If you happen to be planning your next vacation and looking for a place that’s easily accessible, but not overrun with tourists; a place with great food and good people; and, a place where you can reenact your favorite Indiana Jones moment then Bagan, Myanmar is the winner.

Bagan is one of the least visited countries in Asia due to it’s past political instability. But that is changing rapidly after the military in 2012 allowed for a civilian elected government and their political hero Aung San Suu Kyi was released from her 15 years of house arrest. The northern area of the country is not ready yet though…

We flew into Mandalay, one of the biggest cities in Myanmar, and hopped on some bicycles to explore the city. The traffic isn’t as congested as other Asian countries, but it’s still nerve wracking on a bike.

On our ride, we encountered temples and a lively market.

We got to Bagan by a 10 hour boat ride down the Ayeyarwady river. It’s a long cruise, but it’s comfortable and there’s plenty of local activity on the river to keep you occupied. We highly recommend it.

When you arrive in Bagan there will be plenty of locals hopping on the boat wanting to carry your bag and direct you to their friend’s taxi. Alternatively, you can take a horse drawn carriage. Whatever form of travel you choose, don’t forget to bargain!

After checking in to our hotel, we had an hour before sunset so we rented a couple of bicycles and headed off to the pagodas. The area with all the pagodas is about 3 miles from the main hotel corridor and takes up area of 8 x 5 square miles. Unfortunately, we learned the hard way that bicycles are not the way to go. Once off the main road, the conditions turn to sand. Bikes and sand do not get along. We spent more time peddling in place than moving forward and when we did get momentum forward it wouldn’t last long before we lost our balance and fell over. We missed the sunset, but we learned a lot about getting around which would help the next day.

Thankfully, the couple we rented the bikes from let us upgrade to electric scooters! Foreigners are not allowed to rent motor bikes in Bagan but the entrepreneurial locals worked around the rule by renting out electronic bikes. This is by far the best way to travel. It cuts through the sand with ease, but the best part is that it produces no noise. It’s creates for a magical experience as you drive through a maze of ancient pagodas without the interruption of a gas engine noise.

The next day we got up at 4am to witness the sunrise. This cannot be missed. It was by far the most amazing sunrise. As the sun pokes over the horizon, the tops of some 2000 pagodas come alive with a subtle glow of light. There are some key pagodas known for their view. We opted for Shwesandaw and it did not disappoint.

The vast majority of pagodas have no name. You can walk around the outside and search the inside for the narrow passages that lead to the other levels. Most of the time you’ll be all alone; though, some pagodas are cared for by a family. The pagoda will be an extension of their home. Some will greet you and offer a short tour while others will carry on their daily chores. Overall, the vibe of Bagan was that of a lost era, dusty dirt roads with an occasional cattle/goat drive to maneuver around.

There was an earthquake on August, 24 2016 that shook Bagan it’s estimated that roughly 400 pagodas were damaged. It was good to see that the government has already started restoration, but your photos will suffer. You’ll find tarps and scaffolding around the damaged ones. There’s also some controversy around the current and past restoration efforts. It appears that some pagodas are being completely rebuilt using modern construction methods. Needless to say, archaeologists aren’t too pleased.

The people of Myanmar still hold tight their cultures traditions. The men wear their traditional skirt called a longyi and the women wear Thanaka which is a yellowish paste used to cool their skin from the sun. But I was most impressed with their ground crew at the airport! In most airports the ground crew is lounging around, but this one was extremely organized. As we were taxing out, they lined up and wave us goodbye! Is there any other country that does this?!

It is no surprise that Bagan is becoming a major tourist attraction. As the word gets out and the marketing dollars increase, Bagan will soon get to the levels of other popular destinations such as Angkor Wat. We saw a glimpse of what the future holds. Some of the yards of the pagodas are becoming huge parking lots for tour buses and vendors. The popular pagodas are packed with people during sunrises and sunsets. You’ll have to dodge selfie sticks and worse the sky will be buzzing with drones. It will ruin the magic of Bagan, so get here quickly before everyone else does!