Thursday, February 21, 2013

40% more foreigners at Bagan in 2012

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Thursday, 21 February 2013 18:34 Khin Myo Thwe

The number of foreigners entering the Bagan hotel zone increased by 40 percent in 2012, according to hoteliers in the area.

The ancient ruins of Bagan make for a spectacular sunset. (PHOTO: Xiao Ting Shirley)

According to Zaw Waik, the secretary of the Bagan Zone of the Myanmar Hoteliers Association, the number of domestic visitors was also up. Among foreign tourists, the highest number of visitors came from Thailand, with China second. French and German visitors are the most common Western visitors to the ancient Buddhist temples.

“Most of the foreign tourists who come to Bagan not only visit the ancient temples, but take an interest in the frescoes,” tour guide Nyi Zaw said. “They also take time to visit artisans selling local handicrafts such as lacquerware and artwork.”

Located in Mandalay Region, Bagan was the capital of the country from the 9th to 13th centuries. But it was also a center of Buddhist learning and home to more than 10,000 Buddhist temples, pagodas and monasteries. Today, the remains of just 2,200 temples survive.
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