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http://www.wnd.sgBAGAN
If you had to pick just one place in Myanmar to visit, it’s got to be Bagan. Home
to the Pagan Kingdom, Bagan is a 1 hour 20 minute direct flight from Yangon.
The ancient town is spread out, way beyond its crumbling walls, along the
Irrawaddy River, into the heartlands. One of the richest archaeological sites in
Southeast Asia, Bagan houses more than 4000 pagodas, or Buddhist temples,
within a 20 mile radius.
The dusty lanes of the countryside are littered with pagodas, most of them
forgotten and lying ignored. It is a humbling sight, to witness the glory of a
kingdom a 1000 years ago. At the empire’s peak, there were as many as 10,000
pagodas constructed here. Many fell to natural disasters like earthquakes over
the years.
A major earthquake in 1975 damaged a large number of pagodas. The
military junta government decided to accept international assistance at the
time and some important temples were restored by experts from across the
world. However, in 1988, a new set of generals came into power and rejected
any outside help, to avoid world scrutiny in internal affairs. Bagan fell back into
ruin, one of the most world’s most wondrous archeological sites, left without
UN protection. In fact, the government encouraged rich locals to donate money
and ‘adopt’ a pagoda, allowing them to redesign the monument as per their
preferences, using local labour and with complete disregard to the original
structure. This was termed ‘blitzkrieg archaeology’ by the late Myanmar
historian, Than Tun.
Today, the structures lie forgotten and in ruins, scattered across the land
like a handful of peanuts. Perhaps in their forgotten state lies their beauty.
You can hire an electric scooter and go discover pagodas by yourself. Leave
the paved road behind, drive into the dusty bylanes and find hundreds of
pagodas, some small, others massive; a few with stunning frescos, others with
barricaded rooms and mythical tales of what lies behind the closed doors.
For an unforgettable experience, Bagan must be viewed from a hot air
balloon flying above. Multiple authorised companies run hot air balloon tours
in the region, that allow you to take off before sunrise, gently rising above the
town until you are sailing by, with a carpet of pagodas at your feet. It is truly a
magical experience, one that can not be rivaled anywhere in the world. History
unfurling itself under your eyes.LAKE INLE
A short flight from Bagan, Lake Inle is a vast freshwater lake located in the
Shan State. Nestled within mountains, it is the second largest lake in Myanmar
and offers an experience distinct from the ruins of Bagan or the urban charm
of Yangon.
Five-star luxury villas and resorts dot the sides of the lake, spread out such
that you feel that the body of water is your own personal haven. A boat tour
is the best way to explore the area and the villages that live on and around the
lake. You may spot the famous ‘one-legged fishermen’ posing on long tail boats,
sometimes stretching out their hats for money if you get too close to take
photographs.
A memorable site, Shwe Indein Pagoda, must be included in your boat
trip. It involves walking up numerous staircases (or a gentle hill), spotted
with narrow and tall pagodas, often gilded. The sight of scores of thin golden
pagodas rising up towards the skies is a precious one, great for photography but
also a reminder that such beauty lies undiscovered in the interiors of the world.
Myanmar is home to 135 tribes and more than 30 of these stay in villages
around Lake Inle and the hills around. One tribe in particular is popular across
the world, for their ‘long neck ladies’ or the custom of making girls wear heavy
gold neckpieces so as to elongate their necks. Known as Kayan or Padaung, this