Bagan in 7 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, Land & wander

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, Iconic sights

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, Food & markets

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

Day 4, Local neighbourhoods

Base: Myinkaba, Village between Old and New Bagan known for lacquerware workshops and small temples.

Morning: Myinkaba's Gubyaukgyi with its 12th-century murals and Mon inscriptions. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Myinkaba, Village between Old and New Bagan known for lacquerware workshops and small temples.

Evening: The riverside at Bu Paya for sunset over the Irrawaddy instead of the temples. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Tomato salad and pumpkin curry at the vegetarian-friendly plain-side cafes

Day 5, Day trip

Base: The central plain, Open scrubland dotted with hundreds of unnamed stupas and the best empty spots.

Morning: Slow start: coffee in The central plain, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

Afternoon: Explore The central plain, Open scrubland dotted with hundreds of unnamed stupas and the best empty spots.

Evening: Dinner at Burmese curry sets served with soup, salads and endless rice refills, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in The central plain.

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

Day 6, Hidden gems

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

Morning: Slow start: coffee in Old Bagan, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

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

Evening: Dinner at Mohinga fish noodle soup at Nyaung-U's morning market, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Old Bagan.

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

Day 7, Slow finish

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

Morning: Slow start: coffee in New Bagan, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

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

Evening: Dinner at Tea-leaf salad, lahpet thoke, sharp and bitter and completely Burmese, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in New Bagan.

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.

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