This happened on the 10th of January, 2020. Jonas and I hitchhiked from Nyaung-U – the town near the famous ruins of Old Bagan – to Myanmar’s new capital city Naypyitaw. This was our first attempt at hitchhiking in Myanmar. We covered 260 kilometers by hitchhiking. Here you can find a price comparison of our hitchhiking journey versus taking the bus and here’s the map of our route and points of interest. Preparations to Hitchhike in Myanmar I’d been preparing for hitchhiking in Myanmar for literal weeks. Back when Jonas and I were in Chiang Mai, Thailand, I made the first hitchhiking signContinue reading
Bagan
Shwezigon Pagoda, Bagan (Myanmar)—Wonder of the Burmese
We visited the Shwezigon Pagoda on January 8th and 9th, 2020. This iconic stupa is located in Nyaung-U/Bagan, Myanmar, close to the banks of the Irrawaddy River. During my visit, the mandatory Bagan Archaeological Zone Pass, which cost 25 000 MMK (€16.25), included the Shwezigon Pagoda. The reason there’s a dedicated post to this pagoda is its inclusion in the videogame Age of Empires II. Contents1 First Visit to the Shwezigon Pagoda2 Vista from Bagan Viewing Tower3 Shwezigon Pagoda Night Visit4 History of the Shwezigon Pagoda5 Price to Enter Shwezigon6 Shwezigon Pagoda as a Wonder in Age of Empires II7Continue reading
Cruising Down the Irrawaddy River from Mandalay to Nyaung-U (Old Bagan)
These events occurred on Tuesday the 7th of January, 2020. Jonas and I took a cruise down the Irrawaddy River from Mandalay to Nyaung-U (near Old Bagan) in Myanmar. At the bottom of this article, you can find information on how to book this Irrawaddy River trip yourself. Contents1 Finding the Irrawaddy River Cruise2 The Gaw Wein Jetty in Mandalay3 Departing Mandalay and Watching the Sunrise at Sagaing4 Breakfast and Lunch Aboard5 The Stop at Yandabo6 Choosing My Myanma Name7 Drinking Parties at the Pakkoku Bridge8 Arriving in Nyaung-U/Old Bagan9 Map of the Irrawaddy River Cruise10 How We Booked theContinue reading