Bagan, the city of 2 temples

We sometimes wonder how certain places have become so touristy. For Bagan in Burma, the question is rather to know why this place is not it more famous?

Location of Bagan, in central Burma.

In fact, the main reason probably lies in its relatively recent accessibility. The country having been under various military juntas from 1962 to 2011, it is only in recent years that the territory is easier to visit. So I wouldn't be surprised to see Burmese tourism continue to increase dramatically, and in particular to Bagan.

In Bagan, which is the seat of the first Burmese kingdom, we find more than 2 religious buildings, of all sizes, built between the 800th and 10th centuries. All this in a territory of barely fifty square kilometers. Suffice to say that standing on just about any one of these temples, the view ignites a landscape unique in the world.

A view that I am not afraid to call world-class. Alongside architectural wonders such as Machu Picchu, the pyramids of Egypt or the Great Wall of China.

Panorama of the temples of Bagan.

Some blame the local authorities for rebuilding the temples too much in a modern way. But the land is at the center of a lot of seismic activity and without these renovations, the majority of the temples would not survive the test of time. From what I could see, the reconstruction is well done and is certainly not more intense than what is done on the Great Wall of China, where many sections are literally modern constructions.

5 photo sessions

Wishing to enjoy this incredible panorama, I rode my bike between the temples for two and a half days. Getting up three times before dawn, I would then spend part of the day looking for new photogenic places, then I would choose a place for the sunset.

Generally, I preferred the mornings. Maybe because it was the first time in my life that I had managed to get out of bed in the dark to go hunting for photos. But above all for the sight of the mist gradually rising between the temples and the mountains, and for the colors of the sun slowly waking up the birds.

Temples and birds.

Some wedding photos taken at the top of one of the temples.

Mau Mau, one of the temple vendors. The white temple at the back dates from 1144!

On the morning of the third day, the sky is clear enough for the hot air balloons of the more affluent tourists to take off. Giving at the same time to the poor earthly people of whom I am a superb sight even more exquisite than the previous mornings.

Some repairs are in progress on the most important temples.

Mount Popa

I then push my pedals towards the Mount Popa, to the East. An ancient volcano standing out clearly from the surrounding plain, it is visible 60 km away. Right next to it is a volcanic chimney, a 737 m cliff, on which a monastery is built.

I get there just in time for the late afternoon lights. And I am happy to have chosen this detour.

The monastery on the volcanic plug at Mount Popa.

10 000 km

The next day, in the descent bringing me back to the plain, I reached the 10 km mark. By a happy coincidence along the way, we can even see the mountain in the background at the same time.

My official photo also tells me that I have lost a little weight in the last few months ... and that my hair is not changing too much!

5 km, in Turkey.

10 km, in Burma.

South direction

After these incredible landscapes, my road continues to the south. I will follow the river Irrawaddy in the plain for a few hundred kilometers, in “historic” Burma.

And I have no idea what to expect.