A trip to Myanmar is not complete without experiencing, the once-in-a-lifetime, Hot Air Balloons Over Bagan! There is no place on Earth quite as unique as Old Bagan, an ancient city in central Myanmar, and to float swiftly across the tops of some 2,000 Buddhist monuments is one heck of a Bucket List adventure!
I have put together this complete guide of Balloons Over Bagan including where to book and what to expect.
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Table of Contents
BALLOONS OVER BAGAN BOOKING
There are several Bagan hot air balloon companies to book a flight with, however, I highly recommend flying with Balloons Over Bagan, the most reputable hot air balloon company in Bagan.
You can book a Bagan Balloon Ride online in advance to get the best rates. The Balloons Over Bagan tour is the most top-rated tour with great reviews and hundreds of bookings.
This tour includes a 5 am hotel pick-up, pre-balloon flight refreshments, hot air balloon tour in Bagan, champagne breakfast upon landing, a personalized certificate, and hotel drop-off around 8 am.
- Bagan Hot Air Balloon Season: October – April
- Bagan Hot Air Balloon Price: USD $330
Book Now → Balloons Over Bagan Tour
BALLOONS OVER BAGAN EXPERIENCE
Balloons Over Bagan maintains the highest possible attention to safety to provide an unforgettable hot air balloon experience over the ancient temples in Old Bagan. When booking a Bagan balloon ride with this company you can expect 5-star service from start to finish.
I was picked up from my accommodation, Bagan Thande Riverview Hotel, at around 5 am by the crew members. I jumped on board the courtesy bus with a bunch of other people who were taking the Bagan hot air balloon ride too. We drove north of Old Bagan for about 20-minutes to the starting point of where the flight launches.
Complimentary tea, coffee, and biscuits were served during an important safety briefing with the Bagan balloon pilots.
Shortly after the briefing, we waited and watched the crew members inflate the hot air balloons in the open field, which was an impressive moment in itself. Once instructed, we climbed into the basket one-by-one and prepared for lift-off!
Book Now → Balloons Over Bagan Tour
Preparing the Bagan balloons for lift-off!
Speechless views
FLYING HIGH WITH BALLOONS OVER BAGAN
The hot air balloon lifted our basket off the ground with ease and barely any bumpiness at all. The balloon pilot steered us swiftly across the tops of countless Buddhist monuments that covered the wide-open plains of Old Bagan.
The sun begun to rise up slowly over the horizon in the far distance, emitting a magical orange glow across the entire region. I was honestly left speechless… This moment was definitely one of the most incredible sights I have ever seen!
The airspace was dotted with dozens of colorful balloons as we floated aimlessly across the Bagan Archaeological Area with distant views of Mount Popa and the Ayeyarwady River.
Must Read → 2 Week Myanmar Itinerary
Early morning glow
The pilot really put on a show, spinning the hot air balloon around in all directions to give you the best possible views of Old Bagan from your corner of the basket.
As the flight comes to an end you’ll float over peanut farms and rice fields being harvested by the local farmers. Don’t be shy, give them a wave and I guarantee they will give you a wave back!
The Bagan hot air balloon will then descend on the outskirts of a local village and land safely on the sandbanks near the Ayeyarwady River.
Awaiting on the sand upon landing are the crew members with glasses of champagne and light breakfast snacks to celebrate! The courtesy bus will also be there waiting to kindly drop you back at your hotel.
Casting a shadow
Sunrise Bagan
Flying high
WHERE TO STAY IN BAGAN
Bagan has dozens of accommodations to choose from so I have narrowed it down to a few of the best places to stay to suit the needs of budget backpackers, luxury travelers, and everyone in between.
See the list of accommodations below that I personally recommend:
Luxury: Bagan Thande Riverview Hotel
Mid Range: Bagan View Hotel
Budget: Maya Bagan Hostel
FOR ALL OTHER PLACES TO STAY IN BAGAN, SEARCH ON AGODA OR SEARCH ON BOOKING.COM
AIRBNB BAGAN
Another option for accommodation is to stay at an Airbnb, which generally has some great deals.
Use the search box below to find all available Airbnb’s in Bagan.
WANT TO SAVE $$$ ON AIRBNB? GET MY AIRBNB MONEY SAVING GUIDE
BEST MYANMAR TOURS
MORE MYANMAR TRAVEL GUIDES
Myanmar Guide: 2 Week Myanmar Itinerary
Bagan Guide: 5 Things To Do In Bagan
Mandalay Guide: 10 Things To Do In Mandalay
Inle Lake Guide: 5 Things To Do In Inle Lake
Hpa An Guide: 5 Things To Do In Hpa An
LONELY PLANET MYANMAR
One of the best books to take on your trip is the Lonely Planet Myanmar Guide!
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JOIN MY FACEBOOK COMMUNITY
Do you have any questions about this epic hot air balloon experience?
Join my Facebook Community and send me a message at any time for a quick response!
ONLINE ENGLISH TEACHING
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MY SHOP
Before you go, don’t forget to check out My Online Shop!
I’ve got a wide range of digital products for sale and I’m sure you’ll find something that will come in handy during your travels!
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FINAL THOUGHTS
Thanks for reading this article and if you have any questions, please leave me a comment below this post and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Happy Adventuring!
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Hey, I’m Jonny – surfer, skater, photographer, and coffee-lover from Australia!
With a burning passion for travel and the outdoors, I launched this Adventure Travel Blog in 2017, and I’ve been exploring the world ever since!
My little corner of the interwebs is a space where I love to share all of my epic adventures, cultural experiences, and captivating photos from around the globe with the ultimate goal to inspire and motivate other like-minded travelers to explore this wonderful earth too!
You have a very good light on that day! When I did it last time it was a bit cloudy and not such a excellent. Anyway is a must do thing in Bagan!
Author
Yes it was a perfect morning. Sorry to hear you had a cloudy day. Take Care!