Must-See Bagan Temples in a Day

Treasures of Myanmar in a Week – Day 4

Over 10,000 pagodas were constructed in the plains of Bagan during 11-13th centuries. Of them, only the remains of around 2,000 pagodas still survive today. How can you ever decide which Bagan temples are worthy of a visit? Yesterday the staff at the reception of Motel Zein – where we are staying – gave us a map. He helped us plan our day. He marked the temples we should surely visit for sunrise, sunset, and other time of the day. We already had rented an E-bike from the hotel. So we were out today with a map, a plan, E-bike, and helmets – to nail down 8 most interesting temples of Bagan.

Highlights of the Day

  • Bulethi Temple
  • Shwezigon Temple
  • Htilominlo Temple
  • Alodawpyae Temple
  • Ananda Temple
  • Thatbyinnyu Temple
  • Lunch at the Moon Vegetarian Restaurant
  • Sulamani Temple
  • Shewsandaw Temple
  • Bupaya Temple
  • Bus to Inle

Sunrise at Bulethi Temple

We woke up at around 4.30 AM and somehow managed to get fresh and left the hotel premises by 4.45 AM. It was dark and the air was chilling – do not forget to wear warm clothes.

Waking up for sunrise can be troublesome but trust my words – it’s worth it! Even if waking up gets easier, deciding which temple to choose for sunrise view can get harder. This is because most of the larger temples get immensely crowded. We chose to witness sunrise from the small yet beautiful Bulethi temple. We rode 3 km straight on Anawrahta road before taking a turn toward left where all the E-bikes and cycles were actually taking turn to reach Bulethi temple in few hundred meters.

Sky hues from the top of Bulethi temple
It was still dark even though we reached- you may need to get your archaeological zone ticket checked at the entry
Other temples from the top of Bulethi temple
Be careful of the steep stairs that would finally lead to the top with a beautiful view of scores of temples around
First sun ray from the top of Bulethi temple
It was around 5.30 AM when the sun ray hit the horizon and sound of camera shutters started
Crowd at the top of Bulethi temple
Even though the temple is touristy for sunset, still there were a lot of places to sit on either side
Sunrise from the top of Bulethi temple
The view of the sun rising was superb
More of other temples from the top of Bulethi temple
The plains of Bagan slowly lit up with the sunrays making the surrounding temples look picture-perfect
Moonview from the top of Bulethi temple
The moon was still in the sky while the sun rose brightly and tourists started disappearing from the top at the same time

Check-Out from the Hotel

Most of the hotel or hostel stays in Myanmar include breakfast and the best part if you mention you are vegan, they would provide you vegan options. We rode back to our hotel to have breakfast. We had our night bus to Inle Lake, so it was economical for us to check out before we leave for exploring temples, but we took rest for a while before that.

Vegan breakfast served at Motel Zein
Our vegan breakfast spread included fried rice, vegetable tempura, and tofu salad

We checked out at around noon and left our luggage at the reception safely.

Shwezigon Temple

The Shwezigon Pagoda is one of the oldest and most impressive monuments of Bagan, which was just 2 km from our hotel.

Entrance of Shwezigon Pagoda
At the main entrance gate of Shwezigon Pagoda, is an enormous white mythological lion standing guard
Huge Shwezigon Pagoda
Post the recent earthquake, the temple is under restoration, which sadly blocked the view of the huge gold plated pagoda at the top
Other temple buildings inside Shwezigon Pagoda
Inside the temple complex, there are many temple buildings topped with an intricately decorated Burmese roof made of several receding layers
Samphor inside Shwezigon Pagoda
We came across this huge barrel drum, a musical instrument locally called Samphor, in the temple complex

Htilominlo Temple

Lanmadaw road runs parallel to Anawrahta road and riding 3 km on it from the Shwezigon temple brought us to a large majestic three-storey structure on the left side – Htilominlo pagoda.

Htilominlo Pagoda
The massive lower cube of the temple is topped with three receding terraces, the much smaller second cube has another three terraces, and all of them contain small stupas on each of its corners with an ornamental tower topping the temple
Buddha image at Htilominlo Pagoda
There are many Buddha images inside the temple – this is just one of them
Prayer bell at Htilominlo Pagoda
A prayer bell donated by someone that is a part of this beautiful temple complex now
Encounter with a cat outside Htilominlo Pagoda
I always come across a cat wherever I travel, and this is no surprise to me

Alodawpyae Temple

On the way to Ananda temple, within 600 m from Htilominlo temple, we stopped by this small yet beautiful Alodawpyae pagoda.

Courtyard of Alodawpyae Pagoda
There is a big courtyard inside the temple complex that you have to cross before entering the temple building
Alodawpyae Pagoda
The temple hall opens in the east, and the sanctuary is of square form with windows which open on the north and the south with a chedi of pyramidal form on the terrace
Buddha image at Alodawpyae Pagoda
There was a shining golden Buddha image inside the temple building
Mural paintings on the wall of Alodawpyae Pagoda
We came across of wall paintings of 30 Buddha Images and ink inscriptions as well

Ananda Temple

The temple is found near the Tharabar gate, the only gate remaining of the original 12 in the old Bagan city walls.

Further ride of 2 km brought us to one of Bagan’s best known and most beautiful temples – Ananda Pagoda. It was one of the first great temples to be built in Bagan and was well preserved until the latest earthquake that put the temple back to restoration mode.

In front of the Ananda Pagoda
The temple’s most distinctive feature is the gilded tower-like spire on top of the pagoda, which was unfortunately covered due to restoration work

There is a large square room inside the temple where 4 large teak-wooden 9.5 m tall gilded standing Buddha images are placed in arched recesses, each of which represent the four Buddhas that have reached nirvana, namely Kakusandha Buddha (North), Kassapa Buddha (South), Konagamana Buddha (East) and Gautama Buddha (West).

Gautama Buddha image in Ananda Pagoda
The Gautama Buddha is is in the Abhaya Mudra, which expresses fearlessness
Kakusandha Buddha image in Ananda Pagoda
Kakusandha Buddha image is in the Dhammachakka Mudra, a gesture that represents the setting in motion of the Wheel of Dhamma, the teachings of the Buddha

Thatbyinnyu Temple

Within 2 km of Ananda Temple on the other side of the Tharabar Gate, is the majestic Thatbyinnyu Pagoda – towering above other nearby pagodas, which is visible from much of the Bagan plains.

In front of Thatbyinnyu Pagoda
With a height of just over 60 m, the Thatbyinnyu Pagoda is one of the highest monuments of Bagan
Architecture of Thatbyinnyu Pagoda
The square base of the temple is a brick structure set on a low platform with three receding terraces on top of both the first and second storeys, and each terrace has a small stupa on each of its four corners
Buddha image inside Thatbyinnyu Pagoda
On top of the massive base is a smaller cube shaped structure where the principal Buddha image is enshrined in a cubic space surrounded by a corridor
Painting seller in front of Thatbyinnyu Pagoda
You cannot ignore the beautiful paintings made by the temple sellers
Stone painting seller in front of Thatbyinnyu Pagoda
The stone painting drew most of our attention – the man crushes stone and makes painting using the stone powder
Small pagoda in front of Near the Thatbyinnyu is a small temple, called the tally pagoda, which was constructed after completion of the Thatbyinnyu with the bricks that were laid aside during the construction of the Thatbyinnyu Pagoda
Near the Thatbyinnyu is a small temple, called the tally pagoda, which was constructed with the bricks that were laid aside during the construction of the Thatbyinnyu

Late Lunch at The Moon Vegetarian Restaurant

We were so much into exploring temples back to back – we realized that it was almost past 3 o’clock, already late for lunch. We were glad that one of the original vegetarian restaurants – the Moon Vegetarian Restaurant – was just few meters away from Tharabar Gate, so we headed there to enjoy vegan food.

Vegan-friendly restaurant in Bagan
The garden-style eatery is also known as “Be Kind To Animals” and offers the best vegan-friendly options in Bagan
Vegan food in a restaurant in Bagan
I mostly enjoyed guacamole spread with papad, also the Burmese-style brinjal curry served with steamed rice was very delicious – all for just 9 $
Cute kitten in the restaurant in Bagan
This was another kitten I came across today
Our selfie while e-biking around
We came across this beautiful girl and this handsome boy e-biking around temples of Bagan

Sulamani Temple

After lunch, we rode straight across the Anawrahta road for around 3 km to a large, very elegant multi-storey structure called Sulamani Pagoda.

In front of the Sulamani temple
The Sulamani is a two storey structure with a square layout with a spire ornament shaped like an umbrella on top of it – its red brick color lits up beautifully when the sun tends to go down
In front of Sulamani temple
The sun already started setting down when we started heading to Shwesandaw temple from Sulamani temple
Sunset behind the Dhammayangyi temple
I could capture this beautiful picture of sun setting behind the Dhammayangyi temple on the way

Shwesandaw Temple

The sun already started setting, we rushed to one of the taller pagodas in the area – Shwesandaw Pagoda – an imposing structure visible from far away rising from the plains of Bagan, and is very popular among tourists for sunset. Our tickets for the archaeological zone were checked here.

Sun setting at the end of the long stretch of the road
The sun setting at the end of Anawrahta road on the way to Shwesandaw pagoda also made a great picture
During sunset from Shwesandaw temple
Be careful while climbing the steep stairs to the top of the Shwesandaw temple to witness one of the popular sunsets of Bagan

Bupaya Temple

We again rode back crossing the other side of Anawrahta road and headed straight to the riverside for around 3 km to Bupaya temple.

In front of Bupaya Temple after sunset
This temple is located by the Irrawaddy river, and after sunset, you can have it all by yourself as all crowd dissipates by now
Inside the Bupaya temple complex
This lone golden gourd-shaped structure is sitting inside the temple complex
Riverfront from Bupaya Temple
It was a great place for us to spend some peaceful time away from the crowds by the river looking at the beautiful hues of the sky after sunset

Bus to Inle Lake

It was around 7 PM. We rode back to Motel Zein, which was around 8 km from Bupaya temple. Finally we submitted our E-bike to the staff. Our bus to Inle Lake was booked online with Bagan Min Thar bus company and the departure time was scheduled at 8.30 PM. The bus ticket cost around 20 $ per person. The staff of the bus company arrived at our hotel at around 7.30 PM to pick us up, drove us to the bus station along with other guests.

Overnight bus from Bagan to Inle Lake
The bus was 1+1+1 seater i.e. single seats in three separate rows – however, the central aircon was too cold, seats were less spacious and uncomfortable – overall, it was the worst bus journey I have ever experienced in South-East Asia

Summarized Tips for Exploring Bagan Temples

Here is a list of cool tips that you may consider while exploring the temples of Bagan if you have only 1 day in hand:

  • Nothing can beat the freedom of independent travel with less physical effort, speedy travel, and cheap rental price of E-bike, so make sure you hire one
  • Hire E-bike from the hotel you stay or arrange it at night only so that you can ride it to the temple early morning for sunrise
  • Research about the temples prior and choose which ones you would like to consider for sunrise and sunset and for other times – you can always consult with the staff of your hotel
  • Buy at least one painting from the temple seller – it is worth it!
  • Carry water bottles and stay hydrated while getting templified all day
  • Dress appropriately while visiting the temples and flip-flops are must in case you have to climb the steep stairs of the temples

NET EXPENSE FOR 1 PERSON (IN USD)

Let us have a look at the expenses of Day 4 in Myanmar – Bagan.

  • Overnight bus from Bagan to Inle: 20
  • Getting around: 5
  • Food: 5

Total expense (roughly): 30 USD

For an overall idea of itinerary and expense of the trip, whether for solo or couple or group of any number of people, feel free to contact me on Contact Us page. You can also have a look at Treasures of Myanmar in a Week – Itinerary and Expenses.

If you are planning for a much-organized, tastefully-curated, stress-free yet exciting vacation, consider booking your holidays at Travel Love Repeat. It is going to be a treat for sure!

32 thoughts on “Must-See Bagan Temples in a Day”

  1. Bagan is a truly unique place on this planet. Been in Bagan last February and I can’t believe it’s almost a year now since I was there. I have stayed for 3 days in Bagan and enjoyed E-bike drives among pagodas enormously. Visited both of the Moon Vegetarian restaurants in Bagan too. It seems like the Moon restaurant became an institution by itself in Bagan!

  2. Nice one day guide! Definitely keeping it in mind if (when) I ever check out the Bagan Temples in Myanmar. $30 is pretty cheap, but for some reason I thought most places in South East Asia would be cheaper 🙂 Good call on getting up early, but if early is something like 6am in the morning, I think I can manage. Not really a morning person!

  3. Bagan temples look just so gorgeous. I could see a lot of resemblance to the Thai architecture. Could be coz they have been neighbors. Lovely shots of the Buddhas around. Cheers

  4. Beautiful photos of the temples and it brought back so many memories – I visited there 4 years ago. I love the vantage points and camera positons you chose for your photos – it gave an interesting perspective to them like the Buddha statue in the Dhammachakka temple as well as the scale/size of the Thatbyinnyu Pagoda – nice work! Love that the ebikes are still the mode of transport – its so much fun touring around to all the temples — did you also go to many where there was no one around?

  5. Wow, $30USD to explore all of those Bagan temples sounds amazing! I have it on my bucket list to ride in a hot air balloon over the temples in Bagan but then to actually walk around them sounds like a great day of exploration. I love learning about the different buddhist temples and why they were created.

  6. Based on your sunrise pictures, I’d have to agree with you that the waking up must have been so worth it! ? I just love the white mythological lion guarding the Shwezigon Pagodo! And ALL the Buddha images at the various temples. I’d definitely love to buy one of the paintings for a temple seller ??

  7. All of the Bagan temples look exquisite! It is amazing that you got to see so many – and have time to explore and learn about the temples for an affordable price and all in one day!

  8. You were able to hit up a lot of temples during your short time there! My stay in Bagan was way too short – I pretty much only had time for one sunrise while I was there, which was beautiful and totally worth it, but I’d love to go back and spend more time there. I flew from Bagan to the closest airport to Inle Lake, which ended up being a nightmare in its own right since my flight got delayed almost an entire day, but I guess you just have to prepared for anything when it comes to transportation there!

  9. At first when I read that you could visit many of the surrounding temples via ebike I thought wow that must be a lot of cycling around, but I see from your sunrise photos they are actually quite close together! It is very cool that you can visit so many in one day. It was very nice of your accommodations to make suggestions for sunrise and sunset. I think the tally pagoda is my favorite, it is small but very beautiful.

  10. I couldn’t believe that there are so many temples there! The view from the temples are awesome. I like the idea to get up early to see the scene. It is a nice budget destination.

  11. This is Thai version of India’s Kanchipuram – just filled with hundreds of temples!!!
    Its nice of going eco-friendly and hiring the ebike. Planning to take one on my next trip.
    I agree with waking up early when traveling. It gives the head start and getting to the spots before crowds pour in.

  12. The morning views of Bagan Plains is so magical with all the temples spreading all around. I can’t imagine seeing it in person! Like you, I would rent a bike to tour the temples as well. Seems like it’s the best way.

  13. Wow, that sunrise at Bulethi Temple was phenomenal and gorgeous! I love that there are so many beautiful temples so close together. Riding the E-bike to see them all sounds like a lot of fun!

  14. It would be such an enchanting tour to visit so many temples in one day. All these Bagan temples are really wonderful with beautiful backdrop of nature. Sunrise with these beautiful temples would be most beautiful thing to start the day. Being vegetarian, I also loved your lunch options in Moon restaurant.

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