Bagan city tour - Full day

+ Bagan

Bagan is one of the most amazing sight in SE Asia. In an area of 40 km², there are more then 1000 shipas and payas. You can spend at least a week here. At Bagan (Pagan) there are 5000 pagodas still standing, the remains of Myanmar's architectural Golden Age. Bagan was Myanmar's capital for 230 years. Bagan was founded in 849 AD and began to blossom in the reign of King Anawrahta (1044-1077), the 42nd ruler of the Bagan Dynasty. Anawrahta introduced Theravada Buddhism to the city; before the state religion was a mixture of Mahayana Buddhism and Brahmanism. Bagan's glory days ended abruptly with the invasion of the Mongul emperor Kublai Khan in 1287, after which the city was abandoned.

Operation : Daily departure

Duration : Full day

Tour route : Bagan city tour

Brief description : Discover the best of Bagan with this full day guided tour. More than just temples, this excursion introduces you to Burmese culture, explores local neighborhoods to see craftsmen at work and takes you up the mighty Irrawaddy River to an unusual cave temple. Join us on this fascinating introduction to incredible Bagan, one of Asia's foremost archeological sites.

Bagan full day tour

Your Exotissimo guide and driver will greet you at your hotel to set off for a half-day exploration of Bagan. This program includes a range of sites, providing a great overview of Bagan's history, culture and local lifestyles.

 The journey begins with a visit to Thagyar Pone Temple, a temple with spectacular views over the surrounding plains. This is the perfect introduction to the grandeur and scope of Bagan's architecture. Next continue to Ananda Temple, one of the most revered temples in Bagan and which is quiet in the morning, before all the tour buses arrive.

 Afterwards we will go to Myinkaba Village and visit Gubyaukgyi Temple which is noted for its beautiful mural paintings on its inner walls and well-preserved plaster carvings on its exterior. Nearby is Manuha Temple and Nan Paya Temple, two smaller temples with nice Buddha statues and stone work.

 Then get to learn more about the local culture with a visit to two workshops producing Bagan's most famous products: lacquer ware and wood crafts. Watch as the skilled craftsmen use techniques passed down through generations to create beautiful items. Take a break with lunch at Shwe Myanmar, a favorite among local visitors who come for the delicious curries. Return to your hotel for a short rest, escaping the extreme heat of the midday sun.
 
Board a private river boat and set off upriver toward Kyauk Gu U Min. Throughout your Irrawaddy river cruise you will be treated to fabulous scenes of life on the water: fishermen, local ferry boats, riverside villages and views of the Bagan temples. You'll stop at Sae Lan village and go ashore for a short walk. Sae Lan is typical of the riverside villages along the Irrawaddy. The friendly people work as farmers and fishermen, living a simple but happy life.

 Continue by boat to Kyauk Gu U Min on the eastern side of the river where a five to ten minute walk takes us to the temple. This beautiful temple has exquisite stone carvings depicting religious figures and flowers on the door. The temple itself is built against the side of cliff, so behind the main hall of the temple you can enter a cave. Inside the cave there are several small niches where individuals can practice meditation. Legend states that the cave was built during the 13th century for the locals to hide from the invading Mongols.

 
After your exploration of Kyauk Gu U Min, you'll return to the boat for a relaxing cruise back to Bagan (around 1 hour). Transfer back to your hotel upon reaching Bagan.     (L)