Bagan in 3D: Two Thousand Temples on the Irrawaddy

On a bend of Myanmar's Irrawaddy River, the plains of Bagan hold over 2,000 Buddhist temples and pagodas, best seen at sunrise from a balloon. Here's how to explore every corner of Bagan in 3D with live Street View — right from your iPhone.

On a bend of Myanmar's Irrawaddy River, the plains of Bagan hold over 2,000 Buddhist temples and pagodas, best seen at sunrise from a balloon.

But here's the catch: most people will never stand here in person. The flights, the crowds, the sheer distance — Bagan stays firmly on the someday list. The good news is that you no longer have to wait for someday. You can explore Bagan today, in full 3D with live Street View, right from your phone.

Between the 11th and 13th centuries, the kings of Bagan built thousands of temples across these plains. That history is exactly what makes it worth seeing up close — and worth scouting properly before you go.

What makes Bagan special

A few sights define Bagan, and you'll want to find each of them when you explore in 3D:

• Temple Plains — A horizon of brick temples and stupas stretching in every direction across the dusty plain.

• Ananda Temple — One of Bagan's finest surviving temples, its whitewashed spire visible for miles.

• Balloon Sunrise — The signature scene: hot-air balloons drifting over the temple tops as the sun rises.

• The wider setting — half the magic of Bagan is the landscape around it, which reads best from above in a 3D view.

Together, these sights give Bagan its unmistakable character. Exploring in 3D lets you move between all of them in seconds — comparing the angles, judging the distances, and deciding which ones deserve the most of your time when you finally visit in person.

How to explore Bagan in 3D with MAPAS

You don't need a plane ticket to walk these streets. Here's the fastest way to experience Bagan from your sofa:

1. Open MAPAS and search for Bagan, Myanmar — the map drops you straight into the region.

1. Switch to 3D view and tilt the map so the terrain, buildings and landscape rise into relief around you.

1. Drop into Live Street View near Temple Plains, the view most visitors travel here for, and look around in every direction.

1. Fly across to Balloon Sunrise to see it from an angle few travellers ever reach on foot.

1. Turn on GPS navigation to trace the real walking route between the sights — so the day you arrive, you already know it by heart.

The best viewpoints to look for

When you're exploring in 3D, aim for these spots — they're the exact angles photographers wait all morning for:

• Temple Plains — 21.1717° N, 94.8585° E

• Ananda Temple — 21.1706° N, 94.8639° E

• Balloon Sunrise — 21.1650° N, 94.8600° E

Line any of them up in 3D first, and you'll know precisely where to stand — and which hour of the day gives you the light — long before you travel.

Why see it in 3D before you go

Scouting a destination virtually isn't just fun — it saves real time and money. You'll spot which viewpoints are worth the climb, how the sights connect, and where the crowds gather, so your actual visit is spent seeing rather than searching. You arrive already oriented, instead of burning your first morning getting lost.

And if a trip to Bagan isn't on the calendar yet, the 3D tour stands on its own — a genuine way to experience one of the world's most remarkable places from wherever you are.

Good to know

A few essentials before you dive in:

• Cost — MAPAS is free to download on the App Store, with no sign-up required to start exploring.
• Best for — trip planning, virtual travel, and scouting photo spots like Temple Plains before you commit to a route.
• Works on — iPhone and iPad, so you can plan on the couch and navigate on the road.
• Part of — our "Hidden Places You Must See" series, a growing collection of the world's most surreal destinations in 3D.

Plan the real trip (when you're ready)

Fly into Nyaung-U and rent an e-bike to roam the temple tracks. Sunrise and sunset are the golden hours; balloon flights run in the cooler, dry season.

Whenever you do go, a little virtual scouting means you'll spend your time on the ground soaking it in rather than working out where to point the camera. Until then, the 3D version is open 24/7 — no crowds, no flights, no queue for the viewpoint.