Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
You can also arrange an interesting boat and taxi side-trip to the mountaintop
Tan Kyi
Paya
, one of four stupas that marked the original edges of the city. Another possible boat
trip is to three temples north of Nyaung U.
Ballooning
The best way to truly appreciate Bagan's size and sprawl is from the basket of a hot-air
fice in Bagan Thiripyitsaya Sanctuary Resort; per person stand-by rate $320)
. These magical
45-minute rides over one of the world's most highly acclaimed ballooning spots only run
from October to March. Sometimes sunrise flights are booked up to a month or more in
advance, but
if
there's space, any hotel or guesthouse should be able to arrange a ticket.
The slickly run company, owned by an Australian-Burmese couple and employing
about 100 locals, has 10 balloons that usually fit up to 10 passengers and a pilot. The ex-
perience begins with a pick up from your hotel in one of their fleet of lovingly restored,
pre-WWII Chevrolet CMP buses partly made of teak. You can have coffee and snacks
while watching the UK-made balloons fill with hot air, and sparkling wine and snacks
after you land and watch them get packed up again.
Although sunset flights are offered (depending on weather conditions), the sunrise
ones are preferable as the cooler dawn air allows pilots to fly the balloons at lower alti-
tude for a closer view of the temples.
Courses
Bagan Thiripyitsaya Sanctuary Resort
COOKING CLASS
( 061-60048;
www.thiripyitsaya-resort.com
)
This resort offers a variety of courses, includ-
ing a three-hour cooking course covering four or five traditional dishes for a maximum
of four participants ($100 per person). Other classes include meditation training with a
monk (one/two hours $70/100).
Information
For travel information, try Nyaung U's Ever Sky Information Service or the government-
run MTT office in New Bagan.
