SUCH DELIGHTFUL PEOPLE & PRIVILEGED
Day 1: Arrive Yangon (L,D)
Your guide
and driver will pick you up at your hotel and you’ll venture
downtown to explore the city centre and its fabulous mix of architecture and
sites. The streets are filled with historical buildings many of which have a
faded colonial charm not seen elsewhere in Asia. You’ll start at the post
office – a lovely historic building- and walk to Sule Paya in the middle of
downtown, passing by Strand Hotel, Mahabandoola Garden and Independence
Monument along the way. Then visit Little India and Chinatown, a colorful
cacophony of restaurants, temples and markets. Reach Bogyoke Market, formerly
known as Scott’s Market, where there is time to browse through the dozens of
stalls and shops. This is Yangon’s best market for handicrafts and other
goods. (Note: Market is closed on
Mondays and public holidays).
Lunch at a
local restaurant where delicious Burmese cuisine is served in a clean,
comfortable environment (Feel Myanmar)
After lunch
we’ll visit Kyaukhtatgyi Pagoda, home to a 70-meter long reclining Buddha. A
visit to Kyaukhtatgyi provides a great overview of Buddhism with murals
depicting the life of Buddha, the feet of the statue carved with traditional
symbols and often many locals gathering to pay homage and pray. Continue to
Modern Tea Shop for a chance to experience an integral part of Burmese life:
drinking tea! Select from an array of snacks and enjoy a coffee or tea as you
sit amid businessmen, friends and families who gather at the tea shop to
socialize or conduct business. The tea shop is also unique in the way they
prepare the tea, so be sure to have your camera ready.
Next your
guided tour goes to Kandawagyi Park, one of central Yangon’s greenest spots.
Here you will see the glittering Karaweik barge, a replica of the royal barge,
and the vast lake with views of Shwedagon in the background. Depending on the
day of your visit Kandawgyi may be busy with local families who come here on
the weekend to relax in the fresh air.
From here, continue to Shwedagon Pagoda the most revered Buddhist temple
in Myanmar. Although the origins of the pagoda are unclear, it is believed that
the original structure was built in the 11th century then renovated several
times until taking its current shape in the 15th century. The 8-sided central
stupa is 90 meters
tall and gilded with gold leaf and is surrounded by 64 smaller stupas and your
guide will show you around the massive complex, explaining why this temple is
so revered. Enjoy breathtaking views of the golden stupa and the city skyline
from this vantage point.
Dinner at the hotel.
Overnight in Yangon.
Day 2: Yangon – Bagan (flight) (B)
The journey begins with a visit to the
golden stupa of Shwezigon Pagoda for an introduction in to Bagan’s rich
history. Then, visit to nearby Wetkyi-In Gubyaukgyi, a cave temple with
exquisite jataka mural paintings and the elegant Htilominlo Temple noted
for its fine plaster carvings and glazed sandstone decorations. Each of these
sites reflects a different style and interesting history.
Then get to learn more 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. Also visit a
local village and observe about how Cartwrights make traditional bullock carts,
still used by farmers and locals throughout the country. The friendly locals
are always keen to interact with visitors.
Take a break midday for lunch (at
leisure) and to escape the midday heat.
This afternoon, around 15.00, continue
your temple touring with visits to Sulamani, Dhammayangyi and Ananda Pagoda.
Watch the sunset from one of the higher temples.
Dinner at leisure. We recommend Queen
House (for traditional culture performance) or Green Elephant for delicious
Burmese food on the riverside.
Overnight in Bagan.
Day 3: Bagan – Popa – Bagan (B,D)
This morning we’ll depart for Mt Popa,
Myanmar’s most important nat shrine. Mt Popa, a one hour drive from
Bagan, is a volcanic plug several thousand years old and houses several dozen
small shrines dedicated to the 36 nats, guardian spirits. A walk up the
stairs to the top of Mt Popa takes you past the shrines and local pilgrims to
an upper platform with great views of the surrounding plains.
Return to Bagan, stopping along the way
at a local village harvesting the juice of the palm fruit to make sugar and
palm wine. You’ll have the chance to watch this fascinating procedure and taste
the finished products.
OPTIONAL: Enjoy
a lunch prepared by the villagers in the toddy farm. 33 USD/person (based on 20
pax)
Arrive in Bagan midday where there is
time to relax or take a refreshing swim in the hotel pool.
This afternoon take an excursion up the
Irrawaddy River by private wooden boat. You’ll stop
at Sae Lan village and go ashore for a short walk. Sae Lan is typical of the
riverside villages along the Irrawaddy. The friendly people work as farmers and
fishermen, living a simple but happy life.
Continue by
boat to Kyauk Gu U Min on the eastern side of the river where a five to ten
minute walk takes us to the temple. This beautiful temple has exquisite stone
carvings depicting religious figures and flowers on the door. The temple itself
is built against the side of cliff, so behind the main hall of the temple you
can enter a cave. Inside the cave there are several small niches where
individuals can practice meditation. Legend states that the cave was built
during the 13th century for the locals to hide from the invading
Mongols.
After your
exploration of Kyauk Gu U Min, you’ll return to the boat for a relaxing cruise
back to Bagan (around 1 hour).
Dinner this
evening is at Amazing Bagan Hotel.
Overnight in Bagan.
Day 4: Bagan – Mandalay (Flight) (B)
A short, early morning flight today
takes you to Mandalay.
The Mandalay airport is a one hour drive from Mandalay. En route stop to
visit Ava, the capital from 14th to 18th
centuries and travel by horse and carriage through the area stopping to visit
the old wooden Bagaya Monastery and the remains of the Royal Palace and Fort.
Continue to the hotel for check in.
Lunch at leisure.
With your
guide, set off on an exploration of Mandalay’s main sites beginning with a
visit to Mandalay Hill. Rising 240 metres above the city, the hill provides a
great viewing platform of the surrounding countryside, Irrawaddy River and city
centre. At the base of the hill you’ll stop to visit Shwe Nandaw Kyuang- or
Golden Palace Monastery- which is noted for its intricate wood carvings and to
Kayuktawgyi Pagoda to view the huge marble Buddha. The marble is from Sagyin
quarry and took 10,000 men almost two weeks to transfer the rock from the
riverside to its current location. Finally we’ll visit Kuthodaw Pagoda, home to
‘the world’s largest book’, a collection of more than 700 marble slabs
inscribed with Buddhist teachings.
Overnight in Mandalay.
Day 5: Mandalay – Surroundings
(Mingun, Saigaing, Amarapura) (B)
Embark on a
boat trip up river from Mandalay to the riverside village of Mingun. Unlike Ava and
Amarapura, Mingun was not a royal capital yet has many interesting sites to
see. You’ll visit the Mingun Bell which weighs more than 87 tons and is more
than 3.7 metres tall. This is the world’s largest uncracked bell. Just south of
the bell you’ll also visit Mingun Pagoda, a giant brick structure built in the
late 1700s and although it was unfinished due to economic troubles it is still
an impressive site. Mingun’s other highlight is the Hisnbyume Pagoda, a
white-washed temple built to resemble Mount Meru. Throughout Mingun there are
small neighborhoods crafting traditional basketry and other artistic items and
there is plenty of time to stop and interact with the craftsmen and friendly
locals.
Continue to Sagaing (first traveling by boat to Mandalay and continuing
by road to Sagaing) where you’ll take a break for lunch (Client’s account)
before exploring. Covered with 600 white-painted pagodas and monasteries, Sagaing
Hill is widely regarded as the religious center of Myanmar. It is home to 3,000 monks and 100 meditation
centers and you will visit pagodas such as Swan Oo Pon Nya Shin, U Min Thone
Sae, and Shin Pin Nan Gyaing.
Cross the Irrawaddy River by bus to Amarapura, where you will visit local
weaving shops and Mahagandayon monastery, home to over one-thousand monks.
Continue to U Bein Bridge for a walk along this 200 year-old teak bridge. The
bridge spans over 2
kilometers in length and offers fabulous views of the
surrounding farms and streams. Watch the sun set from this vantage point before
returning to your hotel.
Overnight in Mandalay.
Day 6: Mandalay – Pindaya
(overland) (B)
Today drive from Mandalay to Pindaya, in
the heart of the Shan State.
The drive takes 6-7 hours and the
villages en route are great stops for photos. A lunch stop will be made along
the way at a local restaurant. The final
stretch of the drive, from Kyon to Pindaya, passes through rolling hills used
as farms and depending on the time of year there may be a lot of activity
planting or harvesting the crops (cauliflower, cabbage, etc)
Arrive in Pindaya late this afternoon
and, if desired, take a short walk around the town. Pindaya is a charming town
set amid the hills with a lake and small market in the downtown.
Overnight in Pindaya.
Day7: Pindaya – Nyaung Shwe (B)
This morning explore Pindaya, first
visiting the town’s famous caves. Overlooking the town, the multi-chambered
caves are filled with hundreads of Buddha statues, both old and new. Also visit
a small shop making famous Shan paper and umbrellas. Using the bark of the
mulberry tree, the craftsmen create beautiful handmade paper that they then
stretch over bamboo umbrella frames.
After lunch in Pindaya (Client Account),
drive to Nyaung Shwe, the main entrance point for Inle Lake. The drive takes
around 1.5-2 hours.
Arriving in Nyaung Shwe late afternoon
there is time to go for a short walk through this charming little town.
Overnight in Nyaung Shwe.
Day 8: Inle Lake Boat Trip (B)
After breakfast, board a private motorboat to head
out to Inle Lake. Pass villages
built on stilts over the lake, inhabited by the local Intha people. Observe the leg-rowing fishermen and see their floating gardens built up from
strips of water hyacinth and mud and anchored to the bottom with bamboo poles.
Visit the lake’s morning market. The market rotates its location around the
lake’s villages in a 5 day rhythm and is visited by 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).
Visit Nga Hpe Chaung Monastery, which houses dozens of Shan Buddha
Images, but is more famous for its unique ‘jumping cats’ who jump through hoops
in the air! Continue to Phaung Daw Oo
Pagoda, the lake’s main sanctuary, which contains five sacred Buddha images
covered in gold leaf.
Explore the
local crafts of Inle Lake with a stop at the weaving village of Inpawkhone and
a cheroot factory, where the typical Burmese cigars are made by hand.
Stop for lunch in the middle of the lake
at midday (client’s account)
From the middle of the lake, continue
down a small canal leading to the Pa-oh village of In Dein.
Explore the area on foot, strolling around the village, visiting a local
school, and wander through the beautiful Alaung Sitthou area. Alaung Sitthou is filled with picturesque
ancient stupas and has magnificent views of the lake below.
Day 9: Inle Lake - Heho - Yangon (B)
This morning transfer to Heho Airport
(around 1 hour) for the flight to Yangon. Arrive in Yangon and transfer to your
hotel to check in and freshen up (note: rooms may not be available until 14.00)
After lunch (client’s account) transfer
to Yangon Railways station to take a unique ride on the city’s circular train
ride through the outskirts of town (45 minutes ride). This slowly traveling
train gives you unique opportunity to observe the lively, colorful lifestyle of
the local people. Disembark at the Insein market where you can peruse the
various stalls and interact with the friendly vendors before transferring back
to Yangon by car.
There is free time for last minute
shopping.
Overnight in Yangon.
Day 10: Yangon - Departure (B)
After breakfast at the hotel, transfer
to the airport for your departure flight.
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