For me, Bagan was the primary destination. Finishing out 2011 and starting out 2012 in a valley covered with thousands of temples and a mist that turned everything into a painting through my viewfinder was amazing. It’s so very hard to describe in words and even the photos don’t do it any kind of justice. You have to see the place with your own eyes from on top of one of the temples to really get it.

If you want to go yourself, here’s what you need to know: