Bagan in 3 days

Thousands of brick temples scattered across a dusty plain on the Irrawaddy. Best time to visit: November-February. Average daily budget: $25 to $80 USD.

Day 1, Get oriented

Base: Old Bagan, Inside the ancient walls, closest to the major temples and the priciest hotels.

Morning: Sunrise over the plain. Watch the light hit thousands of temples from an approved viewing mound.

Afternoon: Explore Old Bagan, Inside the ancient walls, closest to the major temples and the priciest hotels.

Evening: Ananda Temple. The best-preserved and most refined of Bagan's great temples.

Eat: Burmese curry sets served with soup, salads and endless rice refills

Day 2, Go deeper

Base: New Bagan, Southern town built for relocated residents, with mid-range guesthouses and restaurants.

Morning: E-bike the central plain. Ride through the temple fields with no fixed route and stop wherever looks good.

Afternoon: Explore New Bagan, Southern town built for relocated residents, with mid-range guesthouses and restaurants.

Evening: Lacquerware workshops. Visit New Bagan's studios to see the months-long layering process up close.

Eat: Mohinga fish noodle soup at Nyaung-U's morning market

Day 3, Hidden side

Base: Nyaung-U, Backpacker base to the north-east, cheapest beds and the liveliest street food.

Morning: Sulamani's interior frescoes, often empty in the late afternoon. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Nyaung-U, Backpacker base to the north-east, cheapest beds and the liveliest street food.

Evening: Nan Myint tower area at dusk for a different angle on the plain. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Tea-leaf salad, lahpet thoke, sharp and bitter and completely Burmese

Hidden gems

Sulamani's interior frescoes, often empty in the late afternoon
Nan Myint tower area at dusk for a different angle on the plain
Myinkaba's Gubyaukgyi with its 12th-century murals and Mon inscriptions
The riverside at Bu Paya for sunset over the Irrawaddy instead of the temples

Getting around

E-bikes are the standard, costing about $6 to $8 a day and available everywhere. Bicycles are cheaper but the sand tracks are hard work. Horse carts run around $20 for a half-day with a driver who knows the temples. Taxis handle airport and bus-station runs for $8 to $15.

Safety

Bagan is safe for visitors, but climbing temples has been banned since 2018 after fatalities and earthquake damage, so use the designated mounds. Check current advice before travelling to Myanmar, as the wider security and political situation is unstable. Carry cash: card acceptance is limited and ATMs are unreliable.

Bagan in 5 days | Bagan in 7 days | Full Bagan guide