Myanmar Day 4 – Journey to Mandalay

I have another half day at Bagan before leaving to Mandalay at 3pm. So I decided to rent a electric bicycle for about cost US$5 to cycle to New Bagan and Old Bagan to have a visit of full Bagan tour. I really love the electric bicycle as it is easy and less tiring after few day walking at Myanmar.



So I travel to New Bagan for about 30 minutes with some stop at the road for some ruins temple at Bagan passing by a Myinkaba village where the Manuha temple located but I did not visit cause I am focus on town rather than temples. New Bagan is similar to Nyaung U and Old Bagan is just another street of similar.



I am interested with the riverside where I just cycle into Lawkananda temple to have a last temple visit of Bagan and then have a break at the stall along the riverside before paying a visit to Si Thu Restaurant along the river to have a comparison with Beach Bagan Restaurant at Nyaung U and I still prefer Beach Bagan which is slightly better but there are nothing special of the sunset restaurant as mentioned.



Then after check out New Park Bagan, I have my lunch at a highly TA rated at Restaurant road, Nyaung U namely Weather Spoon Bagan. The owner and the restaurant is nice and friendly and I would like to recommend everyone as well. I hang around the restaurant for 2 hours before heading to the bus station for Mandalay.



The journey to Mandalay takes around 5.5 hours and its cost around 8,000kyats. We stop half way along the bumpy road to a local Myanmar restaurant and it is my first time trying Myanmar food. The first half of the road is through the bumpy and village road and another surprise is there are is another highway newly build take only take 1 hour to reach Mandalay which initially take additional 3 to 4 hours I believe.



Reaching Mandalay is another good experience as the city which are full of motor taxi and busy street. Without hesitation I took a motor taxi for about US$3 to go to Rich Queen Guesthouse which is quite expensive as it was 10pm and I am so tired without further consideration.
Rich Queen Guesthouse is near to the Mayanchan Jetty but it is not convenient to food or city center in my opinion. The 2 single bedroom cost me only US$20 which is quite reasonable for my budget. The most I like is near the Jetty as I am targeting to go Mingun the next day.

Next Day

Myanmar Day 3 – Bagan Adventure

Wake up at 7am and continue with my free breakfast included at 7:30am before going to the Hotel entrance to negotiate for a horse cart tour for about 15,000kyats to visit atleast 10 temples which is quite reasonable.



Here is the itinerary in sequence starting from 8am till 4pm for horse cart tour with some summary of the temples:-


Buu le' thee pagoda - The first simple temple which allow climb to the top for beautiful scenery view of Bagan. (Refer to above photos)


Sulamani temple - The temple with beautiful crave buddihsm story on the temple wall.(Refer to above photos)


Dammanyangyi temple - This is the largest temple in Bagan (Refer to above photos)


Anananda temple - This is one of the famous & important temple and it is still very active and lively among the locals for praying.(Refer to above photos)


Thabanyu temple - This is the tallest temple in Bagan.(Refer to above photos)


Shwe gu gyi temple - Another simple temple which allow climb to the top to have another view of Bagan.(Refer to above photos)

Mahabothi temple - Simple temple with the bothi tree.


Lunch at Sarabha at Old Bagan


Bupaya temple - The temple along the river.(Refer to above photos)


Gaw Daw Palin temple - I have no comment on this simple temple.


Htilo minlo temple - I believe it is beautiful red & grand temple between old bagan & nyaung U.(Refer to above photos)


Shwezigon temple - It is a temple similar to Yangon Shwedagon temple.(Refer to above photos)

Next Day

Myanmar Day 2 – Journey to Bagan

Surprisingly there are a wake up call at 5:30am by the guesthouse reception as we need to have our breakfast and then leaving to the bus station at 6:30am where I booked the bus to Bagan at 8am. The bus station is in a muddy place but luckily the bus is a VIP coach with cool air condition and is quite comfortable along the way to Bagan. It is a 10 hours journey cost around 15,000kyats and there are another surprise where I see a good highway at Myanmar which I understand it is newly build. The only disadvantage of the highway is that it reach only the intersection of Mandalay, then the other half of the road is using a single old trunk road to Bagan which is not bad afterall.



I reach Bagan at 6:30pm. The town do not have much building or shophouses and it is all small wooden houses scattered around and I was disoriented a while and having difficulty looking for the target guesthouse. So I took a thrisaw for about US$1 to get to New Park Bagan.where I got a discount room for about US$25/night at New Park Bagan.



After check in and then wanted to walk around but just manage to book a bus ticket to Mandalay and also have a Chinese cuisine at a restaurant just opposite the road of New Park Bagan. I need more rest to focus on Bagan archaeological area tomorrow.


Next Day