Bagan Day Tour last part; E-biking for Famous Temples at Night

4-days Self-guided Solo Tour in Myanmar (Burma)

February 02-08, 2014

Bagan day tour 5th part; from Shwesandaw to Dhammayangyi Pahto

I finished my day-tour around 1730H then headed-back to dormitory hostel in Nyang U road. The battery was still alive (started on 0830H, around more than 9 hours usage) even though it was abused on extensive off-road adventure by a first time rider ^_^. I surrendered this bike immediately then went for a shower, rested for wifi'ing then went outside again. I hired new bike (costs 2,500 kyat on agreed usage from 1900H to 2300H) to tour Bagan at night, have dinner and book my Mandalay bound bus trip for tomorrow.

Bagan Archaeological Zone is very safe to stroll at night, despite there was zero presence of road lights across Nyang U road. Actually I'm the only one that time who visited this places, I did not saw any tourists who aims for night shoot photos. I went back at my hostel around 2200H.

Bagan e-biking night tour (Shwezigon Pagoda)

Bagan Day Tour 5th part; from Shwesandaw to Dhammayangyi Pahto

4-days Self-guided Solo Tour in Myanmar (Burma)

February 02-08, 2014

Bagan day tour 4th part; from Upalithein to Thatbyinnyu Temple

After visiting the Thatbyinnyu Temple, I visited tow of the most famous Pagoda's for initial initial intention of sunset viewing. But due to exhaustion, temple-out and hunger, I decided to just capture photo's and enjoy the remaining battery life of my E-bike before it becomes empty. Very minimal tourist along the road, though very dusty, this event was one of the most happiest adventure of my life.

Shwesandaw Pagoda - the highest Pagoda Tourists can reach (be very cautious of the stairway steepness) and the best place for sunset viewing. This was also the location the of surprise ticket inspection (15,000kyat for Bagan Archeological Zone 5-days pass) where I was caught off-guard, good thing I have this very vigilant and persuasive explanation.
Dhammayangyi Pahto - the mother of all pagoda's in Bagan. This is the largest and the symbol of Bagan Archaeological Zone. 

Shwesandaw Pagoda is a Buddhist pagoda located in Bagan, Burma. The pagoda contains a series of five terraces, topped with a cylindrical stupa, which has a bejewelled umbrella (hti). The pagoda was built by King Anawrahta in 1057, and once contained terra cotta tiles depicting scenes from the Jataka. Enshrined within the pagoda are sacred hairs of Gautama Buddha, which were obtained from Thaton.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shwesandaw_Pagoda

Bagan e-biking day tour (Dhammayangyi Pahto)

Bagan Day Tour 4th part; from Upalithein to Thatbyinnyu Temple

4-days Self-guided Solo Tour in Myanmar (Burma)

February 02-08, 2014 

Bagan day tour 3rd part; from Shweleiktoo toHtilominlo Pagoda

After visiting Htilominlo Pagoda, the following are the temples I visited in order of proximity.

Upalithein Pagoda - short visit and good photo-ops at the back
Rayangazu Pagodas - another set of pagodas
Hsutaungpyi Pagoda  - white pagoda. Beside I made a refreshments in The Moon restobar, spaghetti and fruit shake costs 5,400kyat ($5.4)
Ananda Temple - big white pagoda, great photoshoot outside
Thatbyinnyu temple - same with Ananda, road going Dhammayangyi Temple. 

Upali Thein, close the Htilominlo Temple, on the other side of the road, is a good example of a sima or ordination hall. It is thought to have been founded in the mid-13th century and named after the monk, Upali. It is rectangular with a vaulted hall and an image of the Buddha at the west end. Its design is said to resemble many of Bagan's former wooden buildings. 

Bagan e-biking day tour (Thatbyinnyu Temple)

Bagan Day Tour 3rd part; from Shweleiktoo to Htilominlo Pagoda

4-days Self-guided Solo Tour in Myanmar (Burma)

February 02-08, 2014

Bagan day tour 2nd part; visiting the Shwezigon Pagoda

Shweleiktoo Temple is the temple famous for sunrise photoshoot over Old Bagan as well as Balloons floating which commence around 0515H-0545H. This was the initial and not so obligatory task to perform in enjoying the best of Bagan Archeological Zone. Arrive early as other tourists especially the high-end photographers tend to place themselves to the highest peak reachable on this temple. The higher you reach, the better you can photograph the stunning morning horizon. I arrived around 0445H with my cheater horse cart driver (with very, very slow movement), then parked in-front of the temple and stay inside (very cold with lots of mosquitoes) while trying hard to nap for a moment. Afterwards, I saw some arriving tourists with their rented mountain bikes and horse carts around 0515H. Being flashlight (mobile phone light is enough) as there is a very narrow stairway inside the Pagoda.

Bagan e-biking day tour (sunrise photoshoot on Shweleiktoo Pagoda)

Bagan Day Tour 2nd part; Visiting the Shwezigon Pagoda

4-days Self-guided Solo Tour in Myanmar (Burma)

February 02-08, 2014

Bagan day tour 1st part; strolling self-guided tips

After the sunrise photoshoot, I went first to New Bagan (downtown) to search for a best and cheapest accommodation for a night. I saw Eden Hostel III located along Nyang U road, around 500 meters away from Bagan Bus terminal. Then, immediately hired an E-bike with standard price of 6,000 kyat ($6) but I negotiated it to 5,000 Kyat ($5) for a full charged battery day tour. My first destination was to take breakfast then bought a map as my tour guide to identify the Temple names and their location proximity. After breakfast, onward to one of the famous Pagoda's of Bagan and the look-a-like of Shwedagon Pagoda of Yangon, the Shwezigon Pagoda. Within the compound of the Shwezigon Pagoda is a stone pillar containing Mon language inscriptions dedicated by King Kyansittha.

Bagan e-biking day tour (visiting the Shwezigon Pagoda)

Bagan Day Tour 1st part; Strolling Self-guided Tips

4-days Self-guided Solo Tour in Myanmar (Burma)
February 02-08, 2014

Yangon City tour last part; just off the streets

Marco Polo once described Bagan as a "gilded city alive with tinkling bells and the swishing sounds of monks' robes". Bagan Archaeological Zone was described by National Geographic as “one of Southeast Asia’s greatest archaeological heritage sites”, while Japan’s permanent delegation to UNESCO describes it as one of Asia’s “major historical landmarks.”

Coming from a Yangon night bus trip from 1930H to 0400H the following day, it is highly recommended to wear a jacket as the chill becomes intolerable on the time of arrival. Horse cart fare bound for sunrise shoot in one of the Pagoda's inside Bagan costs 15,000 kyat ($15). Due to a very sleepy status and miscommunication problem with the locals, I thought I heard the driver said only 1,500 kyat that was why I immediate grabbed the offer. I kept repeating the fare on him while we're on the way and he kept nodding pretending maybe to surprise me afterwards. But unfortunately upon payment when he brought me to my researched accommodation (walk-in only, no reservation), this was the time he declared he did not understood that 1,500 is different to 15,000. So that's it, I gave 15,000 kyat and I told him that don't be a cheater to any tourist especially the one traveling alone, it's bad and unfair to other kind and honest horse cart drivers.

Bagan, located on the banks of the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) River, is home to the largest and densest concentration of Buddhist temples, pagodas, stupas and ruins in the world with many dating from the 11th and 12th centuries. It is estimated that as many as 13,000 temples and stupas once stood on this 42 sq km plain in central Myanmar.  Approximately 2,200 remain today, in various states of disrepair.
http://wikitravel.org/en/Bagan
 

Bagan day tour (inside the Archeological Zone)