Bagan Hot Air Balloon Flight at Sunrise over the Temples

Bagan has thousands of temples and pagodas spread over a flat plain, and a hot air balloon is the way to take them all in at once. This Viator listing offers a morning flight of about 45 minutes at sunrise, with the hotel pick-up included. Viator shows it from about US$240 per person, which is 208 euros on the page, and rates it 4.9 from 203 reviews. The operator is Balloons over Bagan, which also runs flights over Inle Lake.

The page describes the idea in simple terms. A morning flight means watching the sunrise and seeing the area when the mist shrouds the greenery, and the listing counts more than 8,000 temples and pagodas that are nearly impossible to see from the ground. It calls the experience ideal for couples. The flight itself is described as different every time, since the balloon drifts with the wind.

Pick-up is usually between 5:00 and 6:00 in the morning, and the listing gives a start time of 5:30. If you prefer, you can go straight to the meeting point in Old Bagan. At the launch site the crew inflates the balloon while you have coffee or tea and refreshments, which is part of the show, since you watch the envelope fill and rise before you climb into the basket.

The flight lasts about 45 minutes, with the whole experience taking up to an hour. The itinerary on the page says that you will see Bagan waking up, with many temples in the distance and a wide aerial view, and that you may sometimes fly over villages and see people on their early morning rounds, feeding their animals or going to market. It adds that the balloon usually lands on a different site from the take-off, in the same area.

After the landing, the crew looks after you, and you are taken back to your hotel or to the point where you were picked up. The listing says that souvenir photos are available to purchase, and that tips are not included. The more expensive flight from the same operator adds a breakfast with sparkling wine, so compare the two on the booking page.

A reviewer on the page was a little disappointed about the height of the flight, and thought that the temples could be seen better from higher up. The host replied that balloon flights depend largely on the weather and drift with the wind, while the pilot keeps the flight safe. This is a fair reminder that you do not choose the route or the altitude, so expect a different flight from the photographs you have seen.

The rules are strict. The balloon is not wheelchair accessible, and the minimum age is 7 years and 125 centimetres, since passengers must be able to see over the basket. People with heart problems or other serious medical conditions cannot take part. A passenger weighing more than 125 kilograms, or one who needs the space of two people in the basket, must book the extra space at the time of booking and pay a surcharge of 100 percent of the ticket price. Without it, the flight can be refused at the launch site, with no refund.

The cancellation terms are the most important point. The page says that this experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason, and that if you cancel or ask for a change, the amount you paid will not be refunded. Because weather decides whether a balloon can fly, ask the operator what happens if your flight is cancelled for safety reasons, and whether you are offered another date or a refund in that case.

Confirmation is received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability, so book early, and do not plan the flight on your last morning in Bagan. Balloons in Bagan usually fly in the cooler months, roughly from October to April, so confirm the operating dates for your trip. Dress in layers, since the early morning is cool, and wear shoes that you can stand in for a while.

Plan the day around the flight. After a pre-dawn start, many visitors return to the hotel for breakfast and a rest, then spend the later morning among the temples by e-bike or horse cart. Take a camera with a good zoom, and keep your phone in a pocket, since you need both hands to hold on while the balloon lands. Eat something before you go, since the refreshments at the launch site are light.

Choose this flight if you want the classic balloon view of Bagan at a moderate price for the experience. If you want a longer programme with breakfast and sparkling wine after the flight, the premium version from the same operator costs about twice as much, and the choice depends on how much you value the extras.