Burma or Myanmar is located in East Asia between Thailand, Laos, China and India. The country is bordered by the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. Hundreds of ethnic groups live there and multiculturalism is therefore very present. It is not the most visited country in Asia and yet it has some nice surprises in store for tourists who decide to go there. It is in the lands of Myanmar that one of the most beautiful treasures of the Earth is to be found: the plain of Bagan and its many temples.
If the country name “Myanmar” means nothing to you, it is actually the official name of Burma since 1989. This change took place under the military junta. At the same time, the country changed its flag and national anthem. These changes were initially little accepted by the population, but things have since evolved. However, the name Burma remains mainly used in France.
This developing country is now open to tourists and attracts more and more people. In addition to its capital Naypyidaw, known to be a gigantic city almost empty, the country is full of breathtaking monuments and landscapes. The plain of Bagan is one of them, and we make you discover it below.
An extraordinary heritage
The plain of Bagan is a vast territory of almost 50 km² on which there are thousands of temples, monasteries and pagodas. (A pagoda is a place of worship for Buddhist monks.) It is therefore a place steeped in history.
Built from 1050 during the reign of Anawrahta after his conversion to Buddhism, the number of temples and pagodas on the plain reached its peak between the 11th and 13th centuries with more than 10,000 monuments. Indeed, over the years, other kings and inhabitants have built temples there in order to display their wealth, but above all to gain religious merit. From there, the site attracted monks from other countries.
It was in the 15th century that the plain fell completely into ruin after it was invaded several times by the armies of neighboring peoples. Only a few pilgrims continued to visit the few main temples on the plain.
Today, only 2200 temples have survived Man and time. Despite this, visiting this territory remains an extraordinary experience, as it is a unique site in the world.
A magical experience
Once there, thousands of temples will be available to you. There are several ways to visit this plain. The visit is usually done in 2 or 3 days, but it depends if you want to go deeper or not. To best appreciate the site, get up very early, because it is in the early morning that the light is the most beautiful.
The plain of Bagan is known for its shots taken from the sky. If you want and can afford it, a sunrise hot air balloon ride will forever be etched in your memory. Otherwise, you can visit this site on foot, but you will not be able to see everything. Other possibilities are the electric scooter or the bicycle, an economical and ecological way to explore this place.
