While visiting the majestic temples of the ancient city of Bagan in Myanmar, tempted by extraordinary photos and encouraged by the previous, amazing hot air balloon experience in Cappadocia, Turkey (take a look at my post about it), we decided to go for it and pay the extremely high price for the Balloon over Bagan flight. You live only once, after all. Not everyday you're in Bagan and can try something so unique - combining the air balloon flight with the overview of the whole magnificent area - miles and miles of land dotted with hundreds of various temples. All this in the warm rays of the rising sun. Sounds amazing, doesn't it? But in the end, was Balloons over Bagan really worth it considering the price?

Mandalay is the second largest city (after Yangon) in Myanmar. Similarly to Yangon,  it also used to be the country's capital and has retained the royal splendor until this day. Surprisingly, although Mandalay feels way older than Yangon, it was established as late as the 19th century. Nevertheless, even though the most popular pagoda in Myanmar (the Shwedagon Pagoda) is located in Yangon, I preferred the authentic feeling and the overall Burmese atmosphere of Mandalay. Less modern high-rise blocks, more spectacular temples, palaces and piece-of-art wooden buildings. Less organized, more messy, chaotic and hectic - but in the positive sense of the word.

Old Bagan is one of the most famous archaeological sites in South East Asia. Often compared to the Angkor Wat Complex in Cambodia, Bagan was open to the tourists relatively recently. Although Myanmar is still regarded by some as an off the beaten path destination (for example, there are not that many foreign visitors in Mandalay or at the Golden Rock Pagoda), the magnificent temples of Bagan attract hundreds of travelers every day. Nevertheless, just like Angkor Wat, the pagodas in Bagan are spread around such an enormous area that you'll still feel the uniqueness and remoteness of this extraordinary site.

Yangon (or Rangoon), Myanmar's former capital is still the largest city in the country and important economic as well as cultural center. Comparing to Bagan, Mandalay or the rest of Myanmar, Yangon seems to be a really modern, culturally diverse metropolis with over 5 million inhabitants. You'll find Burmese, British and Chinese influences at every corner. Colonial buildings, pagodas, churches and Chinese markets are strewn around the center. Although the city is huge, you'll be able to see a lot in just one day - the most impressive monuments and sights (like Shwedagon Pagoda or Sule Pagoda) are within walking distance from one another.