How much does it cost to travel to Bagan?
You should plan to spend around $30 (MMK62,807) per day on your vacation in Bagan. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.
Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:
- $5.98 (MMK12,500) on meals
- $3.59 (MMK7,500) on local transportation
- $15 (MMK30,926) on hotels
A one week trip to Bagan for two people costs, on average, $420 (MMK879,292). This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.
All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.
Independent Travel
Traveling Independently to Bagan has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.
All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.
Is Bagan expensive to visit?
Bagan is a very affordable place to visit. Located in Myanmar, which is a reasonably affordable country, visitors will appreciate the lower prices of this destination. It falls in the average range in the country for its prices. Budget travelers enjoy spending long periods of time exploring Bagan in depth.
Within Asia, Bagan is a very affordable destination compared to other places. It is in the top 10% of cities in Asia for its affordability. Very few cities in the region are as affordable as Bagan.
For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Bagan Expensive?
How much money do I need for a trip to Bagan?
The average Bagan trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Bagan travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
Category
|
Cost
|
Accommodation 1
(Double Occupancy)
|
MMK30,926
($15)
|
Local Transportation 1
|
MMK7,500
($4)
|
Food 2
|
MMK12,500
($6)
|
Entertainment 1
|
MMK119,375
($57)
|
Accommodation Budget in Bagan
Calculated from travelers like you
The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Bagan is $7.39 (MMK15,463). For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Bagan is $15 (MMK30,926). This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.
Looking for a hotel in Bagan? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.
Transportation Budget in Bagan
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The cost of a taxi ride in Bagan is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $3.59 (MMK7,500) per person, per day, on local transportation in Bagan.
-
Transportation1
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
$3.59
MMK7,500
How much does it cost to go to Bagan? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.
The price of renting a car in Bagan will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.
Food Budget in Bagan
Calculated from travelers like you
-
While meal prices in Bagan can vary, the average cost of food in Bagan is $5.98 (MMK12,500) per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Bagan should cost around $2.39 (MMK5,000) per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Bagan is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food2
Meals for one day
$5.98
MMK12,500
Entertainment Budget in Bagan
Calculated from travelers like you
-
Entertainment and activities in Bagan typically cost an average of $57 (MMK119,375) per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
-
Entertainment1
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
$57
MMK119,375
Water Budget in Bagan
Calculated from travelers like you
-
On average, people spend $0.60 (MMK1,250) on bottled water in Bagan per day. The public water in Bagan is not usually considered safe to drink.
-
Water2
Bottled water for one day
$0.60
MMK1,250
Bagan On a Budget
Bagan, Myanmar
Located in central Myanmar (formerly Burma), Bagan is an ancient city best known as the home to the largest and densest concentration of Buddhist temples, pagodas, stupas, and ruins in the world with many dating from the 11th and 12th centuries.
Sights
The Buddhist temples and ruins at the Bagan Archaeological Area steal the show as the main attractions for those visiting Bagan. More than 2,000 of these monuments tower over lush green plains in a mix of architecture which includes temples made up of stupas, block bases, and vestibules. Bagan's holiest temple is the Ananda Temple, built by the third king, Kyan-zit-tha, in 1091. Also impressive is the Shwesandaw Temple (or "sunset temple) where many people gather each evening to watch the Bagan sunset in the backdrop. Other important structures include the Shwezigon Temple (built in the 11th century), the Thatbyinnyu Temple (tallest of the pagodas at 66 meters, built in the 12th century), and the Shwegugyi Temple (one of the best preserved and also good for the sunset).
With so many temples spread far and wide, Bagan offers an experience to explore with no end. Some of the structures even have colorful murals, however, a flashlight is recommended as the majority of these paintings are located on the dark interiors of the temple.
Other sites beyond the temples include the Bagan Archaeological Museum and the excavations of the ancient royal palace site. Read more about
the Temples of Bagan here.
Neighborhoods
The city of Bagan is generally divided into two parts - Old Bagan and New Bagan. New Bagan is the busier part of town with plenty of people and day-to-day activity. It is usually the entry point for those traveling from afar. Old Bagan, just to the north, is quieter and located closer to the famous archaeological site. It is a small village with some places to eat as well as a few establishments for overnight accommodation. This area of this city has more charm and is more conveniently located; however, it can be more expensive. Another nearby town is Nyaung-U, just north from Old Bagan, which is larger and provides access to boat transportation.
Activities
One of the best ways to experience the temples of Bagan is to rent a bike, available at most hotels. It is a great way to explore the massive complex of stupas, and serves as an alternative to sightseeing on foot. Other options for visiting the main sites of Bagan include renting a horse cart with a driver or just a regular car with a driver. Many visitors also rent boats to watch the sunset from the Irawaddy River, or even book a ride in a hot air balloon to attain a new perspective on the ancient site from above.
Additional sights and activities include wandering the streets of the villages and watching monks in burgundy robes go about their daily business, or even signing up for a Myanmar cooking class to learn all about Burmese food and ingredients.
Food and Dining
Formerly known as Burma, Myanmar has cuisine that is of the Burmese tradition. It is characterized by an extensive use of fish products like fish sauce and ngapi (a paste made from fermented seafood) as well as rice, fresh vegetables, tropical fruits, and condiments like pickled mango and fermented beans. Some typical dishes include a ginger salad with sesame seeds called gyin thohk, a wheat noodle salad with dried shrimps, shredded cabbage and carrots, dressed with fried peanut oil, fish sauce, and lime (khauk swè thoke), and a plate called mohinga which consists of rice vermicelli in fish broth with onions, garlic, ginger, lemon grass, and sliced tender core of banana-stem, served with boiled eggs, fried fish cake (nga hpe) and fritters (akyaw). Due to its geographic location, Myanmar's cuisine has been also been largely influenced by Chinese cuisine, Indian cuisine, and Thai cuisine. In Old Bagan, traditional Burmese cooking is abundant - one of the more popular items being a noodle soup. Buffets are also favorites with those who enjoy sampling the many flavors of Burmese culture.
Transportation
The best way to reach Bagan by plane is to first fly into Yangon National Airport. From here, flights to Bagan are offered via Asian Wings, Air KBZ, Golden Myanmar Airlines, Mann Yadanarpon Airlines, and Myanmar National Airlines. Asian Wings, Golden Myanmar, Mann Yadanarpon, and Myanmar National Airlines also fly from Mandalay.
By rail, overnight trains run daily from Yangon, and there is a direct train service running from Mandalay to Bagan with two departures daily.
There are also bus links between Bagan and Yangon and Mandalay.
We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.