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!
WHERE TO BOOK BALLOONS OVER BAGAN
There are several Bagan hot air balloon companies to book a flight with, however, I highly recommend flying with ‘Balloons Over Bagan’
You can book a Bagan balloon ride in advance by heading over to the Balloons Over Bagan website www.balloonsoverbagan.com or alternatively send a direct email inquiry to salesdesk@balloonsoverbagan.com
Bagan Hot Air Balloon Season: October – April
Bagan Hot Air Balloon Price: USD $350
See All: Hotels and Homestays in Bagan
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- Early morning flight with balloons over bagan
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- Hot air ballooning – Things to do in Bagan
THE 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 Balloons Over Bagan you can expect a 5-star service from start to finish.
I was picked up from my accommodation, Bagan Thande Riverview Hotel, at around 5:15am by the crew members from Balloons Over Bagan. 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 Balloons Over Bagan 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!
The crew preparing the Bagan balloons for lift off!
Speechless views – Balloons Over Bagan
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 Balloons Over Bagan 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 colourful balloons as we floated aimlessly across the Bagan Archaeological Area with distant views of Mount Popa and the Ayeyarwady River. Balloons Over Bagan 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 from Balloons Over Bagan with glasses of champagne and light breakfast snacks to celebrate! The courtesy bus will also be there waiting to kindly drop you back to your hotel.
See All: Hotels and Homestays in Bagan
Early morning glow with Balloons Over Bagan
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- The sun rising up over the horizon
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- Balloons Over Bagan
Flying high with Balloons Over Bagan
BAGAN ACCOMMODATION
Bagan has dozens of accommodations to choose from so I have narrowed it down to a few of my personal favourite places to stay that caters for luxury travellers to budget backpackers. 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 accommodations in Bagan, you can click HERE to search on booking.com
OTHER POINTS OF INTEREST IN MYANMAR
For more Myanmar backpacking adventures, you may want to read my other travel guides below:
10 Best Things To Do In Mandalay
5 Awesome Things To Do In Bagan
5 Awesome Things To Do In Hpa An
Curious to know what Camera Gear & Travel Essentials I carry while backpacking around the world? I have put together THIS LIST of items to consider packing on your next adventure!
Thanks for reading this article an if you have any questions about Balloons Over Bagan please leave me a comment below.
Happy Adventuring 🙂
PIN IT FOR LATER !!
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!