Bagan From Chiang Mai?

[Greenside]

Can anyone suggest the best way to do this trip? I have visitors from the UK next month and they heard about flights out of Mae Sot and want to visit Bagan but it looks to me as if there are no connections to Nyaung U or Mandalay from there. They'd rather not go via BKK but it's still an option. I haven't researched the road travel options from Mandalay (Yangon is too far, right?) so I'm hoping someone with recent experience can help me out.

Thanks in advance.

[Mahseer]

Just got into Bagan from the hills.

Check if Air Bagan are flying direct flights again from Chiang Mai. They cancelled all September flights so be careful. They have an office on Changklan opposite the Shangri La. Flights are twice weekly, Thursday and Sunday I believe around mid afternoon.

[Mahseer]

Sorry thats fot Chiang Mai-Yangon then plenty of options to fly to Bagan. Domestic terminal is 2 kms down the track from International.

[Greenside]

Thanks. I'll go see them on Monday.

Bagan: Worth the trip? Mid level places to stay? Prices?

[Mahseer]

I am far from the Bagan expert having just spent a combined total of 4 days here but the incredible historical monuments, some dating back a millenium, can keep just about anyone with a pulse occupied for a couple of days. Horse and cart or bicycle are the main methods of getting about but motorcycles are off limits to tourists except the occasional battery operated ones.

I am in the Sky Palace hotel in new Bagan which has standard rooms with twin beds for $50 or larger double rooms for $80 and has a swimming pool but breakfast is pretty basic but coffee was warm. There is a Thai restaurant - Green Elephant maybe - that is 200 yards away and was packed with foreigners last night but didn't sample and a parade of restaurants 10 minutes walk so no need to go hungry. Paid $20 for average Chinese at the Black Rose without alcohol last night and $16 at the Bistro in old Bagan for lunch.

Was here June and pushed the boat out and stayed in old Bagan at the Hotel at Tharabar Gate which ran around $140. Grounds all smart but pool cloudy and rooms way overdue for refurbishment which to be fair looked to be in the planning.