It was my first trip to Myanmar, and I didn’t know what to expect from there. Myanmar, which was previously known as Burma, was isolated from the rest of the world for about 60 years. Interestingly, we Bangladeshis share land borders with Myanmar. Unfortunately, those borders are closed for international tourists. Besides, there has always been tension between Bangladesh and Myanmar due to political and Rohinga issues.
So, when I decided to travel to Myanmar, my family said “NO!”. I listened to them, bought the ticket, and was in Yangon, the major city of Myanmar, in an hour. In many Bengali books and movies, Yangon is known as Rengun. I became nostalgic as soon as I came out of the airport.
I will tell you my story of Yangon some other day. Let me focus on the topic now: how I reached Bagan by bus.
Bagan is a place that must be on your bucket list. It was an enchanting experience for me to traverse the temples of Bagan.
Bagan is about 630 kilometers (390 miles) from Yangon, where your flight will most likely land. The easiest way was to take a plane to get there. But I wanted to save some money.
Avail your visa prior to arriving in Myanmar from the official site
Table of Contents
The easiest and best way to book the bus ticket is through 12go online.
10 hours
About US$ 18
Aung Min Galar Bus Station
Bagan (Nyaung-U)
I was not sure how to get a ticket for that bus. After a bit of research, I bought the ticket using Oway, which is an online travel booking site based on Myanmar. I paid US$17.54 using my credit card and got a booking confirmation in my mail with the following details:
| Departure Time | 20:00 |
| Arrival Time | 06:00 |
| Boarding Point | Aung Min Galar Bus Station |
| Dropping Point | Bagan (Nyaung-U) |
| Bus Name | Bagan Min Thar VIP Express Bus |
I was not satisfied with this piece of information. How can I find the bus in “Aung Min Galar Bus Station”? So, I dropped Oway a mail asking for further information. The response was:
Bagan Min Thar Gate is Gate 1, Bagan Lane, Bagan Min Thar Bus Gate and you can ask anybody or your taxi driver.
More confusion?
I got more confused, but my taxi driver would know it, right? So, I asked my taxi driver to take me there. I didn’t know what he realized, but he was moving forward. I am familiar with the traffic of Dhaka, so I was not panicking. Or, Was I?
I was following the route of Google Maps, but the driver insisted on taking me via a shortcut. I found myself in the dark alleys and among the children on the street. I was trying to concentrate elsewhere – in the street but couldn’t stop watching the clock every 5 seconds.
We arrived at the bus stoppage at 17:53. There were a handful of buses there. I was looking for “Bagan Min Thar VIP Express Bus”. I couldn’t find any. The time was ticking. Suddenly, I saw a piece of paper pasted on the front panel of a bus – written in a mixture of English and Burmese language – I could pick the VIP! And oh yes! Bagan – Nyaung U!
I approached the counter and showed my voucher, which I got from Oway. A mistake now, and my bus would have been gone. I was correct this time; that was my bus! They asked me to hop on the bus. It was mostly foreigners inside, along with a few locals.
I went inside and found a spacious seat with blankets. There was a bottle of water, too. The bus started its journey at 20:10. It was mostly a smooth journey. The driver was driving at a moderate speed and stopped at a petrol station to take gasoline after 15 minutes.
At midway, we got a toilet/snack break. I took a nap. At 4:30 in the morning, we arrived at Nyaung-U which is the entry point of Bagan. From there I took a three-wheeler to reach the ruins of Bagan to enjoy the sunrise from the top of a temple.
Through 12go.
1 hour, 10 minutes
Between US$70 and US$130, depending on time and season
Several direct flights operate between Yangon and Bagan each day. The flight time is less than an hour. Some notable airlines are Air KBZ, Golden Myanmar Airlines, and Air Mandalay. The flight price is not that cheap and will vary between US$90 and US$130.
18 hours
Between US$16 and US$25 for sleeper class
Although I would not suggest taking this, taking a train from Yangon to Bagan is an option. The train is slow and will take over 17 hours to reach.
Do you know the name of the capital of Myanmar? It’s not Yangon! It’s Naypyidaw, and the bus will go through it.
How was your journey to Bagan from Yangon?
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