115BAGAN8BAGAN & CENTRAL MYANMAR8BAGAN & CENTRAL MYANMARtion training with a monk ($45; one hour)
and lacquerware painting ($90; fi ve hours).
8 Information
For travel information, try Nyaung U’s Ever Sky
Information Service (p 119 ) or the government-
run MTT offi ce in New Bagan (p 126 ).
Nyaung U and New Bagan have post offi ces.
You can get online in Nyaung U, New Bagan and
at select hotels.
Bagan used to have two area codes. A few list-
ings may still use the old %02 area code, which
we indicate, but nearly all local numbers now use
the %061 area code.
The Map of Bagan (www.dpsmap.com/bagan;
K1000) is sold at most hotels and at the airport.
It shows many of the area’s paths, but isn’t al-
ways 100% accurate.
8 Getting There & Around
To orient themselves, many visitors opt for a
‘greatest hits’ tour of the temples on horse cart or
by car, then follow it up by checking more remote
or lesser-known temples by bike. See also the
Getting There & Away and Getting Around sec-
tions of Nyaung U (p 119 ), Old Bagan (p 123 ) and
New Bagan (p 126 ) for details on getting to Yan-
gon, Inle Lake, Mandalay and other destinations.
To/From the Airport
Taxis between Nyaung U Airport and hotels
in Nyaung U, Old Bagan and New Bagan cost
K5000, K6000 and K7000 respectively. Horse
carts and taxis are cheaper from the Old Bagan
or Nyaung U jetties, if you arrive by boat.
Bicycle
Bikes are widely available and can be an ideal
way of getting around, despite the direct expo-
sure to sun and some dirt roads that slow you
up. Essentially all accommodation places rent
bicycles: in Nyaung U it costs about K1500 or
K2000 per day; in Old Bagan and New Bagan it’s
more like K3000 or K4000 per day.
Tr affi c is pretty light on all roads. Early-morning
or late-afternoon rides along the sealed Bagan–
Nyaung U Rd are particularly pleasant. It’s worth
planning ahead a little, as the bulk of the temples
in the Central Plain (p 159 ) have little shade and
nowhere to get lunch. The most convenient eat-
ing options are in Old Bagan (p 122 ). Horse Cart
A popular but uncomfortable and slow way of
seeing the ruins is from the shaded, padded bed
of a horse cart. Drivers speak some English (at
least), know where to fi nd the ‘keyholders’ to
locked sites and can point out temples with few
or no tourists around. (Some might stop by a
shop in the hope of securing a commission; it’s
OK to say ‘no thanks’.) A cart works best for two
passengers, but it’s possible to go with three or
(in a pinch) four.
In Nyaung U a day with a horse cart and driver
costs about K10,000; a half-day is K5000 or
K6000. It’s about K5000 more if taken from Old
Bagan or New Bagan. Pick-Up Trucks
A pick-up (K200; hourly 7am to 3pm) runs from
outside the Nyaung U market, ending near the
junction in New Bagan and passing Wetkyi-in,
Old Bagan and Myinkaba on the way. This could
be used to jump from one place to the next, then
walk around the temples, particularly on the
North Plain (p 156 ) or around Old Bagan (p 154 ). Ta xi
Hiring a shared taxi for the day in Nyaung U
costs about $25. Old Bagan hotels will charge
anything up to $95 to hire an unshared taxi.
Hired taxis are also convenient ways of making
day trips to Mt Popa and Salay. Trishaw
There’s little trishaw activity outside Nyaung U,
where you can get one at the jetty or bus station;
the pedal into town is around K2000.WHERE TO STAY?
» Old Bagan (p 121 ) Closest to the big-time temples. Most of Bagan’s high-end ho-
tels cluster in and around the riverside and the old palace walls. It’s a central location
(particularly good for quick visits to Bagan), with plenty of day-time eating options, but
less nightlife than Nyaung U. Doubles from $35.
» New Bagan (p 124 ) Not the most charming village. However, New Bagan has by far
the best midrange choices, with excellent-value rooms from $25. There’s also a couple
of pleasant riverside restaurants.
» Nyaung U (p 116 ) The budget heart of Bagan, with the liveliest restaurant scene and
the bulk of the transport connections, Nyaung U is a real town, with guesthouses from
$8. On the downside it’s a 2-mile bike ride to the bulk of the temples.