Myanmar

11 Days / 10 Nights Program of Myanmar, which includes the principle sites of Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay & Inle Lake.

• DAY 1   Arrival

  On arrival at YANGON Airport you will be met and transferred to Your Yangon Hotel, where your reservation is for the next 3 Nights and includes Breakfast. En route to the Hotel, your Guide will give you an introduction to Thailand and your Program. (Specific aspects of your Sightseeing, etc. can also be discussed with your Guide).

• DAY 2   Shwedagon

  We begin our sightseeing of this picturesque garden city that includes the old colonial-style city centre and gilded Sule Pagoda, dating back over 2,000 years followed a visit to Chauk Htat Kyi, a huge reclining Buddha image, and a photo stop at the Karaweik Hall royal floating barge. A stop at Bogyoke (Scott) Market (closed on Public Holidays) gives you the opportunity to see Myanmar's wide range of handicrafts.
  
  After lunch at a local restaurant, this afternoon, the highlight of every visitor, Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the world's most spectacular religious monuments is saved until late afternoon when the light is at its most magical. The golden dome of the Shwedagon Pagoda rises 98 meters above its base, is covered with 60 tons of pure gold and is the very heart and soul of Buddhist Myanmar. Make sure to spend time here watching the Burmese come to pray and make offerings; it is an unforgettable experience.

• DAY 3   Local Markets & Local Train

  This morning we can visit some of the different types of markets (to your interest) you will be able to experience the locals bargaining and trading their products in sometimes hectic atmosphere. While Scott's Market is a must for almost all tourists, some of the other markets like the Indian Market or the Vegetable & Fruit Market still kept their original vibe and a your visit will be a great opportunity to enlarge your impressions of an original Myanmar. After Lunch at the Hotel, this afternoon, we drive to the jetty along Strand Road and walk along Yangon River to see the busy harbor area, from where ferries leave for Pathein in the Delta and for upcountry towns along the Ayeyarwady River. Visit Botathaung Pagoda, located close to Yangon river and said to contain Buddha relics.
  
  Then, enjoy a unique, fun and authentic experience is to take a 45 minutes ride on board the local circular train; this slow moving, wooden seated and always crowded train carries 15,000 to 20,000 people a day from the city center to the outskirts for an astonishingly cheap fare. Be prepared to be thrown into the midst of local life, chat to curious travelers and stand for some of the journey with priority given to roof high sacks of vegetables heading to local markets. As the journey takes place from station to station you have great opportunity to observe the life of Yangon suburbanites.

• DAY 4   Bagan

  Early morning transfer to Yangon Airport for your direct morning flight to BAGAN. Scattered around a 26 sq. km plain surrounding the Ayeyarwady River are the magnificent red brick temples and pagodas left from the religious fervor of the Kings of Bagan during the period 1057-1287 AD.
  
  In addition to the impressive architecture, inside are colorful murals and exquisite Buddha statues, and from the summit, awesome views showing the immense expanse of the Bagan era temples. Upon arrival in Bagan, we start our sightseeing at the busy local market continuing with visits to a diverse selection of the most important pagodas and temples in Bagan. These include Shwezigon Pagoda, a huge gilded zedi built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century, Gu Byauk Gyi, a 13th century temple with exquisite murals of Jataka scenes and the immediately recognizable Ananda Temple; one of the finest and largest temples with its 170 ft shimmering gold spire and four huge standing-Buddha images and numerous seated figures arranged around the interior gallery.
  
  After lunch at a local restaurant, we then check in to Your Bagan Resort, where your reservation is for the next 2 Nights and includes Breakfast. Later in the afternoon, we can visit a lacquer craftsman's workshop in nearby Myingaba village. Sightseeing continues with visits to Manuha Temple, built in Mon style in 1059, Nanbaya Temple, a unique sandstone monument that is said to have been the palace of King Manuha and Myingaba Gu Byuk Kyi Temple (under the protection of UNESCO), noted for its ancient mural paintings. Observe a sunset in the vicinity of Bagan's ancient monuments.

• DAY 5   Balloon over Bagan

  Balloon over Bagan (Operates October>March)
  Around 05.30 hours the Balloon over Bagan shuttle bus will pick you up at your hotel (your guide will tell you the exact pick up time). You will drive to the departure ground of the Balloons. While the team makes the Balloon ready to go, you enjoy some refreshments, but you can also take great pictures of this event. Then, depending on the wind, you will over fly Bagan for about one hour, and enjoy spectacular views of the ancient Kingdom of Bagan in your hot air balloon! The tour ends…..where ever the wind has brought you. A glass of sparkling wine ends this fantastic event….and the shuttle bus then brings you back to your hotel in time for Breakfast.
  
  This morning visit Min Nan Thu Village area by horse-cart. Visit Tayokepyay Temple, Phaya Thone Zu and Nandamanya Temples (noted for exquisite 13th century murals) and Kyat Kan Cave monastery, a famous meditation center in Bagan. Visit farming villages around Bagan. In the afternoon, an excursion to the nostalgic Nat Htaung Kyaung, a monastery famous for woodcarvings, built in 1781 by a group of monks. Admire the monastery's collection of ancient Buddha statues and lacquer boxes. Later in the afternoon, we enjoy the sunset on a river cruise.

• DAY 6   Mandalay

  After breakfast, transfer to Bagan Airport for your direct flight to MANDALAY. Although Mandalay has a few highlights such as Kuthodaw Pagoda and Mandalay Hill, it is the ancient capitals, battered stupas and sights outside of the city which are the main attraction.
  
  Upon arrival at Mandalay Airport, drive to Amarapura, the penultimate Royal Capital and lying 11 km south of Mandalay. Here we visit Mahagandayon, a famous Buddhist monastery, where more than a thousand monks live and study and the 150-year-old U Bein teak bridge, built in 1851 at the time when Amarapura was the royal capital by staking 1060 teak posts over the wide Taungthaman Lake to connect two villages. One of the most photographed spots in Myanmar and well worth spending time walking across the bridge.
  
  Afterwards visit Bagaya Monastery, with a superb collection of Buddha statues before driving into Mandalay city and transfer to Your Mandalay Hotel, where your reservation is for the next 2 Nights and includes breakfast. After lunch at the Hotel, this afternoon, we have available for sightseeing in Mandalay including Mahamuni Pagoda with its spectacular Buddha image covered with thick layers of gold leaves, a visit to a craftsman’s workshop to see Kalaga tapestries being created, Shwe Nan Daw Kyaung (Golden Monastery), a superb example of a traditional wooden building and Kuthodaw Pagoda (known as the world’s largest book), consisting of 729 marble slabs engraved with Buddhist scriptures.

• DAY 7   Mingun

  This morning, enjoy boat excursion (one hour each way) up the Ayeyarwaddy River to Mingun, site of the world's largest intact bronze bell, 3.7 meters high and weighing 87 tons. The boat trip is interesting as you see all types of wooden boats and bamboo rafts, carrying goods up and down the river. Also visit the huge but unfinished Mingun Paya (built with the intention of being the world's biggest pagoda) and the beautiful Hsinphyushin Paya. Return to Mandalay and after lunch at a local Restaurant, this afternoon is at your leisure in the Hotel (or available for local sightseeing - again interests can be discussed with your Guide.). In the late afternoon we can enjoy spectacular views at sunset from Mandalay Hill, where there are interesting glass-studded temples.

• DAY 8   Inle Lake

  After Breakfast & Check out, we transfer to Mandalay airport for your flight to Heho. On arrival at HEHO Airport we transfer by road(approx. 1 hour drive), down into the valley to Nyaung Shwe on the edge of Inle Lake and board your own local boat to take you to Your Inle Lake Resort, where your reservation is for the next 2 Nights and includes breakfast.
  
  Inle Lake is simply magical; located at 1,000 metres, its calm waters are dotted with Intha stilt house villages, floating vegetable gardens and fishing canoes against the back drop of the beautiful Shan hills. Motorized boats are the means of transport across the lake although the Intha people get around in traditional flat bottomed boats using a unique and skillful form of leg rowing. After lunch at a local Restaurant, this afternoon we visit Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the holiest religious site in southern Shan State and the boat construction workshop at Nampan village as well stopping to see some traditional handicrafts - silk weaving on wooden handlooms in Inpawkon village, a cheroot workshop and a blacksmith shop. Continue by boat to visit Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery, one of the oldest monasteries on the lake and where inside its large wooden meditation hall and are over 200 year old ancient Buddha statues. Returning back to the hotel the beauty of sunset over Inle Lake enchants all visitors.

• DAY 9   Local Markets & Villages of Inle Lake

  This morning we have the option to explore one of the 5-day markets (on market day only). By visiting 5-day markets, you will get insight into the life-style of the ethnic Pa-O, Danu and Intha inhabitants who came to these markets to sell their goods. Later we arrive at the village of Maing Thauk on the edge of Inle Lake by boat. Walk up a dirt track through the village and continue up the hill to a stupa which has fantastic views out over the lake and surrounding hills. The walk takes around 2 hours round trip and, although uphill, the route is not steep.
  
  This afternoon, we enjoy another boat trip to Indaing at the western end of Inle for one of the most scenic trips on the Lake. Passing through the busy village of Yawama, the largest on the Lake with its many channels and tall teak houses on stilts, enter a long often tree lined canal towards Indaing Jetty with farmers cultivating their land on either side under the backdrop of the Shan Hills. After disembarking it is a 15 minute walk through Indaing village to reach the 14-18th century pagoda ruins of Nyaung Ohak; many pagodas here remain charmingly unrenovated with plants and even small trees growing out of them making it very atmospheric. A covered walkway, popular with souvenir stalls leads up to Shwe Inn Thein Paya, a complex of weather beaten zedi; some sadly reconstructed although the views from the top make it worth the ascent. Returning to the river jetty we take our long-tailed boat back along the canal to the Lake and our Resort.

• DAY 10   Shan Cooking Class & to Yangon

  This morning we have Private Shan Cooking Class at View Point Restaurant in Nyaungshwe. Leaving around 08.30am, we visit the local market with the Head Chef of the restaurant to purchase the food to be prepared for a special luncheon. The chef explains how to shop, traditional bargaining and explains the ingredients being purchased. They then return to the ViewPoint kitchen, where the Chef begins the basic lessons and prepares the meal with you. At the conclusion, enjoy a special aperitif in the kitchen before going to the open dining room so you can enjoy the lunch you have prepared. After Lunch, we Transfer to Heho Airport for your flight to Yangon. On arrival in Yangon, we transfer again to Your Yangon Hotel, where your reservation here is for tonight and includes breakfast.

• DAY 11   Departure

  Today is at your leisure until we transfer you to Yangon Airport, for your departing flight.