Travelling to Bagan: Expect Temples, festivals, massages, golf & more!
A trip to Bagan has been on our list of "must dos" ever since we first heard about Myanmar. The incredible archaeological and spiritual sites are unparalleled and the plains of Bagan are home to the largest concentration of religious buildings in the world. Over 2200 temples and pagodas remain from over 10,000 that were built starting in the 11th century, when Bagan was a thriving kingdom. Built on fault lines, the surviving structures - some up to 1,000 years old - remain as an impressive testament to faith and community.
Traveling by boat from Mandalay to Bagan is one of the nicest ways to get around Myanmar. And the most memorable! Join us as we talk about our journey sailing down the Irrawaddy on the Mandalay to Bagan boat. (Updated 2021).
Thousands of travelers stream into Myanmar every year, anxious to catch of glimpse of the ancient temples and famous hospitality that for so long have been kept in isolation. Unfortunately, transportation routes have not kept pace with the flow of visitors and it still takes considerable time to travel between cities that are quite close to one another. This was the transportation dilemma we faced as we debated whether to include the Mandalay to Bagan boat in our plans.
We needed to go from Mandalay to Bagan, but the expense of flying was out of the question and neither the lengthy bus nor ancient train offered a comfortable or efficient option (as we would find out later in the trip!) That left the Irrawaddy River. As such we decided to travel from Mandalay to Bagan by boat and it made for a decidedly slow but relatively pleasant commute. Kipling, Orwell, and... Harry Potter? A Day in Mandalay! Day 9 of Our Round The World Trip16/1/2014
Mandalay has an impressive history. We went in search of the top Mandalay attractions. See how our Mandalay sightseeing adventures actually turned out in the end!Mandalay – the city of Kipling and Orwell, an ancient royal capital, a place of incredible beauty and history - no wonder it's no longer a secret! Over a year ago, when we started to draft an itinerary for this trip, the country known as both Myanmar and Burma was untouched, almost unheard of, to the average traveler. How much can change in a year! After topping everyone’s list of where to travel in 2013, tourism has exploded here, with the guidebooks barely able to keep up. Myanmar has hosted its first international literature festival and marathon in decades, hotels and guesthouses are cropping up on every corner – this is the place to be! Here are the Mandalay attractions we wanted to see and - because it's us - a realistic look at how our Mandalay sightseeing actually turned out.
The BEST Travel Experience of My Life - My Ultimate Anti-Adventure with Balloons Over Bagan.16/1/2014
There's nothing like seeing the sunrise over the ancient temples of Bagan in a hot air balloon.
I try to never lose track of how fortunate I am to travel and I always remind myself how lucky I am that my work as a travel writer introduces me to extraordinary locations, experiences, and people. Never has this been more in focus than during my hot air balloon ride over the spectacular ancient temples of Bagan, Myanmar. Without a doubt it stands alone as the most incredible, breathtaking travel experience of my life and I'm so happy to share my memories with you here.
Our Viator excursion was anything but what we expected.
In a recent post, Istanbul in an Instant, we spoke of our excitement to be in Istanbul for the day and our desire to experience a little bit of everything. We were very much looking forward to taking part in Viator's Istanbul City Tour with Bosphorus Strait Sightseeing Cruise, which promised a city tour, a boat tour, and a tour of the spice market. Unfortunately, nothing went as planned or expected.
Turns out I can sleep on an airplane afterall!
Today is a bland, boring day of transit and that’s okay by us! It's nearly 9 hours to fly from Istanbul to Bangkok, plus several hours hanging around airports, combined with a big time change – it’s going to be a long day!
The Plan: We leave Istanbul at 1:00 am and we land in Bangkok at 3:00 pm. We’re only in Bangkok for the night, as we depart for Myanmar bright and early the next day. We’ll be flying into one Bangkok airport and out of another, so as soon as we land we’ll be making our way across town for the glamour the second airport’s hotel. We’re anticipating some serious exhaustion and want to make the next morning’s departure as smooth as possible. Looking for information on the Air Asia shuttle bus to Mandalay? See our update below. We have all the information you need on getting from Mandalay Airport to city center Mandalay. Few countries are changing as rapidly as Myanmar. This gorgeous nation, with its warm citizens and spectacular temples, is popping up on every list of must-see destinations. After so many decades of seclusion, travelers are flocking to Myanmar's beautiful countryside, vibrant cities, and moving spiritual sites. But first you have to get from the airport to your main destination! As we flew in to Mandalay, we thought it would be helpful to share all our best tips for getting from Mandalay Airport to city center Mandalay.
It's important to note that this information is always evolving. By the time you read this, you may find that prices have changed significantly, transportation routes have altered, new hotels and restaurants have emerged seemingly overnight. I'm happy to share my experiences from our recent trip in hopes that I can help with practical information, as well as inspire others to visit this incredibly special country. PS - If you're interested in learning more about the Air Asia shuttle bus, read on to see our latest update towards the bottom of the post. Visiting Istanbul for the first time? You'll find a proverbial city at a crossroads.When we land in Istanbul, I’ll officially be entering my first hybrid country. Am I in Europe or Asia? Does this count as visiting the Middle East? It’s hard to say in this multi-cultural, cosmopolitan city and I can’t wait to embrace it all – assuming we can squeeze it all in! We’re in Istanbul for just 12 hours, as this is just considered a ‘stopover’ on route from Brussels to Bangkok. Taking into account time spent in the airport, we’ll have about 8 hours to discover the city. No problem, right?
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