Bagan

Bagan is an ancient royal city in Myanmar's dry central plains, spreading across roughly 36 square kilometers and containing more than 2,000 surviving brick temples, pagodas, and stupas — one of the densest archaeological temple complexes in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2019. At its peak between the 11th and 13th centuries, the Kingdom of Pagan erected an estimated 10,000 religious structures here; centuries of earthquakes and weathering have reduced the field to its present remarkable count. The temples range from intimate single-chamber shrines to towering multi-tiered pagodas like the Ananda and Dhammayan Gyi, each decorated with terracotta carvings and, in some cases, original murals. Visitors typically explore by bicycle or electric tuk-tuk; between November and February, hot-air balloons lift off at sunrise above the mist-covered plain, offering a panorama across the entire temple field.