Myanmar In Depth (IPB14)

Mingalabar! Welcome to Yangon, Myanmar.

Upon arrival at Yangon Airport, your private guide and driver are waiting to meet you, holding up a welcome signboard with your names on it and take you directly to your hotel in the downtown.

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 Southeast Asia.

While every effort is made to have your room available upon arrival, check-in time is at 02:00 pm; your room may or may not be ready before this time. Your tour guide will provide additional details regarding your stay, and you will be able to ask any questions you may have. The rest of the day is at leisure.

This evening with our guide followed by a welcome dinner at Shwe Sa Bwe restaurant, a social enterprise that trains and employs underprivileged youth to provide a step up in life.

Overnight in Yangon.
Meals: (_/_/D)

After breakfast, drive to the train station for the train ride for about 1 hour. Enjoy the authentic lifestyle of locals and take in the beautiful scenery. Then, enjoy a private tour and drive through downtown to explore the city center 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.

Continue with a walking tour of the colonial street. We will start at the post office – a lovely historic building, pass by the Strand Hotel, the Buddhist landmarks of Sule Paya, Mahabandoola Garden, and Independence Monument along the way.

Stop for a photo at the Karaweik Hall royal floating barge. Nothing will prepare us for Shwedagon Pagoda, with its glittering gold stupa. At the pagoda observe local pilgrims and monks offering their devotions and enjoy the amazing sunset view at Shwedagon Pagoda.

Overnight in Yangon.
Meals: (B/L/_)

Leaving Yangon, enjoy a scenic journey by road to Bago, an ancient capital of a former Mon kingdom dating back to the 6^th century and located 80km to the east. Sightseeing at Bago includes the Shwemawdaw Pagoda and the 55-meter long reclining Shwethalyaung Buddha image, one of the country’s most revered.

In the afternoon continue to Kyaikhtiyo, 110km east of Bago and one of Myanmar’s great pilgrimage sites.

Arrive at Kyaikhtiyo base camp in the afternoon and transfer to your hotel with one of the small open trucks in a 1-hour ride to the transit junction.

Overnight in Kyaikhtiyo.
Meals: (B/L/_)

After breakfast, start an easy 1-hour walk up to Golden Rock, 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.

After lunch, continue by road to Hpa An, capital of the Karen, state surrounded by beautiful limestone rock formations. Visit a traditional Karen village.

Overnight in Hpa An.
Meals: (B/L/_)

Today, we will visit Kawh Goon Cave. This cave is by far the most interesting. The entrance to the cave is covered with hundreds of small Terracotta votive tablets which are plastered up to the ceiling – some are tiny, some are big. Then, visit Kyauktalat Monastery. This monastery is known for its shape and location on a tiny island (access via a bridge without reeling). Very peaceful atmosphere.

Overnight in Hpa An.
Meals: (B/L/_)

After breakfast, proceed to the jetty and board a local ferry for a 2-hour river trip along the Thanlwin River to Mawlamyine, formerly known as Moulmein. The capital city of Mon State is a very attractive tropical town. A hilly ridge above the city offers fine views over the harbor and the beautiful coconut tree-shrouded countryside. The ridge is topped with 5 fine monasteries and shrines.

On arrival, visit Mahamuni Pagoda, built in traditional Mon-style, Kyaikthanlan Pagoda, the city’s tallest and most visible stupa, and the beautiful Seindon Mibaya wooden monastery. Walk along Strand Road for a glimpse of the impressive Kaladan Mosque, built during the colonial era when many Indians came to work for the British in Moulmein. The city between 1827 and 1852 was the capital of British Burma and even today the city retains the atmosphere of those colonial times.

Overnight in Moulmein.
Meals: (B/L/_)

After breakfast, leave Moulmein crossing the Thanlwin River by ferry to Martaban and proceed by road to Yangon with a stop en route for lunch.

Arrive back in Yangon late in the afternoon and transfer to the hotel.

Overnight in Yangon.
Meals: (B/L/_)

After breakfast at the hotel transfer to Yangon’s Mingaladon Airport for the flight to Bagan (Nyaung Oo). Thousands of ancient stupas and temples in this area make Bagan, one of the most remarkable archaeological sites in Asia. From the 11^th till the 13^th century, when Bagan was the capital of Myanmar, the rulers constructed huge stupas and temples, many of which are still standing today on the banks of the Irrawaddy River.

On arrival, morning sightseeing features the colorful 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 show facial expression 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 61 meters.

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.
Meals: (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 specialty 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.

Enjoy the sunset on the mighty Irrawaddy river by slow cruise.

Overnight in Bagan.
Meals: (B/L/_)

Chin State, a spectacular mountainous area of western Myanmar, has only recently opened up to foreign visitors.

Begin the adventure by local boat from Bagan and continue by open jeep to Kanpetlet via Pauk, Kyauktu, and Saw. Make stops for lunch and a visit to a tobacco factory. The scenery en-route changes from dry, arid plains to dense jungle and then mountains with rice fields and traditional villages.

Arrive at Kanpetlet in the late afternoon and explore this Chin village where many of the women still tattoo their faces. Continue another 8km to the forest guesthouse for dinner prepared by the forest rangers.

Overnight at the forest guesthouse in basic accommodation with shared facilities.
Meals: (B/L/D)

Starting from Kanpetlet, different excursions to Nat Ma Taung National Park can be made easily. This beautiful park covers a large area with dense jungle, pine trees at higher levels, and oak trees at the second base camp. The national park is an area of great biodiversity with many rare forms of flora and fauna.

Mount Victoria, the highest peak in the park, offers superb views of the surrounding area from the top. The second base camp can be reached by jeep and from here it is only a two and a half hour trek to the summit.  A simple picnic lunch is served at the second base-camp on Mount Victoria.

Return to the forest guesthouse in the afternoon. Having dinner.

Overnight at the forest guesthouse.
Meals: (B/L/D)

Leave Kanpetlet by jeep and head back to Bagan taking a different route but again with breathtaking views, and dense jungle scenery.

Stop for breakfast in a local teashop in Saw after one-hour driving. Continue by jeep passing through the beautiful constantly changing landscape.

Lunch is on the way to a local restaurant.

Arrive back in Bagan in the late afternoon and transfer to the hotel.

Overnight in Bagan.
Meals: (B/L/_)

Today, take a private local boat across the Ayeyarwaddy River to Pakkoku to enter the land of Monywa, famed for Mohnyin Thambuddhei Paya. On the way, you are offered to make visits to local villages where your visit will be the highlight of their day.

We will study about local life and join their daily work.

Upon arrival, we will visit the town and rest.

Overnight in Monywa.
Meals: (B/L/_)

Rise early to take the ferry to the other side of the Chindwin River where you board a pick-up to see the seldom visited 15th Pho Win Daung temple complex where more than 450,000 sandstone Buddha was carved in the hillsides in caves, alcoves, or tiny niches. The cave murals are still intact with indigo blues and soft pastels. Then, visit Shwe Ba Daung, which features unique pavilions cut from the surrounding sandstone and filled with Buddha’s images.

Overnight in Monywa.
Meals: (B/L/_)

After breakfast in the hotel and check out, we will visit the Bodhi Tataung Laykyun Sekkya standing Buddha statue. At 116 meters, it is the second tallest statue in the world (and second tallest Buddha). It is located at the back of a large religious site with Bodhi trees, gardens containing hundreds of sitting Buddhas, and a huge reclining Buddha lying in front of the Laykyun Sekkya.

Then we will visit Thanboddhay Pagoda. Inside you will see thousands of Buddha images (reportedly over 500,000) decorating every wall, archway, and niche. The buildings in the compound have interesting Jataka reliefs.

Depart Monywa and drive to Mandalay (140 km – 4 hours).

Overnight in Mandalay.
Meals: (B/L/_)

After breakfast, transfer to the jetty and board private chartered boat for a cruise 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 Mandalay for lunch.

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 it’s huge sitting Buddha.

Enjoy the sunset from Mandalay Hill.

Overnight Mandalay.
Meals: (B/L/_)

After breakfast at the hotel depart for a full-day trip to the former capitals of Amarapura, 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 specialty of Amarapura.

Proceed to Ava, the capital from 14^th to 18^th 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 center of Myanmar and is home to 3,000 monks and 100 meditation centers.

Finish the day with a walk at sunset over the 200-year-old U Bein bridge, constructed entirely from teak.

Overnight in Mandalay.
Meals: (B/L/_)

After breakfast, leave Mandalay for a scenic two-hours drive to the former British hill station of Maymyo (Pyin Oo Lwin) located on a plateau 1,000m above sea level. Many reminders of the colonial era are still present in Pyin Oo Lwin, including brick and timber houses.

Enjoy a traditional horse cart and carriage ride through the town and walk around beautiful Botanical Gardens that have recently been renovated. Visit the local market in the center of the town near to the clock tower.

In the afternoon excursion to the impressive waterfalls, Pwe Kauk north of Pyin Oo Lwin.

Overnight in Maymyo (Pyin Oo Lwin).
Meals: (B/L/_)

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the railway station for 6 hrs train journey to Hsipaw to experience an unforgettable journey through the famous Gokteik Viaduct, which passes through a 300 meter deep gorge in the Shan Mountain.

Lunch box provided on board.

Arrive in the afternoon in Hsipaw, a pleasant small Shan town on the bank of the Dokhtawady river. Evening walks around Hsipaw.

Overnight in Hsipaw.
Meals: (B/L/_)

Breakfast at a local restaurant. Start mild trekking around Hsipaw with an additional local trekking guide. Enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Shan plateau; it’s paddy fields, seasonal cultivation surrounded by green mountains.

Stop by several Shan villages and observe village life. A picnic lunch will be served.

In the afternoon, continue trekking to an impressive waterfall. Late afternoon enjoys the sunset on a local motorized boat on the Dokhtawady River.

Overnight in Hsipaw.
Meals: (B/L/_)

Breakfast in the hotel and check out, take a scenic drive to Lashio (56kms) and take a flight to Heho.

From Heho, 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 is used by monks all around the country.

Overnight in Pindaya.
Meals: (B/L/_)

After breakfast, take 2 hours drive to Kalaw, the hill station that remains the charm of British Colonial with styled houses and gardens. Reach the junction of the trekking way.

After 30 minutes walk, you will cross the rain forest and reservoir. Near the reservoir, you can see the various kinds of tropical birds. After the forest and a 2 hours walk, you will reach Hin Khar Gone (Palaung) village. On the way, you can see the cheroot leaf, Orange trees, and some tea leaf garden.

One hour walk you can see the railway road and after cross the railway road you reach the Myin Sine Gone (Danu) village.

Lunch at Myin Sine Gone and excursion in the village. If you are lucky, you can see the cherry flowers, between December and February. At that time so many cherry flower are blooming on the trees.

After lunch go back to Kalaw by another way (30min), later you maybe reach to the railway station of Myin Taik and then proceed to the Kalaw

Overnight in Kalaw.
Meals: (B/L/_)

After breakfast, pick up from Kalaw, drive to Magwe Village and walk to the Green Hill Valley Elephant Camp

Take a light refreshment. Walk to the river to the Elephant bath. We can join in feeding and bathing the elephants.

Exploration of the forest area, opportunity to see butterflies, birds, and orchids in the area.

Lunch in the main camp. After lunch, we can explore the surrounding area with a local trekking guide

We are also welcome to join them in planting indigenous trees from their nursery in our forest recovery efforts

Back to Elephant camp and drive back to Kalaw, the hill station that remains the charm of British Colonial with styled houses and gardens. Upon arrival, our tour guide will show us the uniqueness of this town and surely you will like the weather here.

Overnight in Kalaw.
Meals: (B/L/_)

After breakfast, take around 1h30m drive down into the valley to Nyaung Shwe on the edge of Inle Lake.

During today’s excursion by boat on picturesque Inle Lake we see the famous leg rowers, the typical floating gardens where fruit and vegetables are grown, local methods of fishing, and village life.  A highlight is often visiting the traditional village of Paukpar, with its neat rows of bamboo houses and where we may be able to stop and visit a family for Shan tea.

In the 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 as 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 (Jumping cats), 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 the sunset over Inle Lake enchants all visitors.

Overnight in Inle Lake/ Nyaung Shwe.
Meals: (B/L/_)

After breakfast, excursion by motorized boat to In Dein, an off-the-beaten-track site in the south of the lake. The boat leaves the lake and enters a narrow canal with a beautiful natural environment to continue 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 finish the visits to the lake in the afternoon.

Overnight in Inle Lake/ Nyaung Shwe.
Meals: (B/L/_)

After breakfast, transfer from Nyaung Shwe to Heho airport for a morning flight to Kyaing Tong.

Arrive in Kyaing Tong, Myanmar’s gateway to the Golden Triangle. Meet your Indochina Pioneer guide and transfer to the hotel.

Visit Lane Tree Hill for panoramic views over Kengtung. The town, often compared to Chiang Mai 50 years ago, is a treasure trove of traditional architecture with old-style houses and their intricately designed wooden balconies so characteristic of Shan architecture.

After visiting a local Shan lacquerware factory, visit Maha Myat Muni Pagoda, the holiest in Kyaing Tong.

Overnight in Kyaing Tong.
Meals: (B/L/_)

After breakfast at the hotel a full-day excursion to explore the many and still very traditional ethnic minority communities of the Golden Triangle area.

A 45-minute drive from Kengtung is Wam Pauk, the home of the red-clothed Palaung tribe. An easy trek of 15 minutes leads to Hwe Lon, a village of the Akha people. Continue walking to Koum Ma, a Wa tribe village.

Stop for lunch at Pin Tauk Waterfall near a Lahu village.

In the afternoon meet with the elusive Ann minority. Return to Kyaing Tong.

Overnight in Kyaing Tong.
Meals: (B/L/_)

Leave the hotel after breakfast to visit the Mong Kwan area by a 4-wheel drive pick-up truck.

Stop at the hilltop Hwe Kwai village belonging to the Loi tribe. Observe the daily life of colorfully dressed Li Shaw people and the unique Wan Kwan mud houses.

After a picnic lunch watch a traditional Lan Woan dance performance in Loi Lone village with beautiful Khun girls, in full traditional costume. Return to Kyaing Tong.

Overnight in Kyaing Tong.
Meals: (B/L/_)

After breakfast, drive to Loimwe (appr. 2 hours drive), an old colonial town with different colorful tribes that passes through forests, terraced rice fields, and a lake.

Lunch on the way, we will have several stops to visit different villages. Wan Lun Shan village, walk and explore the native village life; the Ho Lup Akha village where we can see the traditional Akha tribes and the Naung Cho Wa tribe, in former times headhunters. Late afternoon come back to Kyaing Tong

Overnight in Kyaing Tong.
Meals: (B/L/_)

Leave the hotel after breakfast for a walk around Kyaing Tong Market, the meeting point for many hill tribe people.

In the afternoon, transfer to Kyaing Tong Airport for onward flight back to Yangon

Upon arrival, our private car and tour guide will pick us up from the airport for a hotel transfer.

Overnight in Yangon.
Meals: (B/_/_)

In the morning transfer from our hotel to the Yangon airport for domestic flight to Sittwe, the provincial capital and main port in Rakhine state

Upon arrival in Sittwe, transfer to the jetty for a chartered boat trip on the Kaladan River to Mrauk U, about 5 hours upstream.

Overnight in Mrauk U.
Meals: (B/L/_)

After breakfast at the hotel, visit Myanmar’s legendary lost city of Mrauk U. Back in its 15th-century heyday Mrauk U was one of the richest cities in all of Asia but today the town is more like a sleepy village.

A morning tour of Mrauk U’s sights includes Koethaing Temple, the Pitakataik Library, Laungbanpyauk Pagoda, Yadana Mannaung, and Sakaya Mannaung Pagodas. After lunch, visit Shitthaung Temple, Mrauk U’s most important monument, built-in 1535 by 1,000 architects and containing a remarkable collection of Arakanese Buddha images and reliefs.

Continue to the multi-spire Andawthein Ordination Hall, with its unique stone carvings, the circular Ratanabon Pagoda, Dukkhanthein, a huge fortress-like temple with vaulted passages containing interesting stone sculptures and Laymyetnha, the first pagoda erected in Mrauk U in 1430.

Overnight in Mrauk U.
Meals: (B/L/_)

Visit Mrauk U’s main market and Koe Thaung Temple. Continue to Lay Myo river bank and then proceed by boat to Chin Tattoo area.

We are the trail to three Chin tattoo villages by boat and walk to the hill tribe’s people. Visit waving project at the Chin village. The villagers are a very basic lifestyle. Some Tattoo ladies are very proud of their tattoo designed on their faces and waving designs. We will see how the villagers will warmly welcome and friendly.

Packed lunch is included. Return back to Mrauk U and relax.

Overnight in Mrauk U.
Meals: (B/L/_)

Enjoy sunrise over the misty hills of Mrauk U from the top of the hill.

After breakfast, proceed to the jetty and board a chartered boat back to Sittwe. Take an afternoon flight back to Yangon

Upon arrival, our private car and tour guide will pick us up from the airport for a hotel transfer.

Overnight in Yangon.
Meals: (B/L/_)

After breakfast, our private car (without guide) picks up from hotel in Yangon and transfer to Yangon airport for a morning flight to Kawthaung.

Upon arrival, a shuttle bus of the cruise will pick us up from the airport and transfer to Myo Ma Jetty in Kawthaung to embark on board.

After the immigration clearance captain will start to drive heading to Taung La Bo Island where we can enjoy snorkeling and swimming by the island for an hour.

After that cruise captain will continue his cruising to 115 Islands group. While cruising we can do sunbathing on the sun deck on the board.

Enjoy dinner and overnight on board by 115 Islands group.

Overnight on boat.
Meals: (B/L/D)

Enjoy our breakfast prepared by the Chef of Cruise.

115 Islands Group is crystal water and worth to snorkel to see much colorful school of fishes, hard and soft corals. It is a fantastic one of the finest islands to spend time on hiking and jungle trekking through the rain forest. We will find here are the very definition of pristine very white and powder sand beaches. It’s no wonder visitors come from all around to sink their toes into miles of pure white sand. If there were time permits, we will send you a new resort which is under construction on the islands.

While having our lunch the boat will continue to Nga Mann Island where we will do an hour snorkeling. This place is very nice to snorkeling because where can be seen as hard and soft coral, various colorful fishes, big leeches, and jellyfish. After activities captain will continue to his cruising heading to Kyun Pila (Great Swinton I).

Enjoy dinner and overnight on board by Kyun Pila.

Overnight on boat.
Meals: (B/L/D)

After breakfast on board, we go for an excursion to the village where can be observed the daily life of fishermen.

After that we will embark on cruise and the captain will depart heading to Myauk Ni (N.Phipps I) where we can enjoy snorkeling.

After making activities, we will continue to Thay Yae Island.

Enjoy dinner and overnight on board by Thay Yae Island.

Overnight on boat.
Meals: (B/L/D)

In the morning we go for snorkeling and then depart back to Kawthaung. Cheers for your exploration and complimentary soft drinks before arriving back to Kawthaung.

After disembarking from the boat, the cruise’s representative will send us to Ranong Jetty (Thailand) by long-tail boat.

Cross border Myanmar to Thailand

Meals: (B/L/_)