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If you only have 2-3 days to discover Myanmar, head to the ancient capital for the most extraordinary experiences of your life.
‘Words cannot express the beauty of exploring Bagan’
Myanmar is a beautiful, culturally rich country, a dream destination for many travelers. The opportunity to fly to this land of pagodas is very convenient. From Vietnam, you can fly directly to the capital Yangon, with prices ranging from 1.8 to 3.5 million dong.
Exploring Myanmar requires at least 2 weeks. However, not everyone has such extended vacations. If you only have 2-3 days, head to Bagan for your travel. The ancient capital will take you from one marvel to another, creating memorable moments for your journey.
Bagan covers an area of only 42 km², once the magnificent capital of Myanmar for 230 years. Currently, there are just over 2,000 temples and pagodas, with over half in ruins. However, that doesn't diminish Bagan's captivating allure.
As Bagan unveiled beneath the airplane wings, the landscape felt akin to Africa, with vast stretches of dry, barren fields occasionally dotted with small bushes or a majestic tree. The most fascinating aspect of Bagan is experiencing the sunrise and sunset in the Old Bagan area.
From the dim morning light, the hired horse carriage from the previous night awakened me with the rhythmic sound of hooves tapping on the brick ground, creating a peculiar and intriguing sensation. Later on, I vividly recall the night's rhythmic tapping. Riding in the carriage when the night was pitch black, only hearing the sound of wheels, the footsteps of the horse... I was immersed in a sense of spirituality, traveling through the space of the past in this sacred area.
The horse carriage journey took about 45 minutes to Tayonke Payay Pagoda – the best spot to admire the beautiful sunrise in Bagan. Many people, with diverse skin tones, eagerly awaited the sun's appearance until the light illuminated every corner of each temple. Bagan sparkled, majestic and splendid.
You can also opt for a hot air balloon ride to admire Bagan at both sunrise and sunset. You will witness breathtaking and awe-inspiring views that will leave you breathless.
After sunrise, the horse carriage took me around the temple areas. The remaining temple structures are the embodiment of the faded Mon architectural style. The topmost tower adorned with golden spires, placed on three levels of square towers, stands beside the ancient Shwezigon Pagoda. Bagan also boasts the most beautiful Ananda Temple, the tallest Thatbyinyu Pagoda, and lastly, the grandest Dhamma Yangyi Temple.
The Ananda Temple is considered a masterpiece, the last remaining structure of Mon architecture, with exquisite and enduring design, and the best-preserved among the temples and pagodas in Bagan. After the earthquake in 1975, the temple suffered severe damage but was later restored.
Rising above other temples in Bagan is the Thatbyinnyu Temple, constructed by King Alaungsithu (1113-1163). It is one of the first two-story temples, but its layout differs slightly from later two-story spiritual structures.
Dhamma Yangyi is the grandest temple, with architectural similarities to Ananda, initiated by King Narathu (1107-1170).
In the late afternoon, as the light begins to fade, and the sun descends, I arrived at the Shwesandaw Pagoda – my personally dubbed 'Sunset Temple.' Many tourists choose to stand atop the temple to clearly and beautifully view other temples; they stretch their arms to feel the wind and imagine the grand, solemn, and divine ceremonies of the past.
No words can capture the serenity and beauty of Bagan. I can only say that one must come to Bagan to live with it, feel it in every breath, to enjoy the rhythmic sound of hooves on a horse carriage or leisurely bike rides through the once resplendent temples.
According to Zing News
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Source: Travel Handbook Mytour
MytourAugust 17, 2015
