Beauty Of Myanmar

Day 1: Arrive Yangon (-,  - ,-)      

After pick up from the airport, you will be transferred to your hotel. First proceed to the Pansodan Jetty where Mr. Adoniram Judson, an American Baptist missionary Arrived in the 1813. Visit the Historical Hotel named Strand Hotel which was built since 1901 and is a hotel on the list of the Yangon City Heritage. Then start a short walking tour around the historical buildings which bring back the image of Colonial era, walking along the Pansodan Road, where colonial buildings line up on your both sides, till you get to Sule Pagoda the spot that represents the centre of Yangon where you will be surrounded by The High Court, Immanuel Church, Islamic Moresque and Sule Pagoda all these different Religious Buildings will convince you that Myanmar has a freedom of Religion. Then you will see the City Hall and the Independence Monument which is standing in the middle of Beautiful Mahabandula Park. Then proceed to walk through the Indian District to observe daily lives by selling all kinds of old and junks for electrical appliances, those seems to be worthless but eventually not for some particular customers. Then proceed for lunch in the afternoon. After lunch at Padonmar Restaurant with Typical Myanmar Cuisine (your own account), Proceed to visit the Kandaw Gyi Lake together with the Karaweik Park. Then visit the reclining Buddha in Mega Size named Chauk Htat Gyi which is 256 feet (About 70 Meters) long. Finally you will visit the famous Shwedagon Pagoda decorated with Gold Leaf and Gold Plates during the setting sun is a wonderful moment to enjoy the alteration of lustre and the tones of its gold colour according to the brightness of the sun could last in your forever lasting memory.

Overnight in Yangon

(Your hotel room is available from about 2.00 pm available. Your luggage may already be parked in the hotel and is a former reference of rooms subject to availability on arrival.)

Day 2: Yangon – Kyaikhtiyo - Golden Rock (B, -, - )

Depart Yangon early this morning for the 5 hour journey to Kyaikhtiyo and the Golden Rock, a huge boulder covered by gold leaf and balancing on the edge of a cliff. Golden Rock is one of Myanmar's main pilgrimage sites.  The pagoda here is said to hold a hair of the Buddha and Buddhist from across the country come here to pay homage. Near the base camp have lunch at a local restaurant (your own account). From the base-camp, Travel by local open-air truck to the junction camp which has a distance of 15 Minutes’ walk to the final distance to Golden Rock (a porter will carry your bag). The uphill trek is along a paved trekking path and offers great views of the surrounding area. For an easier alternative, four porters can carry you uphill in a specially-made sedan chair allowing you to enjoy the views without all of the hard work!( Extra charge for Sedan Chair – client’s account).

Overnight near Golden Rock

Day 3: Kyaikhtiyo - Bago - Yangon (B, - , - )          

After breakfast, return to the base camp by open-air truck and begin the return journey to Yangon. En route, stop in Bago, also known as Pegu. The sites in Bago are spread out around the town and you’ll spend time exploring and learning about the history and myths of the city. Stops include the 55-metre long reclining Shwethalyaung Buddha, the four seated Buddhas at Kyaikpun and the old palace of Kambozathadi. The Mon-style Shwemawdaw Pagoda is the most outstanding religious monument in Bago. This golden temple stands at 114 metres tall, higher than Yangon’s Shwedagon Pagoda, and can be seen from around 10 kilometres outside of the city. While in Bago, take time to visit the town market and a Mon neighborhood where the locals once produced woven textiles. From Bago we’ll return to Yangon this afternoon. Before reaching the city limits, stop in Htaukkyan township to visit the Allied War Cemetery, the final resting place for more than 27,000 Allied Soldiers who perished during the World War II campaign in Myanmar.

Overnight in Yangon

Day 4: Yangon - Heho - Inle Lake (B, - , - )

After early breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport for the flight to Heho. From Heho, a scenic one-hour drive leads to Nyaung Shwe, the gateway village to Inle Lake. Along the way, stop at the wooden Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery which features beautiful carvings and a collection of Buddha images. Upon reaching the edges of Inle Lake, board a private boat for a lake cruise. Pass Intha villages built on stilts over the lake and their floating gardens. Observe the leg-rowing fishermen. Visit Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the lake’s main sanctuary, housing five sacred Buddha images covered in gold leaf. After your lunch break, explore the local crafts of Inle Lake with a stop at the weaving village of Inpawkhone and a cheroot factory, to see Burmese cigars rolled by hand. If time permits, there may be time to enjoy a short walk through one of the lakeside villages.

Overnight at Inle Lake

Day 5: Inle Lake - In Dein - Inle Lake (B,- ,- )        

Begin visit the lake’s morning market. The market rotates around the lake so as to be accessible to lake inhabitants and surrounding hill tribes who come to sell and trade their wares. (Note: market is daily except on dark moon day and full moon day). From the middle of the lake, continue to the Pa-oh village of In Dein.  Stroll through the village, visiting a local school and the beautiful Alaung Sitthou area.  Here you can climb the covered stairway to the top of a hill which is covered with ancient stupas and has magnificent views of the lake. After enjoying your visit to In Dein, return to your boat. Continue along the lake for additional sightseeing before returning to your hotel this afternoon.  

Overnight at Inle Lake

Day 6: Inle Lake - Heho - Mandalay (B, - ,- )

Enjoy breakfast and a leisurely morning at your hotel. Around midday transfer to Heho Airport for the 1.5 hour flight to Mandalay. Upon arrival, your car and guide will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel (approximately 1 hour drive).

Overnight in Mandalay

Day 7: Mandalay - Sagaing – Ava- Amarapura – Mandalay ( B, - ,- )     

After breakfast at the hotel, depart for an excursion around Mandalay to explore the former capitals of Ava, Sagaing and Amarapura. This morning, drive to Ava, the capital from 14th to 18th centuries, where a short ferry ride will take you across the river for a horse and carriage tour. Visit the old wooden Bagaya Monastery and the remains of the Royal Palace and Fort. There are many small villages located amid Ava’s ruins and as you travel by horse and cart you’ll get a glimpse of local life in the Burmese countryside. Then cross a bridge over the Irrawaddy River to Sagaing, the religious center of Myanmar. Covered with 600 white-painted pagodas and monasteries, it is home to 3,000 monks and 100 meditation centers. You will visit pagodas such as Swan Oo Pon Nya Shin and U Min Thone Sae. You’ll also visit Sagaing’s market, for a range of items for sale including locally made pottery, silver and other handicrafts. We will also stop at a small pottery village to see the process of making the water pots found throughout Myanmar Return toward the city and stop at Amarapura, the ‘City of Immortality’. Visit a silk weaving workshop which produces exquisite handmade products and Mahagandayon monastery, home to over one thousand monks. Then, continue on for a stroll across the 200 year old, teak U Bein Bridge. 1.2 kilometers in length, it is the world’s longest teak span.

Overnight in Mandalay

Day 8: Mandalay - Mingun – Mandalay ( B, L , - )                                                             

After breakfast, transfer to the Mandalay jetty and board a private local boat for a 1-hr cruise on the Irrawaddy River to Mingun. Visit the unfinished Mingun Pahtodawqyi, left as such after an astrologer predicted the King’s would die should the temple be completed. Continue your visit at the white Hsinbyume Pagoda, meant to resemble the mythical Mount Meru.  Then, see the Mingun Bell the world’s largest uncracked bell, which weighs 90 tons. Return to Mandalay by boat, enjoying lunch on board. Next visit Mahamuni Pagoda. This pagoda is home to one of the country’s most revered Buddha images, covered with gold leaf. Mandalay is well known for its skilled craftsmen and you will tour traditional workshops to observe the production of wood carvings, kalaga tapestries, and gold-leaf using centuries old techniques. Continue your tour with a visit to Kuthodaw Pagoda, “the World’s Largest Book”, with 729 marble stone slabs of Buddhist scriptures’.  Continue to the teak Shwenandaw Monastery, the only remaining building from the 19th century Royal Palace.If you wish, climb to the top of Mandalay Hill to watch the sunset.

Overnight in Mandalay

Day 9: Mandalay – Monywa  ( B, - ,- )

This morning, depart Mandalay for a 3-hour drive to Monywa, a typical Burmese town on the banks of the Chindwin River. You will make a few stops along the way to stretch our legs and take photos. Reach Monywa at midday and check into the hotel. Take time to freshen up before starting your sightseeing tour. (lunch will be at the hotel or in town) (client’s account) After lunch, begin with a visit to Thanboddhay Pagoda, with more than 500,000 Buddha images and to  Boditahtaung Pagoda which houses the largest reclining Buddha image in Myanmar. Continue to the 2nd. largest standing Buddha in the world, Laykyun Setkyar. Then head to the banks of the river to watch the sun set. Return to your hotel this evening.

Overnight in Monywa

Day 10: Monywa – Po Win Taung – Pakkoku – Bagan ( B, - , - )               

After breakfast, you will travel one hour by car to Po Win Taung, consisting of 947 sandstone caves containing the richest collection of mural paintings and Buddhist statues in Southeast Asia. Continue to Shwe Ba Taung, where monasteries and temples are carved out rocky narrow cliffs. Travel another 90 minutes to Kyet Su Kin village for an opportunity to learn more about the lifestyle and culture of the countryside residents. Along the way, you will pass many traditional villages where you may see farmers climbing palm trees to extract juice from which they will produce palm tree sugar. Then, resume your journey to Pakokku (1 hour), arriving in time for lunch at a local restaurant (client’s account). Proceed to the jetty and board a private local boat in Pakkoku for a leisurely, two hour cruise downriver to Bagan. Upon reaching the shores of Bagan, transfer to the hotel.

Overnight in Bagan

Day 11: Bagan  ( B, - , - )                                                                                       

Today’s excursion visits a range of sites, providing a great overview of Bagan’s history, culture and lifestyles. The journey begins at an elevated temple with spectacular views over the surrounding plains. Continue to Ananda Temple, one of the most revered temples in Bagan. Afterwards we will go to Myinkaba Village and Gubyaukgyi Temple, noted for its beautiful mural paintings on its interior walls and well-preserved plaster carvings on its exterior. Nearby is Manuha Temple and Nan Paya Temple, two smaller temples with Buddha statues and stone work. Learn about the local culture with a visit to two workshops producing Bagan’s most famous products: lacquer ware and wood crafts. Watch as the skilled craftsmen use techniques passed down through generations to create beautiful items. Take a break for lunch and return to your hotel for a short rest, escaping the extreme heat of the midday sun. Late this afternoon take horse-cart ride through the temple area, passing many monuments, fields and houses. Stop at an elevated temple and climb atop to watch the sun set over the plains. Return to your hotel.

Overnight in Bagan

Day 12: Bagan Free day ( B, - , - )              

Today we offer three excursions from which to choose depending on your interest.

Overnight in Bagan

Day 13: Bagan - Yangon ( B, - , D )

This morning transfer to the Nyaung U Airport for your flight to Yangon. Upon arrival your guide and driver will greet you and transfer to your hotel for check in. After freshening up, you will transfer to Yangon Railway station to embark upon a circular train journey to the outskirts of town (20-30 minutes ride) to observe the lively and colorful life of the rural Burmese people. Disembark to visit Kyi Myin Daing market and enjoy exploring the market and meeting the friendly locals before returning by road to Yangon. Finally you will get the Historical Market called Scott Market, where you can see the life of people and local products like Woven Materials, Wood and Stone carvings, Jewellery and Gems. As well as Imported goods. You will see the ways of dress of city life in Myanmar. A visit to Scott Market could give the guests for shopping opportunity as well. After visiting the Scott Market, we will continue to China Town where people are in different life style and a chance to visit a historical Chinese Temple on the Strand Road which was the first temple founded in Myanmar.

Then an exciting evening of Burmese street food and traditional cuisine adventure awaits you. You will experience at least 10 different types of food and snacks and we hope you will have the perfect Burmese dinner cuisine. We can’t wait for you to start your food tour journey and are sure that you will definitely enjoy it. Return to your hotel after that.

Overnight in Yangon

Day 14: Depart Yangon ( B, - , - ) 

Today is at your leisure until transferring to the airport for your onward flight. If you have time, you can join the following option tour:

(Your hotel room is available until 12:00. If you are departing later, you can ask the hotel to keep the luggage. A late check-out is possible upon availability with some charge.)