Part 2: BAGAN and INLE LAKE
Bagan preeminent ancient religious cities in Southeast Asia. The ruins of Bagan city cover an area of 42 sq. km embracing over 2000 ancient pagodas and temples. The enchanting city is located in the tropical zone of the country, on the eastern bank of the Irrawaddy River about 193 kilometers south east of Mandalay. Bagan shows Myanmar architectural heritages from the 11th to mid 14th centuries.
In 849, the Burmans founded the town of Bagan on the banks of the Ayerwaddy river. This sacred site boasts more than 2,000 pagoda across a large plain. Bagan’s pagodas and temples date back more than 1,500 years. Tourists can sightseeing by car, horse cart or bicycle. Tours in Myanmar
Old Bagan
Pagoda in Old Bagan
With beautiful gilded spires spread out across the horizon, the landscape looks like something out of a dream. Bagan itself feels more like a quiet village than a city partly because the temples out-number the tourists, which makes exploring Bagan a more pleasant experience than the neighboring Angkor region of Cambodia. 
Local people
Burmese Tanaka
Traditionally, Burmese people grind the bark of the thanaka tree with a little water on a flat, circular stone and is truly a Burmese household tradition. Every day, after taking a bath, women, children and even some men paint thanaka on their faces. Burmese people believe that thanaka bark cools their skin, tightens the pores and controls oiliness.
Local art in Bagan
A great place to buy local art, Bagan features lacquer ware, bamboo art, and beautiful local made clothes. ******************* The second largest natural lake in Myanmar, Inle lake is located in the middle of the Nyaungshwe Valley between two parallel mountain ranges that run north and south of Shan State. Inle lake is a shallow natural lake that stretches 14 miles long and 7 miles wide and rests 4,358 feet above sea level. Inle lake is most unusual features is its extraordinary “leg-rowing fishermen” who have developed an original, eccentric method of rowing their small boats with one leg. Floating gardens are built from strips of water hyacinth and mud, dragged from the lakebed. Villages, farms, and monasteries perch over the water on stilts. Visitors will have the opportunity to observe cottage industries of weaving, netting, and cheroot making.
Inle lake
Inle Lake fisherman
Floating village
Inle lake
Sunset on the lake
You will find reasons why you should travel to Myanmar rightnow, not later from our post: Travel to Myanmar? Now, not later
Photos: collected from different sources
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