Some are abandoned and it's eerily quiet.
Some are impressive with their 20 foot high Buddha, some are simple, humble affairs.
Some are well lit, some are so dark you can't see but you can hear the bats shuffling around on the ceiling above.
Some have people sleeping in them, some have people urinating in them- basically there's a temple for all types and needs! I actually bought some art from a local inside a 900 year old temple. It was surreal!
Tips if you're going to Bagan.
#1 Fly!
-Don't take the bus. It's 8 hours, only "air conditioned", which means no bathroom. It makes frequent stops so it drags on and on. Overnighting it is the most reasonable, but it's hard to sleep due to the winding roads and bumps...and the MTV blaring on the tv screen.(!?) I would only recommend this mode of transportation if you are on a tight budget and have the time to kill. Otherwise book a flight and get there faster and save a day.
#2 Rent Bikes!
-Most hotels in Bagan, New Bagan, Old Bagan etc. will have bikes to rent. Just make sure you get one with brakes that function. It's not very hilly there-it's right near the Ayerwaddy River so it's a flat alluvial plain that only has gradual hills...but brakes are important so make sure your bike can stop with you on it. And having a functioning bell helps too when passing slow-pokes :) My bell wasn't working in the morning but then in the afternoon it decided to work :/ But Bagan is massive, and if you want to see a large chunk of it, it's best to bike it. You'll be dusty at the end of the day but it's so worth it!
#3 See a puppet show!
-There's a restaurant there where they have puppet shows. It's awesome and a good chance to see local culture. The food isn't bad either!
#4 Ride a Donkey Cart!?
-I say this if only for the experience. It's not really a viable mode of transportation (SOOO SLOW!) but it's worth it just to stop, slow down, take a break, and soak in your surroundings.
#5 Buy some art!
-I always like to support the local economy by getting something. I'm not a fan of figurines of Buddha or statues, or heads-they seem eerily like products of looting. Many of the small shrines and pagodas we went into had a decapitated Buddha or three, and then a mile down the road there was a guy selling heads, statues, etc...so you're thinking "where's your supply coming from?" BUT I highly recommend some crafty, painting-y, clothing-y type deal from one of the vendors that are conspicuously placed around the larger temples. Or, you could do what happened to me and wander into an abandoned, larger sized temple and strike up a conversation with a local who "just happened" to be in there and then have him sell you some of his sand art paintings inside a 900 year old pagoda! Turns out his art was better than most others we saw.
#6 Hot Air Ballooning?
-We saw some hot air balloons taking off when we arrived on our first morning after getting off the bus and getting onto a donkey cart and riding to a temple to view the sunrise. It was an amazing morning, and if you have the 200-300 USD to shell out for a morning balloon ride. DO IT! I can't imagine what this place looks like from the air if it's this spectacular from the ground!
Anyway, here are some of my Bagan photos. I went photo crazy...so here are just a few from my stack of a hundred or two!
