.visit-bagan.com/