//
This is a day trip or a stopover to and from Bagan, depending on where you come from or go. This attraction is a temple on a cliff. You walk up the stairs from the underlying village (about 100 m), barefoot as the place is considered holy. The stairs are not very clean because of the presence of large numbers of monkeys. You can even climb the actual mountain when taking the road 1.3 km before the mountain village, by Popa Mountain Resort and up the track to the crater. The views from the temple are good and from the crater even better. Pick-up trucks can be organised at hotels or at the market in Nyaung U.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
The word means "three pagodas", which it is. Built during the 13th century with visible Mahayana influences it was never finished, potentially due to the invasion of the Mongols.
Said to be built by King Uzana's wife Thambula. Well illuminated, the Chinese influence is clearly visible: Chinese eyes, hair and yellow.
Unusually-shaped five corner, circular pagoda made of bricks. Built in 1196 when King Narapatisithu ruled.
This large tower has an elevator to the top for views of the surrounding plains. Alternatively, if you want to save the money, consider these other official viewing platforms (at): Ko Mauk Lake, Oh Htein Kone, Nyaung Lat Phat Kan or Sulamani Kone.
Pyathatgyi
Large hallways and a beautiful large terrace. The Buddha can be seen from the top of the terrace through the outer access hallway also. In wet season, the road can be very bad, meaning that tour groups are generally absent and the temple can be quite peaceful. If you get here in the morning hours, the terrace view is very much worth the mud-trail ride. Offers quite a view of Old Bagan overall. If you come in the pre-rainy season (May–June), you can also watch the beautiful sight of farmers tilling the untilled land in preparation for sowing, with a flock of crows following. This temple is being restored with the help of Singapore.
A beautiful temple built in 1183 by King Narapatisithu, and very popular in dry season due to the road being more accessible. It has many frescoes and murals which are fairly well-preserved and worth taking a look. Observe the monks drawn on the walls on either side of the Buddha praying in obeisance pointing towards the Buddha. There is also a block with Myanmarese inscriptions inside the temple. In wet season, the access road is muddy and poor, meaning there are fewer tourists and hawkers here compared to other temples. Sulamani means 'the gem'.