Tour Code # NV-007
Myanmar highlights
(10 Days/9 Nights)
Yangon, Mandalay, Pindaya, Inle, Kekku, Taunggyi, Yangon
Day 1 – Arrive Yangon (morning flight)
Arrive at Yangon International Airport to be welcomed by our station guide. Formerly known as Rangoon, Yangon’s impressive colonial and spiritual heritage makes it one of the most fascinating and authentic capitals of Southeast Asia. Visit Kabar Aye (World Peace) Pagoda, Mahapasana Cave and Lawka Chanthar Arbayar Laba Muni Buddha Image, better known as Kyauktawgyi. Continue to Chauk Htat Gyi, the fourth-largest reclining Buddha. Afterwards, view Yangon’s waterfront, including Botahtaung Pagoda and the legendary Strand Hotel. Return to your hotel or stop at Karaweik, a royal barge on the scenic Kandawgyi Lake.
Overnight: Yangon
Day 2 – Yangon-Bago-Yangon
After breakfast, drive for about 1.5 hours to Bago, an ancient Mon capital in the 15th century. Highlights include the four huge Buddha images at Kyaikpun Pagoda; the 55-metre-long Shwethalyaung reclining Buddha image; the more than 1000-year-old Shwemawdaw Pagoda, with a spire even taller than the Shwedagon; the Kanbawza Tharli Palace; and a cheroot factory, wood carving centre and pottery workshop. Lunch at a local restaurant and on the way back to Yangon visit the World War II Allied War Cemetery near Htaukkyant. After arriving in Yangon, visit the sprawling Bogyoke Aung San (Scott) Market, which has an abundance of stalls selling gems and jewellery, lacquerware, wood carvings, silverware, paintings and other handicrafts.
Overnight: Yangon
Day 3 – Yangon-Mandalay-Amarapura-Mandalay
In the morning transfer to the airport to catch your flight to Mandalay, where our guide will meet you. 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. Return to Mandalay for lunch at local restaurant followed by a 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. Overnight: Mandalay
Day 4 – Mandalay-Mingun-Mandalay
After breakfast transfer 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 for shopping at the busy Zeygyo Market then continue with other sightseeing in the city. Overnight: Mandalay
Day 5 – Mandalay-Pyin Oo Lwin (Maymyo)
After breakfast, take the 1.5 hour scenic drive into the mountains to Pyin Oo Lwin (Maymyo), a former British hill station located more than 1000 metres above sea level. View the lifestyle of ethnic villages along the way and then visit the spectacular Peik Chin Myaung Cave and Pwe Kauk Waterfall. A drive around the town in a quaintly painted antique horse-drawn carriage is a must and the perfect way to experience the architecture of its colonial brick and timber houses and old clock tower – apparently a gift from Queen Victoria. After lunch at a local restaurant, go for some shopping in the old market before visiting the Botanical gardens, a lush green grassland dotted with beds of various multicoloured flowers.
Overnight: Mandalay
Day 6 – Mandalay-Heho-Pindaya-Inle
In the morning leave Mandalay for Heho and proceed by car to Pindaya, a quiet but beautiful little town that is famous for its sacred cave, which houses 8095 Buddha shrines of different sizes placed there over many centuries. Also visit the paper umbrella workshops of the native Danu to see the whole production process. The parasols are made from strong, thick Shan Paper and other local products. Lunch at a local restaurant and then continue by car to the old capital of Shan State, Nyaung Shwe (one hour). Take a boat at the jetty to go sightseeing on the lake. Visit the silk weaving factory at Inn Paw Khone village; cheroot making workshops at Nan Pan village; and view the floating gardens and unique one-legged rowing style of the Inn Thar fishermen.
Overnight: Inle
Day-7 Inle
After breakfast set out for 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. Visit a weaving factory where you can observe the weaving of lotus threads into monk’s robes followed by an antique shop and restaurant. Enjoy lunch and dinner at local restaurants.
Overnight: Inle
Day-8 Inle-Kakku-Taunggyi
In morning check out from your hotel and proceed to Kekku – one of Southeast Asia’s largest and most spectacular ancient monuments but mostly unheard of by historians and unlisted in guidebooks. Kekku lies in the deepest Pa-O territory, 26 miles south of Taunggyi in a remote and beautiful region of richly wooded hills and valleys to the east of Inle Lake. Here, over an area of about one square kilometre, you can find a breathtaking mass of more than 2000 glinting Buddhist stupas packed closely together. The main stupa, about 40 metres high, is surrounded by a mass of smaller stupas, each a masterpiece of grace and form. An annual festival sees Pa-O people from near and far flock to this religious complex on bullock carts. In the eventing, return to Taunggyi, the capital of Shan State.
Overnight: Taunggyi
Day 9 – Taunggyi-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 10 – Yangon departure
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.
Nice Vacation Travels & Tours
Contact Info
+951 3641303, +959 443145744,
+959 795856750
nicevacation@ytp.com.mm
nicevacationmyanmar@goolgemail.com
www.nicevacationmyanmar.com
Web Developer: Myanmars.NET, Yangon, Myanmar.© Copyright 2024 by Nice Vacation Travels & Tours.