Page 224 - The Rough Guide to Myanmar (Burma)

222 BAGAN AND AROUND BAGAN
5 The first temple you’ll see, the Anauk Petleik Paya, is the slightly better preserved of
the two, with a Sri Lankan-style bell-shaped stupa that’s missing the top of its spire.
The adjacent Ashe Petleik Paya is even more fragmentary, topped by a large stupa that’s
now little more than a hunk of shapeless brick. The shrines are of interest principally
for their remarkable collection of unglazed tiles stored within and depicting the usual
Jataka scenes (these formerly comprised a complete cycle of all 547 Jataka stories,
although many of the tiles are now missing).

Lawkananda Pagoda
• Just southwest of New Bagan • Daily 7am–9pm • Accessed by continuing past the Ashe Petleik Paya and
Anauk Petleik Paya to the end of the road
Set majestically above the river, the large and dazzlingly gilded stupa of the
Lawkananda Pagoda (“Joy of the World”) dates back to the reign of Anawrahta,
making it one of Bagan’s oldest such structures – although it’s been rebuilt since.
Enshrining a replica of the Buddha’s tooth presented to Anawrahta in 1059, the
pagoda remains a popular place of local worship. The temple stands close to what was
once Bagan’s main harbour and still commands beautiful Ayeyarwady views, although
the river’s somewhat quieter now than it was in Anawrahta’s heyday, when the docks
below would have been busy with shipping from the Mon provinces, Rakhine,
Sri Lanka and elsewhere.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE BAGAN
By plane The airport is around 4km southeast of Nyaung (many daily; 1hr 20min).
U. A taxi into Nyaung U costs K7000, and a ride to New By bus The bus station is on Main Rd in Nyaung U, close to
Bagan or Old Bagan will set you back around K10,000. On the Shwezigon Pagoda and not far from Thiripyitsaya 4 St
the way back to the airport, you should be able to wangle a and some of the Main Rd guesthouses. If you’re heading on
cheaper fare that’s been cut by up to a quarter. Mann to Wet Kyi Inn, Old Bagan or New Bagan, you’ll need to hire
Yadanarpon Airlines (T061 61063), Yangon Airways a taxi or pick-up (around K5000 to Old Bagan or K7000 to
(T061 60475) and Golden Myanmar Airlines (T061 New Bagan) or hop on a (slightly cheaper) motorbike taxi.
61219) are among the companies offering flights into Tickets for express buses can be bought from any of the
Bagan from Mandalay (around $60) and Yangon (around myriad tour operators in Nyaung U, plus a couple in New
$120). There’s a K1000 departure tax on all flights. Tickets Bagan (see p.223). For Pakokku (1hr) there are only very
can be bought either from the airline offices in town or crowded local minibuses that leave about every hour
from many local travel agents. throughout the day from the market area rather than the
Destinations Heho for Inle Lake (7 daily; 40min); Mandalay bus station. If you’re heading to Monywa, you’ll have to
(4–7 daily; 30min); Ngapali (5 daily; 1hr 20min); Yangon change in Pakokku.

BAGAN TO MANDALAY BY BOAT
A popular way of travelling between Bagan and Mandalay (or vice versa) is by taking a
cruise boat along the Ayeyarwady – some people find this a rewarding experience,
although the size of the river means that for significant parts of the route the riverbanks are
far distant and you don’t actually see much save water on either side. Boats depart either
from the jetty in Nyaung U (northeast of the market) or in Old Bagan (outside the old walls,
to the north), depending on water levels. Services leave at around 5.30am, taking roughly
10–12hr to reach Mandalay.
The two main operators are Malikha River Cruises (T09 7314 5748, Wmalikha-rivercruises
.com), RV Shwe Keinnery (T09 402 745 566) and Myanmar Golden River Group
(Wmgrgexpress.com); all operators charge $32 from Bagan to Mandalay and $42 going the
other way, and prices include breakfast and lunch. The MGRG boats are slightly more spacious
and comfortable than the other two, although there’s not much in it. The three operators offer
at least one departure daily between them, although the vagaries of the various schedules
mean that it’s impossible to generalize about exactly which leave when. Tickets are most easily
booked either through your accommodation or through a local tour operator.