Have you ever? ...... After looking at certain attraction and immediately telling yourself that you must go, that you must see it with your own eyes for once in your lifetime ......................

Flashback to 5 years ago, I remembered having a chance to read review and saw the view of one attraction which was located at our neighboring country. It was so breath taking, so much impression for me that I told myself I must go to this place. Then time passed, until last month, I finally got a chance to visit my dreamed place in person and view it with my own eyes.

And I can't help but to share my long-lasting impression with everyone here.

Hello everyone, we meet again for our second edition of this year. For Tummeng Travel Magazine Online, we now already have 31 editions. When we first made it, we didn't think we could go this far, thank you so much everyone for your always kind support.

If you want to view the photos in HD file, please go visit https://www.facebook.com/TummengMagazine. Bagan is one of the places that I always tell myself I will go visit at least once in my life, if chances allow.

Bagan is currently located at the Mandalay city of Myanmar. It is 90 miles or 145 km. southern west to the Mandalay. Mandalay is divided into 3 areas: the old town (Pagan Kingdom area), the new city ( current residency area), and Nyaung-U (for commercial and economic area) where also situates the Nyaung-U airport. The main income for the Bagan town is cultural and historical tourism. The city all year round welcomes many tourists from around the world, especially those from Asian countries.

Bagan is known as "Talay Chedi"(meaning ocean of pagodas) or the land of 4,000 pagodas. In the glorious past days, the pagodas were as much as 4,446 but only 2,217 pagodas remained until present.The first pagoda in Bagan was Shwezigon Pagoda built by King Anawrahta Minsa, the first king of Pagan Kingdom.Traditionally, the biggest pagoda was to be built by the king, and the smaller ones will be built by ministers or nobles, based on the descending title. That is to say, the bigger the pagoda, the bigger title of the one who built it.

On this trip, I was honored to be invited by Bangkok Airways to travel with the top 10 reviewers to view the beauty of Mandalay-Bagan in Myanmar for 4 days 3 nights.

We start our first day be traveling from Suvarnabhumi airport to Mandalay airport, and then enjoy Mandalay city for half a day and stay overnight there. On the second day, we take the ride to Bagan and stay a night there. And returning to Mandalay and staying overnight here on the third night. And the trip is ended by coming back to Bangkok on the fourth day.

1. The Mandalay Palace (The simulated one)

Even though I've been to the palace before, but the palace is a must visit for Mandalay. We should not miss to stop for a visit in order to know more about some parts of Burmese history.

60D + Tokina 11-16

Raw + Cs6

2. The Mandalay Palace (The simulated one)

This time I am well equipped with lens, but sadly, the sky is not so blue and not so open.

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Raw + Cs6

3. The Mandalay Palace (The simulated one)

I am prepared the wide lends for this angle, unfortunately, the sky is not blue at all.

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Raw + Cs6

In conclusion, Tokina 11-16 lens are not too colorful but a bit distorted, so I also choose to take Raw photo here.

4. Shwenandaw Knauang Teak Palace

Shwenandaw Knauang Temple is the palace built with teak in accordance with Burmese splendid arts, the doors and windows were beautifully and delicately carved. The main story displayed was the focus on the details about the biography of the Lord Buddha and His ten lives biography. This palace was built by King Mindon Min in 1857 for temporary stay. It is also the same year when he moved the capital city from Amornburama to Mandalay.

But after the King passed away in 1878, his son, King Thibaw Min has offered the palace to be the temple. The neighboring abbot has been taken care of this temple and he only renovated outside, leaving the inside remained the same way as it used to be. It is notice that the plank and each pillar is gigantic which is rarely seen. The engrave on the wood and glass ornament can be considered as an exquisite hand craft of a genuine royal Mandalay technicians.

60D+tokina 11-16

Raw + Cs6

f 2.8 The advantage of this lens is that it helps capture photo better in the less light circumstance.

5. Shwenandaw Knauang Teak Palace

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5 . Kuthodaw Pagoda

The advantage of flying with Bangkok Airways is that we can have lunch on board and after arriving Mandalay, we still have time of half a day to visit many attractions.

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6. Mandalay Hill

The first day of the trip ends here, the sky is still not open, so we cannot capture the sunset view. This place is said to be one of the most beautiful places for watching sunset in Mandalay.

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7. My fellow trip travelers

I have to say that after receiving the invitation, apart from the place is so attractive that I cannot refuse, my fellow trip travelers is another reason for me to say yes to this trip. Because this trip has included the top 10 reviewers from Pantip of whom 2 of them are my inspirations . They inspire me to write reviews until I also become one of the top. I'm very glad to be included in the trip and travel with all top Pantip reviewers.

On the second day, we travel from Mandalay to Bagan by bus, it takes about 5 hours. The road is all paved, comfy seat with cool air conditioner.

8. Shwezigon Pagoda

Shwezigon Pagoda of Bagan, Myanmar, is enshrined a tooth of the Lord Buddha, built by King Anawrahta who was the first king to unite the Burmese under the Pagan Kingdom 900 years ago. After defeated the Mons at Thaton Kingdom, some Mons craftsmen, philosophers, and scholars were also captured to Pagan Kingdom. Therefore, unconsciously, Burmese arts were influenced by Mon arts. For example, the shape of the Shwezigon Pagoda was in upside down bell just like the Mon style before Pagan had their own artists. "Shwezigon" literally means the pagoda that is located on the sand.

Shwezigon Pagoda is enshrined three important relics of Buddha. The firs part is the tooth given by Sri Lankan King, second part is the shoulder bone from Sri Kaset city (near the Pyay city) and the last part is the forehead of the Buddha's relic.

60D+tokina 11-16 + filter half blue 9, Shwenandaw Pagoda

Once we arrived at Bagan, it's noon, so we have lunch and choose to visit to other important pagodas in Bagan first before going to our highlight at "Talay Chedi" or the ocean of pagodas in the evening.

60D + tokina 11-16 + filter half blue 10, many pagodas, and I don't' quite remember which is which...

11. Burmese people like to go to temple.

12. Talay Chedi

When the evening comes, we go to take sunset photo and the view of the ocean of pagodas. Unfortunately, we visit here during summer so a lot of dust making the sky is not as clear as it could have been.

60D+28-70 F2.8L

Raw + Cs6

13. Sunset at Bagan

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Raw + Cs6

The same view but add filter half orange 14. Bagan

I used to only can look at others' photos or ask to go along whenever I see someone is going to Bagan but opportunity never allows. Until finally, today has come, I'm here at Bagan ;)

60D+28-70 F2.8L

Raw + Cs6

The same view but added ND half grey 15. More than 600 shots were taken, only a few good ones.

While we are enjoying taking sunset shots, Maria shouting for us to take the other side view photography. And this is the photo from opposite side to the sunset view.

16. Dust or smoke, but certainly not the fog.

At Bagan, if you are allergic to dust, please bring dust protector or sprays because it really has a lot of dust.

60D+Sigma 70-30017. The beauty via photo really can't convey the true beauty of the view with your own eyes.

60D+Sigma 70-300

18. The last light of the day at Bagan.

60D+Sigma 70-30019. The moon at Bagan.

This is the pagoda that we have to climb up 5 levels to capture today's spectacular photos.

60D+28-7020. Wake up at 5:00 am.

On the third day, we have to wake up at 5 am and go to the same place, but this time is going for sunrise shots.

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Raw+Cs621. First comes first reserves seat.

Arriving early give us advantage that we can select the best place to put the camera tripod because there are really a lot of people coming.

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Raw + cs622. The first light of the day.

Because this is my first time here, I cannot guess on which side the sun will rise. At that moment, I was really excited.

23. The sun among thousands of pagodas.

60D+28-70f2.8L24. Balloon

Another highlight of Bagan is taking a balloon to view the beauty of the ocean of pagodas. Unfortunately, I can't do it because the price is quite expensive.

25. Greed

While shooting photos, I become greedy, I want my photography to contain pagodas, balloon, and the sun within one frame. However, they rarely come at the same time, or even if they do, the angle is not so beautiful.

60D+28-70F2.8L26. Just like a dream.

To stand right here is just like a dream. It's like we have dreamed that we want to see this view and finally we can actually see it!

60D+sigma 70-30027. The desired photography.

This is the wanted photography, the kind of photo that is desired for almost 3 hours photo shooting.

28. This would not be a last visit.

This trip, I come in summer time, many things didn't go the way I expected. So I determine to come again during winter at the end of this year for sure.

29. Pagoda, pagoda, and pagoda.

30. Balloon, balloon, and balloon.

31. When the sky is open, everything is clearer.

32. Keep shooting.

33. I want to be on the balloon too.

34. Not yet finished.

35. When it's about time, we travel to Mandalay at late morning, again, the trip is about 5 hours. After grabbing something to eat in Mandalay town, we go for another important attraction of Mandalay.

That is U-Bein Bridge. Last time when I visited this place, I already took some photos but didn't get to go boating because I failed to book the boat in advance. So this time, I wouldn't miss the boating part. And before that, let's take a quick survey around, like the old time.

36. The old-time atmosphere.

37. Want to walk around or enjoy riding boat? Your choice.

That far away person is Burmese, oh no... it's Pocky. He is shooting his personal sniper at us. And because he is walking around too much, so he missed a chance to ride the boat...

38. The popular corner

Anyone riding the boat would get the same angle of this view because the boatman will stop here for every ride.

39. Timing and chance.

40. Zoom

41. U- Bein Bridge

42. U- Bein Bridge

At first, according to the schedule of this trip, the tour guide will take us to U-Bein Bridge in the next morning so that we can also visit Maha Gandayon Monastery along the way. But I suggest that we should go to the bridge this evening because if going in the morning, we will miss the chance to see this beautiful lighting.

43.

44.

45. The last day of the trip. In the morning, we go to observe the merit of offering food to more than 3,000 monks at Maha Gandayon Monastery.

46. For the under-privileged Burmese children, they will ordain to become novices in order to study here.

47. There will also be a host to perform food offering merit everyday which every meal costs several ten thousands baht.

48. The impression of the trip cannot happen if there is no first person to ask me to join the trip. That very person is the reviewer named Forzanu, a kind man who is now distributing snacks to children.

49. Thank you very much to Bangkok Airways who is making this trip possible and help me to achieve my another dreamed trip.

I have heard that according to the route that I visit this time, Bangkok Airways is going to operate it as one of its tour routes, but I'm not completely sure, please check for more information.

50. Finally, I want to ask all the sacred things that I have paid homage during my whole trip, please grant me, and the reviewees who stop by for my review to receive eternal happiness, and can travel as often as they wish.

Thank you very much for all who visited my reviews, and if it is not too much waste of a time, please leave some comments here for boosting up my morale in the next review. And my next trip review is probably a trip in Hong Kong-Macao with my family.

Welcome all to my next review :)