Local travellers visit Bagan’s Ancient Cultural Zone in the July monsoon period, and they also enjoy applying Myanmar Thanaka and hand painting.

“Bagan ancient cultural zone hosts travellers even in the rainy season, and also on the full moon day of Waso. Those joining the Bodaw festival at Mount Popa in September also visit Bagan. It is not as crowded as the peak season, but there are still travellers. In October, the foreign visitors do start coming,” said U Win Aung, Deputy Director of the Directorate of Hotels and Tourism (Bagan).

There are 3,822 ancient pagodas, temples and stupas in Bagan, while 15 pagodas are in the Tantkyitaung area, totalling 3,837 pagodas. Among these pagodas, 18 famous pagodas and temples receive the highest number of travellers. The young visitors like wearing Thanaka and hand painting, whereas the adults and elderly like riding a horse cart and E-bikes.

“There are visitors in the rainy season, but the number is still lower than the previous year. There are Thanaka and hand painting services at every pagoda and temple. The youths especially like them. Both young and old people like Anya Thanaka for its fragrance. Even the tourists like it,” said Ko Zeyar, a hand painter at Htilominlo temple.

The visitors from Mandalay Taungpyone festival held in Wagaung and those from Bodaw festival at Mount Popa in Tawthalin visit Bagan. The Bagan cultural zone is packed with visitors in Waso, Wagaung, Tawthalin, Thadingyut and Tazaungmone. The Thadingyut festival hosts the highest number of visitors, and the Arnanda temple festival, held on the full moon day of Pyatho, is the last festival of Bagan.

There are 153 hotels and motels, and 75 guesthouses operated under the municipal department in Bagan.

Nyein Thu (MNA)/KTZH

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