Hot-air balloon services resume in Bagan, offering tourists aerial views of ancient stupas and temples

 

STARTING from 16 October, a hot-air balloon company began offering services to both local and international tourists in the Bagan region, showcasing Myanmar’s ancient cultural heritage, including pagodas, temples, statues, and the region’s natural beauty.

Each year, following the Thadingyut Full Moon Day, hotair balloon companies provide these services, with the fare set at around K600,000 per person. However, the tourism season in 2021 was suspended due to the global pandemic. In 2022, with resumption of tourism activities, both domestic and international visitors returned to Myanmar’s top destinations, including the beaches, pagodas, and temples. Bagan saw an increase in tourist arrival numbers during the 2023 Thadingyut Festival, and the balloon rides proved particularly popular again during the 2024 festival.

Balloon operators offer convenient services, picking up passengers from their hotels and serving refreshments like coffee, tea, cookies, and snacks before the flight. The hot-air balloon ride lasts from 45 minutes to an hour. Upon landing, passengers are treated to cold drinks, wine, and banana cake and other snacks before being transported back to their hotels. Balloons usually launch from Bagan Amazing Golf Club and the hotel zone, making the ride a favourite among both foreign and local tourists, particularly those from Asian countries.

There are currently four hotair balloon companies providing these services in Bagan, operating from October (starting with the Thadingyut festival) until the first week of April. Additionally, a skydiving company started offering services from 16 October. Tourists flying over Bagan can enjoy a stunning aerial view of the 3,822 pagodas, temples, and statues, along with the scenic Ayeyawady River, contributing to the promotion of the region’s tourism sector. — Nyein Thu (MNA)/TKO