Hot-air balloons drifting over Bagan have become one of the iconic images of Southeast Asian travel — and as climbing the temples is phased out, the dawn flight is fast becoming the only way to take in the full sweep of the plain. The views are simply unmatched.
Before dawn
Pickup is around 5am. At the launch site you're handed hot drinks and pastries while the pilots fire the burners and the great envelopes fill and rise. Demand is high, so you'll share the morning with other travellers before being split into smaller groups, each with its own pilot.
Up and away
After a thorough safety briefing, you climb into the basket and lift off. The sky fills with red, yellow and green balloons from the three operators — Oriental Ballooning, Balloons Over Bagan and Golden Eagle — a spectacle in itself, especially when morning mist still pools around the monuments below.
Wind decides your route. The pilot might carry you towards Dhammayangyi, the largest temple, or over Gubyaukgyi and its delicate frescoes. Even flights beyond the archaeological zone reward you, with the Irrawaddy and the patchwork countryside unrolling beneath.
New rules mean balloons now launch and land outside the archaeological zone, though passengers say it hasn't dimmed the magic one bit. On landing, the crew secures the envelope and breaks out juice, fresh fruit and sparkling wine — the customary, and very welcome, celebration.
