Bagan & Central Myanmar
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©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Bagan & Central Myanmar Includes ¨ Why Go? Taungoo (Toungoo) ..143 This heartland of the Bamar people has been the location of Nay Pyi Taw .........146 three former Burmese capitals – Bagan, Pyay and Taungoo – Meiktila ............149 plus the latest surreal one, Nay Pyi Taw. Of this quartet, it’s Pyay ...............151 Bagan with its wondrous vista of pagodas and stupas, many dating to the 12th century, that’s the star attraction. The tall- Bagan ..............156 est and most majestic of Bagan’s temples, built of brick, dec- Nyaung U ...........158 orated inside with beautiful frescoes and topped with gilded Old Bagan ..........164 hti pinnacles, mix Hindu and Buddhist images with locally New Bagan brewed nat (spirits) in nooks and crannies. (Bagan Myothit) .....167 Most visitors fly directly to Bagan, but central Myanmar Mt Popa ............172 also provides scenic rewards for adventurous travellers. It may be known as the ‘dry zone’, but the region is far from Salay ...............173 a desert. Beside highways and rickety train tracks amble ox Monywa ............176 carts through rice fields 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 ¨ Black Bamboo (p162) ¨ Weather Spoon’s Bagan When to Go (p161) Bagan °C/°F Te mp Rainfall inches/mm ¨ Be Kind to Animals the 50/122 20/500 Moon (p166) 40/104 16/400 ¨ Pleasant Island (p177) 30/86 12/300 20/68 8/200 Best Places to 10/50 4/100 0/32 0 Sleep J FDM A M J J A S O N ¨ Blue Bird Hotel (p170) ¨ Ostello Bello (p168) Nov–Feb Most Mar–May Hot Jun–Oct Rainy visitors come in season, when season; the land- ¨ Lei Thar Gone (p155) ‘winter’, when daytime tempera- scape is lush and ¨ Myanmar Beauty Guest temperatures are tures boil at up to hotel rates are at House II (p144) moderately ‘cool’ 100°F (40°C) and their lowest. at around 86°F. higher. ¨ Win Unity (p176) 142 Budalin Madaya Alon Shwebo Hsipaw Kyaukka (68mi) Monywa Thanboddhay Sadaung Hpo Win Paya Taungbyone Daung Pyin Oo Lwin A Myint Bodhi Tataung Mandalay C Sagaing hindwinChaungn U Amarapura River Myinmu ge Chin State Inwa Paleik yitn (31mi) SAGAING M REGION Mandalay R Airport Myine Yesagyo iver Kyaukse Pauk Yebya Myingyan Nwa-htou Gyi 0 40 km Myittha 0 20 miles Pakokku Ayeyarwady Taungtha River MANDALAY Nyaung U Lawksawk Old Bagan REGION Saman River Gonkor New Bagan SHAN Bagan 1 MyingyanPlain STATE Seikpyu Mt Popa (2418ft) Chauk Meiktila Kyaukpadaung Salay Thazi Taunggyi Ayeyarwady 4 Y River Sinbyugyun 2 ang on Pyawbwe Aungban Salin Kalaw -M Inle Yenan-gyoung andalay Lake BAGAN & CENTRAL MYAN CENTRAL & BAGAN MAGWE Yamethin REGION 2 Sagu Expre Magwe s Minbu s way Tatkon Pinlon Taungdwingyi 2 Beikthano n Nay Pyi Taw a NAY PYI TAW g Train Station a B - y n Pyinmana o w g H n a Lewe Y M AR AR S ittou & CE & Myayde ng Tayet River ntr 1 2 KAYIN Yedashe STATE AL MYA AL BAGO REGION Than Daung Gyi RAKHINE Paukkhaung STATE Taungoo nm Pyay Thayekhittaya Bago (106mi); Oktwin A Shwedaung Yangon (155mi) R HIG H LIG Bagan & Central Myanmar Highlights 1 Bagan (p156) Clambering 3 Mt Popa (p172) Paying 5 Bodhi Tataung (p179) hts up the steps to the top of an respects to Myanmar’s 37 Pondering what the Buddha ancient pagoda for a jaw- nat at their spiritual home, would have felt to see his dropping view over the temple- the monkey-tastic volcanic likeness fashioned as a studded plain of Bagan. mountaintop temple at Mt Popa. 30-storey concrete statue. 2 Ayeyarwady River (p165) 4 Than Daung Gyi (p145) 6 Nay Pyi Taw (p146) Taking a sunset boat ride Exploring the peaceful Kayin Discovering Myanmar’s surreal from Old Bagan, enjoying the village of Than Daung Gyi near 21st-century capital. peaceful rhythms of life along Taungoo that has only recently the waterfront. opened to visitors..