Bago is situated between the forested Pegu Mountains to the west and the Sittang River to the east. Surrounded by picturesque paddy fields, this is a good area to explore to get a real feel for Myanmar.
Just 70kms to the north of Yangon, the pretty town of Bago is one of Myanmar’s leading attractions and a great place to spend a little time. Also known as Pegu, the town is home to a large collection of sacred Buddha images, making it one of the country’s holiest sites.
As you explore Bago you will discover literally thousands of Buddha images in carved niches in a rocky cavern and an interesting array of pagodas, temples and other buildings. There are number of places to get a bite to eat around Bago and a couple of cozy places to stay.
Getting There & Away
Tourists can only use the main airport at Yangon, and there are regular buses from Yangon (2 hours) and Mandalay (12 hours). There is also a direct rail service connecting the two cities, and Mandalay is 14 hours away by train, while Yangon is just 2 hours away.
Things to Do
Bago Attractions
- Shwemawdaw
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This golden pagoda is believed to contain a couple of hairs belonging to gautama buddha.
- Shwethalyaung reclining Buddha statue
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At 55 feet long, this is the world’s second largest buddha statue.
- Kyaiktiyo Pagoda
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This pagoda is set atop a large bolder covered with gold leaf which is balanced on the very edge of a precipice and looks as though it will topple over the edge at any moment.