A visit to the world heritage site at Bagan is one of the most memorable highlights of travel in Myanmar.

From the 12th to the 14 centuries one of the early seats of Buddhism in Myanmar, Bagan today is one of the most fascinating ancient sites in South East Asia. 40 square kilometres of rust coloured plains flanked by the Irrawaddy River and packed with thousands of monuments to Buddhism, Bagan is the result of Myanmar kings pouring their resources into the glorification of their religion. Other Myanmar Kingdoms such as at Thaton in today’s southern Myanmar were overrun by Bagan, and their culture and manpower absorbed into the Bagan Kingdom. Stunning temples and pagodas of many sizes and shapes were built over some two and a half centuries, scattered across an arid plain.

In the 14th century it all ended suddenly, with the arrival of the Mongols under Ghengis Khan, and the Bagan Kindom was scattered to the winds. Its monuments remain, however, and have defied the ravages of time and earthquakes. Their remains today are ranked by many as one of the wonders of the world.

At the end of a late afternoon’s exploration, watching from a temple top as the dying sun illuminates the outline of the ancient city outline – or, for early birds, watching the sun rise behind the silhouette of temples in dawn mist, is yet another breathtaking experience in Bagan.