THE Bagan Ancient Cultural Heritage Zone is poised to see a boom in travel demand in the coming five-day holiday from 12 to 16 March, said the locals.

During the last Shwesettaw pagoda festival period, the visitors visited Shwesettaw from Bagan and from Shwesettaw to Bagan, and they also proceeded to Mount Popa.

“Bagan hosted travellers until the Thingyan period in the same period of last year. This year, there are five holidays, so the travellers have enough time to visit Shwesettaw Pagoda. In the ancient cultural zone, most of the foreign travellers observe the mural painting and architecture. This is a holiday period for all except Grade-12 students, and so the locals expect large crowds of visitors during the long holidays,” said an official of the Directorate of Hotels and Tourism (Bagan).

The local and foreign travellers to Bagan visit Shwezigon, Ngatpyit Hill, Tuyin Hill, Alotawpyae, Htilominlo, Ananda, Thatbyinnyu, Gadawpalin, Buu, Mya Zedi, Manuha, Lawka Nanda, Dhammayangyi, Dhamma Rasika, Sulamani, Shwesandaw and Pyathetgyi.

“The situation in Bagan is peaceful. It is the best time to visit during the long holidays. There is a saying that a Myanmar national must visit Bagan. The locals also expect large numbers of visitors, and they all welcome the travellers. During the last Thingyan period, the central pandal was in NyaungU and Bagan was crowded with visitors. This long holiday period is the best time for those who want to visit Bagan and take a rest in Shwesettaw,” said U Tin Hla Oo, secretary of the pagoda board of trustees of Htilominlo.

The Bagan Ancient Cultural Heritage Zone covers an area of 14,295 square miles and boasts 3,822 pagodas, temples and caves in the cultural zone and 15 pagodas in the Tantkyi Hill area, totalling 3,837 pagodas. — Thitsa (MNA)/KTZH