The Southeast Asian nation of Myanmar (once known as Burma) borders India, China, Laos, and Thailand, so it’s easy to see the architectural and artistic influences from its neighbors (it’s been called the “Land of Pagodas”).
One such remnant of the nation’s past is the jungle ruins of Shwe Inn Thein and Nyaung Ohak near the tiny town of Inthein. They’re not any old ruins, though; out of the foliage sprout 2,000-plus ornate pagodas, some restored, some crumbling away. Many are still wonderful works of art, featuring animals like elephants, humans, and the face of the Buddha. The sites are thought to date back to the Indian emperor Ashoka, who sent monks to the region in the 3rd century B.C. to spread Buddhism throughout the continent. But the pagodas themselves weren’t completed until the 17th or 18th centuries.
For more on the jungle pagodas of Myanmar, click here. For more in-depth travel guides of Myanmar’s pagodas and temples, visit Lonely Planet‘s hub here. Below, look at more photos of the Myanmar jungle pagodas.
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