Bagan sees record tourist surge despite rain

Thousands of travelers visited the ancient temple complex at Bagan during the recent Buddhist holiday periods despite adverse weather conditions. Accommodation facilities reached capacity as people arrived between Nov. 1 and the Tazaungmone full moon to explore the archaeological site in central Myanmar.

Daw San San Myint from the Department of Hotels and Tourism’s Bagan office said rainfall on the lunar observance day did not deter crowds from making pilgrimages to historic monuments. Pre-arranged bookings filled lodging establishments while worshippers lit ceremonial lamps at 18 prominent shrines. U Tin Oo of the Htilominlo Pagoda trust reported nearly 10,000 people toured his temple on the full moon compared with 8,000 visitors across the holiday weekend. These figures exceeded attendance from the previous year.

Foreign nationals joined domestic pilgrims at the heritage zone, where concentrated clusters of religious structures attract merit-making activities. Storm systems over the Bay of Bengal and Philippine Sea brought heavy precipitation and winds to the region during the festival period. The secretary noted that the concentration of Myanmar’s architectural legacy at Bagan inspires national pride and religious devotion among those who view the centuries-old monuments.