lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

121

BAGAN

SIGHTS

BAGAN & CENTRAL MYANMAR

SIGHTS

BAGAN & CENTRAL MYANMAR

OLD BAGAN

Old Bagan

pug®Dmúui¾eh;='"
% 061
The core of the Bagan Archaeological Zone
contains several of the main temple sites,
city walls, a museum, a reconstructed palace,
restaurants, a few shops and a cluster of mid-
range to top-end hotels. It’s right on a bend
of the Ayeyarwady River – sometime during
your stay, wander down to the waterfront and
watch the coming and going of the river trade.
In 1990 the government forcibly relocated
a village that had grown up in the 1970s in
the middle of the walled area of ‘Old Bagan’.
We’re told one of the reasons for this was the
increased incidence of treasure hunting and
gold prospecting around the ruins in the wake
of the 1988 street protests, when the authori-
ties’ attentions were diverted elsewhere.
Some claim the villagers had a week’s no-
tice of the move; others say it was longer and
they put off the inevitable to the last minute.
Either way, there was certainly resistance to
the uprooting of homes and belongings for a
new home in a peanut fi eld, now developed
as the village of New Bagan.

 1 Sights

See p 149 for information on temples in Old
Bagan.

Archaeological Museum MUSEUM
(Bagan-Nyaung U Rd; admission $5; h9am-4.30pm)
Housed in an out-of-place, 19th-century-style
temple, this government-run museum (see
p 21 ) features many fi ne pieces from Bagan
(reclining Buddhas, original images, in-
scribed stones and mural re-creations) and
an unexpected room of modern-art render-
ings of the temples.

Bagan Golden Palace PA L AC E
(Bagan-Nyaung U Rd; admission $5; h9am-4.30pm)
Following similar government-mandated pal-
ace reconstruction jobs in Bago, Mandalay
and Shwebo, this towering concrete-and-steel-
reinforced edifi ce was opened to much fan-
fare in 2008. Built opposite the excavated site
of the actual palace just in from the Tharabar
Gate, it’s unlikely to bear much resemblance
to the original. Either way, it's a sign of the
encroaching Disneyfi cation of Bagan.

 4 Sleeping
Old Bagan’s hotels provide views of the river,
proximity to the temples and nice pool areas,
but don’t necessarily off er much more com-

fort than you get at New Bagan’s best – and

less expensive – accommodation. Also, they

can fi ll up months in advance of peak season.

All places listed have restaurants, bars

and pools, plus satellite TV and extras like

a minibar in the room. Prices listed here are

walk-in rates during peak season, and don’t

include the 10% service charge and 10% gov-

ernment tax. Yangon agents often arrange

discounted rates.

#

#

#

#

#

#

ÿ

ÿ

ÿ

ÿ

ÿ

#þ

#

#

#

æ #

æ

æ

æ

#

#

â

â

#

#

##

f

ú

úú

OLD

BAGAN

Ayey

arwady

River

Taungbi

Ana

wrah

aR

d

aB

ag

n-

yN

au

ng

U

Rd

Old Bagan

Jetty

Tharabar

Gate

Gawdawpalin

Pahto

Bupaya

Ananda

Pahto

12

8

9

10

11

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

1

2

1

2

A B

A B

Old Bagan e#0500m00.25miles

Old Bagan

æ Sights

1 Archaeological Museum .....................A2

2 Bagan Golden Palace .......................... B1

ÿ Sleeping

3 Aye Yar River View Hotel..................... B1

4 Bagan Hotel .........................................A2

5 Bagan Thande Hotel............................A2

6 Bagan Thiripyitsaya Sanctuary

Resort ................................................A2

7 Hotel @ Tharabar Gate........................ B1

ú Eating

8 Be Kind to Animals the Moon ............. B1

9 Golden Myanmar ................................. B1

Sarabha II ......................................(see 7)

10 Sarahba III/Gyi Gyi’s .......................... B1

Scoopy's ...................................... (see 8)

þ Shopping

11 Shwe War Thein Handicrafts

Shop................................................... B1

Transport

12 Horse Cart Stand.................................A2