Bagan - Second Day

While the first day ended with a beautiful sunset, the second day started with a sunrise. I woke up around 4.30 a.m. and cycled my way to Bule-thi Pagoda, a small, strategically located temple that come with high recommendation as the place to be for sunrise. Cycling in Bagan wee in the morning can be quite an adventure especially in December for there were barely enough street lights along the road coupled with the chilly weather. Plus, the torchlight I had with me was just too small and inconvenient while navigating the bicycle. I really should invest in a headlight.

However, all these minor obstacles mean nothing once I reached the temple and saw what was in front of me. As picture means a thousand words, I rather show you the photos than describing it to you.

Morning mist added mystic to the photo

As the daylight got brighter, I even managed to see hot air balloons flying freely in the sky. Riding a hot air balloon overlooking the ancient temples in sunrise is a popular activity here in Bagan but it is rather pricey. So, if you can't afford it, go see it on the ground. It is simply quite a sight to behold.

Hot air balloon

Feeling emotionally satisfied, I went back to the hotel to join Boris. After breakfast, we went exploring the town, riding along the bank of Irrawaddy River and roaming the wet market. After that, we continued with the temple exploration.

Boats docked along the riverbank

Bustling wet market

Flower lady

As I had mentioned in the previous post, cycling is the best mode of transportation here in Bagan as you can leisurely go at your own sweet pace. Naturally, I enjoy my time roaming around the plain with my two wheels. We stopped by a total of 4 pagodas for the day and two of it are simply not to be missed; Shwe-san-daw Pagoda which offers some of the breath-taking views of the ancient city and Dhammayangyi Pagoda for its sheer massiveness.

Shwe-san-daw Pagoda

View from the top of the Shwe-san-daw Pagoda

Dhammayangyi Pagoda, the largest temple in Bagan

I wish I have more time to spend here in Bagan but by night fell, we have to leave for our next destination, Inle Lake.

*TO BE CONTINUED*

Sharing is caring. A word of advice and a piece of information.

You can take a bus to Bagan from Yangon at 15,000 kyat (about US$18) and it takes about nine hours to reach the ancient city. A one-time entrance fee of US$15 is charged to enter Bagan Archaeological Zone. You can buy the tickets at popular sites. However, there are reports that you can avoid paying the hefty entrance fee and to be honest, we didn't pay it too. There were no one asking us about it. As for the hot air balloons ride, Balloons Over Bagan operates the activity and according to the website, the price rate for 2013-2014 is at US$320 per person. You can look for more information here in the website.