If you are traveling to Myanmar, exploring Bagan should be on top of your must visit places. After seeing Angkor Wat in Cambodia, I honestly thought that no other place, jam-packed with temples, can impress me. Oh God, I was wrong!
Bagan’s beauty is impossible to forget and the sunsets and sunrises here are some of the most magical on the entire Earth. With over 2,200 temples and 104 square kilometers, exploring the entire Bagan is almost impossible.
However, you can choose to rent one of the Bagan e-bikes and you’ll most definitely see most of this place. In this article, I’ll break down everything you need know about renting an e-bike in Bagan.
Read more about the most beautiful temples in Bagan here.
1. Is it legal to drive motorbikes in Bagan?
Unfortunately, for foreigners it is illegal to drive motorbikes (only e-bikes are legal) in and around Bagan. This is why you won’t even find motorbikes for rent in Bagan. However, the good news is that you can rent e-bikes.
Renting an e-bike in Bagan is easy and even though this moped is slower than motorbikes, it will get you pretty much anywhere.
2. How to ride an e-bike in Bagan
Riding an e-bike is a combination of riding a motorbike and a bicycle. It’s not easy but it isn’t hard either. If you’ve ridden either a bike or a motorbike before, you should be fine. If not, it will take you about 15 minutes to learn how to drive an e-bike.
It’s just a matter of balance and perseverance. If you’re planning to learn to drive an e-bike in Bagan, make sure to practice on an empty street, without many cars.
Note: no matter if you’re a pro at riding e-bikes or not, you should wear a helmet. The roads in Bagan are pretty bumpy.
Things you should keep in mind:
- bring lots of liquids with you. You will find small shops in Bagan but only near the big temples. If you choose to venture on non-touristy paths, you won’t find any shops
- use sunscreen! The sun can be extremely harsh – sunscreen should be your best friend
- wear flip flops. You will have to take off your shoes before entering each temple. For a full guide about how to dress, click here.
3. E-bike rental in Bagan
If you’re wondering where to find e-bikes for rent in Bagan, the answer is simple: anywhere! Most probably your hotel or hostel will have some for rent. If not, just head to the closest hotel and ask at the reception.
You’ll also see many rental shops on the main roads.
If you are 2 people, you can easily ride a single e-bike. Me and my boyfriend rented only one for three days and we managed to see everything we wanted.
Before renting an e-bike in Bagan, make sure that the battery is full. A full battery will be more than enough for one day of exploring.
Read more about how to find Bagan temples you can still climb on here.
4. Bagan e-bikes price
Renting an e-bike for one day should cost around 6,000 Kyat ($4). When we visited, it was the rainy season and there were not too many people in Bagan. During the touristy season, the prices might be a bit higher.
5. Other alternatives of getting around Bagan
You can also choose to rent a bicycle in Bagan. However, keep in mind that the temperatures are quite high and riding a bicycle in 40 degrees Celsius is not really comfortable. Also, riding a bike is a lot more tiring than riding an e-bike.
If you choose cycling in Bagan, bring lots of water with you.
6. Where to stay in Bagan
Low Budget – Crown Prince Hotel – good location, excellent breakfast, friendly staff
Mid Budget – Bagan Thande Hotel – excellent location, good value for money, clean
Luxury – Aureum Palace Hotel & Resort – view towards the temples (the best), extremely clean, spacious rooms
I hope that in this article you’ve found valuable information about how to get around Bagan. Renting an e-bike is the best choice if you want to explore the amazing Bagan temples. If you have any questions, let me know in the comments section below.
May the travel bug bite you!
More about Myanmar:
- Backpacking Myanmar – a complete guide – click here
- Myanmar hidden gems – click here
- Yangon – explore the best of it – click here
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Aurelia Teslaru is a professional travel blogger and the writer behind Daily Travel Pill. With a 4-year experience as a travel writer and photographer, Aurelia only shares travel guides about destinations that she visited.
She has been to more than 40 countries during the past 10 years and aims to explore 50 countries before turning 30 years old. Aurelia is a digital nomad who transformed her passion for travel into a lifestyle. Read more about her here.
To follow her adventures, check out her Instagram and Facebook pages!
Where can you charge your e-bike?
You can only charge it at the place where you rent your e-bike from. Just make sure that your battery is fully charged when you rent your e-bike and it should be enough for one day of exploring Bagan.