Watching the sunset from atop a temple is a MUST when visiting Bagan! The sun sets behind the mountains and the Irrawaddy River and you can position yourself so that the stupas create black silhouettes or you can choose to have the sun behind you so that it lights up the pagods in shades of pink and gold. There are a number of temples that you can climb at sunset. Ananda and Shwesandaw are the most popular and always overcrowded since most of the coach tours take tourists to these spots for the breathtaking Bagan sunset.
The sun lighting up Pyathadar Temple
We opted to head east to Pyathadar Temple, which our pilot had pointed out as a great spot to watch the sunset from on our sunrise balloon flight over Bagan that morning. It’s the farthest to the east and with a pagoda field in front of it. The temple is a flat-topped temple with plenty of space on the large terrace to find a spot to watch the sunset, unlike some of the others with narrow walkways which increase the crowding. We had the temple to ourselves when we arrived about an hour before sunset.
The candlelit stairway leading up to the terrace
The climb up the pagodas isn’t for the faint of heart. The stairways are narrow and only lit by faint candlelight, if lit at all. They are also steep, though the view makes the heart pounding climb worth it!
Can you spot me atop the Pyathadar Temple?
After a 3am wake-up call for ballooning and then e-biking around to pagoda after pagoda, it was nice to just dangle my bare feet (or can’t wear shoes or socks inside the temples) over the edge and just take it all the stupas dotting the landscape before us.
A Bagan traffic jam
It’s surreal. We hardly saw another soul at many of the pagodas we visited e-biking around the archaeological sight. We had sandy paths entirely to ourselves. But slowly as we sat waiting from the sun to set, it was like the whole of Bagan was descending upon Pyathadar Temple.
“My cow! My cow!”
The sight actually became quite comical and I wish we’d capture the scene on video. First, goat and cow herders came herding their flocks in for the night. Soon a few coaches and private cars carried tourists effortlessly toward us. And don’t forget the horse carts, which is still a popular way to get around the site. Tim and I laughed hysterically as a cow got stressed out by the madness and broke away from the herd and a Burmese woman went chasing frantically after her stray cow.
A few Burmese people sell souvenirs atop Pyathadar Temple
A group of Buddhist nuns poses for a group photo
Even as people gathered on the terrace with us, it never felt crowded though. And no matter language barrier or walk of life, we were all about to share one of the most spectacular sights I’ve ever witnessed.
A hush fell over everyone as the sinking sun turned the sky brilliant shades of gold, the pagodas nothing but black silhouettes. The mist coming off the Irrawaddy River just added to the mysteriousness of it all.
Once the sun dipped behind the mountains, it was an entirely different scene. The sky suddenly was like a painting with streaks of pinks, oranges and purples. The sky seemed to be changing by the minute and we hardly wanted to tear ourselves away. The key holder to the temple had to finally herd us out and we were one of the very last to leave.
Just as fast as the crowds had descended upon Pyathadar Temple, they vanished and we were left alone again with our e-bikes and the temples.
Jennifer says
Thanks for the post. Burmas temples intrigue me and its high up there on my places to vist next!
Marlene says
Beautiful pictures the sunset was breathtaking
Cheryl Howard says
Wow, the sunrise looks spectacular. I’d love to be able to see something like that and there!
Heather says
Absolutely stunning. The hubs and I are already discussing where we’d like to go if and when we return to Asia and Bagan is at the top of the list. I’ll be filing this away 🙂
Samantha @mytanfeet says
That is totally worth getting u pat 3 AM for! Gorgeous, love all the photos!
tempat wisata says
when i see your pictures
make me feel so miss my country 😀
Bram says
Amazing! Bagan’s my number one destination right now. I love your photos so much.
Jennifer Dombrowski says
Thanks Bram! You will love it! We want to go back and see more of the country. Myanmar is in our top 5 favorite destinations now.
Arianwen says
The colours in some of your photos are amazing. I love it when the sunset casts that orange glow over everything!
Jennifer Dombrowski says
Thanks Ari! The array of colors from sunset were amazing. Definitely one of the best sunsets we’ve experienced anywhere in the world.
Frank says
Wow, great photos! I got lost when you mentioned e-biking, had to look it up. Electric bikes in Myanmar? That must get some looks from the locals 🙂
Frank (bbqboy)
Jennifer Dombrowski says
I think the locals are used to the e-bikes already. From talking with people, they had gotten e-bikes a few months before we were there.
Kate says
Those pictures are lovely, sounds like it was well worth getting up insanely early!
Jennifer Dombrowski says
It definitely was worth the long day for both sunrise and sunset photos. Bagan is amazing and one of our favorite places we’ve been.
Jaryd says
Great photography!
Jennifer Dombrowski says
Thanks, Jaryd! Tim gets all the credit for the photography.
Adrienne says
Beautiful pics!
Pandu Aji Wirawan says
Thanks for your post! I forget the name of temple when i looking for sunset
Susan says
I just stumbled across your site while doing research for our trip to Cambodia and Burma later this year. Your information is wonderful and if I wasn’t already excited beyond description, this would’ve done it! We are going to celebrate my 50th birthday and, assuming the weather cooperates, ballooning over Bagan will be how I start the day, and the sunset from a temple will be how I end it. Thanks for the good advice about how to avoid (some of) the crowds!
Jennifer Dombrowski says
What a great place to spend your birthday, Susan! Bagan is a great choice for ballooning since the weather is so stable there. You’ll have a fantastic trip!
Don says
Look at these 1200 years old beautiful creations. How hard they build those at that period. What a rich architecture !!! When sun set and sunrise look at the natural breathtaking colour shadings of these gigantic monuments. But the sad story is, Burmese tourism authorities/ Burmese travel agents and tourist guides promote this stupid “pagoda climbing” as one of a “ must do things” in Burma. Protect the heritage for our kids stupid climbers. Don’t act like “ mountain goats “. Sorry