Bago

Bago was the capital of the Mon kingdom of Hanthawaddy and later a major Burmese city, and although the town today is unremarkable, the monuments around it are not. The Shwemawdaw stupa is taller than the Shwedagon and has been rebuilt repeatedly after earthquakes, most recently after 1930. The Shwethalyaung reclining Buddha, fifty-five metres long, was lost under vegetation for centuries and rediscovered in the colonial period. Kyaikpun is four seated Buddhas set back to back around a square pillar, three of them intact.

What you actually see

• Shwemawdaw Paya - a gilded stupa taller than the Shwedagon, with earthquake damage left visible at the base.
• Shwethalyaung Buddha - a fifty-five metre reclining image, lost under jungle for centuries.
• Kyaikpun Paya - four seated Buddhas back to back around a central pillar.
• Kanbawzathadi - a reconstructed royal palace on the excavated foundations of the Mon capital.

When to go

November to February is the cool dry season. Bago works as a long day trip from Yangon or a stop on the way to the Golden Rock. Mornings are best before the heat builds on the open pagoda platforms.

Honest expectations

A combined zone ticket is required and is checked at the main sites. The town itself has little to offer and the monuments are spread out, so transport for the day is needed. Touts around the larger pagodas are persistent.

Nearby

The Golden Rock at Kyaiktiyo is a few hours east, and Yangon is an hour and a half southwest.