Bagan & Central Myanmar

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Why Go? Nyaung U ...... 116 This heartland of Bamar culture has been the location of Old Bagan ...... 121 three former Burmese capitals – Bagan, Pyay and Taungoo – Myinkaba ...... 123 as well as the current one, Nay Pyi Taw. Of this quartet, it’s Bagan with its wondrous vista of pagodas and stupas, many New Bagan dating back to the 12th century, that’s the star attraction. (Bagan Myothit) . . . . .124 The tallest and most majestic of Bagan’s temples – built of Mt Popa ...... 126 brick, decorated inside with beautiful frescos and topped Salay ...... 128 with gilded hti pinnacles – mix Hindu and Buddhist images Monywa ...... 130 with locally brewed nat (spirits) in nooks. Taungoo ...... 136 Most visitors ﬂ y directly to Bagan, but central Myanmar also provides scenic rewards for adventurous travellers. It Nay Pyi Taw...... 139 may be known as the ‘dry zone’, but the region is far from Meiktila ...... 141 a desert. Beside highways and rickety train tracks amble ox Pyay (Prome) ...... 143 carts through rice ﬁ elds and rolling plains, all rimmed by the Shan Mountains to the east and the snaking Ayeyar- wady (Irrawaddy) River to the west, creating scenes that hark back centuries. Best Places to Eat » Aroma 2 (p 118 ) When to Go » Be Kind to Animals the Moon (p 122 ) This area comprises the bulk of the ‘dry zone’ of Myanmar, and it remains hot and dusty for much of the year. Most visi- » Grandma Café (p 144 ) tors come in winter (November to February), when daytime » Golden Rain Tea Center temperatures are a relatively chilly 86°F (30°C) during the (p 142 ) day and about 50°F (10°C) at night. From March to May, » Maw Khan Nong (p141 ) the hottest season, daytime temperatures boil at up to 109°F (43°C). Rains peak in June and October, but run throughout the months between. There are several temple festivals in Best Places to Stay Bagan (p 158) and elsewhere that you may want to try and » Hotel @ Tharabar Gate build your itinerary around or avoid, depending on your (p 122 ) interests. » Thazin Garden Hotel (p 124 ) » Mya Yatanar Inn (p 129 ) » Myanmar Beauty Guest House II, III & IV (p138 ) To Budalin To Shwebo To Shwebo Madaya Alon Kyaukka To Hsipaw (68mi) Monywa Thanboddhay Sadaung 112 Hpo Win Taungbyone Daung Paya Bodhi Tataung Pyin Oo Lwin A Myint Mandalay ChindwinnChaung U Sagaing Myinmu Amarapura River To Chin State Inwa Paleik (31mi) SAGAING Myitnge REGION Mandalay River Airport Myine Yesagyo Kyaukse Pauk Myingyan Yebya Nwa-htou gyi 0 40 km Myittha 0 20 miles Pakokku Ayeyarwady River Taungtha Nyaung U MANDALAY Lawksawk

Old Bagan REGION Saman River Gonkor New Bagan SHAN Bagan 1 MyingyanPlain STATE Mt Popa Seikpyu (2418ft) Chauk Meiktila Salay Kyaukpadaung Thazi Ayeyarwady Taunggyi 4

Yangon Sinbyugyun River 2

BAGAN & CENTRAL MYANMAR Pyawbwe Aungban Salin Kalaw -Mandalay Inle Yenan-gyoung Lake Yamethin

2 Sagu Expres Minbu Magwe sway Tatkon Pinlon Taungdwingyi 2 Beikthano

Nay Pyi Taw NAY PYI TAW Train Station ay Pyinmana

Highw Yangon-Bagan Lewe

MAGWE REGION Sittoung

Myayde Tayet River 1 2 KAYIN BAGO Yedashe STATE REGION RAKHAING Paukkhaung STATE Taungoo Pyay Thayekhittaya To Bago (106mi); Oktwin Shwedaung Yangon (155mi)

Bagan & Central Myanmar Highlights 1 Watch from a hot-air 3 Pay respects to 5 Explore the colourful balloon (p113 ) as the sun Myanmar’s 37 nat at their riverside market in the rises or sets over the temple- spiritual home, the monkey- morning and the hilltop studded plain of Bagan arama volcanic mountaintop Shwesandaw Paya in the 2 Hit the Ayeyarwady River temple at Mt Popa (p 126 ) afternoon at Pyay (p143 ) on a Bagan–Mandalay boat 4 Hang with elephants at a 6 Ponder what the Buddha (p 120 ), or on a half-day trip to working camp east of Taungoo would have felt to see his nearby temples (p165 ) (p 137 ) likeness fashioned as a 30-storey concrete statue at Bodhi Tataung (p133 )