thatbyinnyu temple and around

i was astonished at almost every small temple that we've seen along the highway from Yangon to Bagan. but it was nothing when we entered the historical site of old Bagan in transit from new Bagan. numerous temples and pagodas left and right came into view. 

Bagan holds the world record for having the most number of temples and pagodas in one area. they count in thousands. big and small all in a desert-like area. was once a kingdom with almost ten thousand temples.

with a large area, the challenge was to choose which area to explore first. since we only have the entire afternoon on that day, we then chose the closest ones and jumped on our bikes for a $3 day rent. 

first on our list is Bagan's tallest temple, Thatbyinnyu Temple rising at 201feet. that's almost three times the height of Baclaran church. though rusty looking, it still displays its splendor through its spires and arch doors. categorized as Gawdawpalin style temple.

though only the ground area is accessible to tourists, seeing it from a higher perspective would be interesting. so we climbed the temple just across it. steep steps to the top would require taking out your foot wear and has to climb bare foot as a respect to these holy structures.

popular temples like Thatbyinnyu has nearby vendors selling cold water, soft drinks and sometimes coconut juice. the good thing is they don' t approach you to hard sell but something we can expect in the future as more tourists visits Bagan.

temple category:

temple name: Thatbyinnyu Temple

built: mid 12th century

height: 201ft (tallest temple in Bagan)

type: Gawdawpalin Style

king during that time: King Alaungsithu

area profile:
country: Myanmar (Burma)
island: Greater Eurasia
region: Mandalay
city: Bagan

GPS location:
21' 10" 15N
94' 51" 57E

temple/pagoda complex access fee: 
entrance to the entire complex is standardized at USD10 per person for the entire time that you'll be in the area. keep the ticket as some temples have inspectors checking for your pass.

touring around:
Bagan temple complex is huge and your option of renting a van, a cart or a bike will depend greatly on the time that you have to explore the temples and your resistance to heat. some temples can be as far 25kilometers while you can find some stupas almost on every corner.
bus/van/car: comfort and you save time moving from one temple to another.
horse/cow cart: slow but a good experience of old local mode of transportation.
bike: active, fast and flexible but consumes a lot of energy. cheapest way to temple hop.
cost for the van/car/cart will vary on the temples that you plan to visit.
cost for bike: USD2-3per person per day. most hotels or inn offer this service.

how to get there:
by plane: there are regular daily flight from Yangon to Nyaung-U. the closest airport is Nyaung-U Airport which is just around 15mins away from the Old Bagan temple and pagoda area. Airlines with regular flights includes: Air Mandalay, Air Bagan, Yangon Airways
by bus: 
from Mandalay: daily bus trips are available to Bagan. duration: 6-8hours (estimate: USD10-15)
from Yangon: daily bus trips are available to Bagan. duration: 10-12hours (estimate: USD15-22)
from Nyay Pyi Taw: daily bus trips available to Bagan. duration: 5-7hours (estimate: USD10-15)
by train: 
daily trips from Mandalay and Yangon are available but the trip time may vary depending on the train stop duration. 

eskapo recommends:
1. if you have limited time, don't take the train as trip duration can change from Yangon or Mandalay to Bagan.
2. maximize time exploring the temples by choosing particular temples which are in the same direction or area. so find a map, which is usually available on hotels, inns and hostel. despite the large area, the most notable temples and pagodas can easily be navigated with a map. 
3. make sure to bring enough water when exploring the temples and pagodas. very few temples have people selling water and food. 
4. not all temples can be accessed and some holy sites should be respected. foot wears are not allowed when entering or climbing pagodas and temples.