Treasure of Myanmar - B
Day 1 : Arrive
Yangon.
Arrive in Yangon. Welcome by our
friendly local guide with signboard.
Yangon, formerly known as Rangoon, is
still a relatively quiet and charming
city. Its impressive colonial and
spiritual heritage makes Yangon one of
the most fascinating and authentic
capitals of South-East Asia. Transfer to
hotel and welcome drink while checking
in. In the evening, a city tour includes
the Chaukhtatgyi Pagoda’s 70m long
reclining Buddha and China Town & Indian
Bustling. Welcome dinner with
traditional cultural show. Overnight at
hotel in Yangon.
Day 2 :
Yangon -
Kyaikhtiyo by
coach. (B)
Leaving Yangon in the morning, enjoy a
scenic journey by road to Kyaikhtiyo,
190km to the east. One of Myanmar’s
great pilgrimage sites is the Golden
Rock at Kyaikhtiyo, a huge boulder
covered by gold leaf and delicately
balanced on the edge of a cliff. The
pagoda at the Golden Rock is said to
hold a hair of the Buddha. Late morning,
arrive at Kyaikhtiyo base camp and
transfer to the transit junction with
one of the small open trucks in a one
hour ride. After lunch, start an easy
walk up to the Golden Rock and enjoy
sunset from this unforgettable site.
Overnight in Kyaikhtiyo.
Day 3 :
Kyaiktiyo -
Bago -
Yangon
(B)
After breakfast, return to the base-camp
by open truck and head in the direction
of Yangon for 110km to Bago, an ancient
capital dating back to the 6th century.
Sightseeing in Bago includes the
beautiful 55m long reclining Buddha
called Shwethalyaung and the Mon style
Shwemawdaw Pagoda, one of the most
venerated in Myanmar. Its spire stands
114m high and is taller even than the
Shwedagon Pagoda. Also visit the old
Palace of Kambozathadi and the huge four
sitting Buddhas. Return by road to
Yangon, visiting the Allied War Cemetery
near Htaukkyan, the final resting place
for over 27,000 allied soldiers, and a
local woven bamboo factory. Transfer
back to Yangon. Overnight in Yangon.
Day 4 :
Yangon -
Heho -
Inle Lake
by morning flight (B)
In the morning transfer to the airport
for the flight to Heho. From Heho, enjoy
a scenic drive to Inle Lake, one of
Myanmar best-known sights. The Intha
people, a tribe of Mon descent, mostly
inhabit the lakeshores and floating
villages. On arrival at Nyaung Shwe
village, transfer by boat to start a
sightseeing tour of Inle Lake including
a chance to see the leg-rowing
fishermen. Continue to see the floating
gardens, built up from strips of water
hyacinth and mud and anchored to the
bottom with bamboo poles. There are also
floating villages like Ywama, the lake’s
downtown, where a floating market is
held every five days. In the afternoon
continue to Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the
weaving village of Inpawkhon and the
jumping cat monastery. Check into hotel
in the afternoon. Overnight at Inle
Lake.
Day 5:
Inle Lake -
In Dein -
Inle
Lake (B/L)
After breakfast, transfer by motorboat
to In Dein, an off-the-beaten-track site
in the south of the lake. From Ywama,
the boat leaves the lake and enters a
narrow canal leading to a small Pa O
tribe village. From the market place of
the village, follow an old covered path
to a 13th century monastery and the very
impressive ruins of hundreds of ancient
pagodas, some hidden in the vegetation.
The main stupa-area on the top of the
hill offers breathtaking views over the
surrounding mountains and down to the
valley and the lake in the far distance.
Return to the lake and transfer back to
hotel in the afternoon. Overnight at
Inle Lake.
Day 6 :
Inle -
Taunggyi -
Kakku.
(B/L)
After breakfast at hotel, transfer by
motor boat to Nyaung Shwe jetty. Then
proceed to Kakku by car (1½ hours
drive). Kakku is a hidden treasure 46km
south of Taunggyi with a magnificent
collection of centuries old Buddhist
stupas. More then 2,000 stupas have been
built here in a small area of just one
square kilometre, surrounded by
mountains and trees. Until very recently
this area, which is inhabited by the
colourful Pa-O tribes with their
distinctive habits, was closed to
visitors. A full day excursion begins by
boat to Nyaung Shwe. Kakku is then a
two-hour drive from Nyaung Shwe, via the
capital of Shan State, Taunggyi. A Pa O
guide leads a tour around the area and
introduces the customs and life of the
Pa O people in the villages. Drive back
to Taunggyi. Overnight at hotel in
Taunggyi.
Day 7 :
Taunggyi -
Pindaya -
Kalaw
by car. (B/L)
After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy a
scenic drive to Pindaya through the
picturesque countryside of Shan State.
Visit Pindaya’s limestone cave with its
maze of chambers displaying more than
8,000 Buddha statues and local
handicraft workshops producing Shan
paper made from mulberry bark and
traditional umbrellas made from the same
paper that are used by monks all around
the country. Then proceed to Kalaw by
car. Overnight in Kalaw.
Day 8 :
Kalaw Trekking. (B/L)
After breakfast at hotel, continue day
return trekking to Tayaw Village. Lunch
at village with lunch box enjoying the
villagers. Back to Kalaw. Free at
leisure. Overnight in Kalaw.
Day 9 :
Kalaw/
Heho -
Mandalay by
car. (B/L)
After breakfast at the hotel, enjoying
scenic drive to Mandalay. Upon arrival
at Mandalay, free & leisure at hotel.
Overnight in Mandalay.
Day 10:
Mandalay -
Amarapura -
Ava
-
Sagaing -
Mandalay by car. (B/L)
After breakfast at the hotel depart for
full day trip to the former capitals of
Amarapua, Ava and Sagaing. The day
begins with a visit to the 18th century
capital, Amarapura. Attend the daily
meal of over a thousand monks at the
country’s largest monastery,
Mahagandayon. Visit a silk weaving
workshop, the craft speciality of
Amarapura. Proceed to Ava, the capital
from 14th to 18th centuries and visit by
horse and carriage the old wooden Bagaya
Monastery and the remains of the Royal
Palace and fort. In the afternoon cross
the bridge over the Irrawaddy River and
continue to Sagaing. Covered with 600
white-painted pagodas and monasteries,
Sagaing Hill is widely regarded as the
religious centre of Myanmar and is home
to 3,000 monks and 100 meditation
centres. Finish the day with a walk at
sunset over the 200 year-old U Bein
Bridge, constructed entirely from teak.
Overnight in Mandalay.
Day 11 :
Mandalay -
Mingun -
Mandalay by boat. (B/L)
After breakfast, transfer to the jetty
and board a private chartered boat for
an excursion over the Irrawaddy River
towards the former capital of Mingun.
After a 45 minute cruise, arrive in
Mingun famous for its huge unfinished
pagoda also home to the Mingun Bell,
considered as the world’s largest
uncracked ringing bell. Also visit the
beautiful white Hsinbyume Pagoda. Return
by boat to Mandalay. In the afternoon
visit the Kuthodaw Pagoda with its 729
marble stone slabs of Buddhist
scriptures (known as the world’s biggest
book), Shwenandaw Monastery, noted for
its exquisite woodcarving and the
impressive Kyauktawgyi Pagoda with its
huge sitting Buddha. Enjoy the sunset
from Mandalay Hill for panoramic view of
city. Overnight in Mandalay.
Day 12 :
Mandalay -
Maymyo (Pyin
Oo Lwin) by car. (B/L)
After breakfast at hotel, proceed to
Pyin Oo Lwin. Check in hotel by welcome
drink. Lunch at hotel. Visit to National
Kandaw Garden, the viewing deck on 10th
floor from Nan Myint tower and continue
sightseeing in Pyin Oo Lwin such as
Water fall, taking photo of Colonial
Building. Overnight at hotel.
Day 13 :
Pyin Oo Lwin -
Mandalay
by car. (B/L)
After breakfast at hotel, drive back to
Mandalay by car. Check in at hotel.
Lunch at Hotel. After lunch, free at
leisure. In the early evening visit to
Zeycho night Market for free shopping
and bustling around in Mandalay. Dinner
at Hotel. After dinner, you may visit to
Marionette Theater with puppet show. (It
will feature Myanmar Dance from
Dynasties from the periods of Pyu, Bagan,
Pinya, Innwa, Taungoo, Nyaungyan,
Kongbaung, Post Independence to Present
day). Overnight at hotel.
Day 14 :
Mandalay -
Monywa -
Po
Win Daung -
Monywa by boat/car. (B/L)
Leave Mandalay for a 3 hour drive to
Moniwa, a typical Burmese town on the
banks of the Chindwin River. On the way,
visit Thanboddhay Pagoda, where more
than 500,000 Buddha images cover every
wall and archway of this huge Buddhist
temple. Also visit Bodihtataung Pagoda
and the largest reclining Buddha image
in Myanmar, 100m long and 27m high.
Cross the Chindwin River by ferry and
proceed to Po Win Daung by local open
jeep. This extraordinary complex
consists of 947 sandstone caves dug out
of the hills and contains what is
considered by archaeologists to be the
richest collection of mural paintings
and Buddhist statues in South-East Asia.
Recently opened to foreigners, Po Win
Daung with its unique, precious
frescoes, some dating from the early
17th century, is a must to see for
anyone with an interest in Buddhist
Arts. A few hundred metres from the
caves is Shwe Ba Daung, another very
interesting site where monasteries and
temples are carved out of narrow cliffs.
Overnight in Monywa.
Day 15 :
Monywa -
Pakkoku by car /
Pakkoku -
Bagan by boat. (B/L)
After breakfast at the hotel, leave from
Monywa by passing traditional villages
where farmers climb the palm trees to
extract the juice from which they
produce palm tree sugar. Continue to
Pakokku. A lively, typical Burmese city
with a strong craftwork tradition
producing colourful woven blankets,
papier-mâché toys and traditional
sandals. Continue by boat across the
river to arrive in Bagan at the end of
the day. Overnight in Bagan.
Day 16 :
Bagan Css. (B/L)
After breakfast at the hotel morning
sightseeing of Bagan features the
colourful Nyaung Oo Market, the
Shwezigon Pagoda and its magnificent
golden stupa, Wetkyi-In Gubyaukgyi, a
cave temple with exquisite jatakas
murals paintings and the elegant
Htilominlo Temple noted for its fine
plaster carvings and glazed sandstone
decorations. In the afternoon, visit
Ananda, an architectural masterpiece of
the early-style temple with two original
standing Buddha images whose facial
expressions change depending on the
distance the statue is viewed from. The
Ananda Okkyaung is one of the few
surviving brick monasteries from the
early Bagan period and the next temple
to be visited, Thatbyinnyu, is the
highest in Bagan, rising to 61m. End the
day with a horse and carriage tour among
the temples passing by the traditional
village of Taungbi, Sulamani Temple and
the massive Dhammayangyi Temple noted
for its remarkable brickwork. Enjoy the
sunset over the site from the upper
terrace of Myauk Guni Temple. Overnight
in Bagan.
Day 17 :
Bagan Css. (B/L)
After breakfast at the hotel, proceed to
Myinkaba village and observe the process
of traditional lacquerware, one of the
best-known Myanmar handicrafts and a
speciality of Bagan. Visit the monuments
of Myinkaba village, Gubyaukkhi, an
early period Pyu-style temple of Hindu
influence with some of the oldest mural
paintings in Bagan, Manuha and Nanpaya
temples. In the afternoon, enjoy an
excursion to the countryside village of
Minnanthu, the least visited temple area
in Bagan. Observe the local farmers‘ way
of life together with a visit to some of
the most interesting temples such as
Payathonzu, with its unusual
architecture and Tantric Buddhism
influence, Lemyethna and Nandamannya
temples. Overnight in Bagan.
|
MORNING
BALLOONS OVER BAGAN EXCURSION (EMR/BOB)
:
A morning sunrise
flight over Bagan and a unique
experience: Morning Flight
take-off just before sunrise.
Each flight can welcome aboard 8
passengers and is planned to be
approximately 30-45 minutes
long. Upon landing, retrieve
vehicles will shortly be on hand
to serve champagne and
refreshments before returning
the clients to their hotel. The
whole excursion door to door
normally last between 2h30 and
3h. Balloon over Bagan is
introducing a 3rd Balloon in
November and total capacity will
therefore increase to 24
passengers per flight during the
month of November, December,
January, February and March, and
will remain at 16 passengers per
flight during October.
Note : It
is cost about US $ 250 per
person. It is optional. |
Day 18 :
Bagan -
Salay -
Mt. Popa
by car. (B/L)
After breakfast at hotel, drive to Salay.
Sightseeing in Salay; Yoe Soe Anceient
Teak Monastery and museum. Proceed to
Mystical Mt. Popa, a one hour drive from
Bagan on the road to Mandalay, rises
1520 metres into the sky. Climbing to
the summit takes about 45 minutes and
you can visit the Mahagiri Shrine
dedicated to the "Nats" (spirits) at the
top. There is a wonderful panoramic
view. This is an easy day's journey from
Bagan stopping along the way at local
villages and a sugar cane plantation.
Lunch at Popa Mountain Resort. Dinner
and Overngiht at Popa Mountain Resort.
Day 19 :
Mt. Popa -
Bagan by car.
(B/L)
After breakfast at hotel, free at
leisure (optional activity - Horse
riding, trekking, golfing). In the early
evening drive back to Bagan. Ovenright
in Bagan.
Day 20 :
Bagan -
Thandwe /
Ngapali
Beach by flight. (B)
After breakfast at hotel, transfer to
Nyaung U Airport for Ngapali. Upon
arrival, transfer to hotel. Enjoy at
beach. Overnight at Ngapali Beach.
Day 21 : Enjoy at
Ngapali Beach.
O/N at hotel. (B)
Day 22 : Enjoy at
Ngapali Beach.
O/N at hotel. (B)
Day 23 : Enjoy at
Ngapali Beach.
O/N at hotel. (B)
Day 24 : Enjoy at
Ngapali Beach.
O/N at hotel. (B)
Day 25 : Enjoy at
Ngapali Beach.
O/N at hotel. (B)
Day 26 : Enjoy at
Ngapali Beach.
O/N at hotel. (B)
Day 27 :
Ngapali /
Thandwe -
Yangon by afternoon flight. (B)
After breakfast at hotel, free at
leisure before transfer to airport for
Yangon.
Day 28 :
Yangon -
Thanlyin by car.
(B/L)
After breakfast at hotel, proceed to
Thanlyin (Syriam) across the Yangon
River via Thanlyin Bridge built by
Chinese Engineers, an opportunity to see
the countryside around Yangon. Visit
Ancient Portuguese Church (AD 1749-1750)
and visit fascinating local market in
Thanlyin. Drive to Kyauk Tan. Visit Yele
Phaya (Pagoda on a small island in the
middle of the river), a popular place of
pilgrimages. Drive back to Yangon. Free
shopping at Bogyoke (Scott) Market.
Overnight in Yangon.
Day 29 :
Yangon -
Twante by car
(B/L)
After breakfast at hotel, proceed to
Twante by car, where located 24 km from
Yangon on the Tuntay canal and 1½ hour
car drive can reach Tuntay. Pottery is a
major cottage industry. Shwesandaw
Pagoda, Oh-Bo Pottery sheds, Baung Daw
Gyoke Pagoda, Snake Temple, Kandaw
Mingalar Lake and weavers are among the
interesting sites. Drive back to Yangon.
Evening visit to Myanmar’s holiest
monument, the Great Shwedagon Pagoda
with its golden stupa covered with 60
tons of pure gold leaf - 2580 over yeas
stupa. Overnight in Yangon.
Day 30 : Depart
Yangon (B)
After breakfast at hotel, free at
leisure before transferring to
Mingaladon Airport for onward flight.
|