CULTURAL TOURS

10-Day Hidden Arakan And Brilliant Myanmar

************************************************************************************

DAY 01         ARRIVE YANGON

Upon arrival to YANGON airport you will be welcomed by our guide and transferred to your hotel. Your Myanmar journey begins with an afternoon tour through Yangon’s colonial-style city center. Visit SULE PAGODA, built over 2,000 years ago; the magnificent reclining Buddha CHAUK HTAT GYI and after a photo stop at the KARAWEIK HALL, a 'hamsa-bird-shaped' floating barge on Kandawgyi (Royal) Lake; stroll through the BOGYOKE (SCOTTS) MARKET, of hundreds of food, clothes, handicrafts and gems stores. Complete your first day in Myanmar with a visit to one of the world’s most spectacular monuments, the SHWEDAGON PAGODA.
Overnight stay in Yangon.

DAY 02         YANGON – SITTWE (BY FLIGHT) - MRAUK U (BY BOAT)

After breakrast, transfered you to the airport for the domestic flight to SITTWE, the provincial capital and main port of RAKHINE (Arakan). Upon arrival, transfer to the jetty and proceed by boat for the 70km (6-8 hour) journey upriver to the last royal capital of Rakhine, MRAUK-U. Box lunch or lunch on the boat will be provided.
Overnight stay in Mrauk U.

DAY 03         MRAUK-U

After breakfast, drive to VESALI (Wethali), a former 2.7 square miles large city built by the King Mahataing Chandra during the reign of Vesali Dynasty which lasted until the 8th century. Visit the ‘Wethali Great Image’ from 327 AD, a huge sitting Buddha image made out of one piece of sandstone, as well as the remaining ruins of the palace site. Continue by car to DANYAWADDY. See the MAHAMUNI PAGODA, built during the period of the Dhanyawaddy Dynasty. It once housed the famous Mahamuni image made of bronze, which was according to a legend cast during Buddha’s visit to Rakhine. Nowadays this famous image can be seen in Mandalay.
Return to Mrauk-U.
After lunch, walk through the maze-like SHITTAUNG Temple, a shrine of 80,000 Buddha images; the adjacent ANDAW THEIN ORDINATION HALL and to HTUKKAN THEIN TEMPLE and the 17th century temple of KOETHAUNG. You will also visit the ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM and the PALACE SITE.
Overnight stay in Mrauk U.

DAY 04         MRAUK U – SITTWE (BY BOAT)

Breakfast is followed by a visit to the local market. Begins the visit with YADANA MANNAUNG PAGODA; SAKYA MANNAUNG PAGODA and BANDOOHLA MONASTERY, viewing their immense collection of antique Buddha images. Transfer to the jetty for the boat journey back to Sittwe with lunch on board. On the way stop to visit one of the Myo Villages famous for their natural Khami Cloth. Upon arrival in SITTWE, transfer to your hotel.
Overnight stay in Sittwe.

DAY 05         SITTWE – YANGON (BY FLIGHT)

After breakfast, set off by car to visit the main market of Sittwe, where fishermen, town and rural people come to buy and sell fish and general supplies. Stroll along the Strand Road, the town’s old commercial area, lined with a fascinating variety of stores. Enjoy watching the hustle and bustle of local business activities. Time permitting, visit the 100 year old Buddha with a golden face at the PAYAGYI TEMPLE; the CULTURAL MUSEUM and the local MOSQUE.
Lunch at a local restaurant and transfer to the airport for the flight back to YANGON. Upon arrival you will be transferred to your hotel.
Overnight stay in Yangon.

DAY 06         YANGON – BAGAN (BY FLIGHT)

After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for domestic flight to BAGAN. After a stroll through the colorful local market continue the day with visits to the most significant pagodas and temples of Bagan including SHWEZIGON PAGODA, built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century as a religious shrine; GU BYANUK GYI, a temple with superb murals of Jataka scenes; KHAY MIN GA TEMPLE, noted for its panoramic view of the area’s numerous monuments and ANANDA TEMPLE, with four standing Buddha images. Then check-in at your hotel.
After lunch at a good local restaurant, visit one of Myanmar’s most treasured handicrafts, a lacquerware craftsmen’s workshop in nearby MYINKABA village. You will continue to MANUHA TEMPLE, built in the Mon-style in 1059 and follow on to NANBAYA TEMPLE, a unique sandstone monument said to have been the palace of King Manuha. Next you will explore the UNESCO protected MYINGABA GU BYAUKGYI TEMPLE, a temple known for its mural paintings.
Proceed to a well chosen temple to watch the sunset over the famous Ayeyarwaddy River.
Overnight stay in Bangan.

DAY 07         BAGAN – MANDALAY (BY FLIGHT)

After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for a domestic flight to MANDALAY. Upon arrival at Mandalay airport, commence for an excursion to Amarapura, situated 15km from Mandalay. Visit MAHAGANDAYON, a famous Buddhist monastery, where more than a thousand monks live and study; continue to 200-year-old U BEIN teak bridge, built in 1782 during the era when Amarapura was the royal capital. Since the early days Amarapura has been noted for its silk- and cotton weaving. Visit a traditional hand-woven silk workshop and proceed to BAGAYA MONASTERY, housing a superb collection of Buddha statues. Drive to Mandalay and check-in at your hotel.
After lunch at local restaurant, experience the sights and sounds of Mandalay including one of the most revered religious monuments in Myanmar, the MAHAMUNI PAGODA; the SHWE INBIN MONASTERY; the GOLDEN PALACE MONASTERY, a superb example of a traditional wooden building and KUTHODAW PAGODA the world’s largest book, made of marble. Visit a traditional hand-woven silk workshop as well as a Kalaga tapestries craftsmen’s shop before proceeding to MANDALAY HILL for sunset.
Overnight stay in Mandalay.

DAY 08         MANDALAY – HEHO (BY FLIGHT) - PINDAYA - INLE LAKE

After breakfast, transfer to Mandalay airport for a domestic flight to HEHO. Upon arrival to Heho airport, proceed by road to PINDAYA (60 km – 2½ hour) and visit PINDAYA CAVES, a unique site housing thousands of Buddha images placed there by devotees and pilgrims over the centuries.
After lunch at a good local restaurant, drive to NYAUNG SHWE (90 km – 4 hour) and transfer to your hotel on INLE LAKE by boat.
Overnight stay in Inle Lake.

DAY 09         INLE LAKE

After breakfast, a full day excursion by boat on the Inle Lake will include sights of the famous leg rowers, typical floating gardens, local methods of fishing, village life and magnificent scenery. The visit begins with the local market in the Inle Lake region (Remark : on market days only) and proceed to the Western Shore of Inle Lake, where you will find the beginning of a stair path leading to the well hidden INN THEIN PAGODA complex.
After Lunch at a local restaurant on the lake, you will visit the PHAUNGDAW OO PAGODA, one of the most sacred shrines in Myanmar, dating back to the 18th century; the NGA PHE KYAUNG MONASTERY, famous for its jumping cats trained by monks and the weaving village of INPAWKHON.
Overnight stay in Inle Lake.

DAY 10         INLE LAKE – HEHO – YANGON (BY FLIGHT) – DEPART YANGON

After breakfast you will be transferred to Heho airport for domestic flight to YANGON. The rest of the day is at your leisure for relaxing, shopping or sightseeing until transfer to the airport for your international departure flight to BANGKOK.

Itinerary is subject to changes depending on flights, road conditions and availability of rooms.