Bagan in Photos | Myanmar (Burma)

This is a long overdue post, sharing some more photos of the beautiful plains of Bagan taken during my last year trip. Although I posted pictures from Bagan before, I still do have a lot of material from this adventure, and I’m still going through the photos and processing them.This is truly a remarkable site. It’s been almost a year since I returned, and vivid memories keep coming to me from Bagan every time I daydream and return to this magical place. Of course, the most iconic and recognizable images from Bagan are the over two thousand temples and pagodas emerging from the plains in a very mystical way.

Sunrise over the plains of Bagan with view of the Dhammayan Gyi Temple on the left. (Daniel Korzeniewski)
View of the terrace overlooking the plains of Bagan in Myanmar from one of the ancient temples. (Daniel Korzeniewski)
Sunset over the famous temples and pagodas in Bagan in Myanmar (Daniel Korzeniewski)
Interior of the Ananda Temple, a famous landmark in Bagan, Myanmar (Daniel Korzeniewski)

But the area is not only about fabulous stupas. Beyond old Bagan, there are plenty of small villages all around the area. I took photos around the temples mostly in the early morning for sunrise or in the afternoon for sunset; that left some time to walk around the hamlets. Life is very simple around here, and the people from the region are very open to visitors. It did not matter whether the villagers were working on their daily activities, or a monk was ready to immerse themselves in meditation. They were always willing to sparkle a smile or pose for a photo. I enjoyed the strolls and connecting with the locals as much as I did shooting the sacred places. For me, the cultural exchange and learning about other cultures is one of the most rewarding pieces of wisdom I can get from travel photography. Here are some of the photographs I was able to take during my walks around the villages in Bagan.

 (Daniel Korzeniewski)
BAGAN, MYANMAR - CIRCA DECEMBER 2013: Young Burmese woman smiling in Bagan (Daniel Korzeniewski)
BAGAN, MYANMAR - CIRCA DECEMBER 2013: Young monk in the village of Shwe Kun Cha Hpaya close to Bagan in Myanmar. (Daniel Korzeniewski)
BAGAN, MYANMAR - CIRCA DECEMBER 2013: Burmese woman washing clothing by a river in a village near Bagan (Daniel Korzeniewski)
BAGAN, MYANMAR - CIRCA DECEMBER 2013: Portrait of young Burmese girl smiling in Bagan (Daniel Korzeniewski)
BAGAN, MYANMAR - CIRCA DECEMBER 2013: Young Burmese woman carrying a bag with sand in a village near Bagan (Daniel Korzeniewski)
BAGAN, MYANMAR - CIRCA DECEMBER 2013: Younk Monk paying tribute to Buda in the Shwesandaw Pagoda in Bagan (Daniel Korzeniewski)

That’s all for now. As always, feel free to leave your comments and share.

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