Bagan

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1998, Bagan is the primary spiritual centre of ancient Burma. With temples, pagodas and stupas dating from the 9th century, the collection of 2229 monuments is considered to be one of the richest and most beautiful archaeological sites in Asia. This ancient volcano of Mount Popa, “The Mountain of Flowers” is a one-hour drive from Bagan and a steep stairway of approximately 700 steps will take you up to the top of the mount at 1,520 metres for a spectacular view of the Bagan Plain.

ANANDA TEMPLE - The Ananda Temple, which is located in Bagan, Myanmar, is a Buddhist temple built in 1105 AD during the reign (1084–1113) of King Kyanzittha of the Pagan Dynasty. It is one of four surviving temples in Bagan.

The temple layout is in a cruciform with several terraces leading to a small pagoda at the top covered by an umbrella known as hti, which is the name of the umbrella or top ornament found in almost all pagodas in Myanmar. The Buddhist temple houses four standing Buddhas, each one facing the cardinal direction of East, North, West and South.

The temple is said to be an architectural wonder in a fusion of Mon and adopted Indian style of architecture. The impressive temple has also been titled the "Westminster Abbey of Burma".The temple has close similarity to the Pathothamya temple of the 10th–11th century, and is also known as “veritable museum of stones”.

MANUHA TEMPLE - Manuha Temple is a Buddhist temple built in Myinkaba (located near Bagan), by captive Mon King Manuha in 1067, according to King Manuha's inscriptions. It is a rectangular building of two storeys. The building contains three images of seated Buddhas and an image of Buddha entering Nirvana. Manuha Temple is one of the oldest temples in Bagan.

NANPAYA TEMPLE - The Nanpaya Temple is a Hindu temple located in Myinkaba (a village south of Bagan) in Burma. The temple is adjacent to the Manuha Temple and was built by captive Mon King Manuha. It was built using mud mortar, stone, and brick, and was used as the residence of Manuha. The temple contains intricate carvings of Brahma, and also contains depictions of other Hindu gods. Also, because Manuha was a Mon, there are many figures and symbols of the Mon within the temple, including hinthas.

SHWESANDAW PAGODA - The Shwesandaw Pagoda is a Buddhist pagoda located in Bagan, Burma. The pagoda contains a series of five terraces, topped with a cylindrical stupa, which has a bejewelled umbrella (hti). The pagoda was built by King Anawrahta in 1057, and once contained terra cotta tiles depicting scenes from the Jataka. Enshrined within the pagoda are sacred hairs of Gautama Buddha, which were obtained from Thaton.