The Beauty of Sunrise at Bagan Temple, Myanmar

I have always been curious about ancient historical sites. I still remember how nice it was to ride a bicycle in the middle of the sunrise at Angkor Wat, Cambodia. Climbing the stairs at Borobudur, Indonesia. Another one of my desires to complete the “Big Temples Trail” in Southeast Asia is to see sunrise in Bagan.

The reason I visited Myanmar was to witness the most magnificent ancient temple that is Bagan, home of 2000 other temples. My main goal of course is to see sunrise or sunrise and sunset.

There are many beautiful photos of sunrise and sunset in Bagan, so I wanted to see them in person. So I did some research, which temple is the best to see sunrise and sunset.

I didn’t want to go all the way there but was disappointed. Well, after reading many sources, I finally got some names of temples to visit.

How to get to Bagan With Public Transportation

Here’s how to get to Bagan from Yangon or Mandalay:

Bus from Yangon to Bagan

The capital of Myanmar is Yangon. Usually you will fly first to Yangon before heading to Bagan. Certainly the cheapest and most popular way to Bagan from Yangon is by night bus.

The journey takes approximately 9-10 hours. From the city center you can go to Aung Mingalar Bus Station. The ticket price is around 18,000 kyat. Departure schedule between 7 or 8.30

Bus from Mandalay to Bagan

If you want to go to Bagan via Mandalay, there are also buses with a travel time of 4-5 hours. Bus tickets cost around 8,000 kyat and usually this bus leaves in the morning.

Tips for Visiting Bagan, Myanmar

• Entrance ticket for Bagan archaeological site is 25,000 kyat for 5 days. I didn’t see the official building to buy the entrance ticket. You can buy tickets at the entrance of the big temples.
• I prefer to go around by E-bike because the roads can be sandy, if you ride a bicycle it will be difficult to pedal. The price for renting an E-bike per day is 6,000 – 8,000 kyat. If the bike is only 2,000 kyat. Make sure to rent an E-bike the day before seeing the sunrise.
• You can choose to stay at Old Chart or New Chart. I chose Old Bagan because it is closer to the temple. I stayed at Shwe Na Di Guesthouse and was quite pleased. The rooms are big, clean, and cheap too. If you want to stay in New Bagan, you can try staying at Ostello Bello.

Also read: Grand Palace Entrance Ticket Prices, Bangkok

Watching the Sunrise in Chart

To see the sunrise, usually the tour group will go to Shwesandaw Pagoda. The advantage of this pagoda is its high enough height with beautiful views of the surrounding temples.

However, because I didn’t want to be disturbed by the crowds, I chose another temple that was more hidden. her name Low Ka Oushang. There were still a few people here but not as many as the big pagoda.

I wake up at 5 in the morning. By riding an E-bike and a map to the pagoda. The sun rises around 6.30 but I want to find the best spot. When they arrived, the pagoda was still locked but an old man appeared and opened the door. There were already 6 people sitting on top of the pagoda.

I’m trying to figure out how to get to the second floor. Even though it’s a bit difficult, it’s finally done. More and more people are coming. Actually I didn’t expect many people. The old man appeared again and shouted at us. Apparently not allowed to climb up to the top of the pagoda.

The sky began to clear and the horizon line began to glow. Slowly I could see the shadows of other small pagodas. I looked around all the parts of the pagoda, the shape of the pagoda became clearer when the sun rose in Bagan.

Then I heard the sound of prayer, the sun began to appear, red and big. This incident felt so unreal, I even got goosebumps myself. Hot air balloons began to fly in the sky making the scene even more dramatic.

Also read: Photo Results of Traveling to Myanmar

Second Day Watching the Sunrise at Another Pagoda

When I saw the sunrise at Low Ka Oushang, I saw another pagoda not far away and there were very few people watching the sunrise. Curious, I tried to go to the pagoda. It is smaller in size but facing the same direction as yesterday.

Not many people here, only 6 including me. This is what I was looking for, a quiet spot to enjoy the sunrise. The sun is not as clear as yesterday but I am still happy.

After seeing the sunrise, I came down from the pagoda and saw a little boy leading me and lighting a small candle on each step. “Nice hat,” he said. I asked him if he wanted this hat. He nodded and I gave it.

Also read: Travel Guide to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, Thailand

Temple to Watch the Sunset

At least I have to go to the famous temple to see the sunset. These temples must be famous for some reason.

I followed the group to Pyathada Paya Temple. This temple has a terrace that is quite spacious and can accommodate many people. It’s just that there is only one way to go down so you have to queue and take a long time.

I think the spot is good to see the sunset because it is a bit far from other temples so you can see a wider view.

The second spot to see the sunset in Bagan is Shwesandaw Pagoda. I climbed up to the top floor. The view is not as good as yesterday. I heard North Guni is also great for watching the sunset. I didn’t go there but you might try.

You can join the tour too if you don’t want to bother visiting some of the famous temples in Bagan. Try checking here for a guide, the price is quite cheap and the guide is friendly too.

My Favorite Other Temple or Pagoda

There are many temples or temples in Bagan. So I used an E-bike to go around the area. There is no definite route or itineraries, the important thing is that when I see the temple it’s pretty cool I stop and take a photo.

The small temples are also quite interesting. In every pagoda there must be a Buddha statue inside. Personally I like Sulamani Temple because of the beautiful paintings on the walls. Shwezigon Kuil Temple quite different from other temples. Ananda Temple is famous for being the most beautiful temple in Bagan. There are many more interesting temples there.

The backpacker experience to Myanmar was quite memorable for me. Besides Myanmar, you can also visit other Southeast Asian countries such as backpackers to Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia.

Watching the sun at Bagan Temple, Myanmar It will be an unforgettable experience. If you have any questions, you can directly in the comments column yes.