Bagan, Myanmar

We flew north from Yangon to Bagan and it was a short hour and a half flight.  Bagan is an ancient city in the Mandalay region of Myanmar.  It is located in the centre of Myanmar on the banks of the Ayeyarwady River and it is home to the largest and densest concentration of Buddhist temples, pagodas and stupas.  While flying over Bagan we got an amazing glimpse of all the temples scattered around this region and it was unbelievable.  

Bagan was the absolute highlight of our trip to Myanmar and we have no doubt that it will become a very popular tourist attraction in the future.  

Thiripyitsaya Sanctuary Resort

During our time in Bagan we stayed at the Thiripyitsaya Sanctuary Resort.  It is a lovely and peaceful resort that is right on the Ayeyarwaddy River.  

Nyaung U Market

We visited this market in Bagan and got to see what is available for sale and what the locals eat.  We love visiting markets all around the world and this experience was no different.

Thanaka

We discovered this Myanmar natural skin treatment at Nyaung U Market where we saw a lot of it for sale.  Our guide explained to us that the Myanmar people have used Thanaka for over 2000 years for smooth and beautiful skin.  The Thanaka tree, also known as the "Elephant Apple Tree" is grown mostly in the semi-sandy and arid regions of central Myanmar.  The bark is the most prized and valuable part, and it is ground on a slab of stone with some water to form a paste.  This paste is then applied to face and body by men, women and children of all ages.  We were told that even babies (2-3 months) are fully covered in Thanaka after their daily bath.  Thanaka is used as a natural sunscreen, it is used to treat pimples and it has a skin-tightening and cooling effect.  We love making these new natural discoveries!

Lacquer Factory

While in Bagan we visited a lacquer factory to see how lacquer is made.  Bagan is famous for its lacquer ware and at this factory every piece was hand-made.  It was great watching these skilled artisans at work making some beautiful pieces. 

Boat ride on the Ayerwaddy River

On our last day in Bagan we took a very peaceful boat ride along the Ayeyarwaddy River.  We got to see some of the temples along the river and also got to see an amazing sunset.

Dinner at a local restaurant with a puppet show

On our last evening in Bagan we had dinner at a local restaurant and watched an entertaining puppet show.