Bagan and The Balloons Over

Are you considering travelling to the underdeveloped and much less touched by tourists Myanmar? Myanmar is quickly becoming a destination sought out by travellers, backpackers and vacationers alike. In the last two years I have been to Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia, China and now Myanmar - some of which on multiple occasions. With all that adventure under my belt I must say that Myanmar has both exceeded my expectations and caught me by complete surprise. From the outrageously cheap novelties the country has to offer to the immensely kind Burmese locals and the deep rooted unique history, the country has left an inherently strong impression on myself and how I perceive travel.

Although I flew into Mandalay I will be concentrating on the time spent in Bagan, a must visit for anyone who is adventurous to take the leap into the country that is Myanmar.

We arrived by boat from Mandalay at approximately 6pm in the evening. I was excited and filled with enthusiasm as I had heard nothing but good things from friends about the small two part town (Old Bagan and New Bagan). Quickly after negotiating the taxi fare (9000 Kyat) with one of the many local yet approachable taxi drivers we were on our way! My excitement was diminished within three minutes of the ride. All the taxi's were stopped at a small hole in the wall office and the driver advised me that it was necessary for me to pay a national park entrance fee.. The cost was $20 US dollars each, this is a large amount of money to spend in Myanmar. I immediately thought it was a scam and refused to pay. The taxi driver didn't know how to respond - I was visually upset and displeased with what I felt was a degree of extortion. Finally after about five minutes of deliberating with myself I realized I could not pass though without paying and anted up the $40 USD which paid for myself and my girlfriend. It left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth but I was swift to acknowledge and recollect the many times in Thailand or other South East Asian counties where a similar "tax or fee" was collected for entering a certain area. Therefore be prepared and realize, as I did, that although inconvenient it was a minuscule price to pay for what lay ahead.

It was about a twenty minute taxi ride from the boat docking area we passed though Old Bagan and arrived in New Bagan. As the name suggests its a more "modern" town compared to Old Bagan with many restaurants and shops catering to the tourist industry. For the first night we stayed in the Bagan Central Hotel with costed $20 CAD a night and it was beautiful, it was situated on the main road surrounded by many options of where to eat and offered scooter rental, as every hotel does.

Over the next five days in Bagan, staying in both new and old, we found our days consumed by scooter rides through the wide and narrow paths of red dirt roads where over 3000 ancient pagodas reside. Always trying to find new paths to explore it was incredible to experience driving through these endless beautiful fields captivated by the sometimes small, sometimes monstrous pagodas. You should be aware of the potential danger of flipping your scooter as the dirt can be too forgiving beneath you or take hold of your front tire like a vice causing you to catapult forward. We rented one scooter with myself driving 99.9% of the time because my travel companion was too afraid to drive. Who could blame her, in Myanmar the drivers are unpredictable and traffic regulations almost cease to exist. It's utter chaos, horns being sounded in every direction and self yield, self merge rules. Luckily Bagan was small and traffic was much less than bustling cities such as Mandalay or Yangon. She proved to be a voice of reason literally right behind my ear "don't go down that road!" "No no no! Not that way!" "That road is crazy, do you want to crash! I don't want to crash!" and the list goes on with reasonable yet sometimes irritating directions. Lets just say we met each other half way.  We went through some questionable routes, some of which we needed to turn around, which were then used as references of why I should listen to her pragmatic advisory. All joking aside it was magical. we felt as free as you'll ever could on those paths. It's like you're going back in time.

During our time in Bagan we had the privilege of taking a hot air ballon ride with the company Ballons Over Bagan. Although the price was outrageous I highly recommend this for anymore travelling to the area. Let me paint you a picture: you wake up at 4am to prepare for the transportation from your hotel. Depending where your staying it could be a 20-45 minute bus ride in an antique wooden bus which you are accompanied by other travellers destined for the same adventure. The bus is very quiet as people are half asleep and waiting to see what this excursion has to offer. You arrive in a flat field where your welcomed by tea, coffee, biscuits, are given a briefing on what to expect regarding your ride along and important safety protocols. Before I left for my trip I spoke to numerous people about the hot air balloon ride which I had planned. One question almost everyone asked my was; "Will it be safe?", "Aren't you concerned at all?". After the experience I can confidently say that you have nothing to be worried about, unless your afraid of heights. Our pilot was a British man (along with 90% of the other pilots) who had 30 years of experience. He was professionally skilled and reaffirmed his passengers confidence during his safety checks and vast knowledge of his craft.

The field went from a dark, desolate and flat platform to a fascinating fairy tale with over 50 enormous hot hair balloons exploding with life. Fire being blasted into these magnificent giants that expanded all around you. It reminded me of how I felt as a child on Christmas Day. As you age these types of feelings are few and far in-between. We acknowledged the significance of this experience even before stepping foot inside the balloon's basket, the pictures below we give you a slight indication of the marvel which took place that morning. Finally we were directed to get into the basket and slowly began the ascent over Bagan. Balloons to your left, ballons to your right, rising before you, after you, with you, they're everywhere! The radiating heat from the gas powered flame and sound of the roaring fire was magnificent, in the future when I see a camp fire beginning to take life it will act as a reminder for the that once in a lifetime experience I'm fortunate to have ingrained in my memory. Soaring high above the 3000 pagodas and the sunrise ascent was beyond special. we soaked in every second of the approximately 45 minute ride with no other option then to take in the beautiful views and watch the towns wake up beneath us.

As we prepared for finally we were advised that no landing is the same and there is always a possibility of the baskets tipping over after hitting the ground and dragging the passengers for an unknown period of time. A group of Burmese men sprinted to where we were about to hit the field.  Shouting and chaos ensued as the group of men tirelessly attempted to stop the basket from being dragged but the massive hot air filled balloon above didn't make it easy. They finally took control of the beast and waited until it was safe for the passengers to disembark until giving the order. We then walk a few steps to celebratory champagne and snacks. The company did a phenomenal job throughout the entire excursion from pick up to drop off at the hotel. The cost was $450 cad a person but was worth every penny and like previously mentioned I highly recommend. So if you're in the mood for a different type of trip filled with immense culture and less drunken young travellers then I would suggest looking in to Myanmar. This article is only one of the various intriguing and awe inspiring places that Myanmar has to offer. Pack your sunscreen and money clip and book today!