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Splendor & Tradition Birman: Heart & Soul
Highlights of tour:
Discover Myanmar together in style. See the splendour of Yangon, the beauty of Bagan and magnificent Inle Lake. Travel by horse-carriage and private motorboat, take unique journey inspiration, stay in a stilt bungalow on a lake, enjoy nice dinners and discover Buddhist blessings. Marvellous land, charming cities, finest hotels, beautiful beach with pure emerald water waiting for you, come and enjoy this exceptional trip in one of Asia’s most fascinatingly mysterious countries.
Day 1: : Arrival in Yangon (D)
Upon arrival in Yangon International Airport, welcome by our Guide with flower. Transfer to hotel by honeymoon car (Red Rose) for check-in with surpise waiting for our honeymooner. Start orientation tour in Yangon including Sule Pagoda (Land Mark in city centre), Legend said that it is 2,000 years old and the central stupa is said to enshrine a hair of the Buddha. Every corner around Sule Pagoda on a walking tour, you will discover a unique charm of Yangon with its old colonial architecture buildings such as City Hall, High Court, etc.
Evening great sunset at marvellous Shwedagon pagoda & its pagoda bazaar. The massive and magnificent gold-encrusted Shwedagon Pagoda (100 meter high) is one of the wonders of the world. It was built 2500 years ago and enshrined with hair relics of the Buddha and a place to meet devoted Buddhists at meditation and prays. Overnight in Yangon.
Day 2: Yangon – Mandalay (B,L,D)
Have breakfast at the hotel. In the morning transfer to airport for flight to Mandalay, founded in 1857-1860 as the capital by King Mindon and remained the capital city of the Konboung, Myanmar’s last dynasty. Arrive in Mandalay and transfer to the hotel. Tour of Mandalay will take you to its significant sites includes Mahamuni Buddha Image – the most revered Buddha image in Mandalay and 4 meters high seated image is cast in bronze. You will be exploring more about Mandalay. Craftsmen ‘s quarters to observe brasses molding works, stone and marble carvers, gold leaf pressing, tapestry workshop, cotton and silk textile weaving, silver smith workshop.
Visit Shwenandawkyaung or Golden Palace Monastery – a very magnificent building beautifully carved in wood, dating back to 19th century. It is of great interest, not only as a fine example of a traditional Burmese wooden monastery, but also as a fragile reminder of the old Mandalay Palace. And then visit Kuthodaw Paya – the world’s largest book of 729 marble slabs inscribed the entire Tripitaka.
In the evening, you will be taken to Mandalay Hill, 230 meters in elevation, is the natural landmark of Mandalay, a vantage-point for a full panoramic sunset view of the city. Overnight in Mandalay.
Day 3: Mandalay and countryside (B,L,D)
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to 18th century Amarapura, situated about 11 km south of Mandalay and about 15 minutes drives. Visit to MahaGandayon Kyaung, one of Amarapura’s treasures, is a famous Buddhist monastery where more than thousand monks live and study. The morning meals procession of thousands of monks is very interesting. Amarapura is also known as a weaving city where silk dresses are woven and silk and cotton weaving workshops can be seen. You can walk the famous 200 years old U Bein Bridge – the world’s longest wooden Bridge across the Thaungthaman Lake and 1208 meters long.
Drive to Ava, visit around Ava by pony cart to Bagaya Teak Wood Monastery (local school boys study here with the monks), Maha Aung Myay Bonzan Monastery built with brick and traditional Myanmar ceramic, Nanmyint Watch Tower (Great View from the top), and the workshops for making the Monk’s alms bowl. Drive to Sagaing, visit Ywahtaung village, Kaungmudaw Pagoda; an enormous solid dome-shaped Pagoda and sunset at picturesque Sagaing Hills, a religious centre for Buddhist devotees a retreat for Buddhist devotees with numerous pagodas and monasteries. Overnight in Mandalay.
Day 4: Mandalay – Mingun (B,L,D)
Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, you will be taken to jetty for boat trip to Mingun which is 11 km upriver from Mandalay on the western bank of the Ayeyarwaddy River. It is noted for the Mingun Paya, a huge unfinished pagoda, Myatheindan Pagoda and a gigantic 90-ton bell – the largest uncracked ringing bell in the world. The 45 minute boat trip to Mingun is a very pleasant way to see the life along the Ayeyarwaddy River. Return back to Mandalay and refreshment at the hotel. Overnight in Mandalay.
Day 5: Mandalay – Pyin Oo Lwin (B,L,D)
After your breakfast, let’s not waste the time and transfer to Pyin Oo Lwin (Maymyo), a former British Hill Station. The road winds steeply through flower, fruit and vegetable gardens. You arrive at Pyin Oo Lwin,you can visit Pwe Kauk waterfall and enjoy the countryside. You can also visit around the village by horse drawn “stage coach”, giving you the chance to admire the brick and timber houses, complete with English style gables, turrets and chimneys.
In the afternoon, visit Peik Chin Myaung Waterfall and Caves, filled with Buddha images. The road from Maymyo is very bumpy. This is a popular attraction for Myanmar tourists. And then you can also visit the National Kandawgyi Gardens, which were laid out by Sir Harcourt Butler, the former governor of Burma – flowerbeds are similar to those you would find in an English country garden! The garden is recently renovated and the name has changed to “Kandawgyi National Botanical Garden”. Return back to Mandalay and transfer to the hotel. Overnight in Mandalay.
Day 6: Mandalay – Bagan (B,L,D)
Breakfast at the hotel. Early in the morning, transfer to airport for flight to Bagan, ancient capital of first Burmese Empire. It covers more than 49 square kilometers containing over 2000 pagodas and one of the richest archaeological sites in Asia. Sightseeing starts with Shwezigon Pagoda – built by King Anawrahta, a prototype of later Myanmar stupas, Htilominlo Temple well-known for its old mural, fine plaster carving and glazed sandstone decoration.
In the afternoon, continue to discover Old Bagan where most beautiful testimonies of the splendours and the richness of this site conceal. Ananda Temple – one of the finest in architecture and most revered temples with its four standing Bagan style Buddha images and huge carved teak doors, Ananda Oakkyaung – simply a Monastery built with red bricks, located within the precincts of the Ananda Temple. It was built in 1137 AD and paintings of the 18th century are seen in the walls of the monastery, Thatbyinnyu Temple – 201ft tall, the tallest in Bagan and it is shaped like a cross, but is not symmetrical. The temple has two primaries storey, with the seated Buddha image located on the second storey. Dhammayangyi Temple – the widest temple in Bagan, and is built in a plan similar to that of Anada Temple.
In the evening a horse-cart ride will take you among magnificent Temples about 2 hrs. Then, enjoy the memorable sunset over the world famous Archaeological complex from the upper terrace of one of the Bagan Temple.
Day 7: Bagan – Mt. Popa – Salay (B,L,D)
Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to Mt. Popa, an extinct volcano, located 50 km south-east of Bagan and a one hour drive on the road to Mandalay. Climbing 777 steps to the summit takes about 45 minutes and you can visit the Mahagiri Shrine dedicated to the “Nats” (spirits), stupas and a picturesque complex of monasteries at the top where there is a wonderful panoramic view.
On the way back to Bagan, visit Salay, historical and religious town south of Bagan. Sightseeing includes Yoke Sone Monastery, the Buddha Nan Paya. In the afternoon, arrive in Bagan and transfer to hotel. Overnight in Bagan.
Day 8: Bagan – Heho – Inle Lake (B,L,D)
Have breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport, catch the flight to Heho. Welcome on arrival then heading to Nyaung Shwe village, the starting point of the trip into the Inle Lake, passing through breath-taking scenery in many ways, with great panoramic picturesque landscaping, Pa-O and Danu women in colorful traditional dresses and their ethnic villages. It is also famous for Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery which is elegant ancient monastery with its oval-shaped windows.
Arrive at Nyaung Shwe, a traditional long boat (motorized) will take you to Inle Lake, the vast, beautiful and picturesque nature lake, 900 meters above sea-level, 22 km long and 10 km across, is one of the main tourist attractions in Myanmar. Transfer to hotel by private boat and check in. Sightseeing includes Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda – famous for 800 years old Five Buddha statues which are enshrined in the center of the building, Nga phe kyaung monastery – famous for its “Jumping Cats” and In Paw Khone village – well-known for silk weaving workshops and the technique and creation of the fascinating design of the silk products. Overnight in Inle Lake.
Day 9: Inle – Indein – Inle (B,L,D)
Breakfast at the hotel. The day will begin with a visit to the floating market. Then you cross the lake and its canals to the south-west coast to Indein province populated by ethics Padaung (female giraffes). You borrow a covered alley lined on both sides of a thousand pagodas. Continue on foot by a long covered staircase to discover the magnificent complex Alaung Sithu in a beautiful scenery of ancient stupas buried in vegetation with a panoramic view of the lake.
Day 10: Inle – Indein – Inle (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. Today is free day and you can be relaxing at the hotel to enjoy the pool, sun, and gardens, lake or to enjoy at your leisure activities of your choice (no services provided). Overnight in Inle Lake.
Day 11: Inle Lake – Heho – Thandwe – Ngapali (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast, transfer to airport for flight to direction Thandwe. Upon arrival in Thandwe and transfer to the hotel of Ngapali Beach. Ngapali is a popular beach resort for locals and visitor alike offering clean sand and clear water and peace and quiet for all. The beach surface is also smooth and water shallow, and the sea is cobalt blue, without any dangerous marine animals and clean.
There you will find serenity and peace of mind amidst beautiful scenery. Ngapali White Sand Beach Resort is one of the loveliest and most pleasant places in Myanmar; and also one of the most unspoilt beaches in the world with natural scenic beauty of the blue sea, white sand and coconut palms, unspoiled charming villages of fishermen, fascinating boat excursions to some other islands or to coral reefs for snorkeling and scuba diving. Spend peaceful evenings by watching the sun goes down and the stars come out over the Bay of Bengal as you feast on delicious seafood caught fresh from the ocean. Overnight in Ngapali.
Day 12 +13 +14: Ngapali beach (B)
Have breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy sea, sun and sand – you can also fish, swim, sun-bath, horseback ride, walk and bike along the beautiful beach. Nearby are several fishing villages which can be visited by bicycle or by car. Fishing boats can be hired for trips to some of the islands off the coast or just for fishing at nearby reefs. Overnight in Ngapali.
Day 15: Ngapali – Thandwe – Yangon (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport for flight back to Yangon. Upon arrival in Yangon, transfer to the hotel and check in. And then your day in Yangon starts with Chauk Htat Gyi, a huge reclining Buddha image – housed in a large metal – roofed shed. The feet of the Buddha wear a very readable with the 108 sacred marks. Definitely not miss this colossal image. After that go shopping to Bogyoke Aung San market (formerly Scott Market), where you can find wide range of souvenirs, handicraft shops, gems and jewelry famous for their qualities. Overnight in Yangon.
Day 16: Yangon departure (B)
After breakfast, free time for relaxation (enjoy the pool, sun, and gardens or to enjoy at your leisure activities of your choice (no services provided). In the late afternoon, transfer to Yangon International Airport for your departure flight. Registration formalities, customs and police. Boarding and taking off on flight to your destination.
