Tour Code # NV-006
Complete Myanmar
(11Days/10Nights)
Destinations: Yangon, Mandalay, Monywa, Bagan, Popa, Inle Lake, Kalaw
Day 1 – Arrive Yangon by morning flight
Arrive at Yangon International Airport to be welcomed by our station guide. Proceed to the old colonial-style city centre, including the 2000-year-old Sule Pagoda, which is often described as the heart of Yangon. View the Yangon waterfront, including the Botahtaung Pagoda and the legendary Strand Hotel. Watch the traffic on the Yangon River, where everything from luxury cruise liners to boats laden with timber come to berth regularly. Return to your hotel and choose between organising your own dinner or a buffet and cultural show with full Myanmar orchestra at Karaweik, a royal barge on the scenic Kandawgyi Lake.
Overnight: Yangon
Day 2 – Yangon-Mandalay-Amarapura-Mandalay
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Mandalay where will you be met by your guide. Proceed to the ancient capital of Amarapura and visit the Mahagandayon monastery, where more than 100 monks live and study, and U Bein’s Bridge, which was built in 1782 and is the longest teak bridge in the world. The bridge is a hive of activity with people carrying all kinds of goods. Next, you’ll see traditional silk weaving and silver works. Continue to Mandalay for your city tour, with highlights including traditional gold-leaf making, marble works and tapestry embroidery works; the Mahamuni Pagoda, one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Myanmar; the Golden Palace Monastery, famous for its intricate wood carvings; and the Kuthodaw Pagoda, with its 729 marble slabs engraved with Buddhist scriptures. The slabs took eight years to complete and for a monk to recite the full scriptures it would take around two years! Enjoy magnificent views of sunset and the surrounding countryside, including the Royal Palace compound, from the 230-metre high Mandalay Hill. Dinner of your own account.
Overnight: Mandalay
Day 3 – Mandalay-Monywa by car
After breakfast proceed to Monywa (150 kilometres, about four hours). Have lunch at a simple local restaurant and check in to your hotel. After relaxing for a while, cross over to the east bank of the Chindwin River by ferry and proceed by pick-up or jeep for 40 kilometres (about one hour) to Po Win Daung, a system of impressive sandstone caves containing Buddha statues, wood carvings and fine mural paintings showing life at the Royal Court, some of which date back to the 15th century. Dozens of large and small caves with about 450,000 images are hidden in the area of the Po Win Hills. Return to Monywa.
Overnight: Monywa
Day 4 – Monwya-Mandalay-Mingun-Mandalay
After breakfast, proceed to Mandalay and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Check in to your hotel and relax before transferring to jetty for boat trip on the Ayeyarwady River to Mingun, about 11 kilometres (one hour) upriver from Mandalay. The boat trip allows you to see all types of wooden boats and bamboo rafts carrying goods up and down the river as well as village life along the banks of the river, with women doing laundry and children playing. Arrive at Mingun and hop into a bullock cart, which will take you to the Mingun Bell, which at 90 tonnes is the largest uncracked bronze bell in the world. Other highlights include the massive Mingun Patodawgyi – an unfinished pagoda that might have been the tallest pagoda in the world – and the Myatheindan Zedi. Return to Mandalay to continue your sightseeing.
Overnight: Mandalay
Day 5 – Mandalay-Bagan
After breakfast transfer to the airport to catch your flight to Bagan, where a guide will meet you ahead of your full day sightseeing on the great plains of Bagan, one of the most prominent archaeological sites in Asia. Highlights include Shwezigone Pagoda, built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century; Nyaung Oo market; Gu Byauk Gyi temple, noted for its exquisite murals; and Htilominlo temple, with its exquisite wall plaster paintings. After lunch, head back to your hotel for a short rest. Your afternoon sightseeing begins with a stop at a lacquerware shop to watch skilled craftsmen fashioning ornate plates, trays, boxes, tables and more through a centuries-old process. Afterwards, visit Manuha temple and Ananda temple, with four huge standing Buddha images and numerous figures in niches around the galleried interior, before viewing sunset from the open upper terraces of Shwesandaw pagoda. In the evening, enjoy dinner and a traditional puppet show at Nanda restaurant.
Overnight: Bagan
Day 6 – Bagan-Popa-Bagan
After breakfast begin your journey to Mt Popa, a 1520-metre extinct volcano located about 50 kilometres from Bagan. On the way observe the toddy palm plantations, toddy palm climbers, toddy palm sugar makers and the traditional methods of extracting ground nut oil. Mt Popa is believed to be the abode of Myanmar’s most powerful nats, local animist spirits. Experience the energetic 20-minute climb to the top via a winding covered walkway. Lunch can be taken at Popa Mountain Resort, enjoying the fascinating view of the vicinity of Mt Popa. Return to Bagan for free time before watching the sun set over the Ayeyarwady River from Bu Pagoda.
Overnight: Bagan
Day 7 –Bagan-Heho-Inle
After breakfast, fly from Bagan to Heho and continue by car to the old capital of Shan State, Nyaung Shwe (about 1.5 hours). Take a boat from the jetty for sightseeing on the lake, viewing the floating gardens and unique leg-rowing method of the Inn Thar fishermen. Continue to Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the most sacred Buddhist shrine in Shan State. If it’s a market day, you’ll have the chance to see colourful hill tribe people selling their wares. Enjoy shopping for souvenirs, or just browsing at the many stores built under the pagoda. Visit the famous Nge Phe Chaung monastery, better known as the Jumping Cats Monastery, famous not only for its magnificent teak building and exquisite antiques but also the dozens of cats that have been trained by the monks to jump through rings and hoops.
Overnight: Inle
Day 8 – Inle-Indein-Inle-Kalaw
After breakfast set out by boat for an excursion to Indein village on the western shore of the lake. From the village, follow a stairway lined with magnificent columns and explore the Indein Pagoda complex, featuring hundreds of ancient Shan stupas in the wilderness. After lunch at a local restaurant, visit The Lei Oo, a farming community on the eastern shore of the lake, to experience the daily life of the lake’s residents. If time permits climb up to a small stupa, from where you can look out over this beautiful water body. Leave Inle Lake at noon and continue to Kalaw.
Overnight: Kalaw
Day-9 Kalaw
Situated about 1200 metres above sea level Kalaw is a beautiful hill station town surrounded by mountains, a peaceful summer resort with meandering streams and fragrant pine woods. Nearby are Palaung villages and Kalaw Market is a good place to see hill tribe people in their traditional outfits. Trekking excursion to the villages can be arranged, if desired, at extra cost. Highlights include the panoramic beauty of the cool highlands, the tobacco and tea leaf plantations, and the typical long houses of the Palaung tribes, which are each home to eight or nine families.
Overnight: Kalaw
Day 10 – Kalaw-Heho-Yangon
After breakfast transfer to Heho airport to catch your flight to Yangon. Full day sightseeing of Yangon commences with a visit to the glittering Shwedagon Pagoda (believed to have been built 2600 years ago during the Buddha’s life time), with its amazing mix of pavilions, stupas, images and bells. This golden pagoda rises 98 metres above its base, is covered with 60 tonnes of pure gold and is one of the world’s most spectacular religious monuments. After lunch, proceed to the sprawling Bogyoke Aung San Market, also known as Scott Market, with its abundance of shops selling gems and jewellery, lacquerware, wood carvings, silverware, paintings and other handicrafts.
Overnight: Yangon
Day-11 Yangon-Bangkok
After breakfast free time until transferring to Yangon airport for your international flight.
Address
No. 32, Luck Moe Swe Street, Bayint Naung Avenue, Insein Township, Yangon (11011), Union of Myanmar.
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