“Beauty is meaningless until it is shared.”
― George Orwell, Burmese Days

Day 1: Yangon Arrival

 

Upon arrival at Yangon international airport, our guide will accompany you to your hotel.

 

 

Day 2: Yangon Full-day Sightseeing

 

Today, you'll visit the main attractions in the Yangon city area.

 

Starting at the Botahtaung Pagoda you'll walk along Strand Road and experience the lives of the people along the Yangon River. Follow on to Pansoedan Street where you'll see solemn colonial British colonial buildings of the not-so-distant past. Leaving the streets, we'll visit the gold-plated Sule Pagoda in the center of downtown Yangon, then we move on to the City Hall – a prominent French colonial building of the capital. We will finish off the morning relaxing on the lawns of Mahabandola Garden, surrounded by beautiful flowers and the Monument of Freedom and the Immanuel Baptist Church.

 

Lunch will be served by your own account.

 

The afternoon's sightseeing stops include:

• The Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda. This statue of the reclining Buddha is a full 67m long.

• The Bogyoke (Scott) Market. Built in 1926, at this market you can see everything from clothing and foods, to luxurious goods like gems, jewelery and souvenirs.

• Shwedagon Pagoda – a golden pagoda of the capital where you can watch a magnificent sunset.

• At Kara Wait you can enjoy dinner while watching traditional dances and shows.

 

At the day's end we'll return back to the hotel in Yangon.

 

 

Day 3: Fly from Yangon to Bagan

 

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport. Once we arrive in Bagan we'll spend the afternoon enjoying some of the many highlights of this famous archaeological site.

 

Amongst them are:

• The towering 12th century Thatbyinnyu Temple.

• Dhammayan Gyi Temple – a hulking red-brick temple built by King Narathu. The mortar used in in the temple is so thin that it's barely visible, yet so strong that even earthquakes have not damaged it.

• The Dhammayan Gyi Temp Interior – See a round stone with a hollow in the shape of an arm, where it is said Narathu used this stone to cut off the hands of mansons who applied mortar to thickly.

• Lawkananda Pagoda – This golden pagoda overlooks the Ayeyarwaddy River from a cliff top.

• Shwe Gu Gyi temple – This small temple was built by King Alung Sithu. There, in his feeble old age, he was smothered to death by his son, Narahu.

• Shwesandaw Pagoda – Home of a beautiful ceiling fresco, where you can climb up the western face to view the sunset.

 

In the evening we'll return to the hotel in Bagan. Lunch and dinner will be served by your own account.

 

 

Day 4: Bagan Full Day Sightseeing

 

In the early morning, we'll drive to the Ayeyar jetty to get on the boat to Tantkyi Taung Pagoda on the western side of Ayeyarwaddy River.

 

In the afternoon we'll visit Manuha Temple and Bagan's first "gu-style" cave shrine. Next we'll continue to Myinkaba village to see their ancient temple, and also have a look at a local craft shop to see lacquer ware made by hand. Before heading back for dinner our guide will show you some of the best spots to take in the beautiful panoramic view over the ancient city.

 

At night you'll return to your hotel in Bagan. Lunch and dinner will be served by your own account.

 

 

Day 5: Bagan to Mandalay (River Cruise)

 

We'll depart in the morning to the boat pier and board the river cruise ship, setting sail for Mandalay. Along the trip, while you enjoy lunch you can gaze at the crop firms, regional trees, and the lifestyle of local people near the river bank. The ship will land in the late afternoon, and you'll spend the evening at your leisure in the hotel in Mandalay. Lunch and dinner will be served by your own account.

 

 

Day 6: Mandalay – Amrapura – Inwa

 

Mandalay is the second largest and the last royal city of the country. Here you'll see Kuthodaw Pagoda, containing the world's largest book. The stupa itself, which is gilded above its terraces, is 188 feet (57 m) high. In the grounds of the pagoda are 729 kyauksa gu or stone-inscription caves.

 

Next we'll visit Shwenandaw Monastery, built in the traditional Burmese style by King Mindon in the 19th century. It is known for its teak carvings of Buddhist myths, which adorn its walls and roofs. Shwenandaw Monastery is the single remaining major structure of the original wooden Royal Palace today.

 

From there we'll proceed to Amarapura and take a ferry boat cross DuTaWaDee river to see the vegetable and mango tree firms at BaGaYar, then take a horse cart to Eva.

 

We'll return back Amarapura and enjoy the beauty of sunset on 1.2km - long U-Bein wooden bridge across Taungthaman Lake. It is busy throughout the day but sees the most activity at dusk: fishermen in the still waters, and people walking and cycling from one end to the other on their way home from work.

 

 

Day 7: Mandalay – Pyin Oo Lwin Sightseeing

 

After breakfast we'll drive to PyinOoLwin, a former British Colonial Hill Station. Originally named Maymyo, the town is popular for its beautiful botanical gardens, built by Turkish prisoners of war during the First World War. Other highlights to take in are Purcell tower, the morning vegetable market, and NaungKanGyiPaya from where the entire town can be seen. After a day in this picturesque town drive back to Mandalay to spend the night.

 

 

Day 8: Mandalay fly to Inle Lake

 

In the morning we'll depart for Mandalay airport and fly to Heho. From there we'll drive to Inle Lake, and then take a boat ride across the lake and admire the “one legged” rowing style employed in this region. The boat ride passes many breathtaking floating gardens, an agricultural technique employed by the local people.

 

Next, we'll visit to Inphawkhone, a tidy village of teak stilt houses famous for its weaving workshops. After that we'll proceed to the peaceful village of Nampan, which is built on stilts over the water, to see the Alodaw Pauk Pagoda and Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, and eventually Phaung Daw Oo Paya, the holiest religious site in southern Shan State.

 

In the evening we'll visit Nga Hpe Ngaung Monastery on the eastern side of the lake. Following this you'll return back to your hotel and overnight in Inle Lake.

 

 

Day 9 : Inle Lake – Indein Sightseeing

 

After breakfast you'll take a boat ride to Indein, one of the villages dotting the Coast of Inle Lake. The village is famous for its overgrown, mysterious-looking, 16th century Stupa formations. The tour will continue to look at all the local crafts going on this area. Watch how the boats of this region are made, visit a Burmese cigar factory, and witness how Buddha images are made from dried flower powder in nearby Leshea Village. In the evening return to the hotel at Inle.

 

 

Day 10: Inle Lake (Heho) fly to Ngapali Beach (Thandwe)

 

After breakfast we'll return to the Heho airport for the flight to Thandwe. Along the way you'll be able to visit the Nyaung-Shwe local market. Then we'll check in at the airport and fly back to Thandwe. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel at Ngapali Beach. Enjoy a day at leisure and a night at Ngapali Beach.

 

Day 11:   Ngapali Beach

 

Enjoy a leisure day on the stunning white sandy beach of Ngapai.

 

 

Day 12:   Ngapali Beach

 

On this self-guided day you can take a relaxing day or hire a boat from your hotel for a wander.

 

 

Day 13:   Ngapali Beach

 

Before leaving the beach, be sure to take in all of the amazing scenery of Ngapali on this final self-guided day.

 

 

Day 14:   Ngapali Beach - Yangon

 

After breakfast, take the morning flight to Yangon. Then you can either spend an afternoon strolling through town and shopping or connect directly to the departure flight.