Myanmar Temple & Beach (IPB12)

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. 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.

If we arrive in the morning, we have time to visit the world-famous golden Shwedagon Pagoda in the afternoon, a breath-taking and colorful sight visited by Buddhists from all over Myanmar.

Evening culture show with dinner at Karaweik palace in Kandawgyi Park

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

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 of constructed huge stupas and temples, many of which are still standing today on the banks of the Irrawaddy River.

Arrive Bagan and check-in at the hotel. The sightseeing starts with most distinctive pagodas such as Shwezigon Pagoda – the holiest one believed to be enshrined with Buddha tooth and hair; Gubyaukgyi Temple (Wetkyiinn village) – the 13th-century‘ cave temple’ with fine frescoes of scenes from Jakatas; Ananda Temple – one of the masterpieces surviving and remaining in Bagan and considered to be in the Mon architecture style; Thatbyinnyu Temple – the highest building on the Bagan plain.

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

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

Optional: In the early morning, we take a sunrise Balloon flight over the plains of Bagan. From above looking down, Bagan is beautiful as a watercolor picture. Along two banks of the gentle Ayeyarwady River are small villages hiding in the bamboo trees. The top of golden pagodas glistens under the sunlight. The flight surely gives you an interesting and unheard-of experience of the country of Myanmar.

After breakfast, enjoy a city tour with the first stop at Nyaung Oo Market to see how the local people’s life is. Follow our trip to the Dhammayangyi Temple is also a must-see in Bagan archaeological area that we will visit.

After lunch, we visit the simple Minnanthu village located near central Bagan where you have a chance to meet open and friendly village people who live in typical houses. Their houses are built in the traditional way of Myanmar countryside, with an outdoor living area for sitting, entertaining, working, and sleeping. Life here is so peaceful that you can see the men and women in their work without complaint. This surely will be a memorable image for your journey.

Around the village, we can see some monuments which were built in the latter period such as Tayokepyay Temple, Laymyatnar Temple, Nandaminnya, and Payathonzu temple.

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

Drive-up into the hills from Mandalay (80km, about 2 hours) for a full day visit of Pyin Oo Lwin (Maymyo), a former British hill station. Visit the local market and drive through the charming town in a horse-drawn ‘stagecoach’, giving you the chance to admire the red brick and half-timbered houses, complete with English-style gables, turrets, and chimneys.

In the afternoon, visit the tiny Forestry Museum (if open) and the National Botanical Kandawgyi Gardens, which were laid out by Sir Harcourt Butler, a former Governor of Burma – the flower beds are similar to those you would find in an English country garden! Take a short jungle walk on a wooden walkway in the gardens. Then drive back to Mandalay.

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

After breakfast, board a boat for a 1-hour cruise across the Ayeyarwaddy River (Irrawaddy) to the rural village of Mingun to view its massive unfinished pagoda dramatically cracked in half by an earthquake in the 1800s; Mingun’s bronze bell believed to be largest uncracked one in the world and the beautiful Myatheindan pagoda which represents Mt. Meru and the abode of celestial beings.

Return back to Mandalay enjoying lunch.

Afternoon highlight to the most significant Buddha images covered in several tons of gold leaf and the crown prize in wars between competing kingdoms; the Golden Palace Monastery, the sole surviving Royal Palace building in Mandalay, offering a glimpse of the original style and architecture of the Myanmar royals; and lastly, the Kuthodaw Pagoda, a compound housing Buddha’s teachings carved in the sacred Pali script on stone tablets and regarded the world’s largest book in terms of surface area. Time permitting, we enjoy a stroll through the lively Zegyo Market in the heart of the city to experience authentic local life.

We end our day with sunset panoramic views over the city skyline on Mandalay Hill, the highest point of the city.

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

Transfer to Mandalay Airport for domestic flight to Heho. Transfer from Heho airport, 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 a sunset over Inle Lake enchants all visitors.

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

After breakfast at the hotel, visit floating market which is a 5 days rotation market most fascinating to watch the daily life of the minorities and their activities. Continue our excursion by motorized boat to Indein pagoda complex, in the south-west 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 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 hotel in Nyaung Shwe/ resort on lake and overnight at the hotel.

Overnight at Inle Lake/ Nyaung Shwe.

Meals: (B/L/_)

A short flight from Heho will take us to Ngapali Beach, the most beautiful beach in Myanmar with coconut groves and Treasure island.

Free at leisure to enjoy the beach and resort.

Overnight in Ngapali Beach.
Meals: (B/_/_)

Free at our own to visit Ngapali fishing village, Thandwe town, or immerse in scuba diving in the most pristine coves of Bengal Bay.

Overnight in Ngapali Beach.
Meals: (B/_/_)

Free at our own to visit Ngapali fishing village, Thandwe town, or immerse in scuba diving in the most pristine coves of Bengal Bay.

Overnight in Ngapali Beach.
Meals: (B/_/_)

After breakfast, check out and the hotel’s shuttle bus picks you up and transfer to Thandwe airport for a morning flight back to Yangon. The city’s historical colonial and religious influences have survived despite its status as a rising Southeast Asian city, making for a truly unique experience.

Upon arrival, walk through downtown a diverse mix of faded colonial architectures from the British times, and high-rises built by more recent investors. Then, we will visit Sule Pagoda – a religious and historic site, built in the early 3rd century which located in the heart of downtown Yangon.

Late afternoon, visit the magnificent Shwedagon Pagoda of Rudyard Kipling fame and one of Myanmar’s most sacred places. The massive bell-shaped stupa is plated with gold and the tip of the stupa is set with diamonds and rubies, sapphires, and topaz – a stunning sight as the sun sets and a most fitting place to begin our trip in this “Golden Land”.

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

After breakfast, a fleet of microbuses and guides will be available outside the hotel for guests who would like to do some last-minute shopping or complete their cultural visit of Yangon exploring colonial downtown.

Then take the drive to Mingaladon International Airport to check in on your onward flight.

End of services.

Meals: (B/_/_)