Bagan
By many described as more impressive then Angkor Wat, the temples of Bagan never fail to impress. Over 4000 temples (most of them around 800 years old) are spread out over an area roughly 8 sq kms. It's this landscape of temples that make the area so special and the best way to explore is to go around (by bike, horse cart or car) and simply stop at whatever temple you fancy to have a closer look at. The famous temples like Ananda, Thatbyinnyu, Sulamani and Dhammayangyi are most impressive in architecture while others are just impressive because you'll find yourself all alone with a centuries old temple and get that real ``Indiana Jones`` feeling while discovering the interior of these historical buildings. Bring a torch and we'll take you to the Minnanthu temple area which has some real treasures. Apart from the terrestrial temple sightseeing, Bagan also offers an aerial view over the temple area while floating in a hot air balloon.
Bagan surroundings
Mount Popa is one of the places to be visited in the surroundings of Bagan as well as the centuries old village of Salay which houses several old wooden monasteries as well as some pretty colonial buildings from the British period. West of Bagan (on the other side of the Ayeyarwaddy River), the mountains of Chin State begin.
With a special travel permit you can make a fantastic jeep tour to Mount Victoria in Chin State. Traditional villages and spectacular views will balance out against the bumpy road and dust. Some of the older women in the villages still have their face tattooed (an old custom in Chin State). From the base camp we will hike in about two hours to the top of the mountain which is over 3000 meters high. A long road trip (or train ride) southwards will bring you to Pyay and the ruins of the ancient city of Thayekhittaya (Sri Ksetra). From here it's a four hour drive to Yangon or an eight hour drive through the Rakhine Mountains to Ngapali beach.