CULTURAL TOURS

10-Day Picturesque Myanmar

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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 – MANDALAY (BY FLIGHT)

After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for domestic flight to MANDALAY. Upon arrival to Mandalay airport, transfer to your hotel.
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 03         MANDALAY - AMARAPURA - AVA – SAGAING - MANDALAY

After breakfast, excursion to Amarapura, 15 km 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. 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, 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. Continue to SAGAING HILLS, a retreat for Buddhist devotees, for sunset viewing.
Overnight stay in Mandalay.

DAY 04         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 hours longer as a slower ferryboat is used for the journey on these days.

DAY 05         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, 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.

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 06         BAGAN

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, a colorfully decorated ox-cart (if available) will take you through some of the more off the beaten track temple sites. Experience the traditional way of traveling and transportation still commonly used by the rural people of Myanmar.
Overnight stay in Bagan.

DAY 07         BAGAN – MT. POPA – KALAW (BY LAND)

After early breakfast, a 300 km drive (8 hour) will take you to Kalaw. En-route visit MT. POPA, an extinct volcano with spectacular views. Mt. Popa is a popular pilgrimage destination for 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 at a simple local restaurant en route, the journey continues on a narrow, winding and bumpy road through the Shan Hills. You will reach KALAW, a fresh and delightful hill station, situated on the rim of the Shan Plateau, early evening time. Kalaw is a lively market town where many ethnic minority people of the surrounding areas buy and trade their goods.
Overnight stay in Kalaw.

DAY 08         KALAW – INLE LAKE

After breakfast, set out for an excursion on foot (about 6 hour walk) to the TAR YAW village of the Palaung tribe. The animist Palaungs were amongst the earliest inhabitants in Myanmar and have kept to their traditions living with several families in ‘long-houses’, cultivating cash crops and tanapet for Burmese cheroot cigars. Take a walk to their plantations and visit the village before returning to Kalaw.
After Lunch, transfer to NYAUNG SHWE (62 km, 2 ½ hour) and proceed by boat to your hotel on the lake.
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 (32 km – 1:20 hour) for domestic flight to YANGON. Upon arrival, transfer to restaurant for lunch. 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.