Articles in Myanmar
VIDEO: Astonishing Unfinished Pagoda of Mingun – MANDALAY, MYANMAR
A mere ten-kilometer boat ride from Mandalay lies what some people call the largest pile of bricks in the world at Mingun. This astonishing pile of bricks was intended to be the largest pagoda in the world. It was never finished, and it was badly damaged in an earthquake. Yet, what remains is an incredible sight.
Guarding the entrance to the pagoda are two equally massive …
VIDEO: Bagan to Mandalay – A Day on the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar
Mandalay is not that far from Bagan. I believe it is about 170 kilometers by road, and if you need to make that trip to catch your flight, there are a lot of very comfortable and reasonably-priced buses waiting to take you. Some of them will even come to your hotel and pick you up there and drop you off at your hotel in Mandalay.
You …
VIDEO: Where, Oh Where, Is the Bagan Viewing Tower? (BAGAN FROM ABOVE)
Eyesore or wonderful vantage point for viewing the Bagan Archaeological Zone? That was the question I wanted to answer about the Nan Myint Tower, or the Bagan Viewing Tower. I had a bit of a struggle finding my way there, which seems odd considering it was supposed to be an imposing tower dominating the landscape. But I did eventually find it, and I was able …
VIDEO: My Favorite Bagan Temple – Where the wind takes me!
It was another very windy day in Bagan, and I jumped on my rented e-bike to do some more exploring. I had a vague idea of some of the pagodas and temples I wanted to visit in the Bagan Archaeological Zone, but I also wanted to be open to surprises along the way. So I set off with the idea that I’d follow my impulses …
VIDEO: Bagan E-Bike Tour – Museum, Temples, & Pagodas
The Bagan Archaelogical Zone has over 2,200 religious structures to explore. Where to start? I decided to start with a visit to the Bagan Archaelogical Museum. And from there, I visited three of the most famous temples and pagodas in Bagan. And it was all by e-bike, of course.
SILENT SPEED – Renting An E-Bike in Bagan
In the “old days”, you made your way around the temples and pagodas of Bagan by bicycle, by horse-drawn cart, or by private car. Nowadays, however, a new option has appeared with a vengeance: e-bikes. E-bike rental operations are everywhere in Bagan, and chances are that your hotel can rent you an e-bike or there will be an e-bike rental company right across the road.
I’d …
VIDEO: The Wonders of Shwezigon Pagoda, & the Streets of Nyaung U (Bagan, Myanmar)
There are well over 2,000 pagodas, temples, and other religious structures in the Bagan area of Myanmar. One of the most famous is the Shwezigon Pagoda, located just a couple hundred meters away from my guest house in the small town of Nyaung U.
This was my first day in Bagan, and instead of renting an E-Bike (I do that the next day), I set off …
VIDEO: Yangon to Bagan by Train – 20 Hours of Rattle and Roll
About 430 miles (690 kilometers) separate Yangon from Bagan, and I decided to cover that distance by train. I’ll always go somewhere by train (as opposed to a bus) if that is an option. I like to be able to get up out of my seat and walk around and have regular access to a bathroom. And I like the views you get from train …