Exploring Myanmar

Following our short excursion in Yangon we went on to travel to Bagan by plane operated by one of Myanmar’s domestic airlines, Air KBZ. The flight departed from Yangon domestic terminal rather early in the morning and took just a short time until arriving at Bagan airport. Overall the flight service was good, not too adventurous despite the propelled plane, in fact, we felt safe during the short ride and the flight crew appeared professional as well as friendly. For our onward journey to Ngapali Air KBZ was our choice as well. The airport in Bagan is small, very small, but things moved fast including luggage collection and checking our travel documents. On leaving the airport we had to pay a minimum fee per person which applies to all visitors issued by the archaeological department. The amount is around USD 20 per adult with children under a certain age being exempted. Having paid the fee we headed straight to our accommodation of choice, the Bagan Lodge not very far from the airport, maybe just a 15 – 20 minute ride by van. The Bagan Lodge was generally well maintained, clean and appeared relatively modern and well managed. You may not need to expect a service similar to a 5-star resort, why would one even need such service in such a peaceful environment, for the money you pay the service received is acceptable but might disappoint one or the other. Hard really to compare since we had no alternative experience besides the hotel stay in Yangon and Ngapali, both of which are international hotels & resorts. I’ll come to that part later.   I would say, the lodge did its job with acceptable choice of food and internet connectivity, for those of us who do rely on such.

Now that you are in Bagan, you must not miss the breathtaking experience of riding into the sunrise in a balloon in 5000 feet above sea level. Be prepared to wake up very early in the morning not to be disappointed by the stunning views, the sheer excitement of ballooning – just the entire experience is so much worth the effort. To be honest, I was rather worried since I am generally tending to being afraid of heights, but this experience took it all away from me – heights – what is that? Loved it and would do it all over again if I ever been given the option again. You need to experience it all by yourself – just do it. For now, the following panoramic view might encourage you for more. The service we selected was provided by Oriental Ballooning. They appeared to be very experienced – again, we felt comfortable and in good hands during the entire venture.