CULTURAL TOURS

15-Day Myanmar Standard

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DAY 01          ARRIVE YANGON

Upon arrival at YANGON airport you will be welcomed by our guide and transferred to your hotel.
Your journey begins with an afternoon tour through Yangon’s colonial-style city center. Visit SULE PAGODA, dating back 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, a compound of hundreds of food, garment, handicraft and gem 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

After breakfast, start the visit begins with the KABA AYE (WORLD PEACE) PAGODA and the MAHAPASANA CAVE, where the sixth Buddhist synod took place; the fascinating YANGON GLASS FACTORY to watch the production of mouth-blown glass in the old-fashioned way and see the 8 meter high Golden Lion Throne as well as the Mandalay Royal Regalia at the NATIONAL MUSEUM.
After lunch, proceed to Yangon’s oldest Chinese temple and at the riverside located BOTATAUNG PAGODA in the vicinity of the Yangon River. Drive to the famous Strand Hotel. From here we will take you for a guided walk through Yangon’s old colonial city center (approx. 1½ hour), see the bustling life at the NANTHIDA JETTY and the former British authority buildings between Strand Road and Shwebontha Street (Magol Lan), before relaxing and enjoying the ‘Strand High Tea’.
Overnight stay in Yangon.

DAY 03          YANGON - HEHO (BY FLIGHT) - INLE LAKE

After breakfast, transfer to airport for domestic flight to HEHO. Upon arrival at HEHO airport, proceed by road to NYAUNG SHWE (32 km – 1:20 hour) and continue by boat to your hotel for check-in.
After lunch, 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.
Overnight stay in Inle Lake.

DAY 04          INLE LAKE

After breakfast, 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 05          INLE LAKE – KALAW - PINDAYA

After breakfast, return by boat to NYAUNG SHWE and proceed by road to KALAW (62 km, 2½ hour), a fresh and delightful hill station, on the rim of the Shan Plateau, which is a market center for ethnic minorities from surrounding regions.
After lunch, continue on a narrow, winding and bumpy road (48 km - 1½ hour) through the Shan Hills to PINDAYA. Check-in at your hotel.
Overnight stay in Pindaya.

DAY 06          PINDAYA - HEHO – MANDALAY (BY FLIGHT)

After breakfast, visit to PINDAYA CAVES, a unique site housing thousands of Buddha images placed there by pilgrims and devotees over the centuries.
After lunch, drive to HEHO airport (60 km – 2½ hour) for domestic flight to MANDALAY. Upon arrival, transfer directly to your hotel.
Overnight stay in Mandalay.

DAY 07          MANDALAY – AMARAPURA - MANDALAY

After breakfast, excursion to AMARAPURA, 15 km from Mandalay to visit MAHAGANDAYON MONASTERY where more than a thousand monks live and study. Time permitting you will have the opportunity to observe the monks having their last meal of the day in total silence. Continue to 200-year-old U BEIN teak bridge, built in 1782 during the era when Amarapura was the Royal capital. Already from the early days the city was known for its silk- and cotton weaving. Visit a traditional hand-woven silk workshop before proceeding to BAGAYA MONASTERY, a compound with a superb collection of Buddha statues.
After lunch, experience the sights and sounds of Mandalay including some of the most revered religious monuments in Myanmar, MAHAMUNI PAGODA; SHWE INBIN MONASTERY; GOLDEN PALACE MONASTERY, a superb example of a traditional wood work and KUTHODAW PAGODA the world’s largest book, made of marble. Mandalay is also a major arts and crafts center. A visit to Kalaga tapestry craftsmen’s shop before proceeding to MANDALAY HILL for sunset viewing.
Overnight stay in Mandalay.

DAY 08          MANDALAY – MINGUN - AVA – SAGAING - MANDALAY

After breakfast, an excursion by boat on the AYEYARWADDY RIVER will take you to MINGUN, about 11 km (1 hour) upriver from Mandalay. Visit the unfinished MINGUN PAYA, which was meant to become the largest stupa in Myanmar, constructed by King Bodaw Paya; one of the world’s largest bells, the 90 ton MINGUN BELL and HSINBYUME PAYA.
Return back to Mandalay.
After lunch, embark for a short boat ride over a river and start exploring the former Royal Capital INWA (AVA) by horse cart. Visit NANMYINT WATCH TOWER, the remains of the ancient palace building, also know as “the leaning tower of Ava“; MAHA AUNGMYE BONZAN MONASTERY, built of brick and stucco; BARGAYAR MONASTERY, famous for its impressive ornate woodcarvings and teak posts then continue to SAGAING HILLS, a retreat for Buddhist devotees for sunset.
Overnight stay in Mandalay.

DAY 09          MANDALAY – BAGAN (BY BOAT)

After early breakfast, transfer to the jetty and board a Chinese-built ferry boat for your journey on the AYEYARWADDY River to BAGAN. The trip takes approx. 9 hour downriver, depending on river conditions and water level. Lunch will be provided by Asian Tour. Upon arrival to Bagan, transfer to your hotel.
Overnight stay in Bagan.

Note: The boat trip on Wednesdays and Sundays takes approx. 4 hour longer as a slower ferryboat is used for the journey on these days.

DAY 10          BAGAN

After breakfast, stroll through the colorful local market and 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 views over Bagan’s numerous monuments, and ANANDA TEMPLE with four standing Buddha images.
After lunch at a local restaurant learn of manufacturing Myanmar’s most treasured handicrafts and visit a lacquer ware craftsmen’s workshop in nearby MYINKABA village. Later continue to MANUHA TEMPLE, built in Mon style in 1059 and explore the NANBAYA TEMPLE, a unique sandstone monument which according to legends used to be palace site of the King Manuha. Next you will explore the UNESCO protected MYINGABA GU BYAUKGYI TEMPLE, a temple known for its mural paintings. Complete the day by watching sunset over the majestic Ayeyarwaddy River from a temple top.
Overnight stay in Bagan.

DAY 11          BAGAN – POPA - BAGAN

After breakfast, a 45 km drive (1½ hour) will take you to Mt. POPA, an extinct volcano with spectacular views. Popa is popular pilgrimage destination for the Myanmar’s. The local people travel here from far away to worship various animist spirits known as “nats”. 777 steps lead up to the shrine placed on top of the steep Popa peak.
After lunch, return back to Bagan and the time is for your leisure.
Overnight stay in Bagan.

Optional : Experience the magic of Bagan and a thousand years of history from the enchanting platform of a hot air balloon, for the first time ever. ‘Balloons over Bagan’ offers visitors exclusive sunrise champagne flights over the ancient pagodas of Bagan from late October to April. (Details see ‘Balloons over Bagan’)

DAY 12          BAGAN – YANGON (BY FLIGHT)

After breakfast, embark for visits to TAYOKEPYAY TEMPLE in Min Nan Thu Village; PHAYA THONE ZU and NANDAMANYA TEMPLES noted for their exquisite murals of 13th century and KYAT KAN CAVE monastery, a famous meditation retreat in Bagan.
After lunch, you will be transferred to Bagan Airport for domestic flight to YANGON.
Overnight stay in Yangon.

DAY 13          YANGON - BAGO – KYAIKTIYO (GOLDEN ROCK)

After breakfast, drive to BAGO (84 km - 1½ hour). Sightseeing starts with the charming and characteristic monastery of Kya Khet Waii, an eminent teaching center for hundreds of monks from neighboring regions to study Buddhism. You will have ample time to observe when the monks walk mindfully in procession for their last meal of the day. After seeing over a thousand years old SHWEMAWDAW PAGODA with its spire taller than the SHWEDAGON PAGODA, you will proceed to the KIN PUN 'base camp' (110 km - 3½ hour).
Lunch will be served at a local restaurant en-route. The tour will continue to one of Myanmar's landmarks, famous for its precarious position and religious importance, KYAIKTIYO the 'Golden Rock' is a huge boulder completely covered by gold leaf and delicately balanced on the edge of a cliff. To reach the pagoda from KIN PUN base camp a steep 11 km road leads to the upper staging point. The journey is made in open trucks. The 'upper area' must be traveled by foot, at present, and the walk is approximately 4 km (1 hour) up a steep path ascending some 500m to the GOLDEN ROCK on top of the mountain range. If you wish to take a more comfortable approach, you can sit back and be carried in sedan chairs by four porters. This will incur an extra cost of approx. On arrival you can enjoy great views over the surrounding jungle and a beautiful sunset.
Overnight stay in Kyaikhtiyo.

DAY 14          KYAIKTIYO - BAGO - YANGON

After breakfast you will return to YANGON (194 km - 5 hour). Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant in Bago and continue sightseeing with the 55-meter long reclining SHWE THA LYAUNG Buddha, which is among one of the country's most impressive images as well as the four giant Buddha images at KYAIK PUN PAGODA. After visiting a 'Mon' weaving and handicraft village producing woven bamboo wares continue to Yangon. Stop en-route by an Allied War Graves cemetery near HTAUK KYAN and a "Nat" tree shrine.
Overnight stay in Yangon.

DAY 15          DEPART YANGON

Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Yangon airport for your departure flight.

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