Classic Myanmar

• Day 1:

  Upon arrival at Mandalay International Airport, you're welcomed by your guide and transferred to the hotel for check in. Time permitting, you will visit the Mahamuni Pagoda, home to a spectacular Buddha image covered with thick layers of gold leaves. Stop at local workshops to see Kalaga tapestries being made and gold leaf being beaten into paper-thin pieces. Accommodation in Mandalay: (5*) Hilton Mandalay Hotel (Deluxe room) (two nights)

• Day 2:

  After breakfast at hotel, you will be transferred to Kaung Mu Daw Pagoda which is the copy of Mahaceti Pagoda in Sri Lanka and you will visit Sagaing Hills and the western bank of the Ayeyarwaddy river. After that, proceed to Amarapura and visit the 200 year old U Bein Teak Bridge. Visit Mahagandayone Monastery where more than 1,000 monks live and study. Time permittingm you will have the opportunity to observe the monks having their last meal of the day in total silence. Visit traditional handwoven silk workshop teak posts. Drive back to Mandalay and visit the beautiful teak-carved Shwenandaw Monastery or Golden Palace Monastery, which is noted for its intricate wood carvings and is the only Royal Palace building to survive World War II bombing. Next visit Kuthodaw Pagoda, home to ‘the world’s largest book’, a collection of more than 700 marble slabs inscribed with Buddhist teachings. In the evening, enjoy sunset at Mandalay Hill.

• Day 3:

  Have breakfast at hotel before your transfer to the Mandalay domestic airport for your flight to Bagan (additional cost for the flight). Upon arrival, you will start at the Nyaung Oo Morning Market where locals gather every day to buy and sell everything from fresh produce and meats, flowers and pottery. The journey begins with a visit to an elevated temple with spectacular views over the surrounding plains. This is the perfect introduction to the grandeur and scope of Bagan’s architecture. The day continues with visits to the most significant pagodas and temples of Bagan including Shwezigon Pagoda built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th as a religious shrine. Continue with a visit to Annada Temple, a whitewashed masterpiece of Mon architecture with four standing Buddhas and the adjacent brick monastery with the beautiful, well-preserved 18th century murals. The Dhamayangyi Temple, is the most massive and the finest brick work of all. Then transfer to hotel and with the rest of your day at leisure. Accommodation in Bagan: (4*+) The Hotel @ Tharabar Gate (Deluxe room) (three nights)

• Day 4:

  After breakfast at hotel, you will begin the day with a 30-minute horse cart ride from Old Bagan to Phwar Saw Village, which affords the opportunity to witness rural Burmese life. Enjoy a one-hour stroll through the village where some families produce simple lacquerware. Transfer back to your hotel for free time to enjoy the facilities (spa and swimming pool). In the afternoon, proceed to visit a lacquerware workshop and learn about the ancestral technique of layering a mixture from a special tree sap and ashes over bamboo sculptures, then carving intricate colored designs. In the evening, the tour concludes with a sunset boat ride on the Irrawaddy River.

• Day 5:

  Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. Today is a free day of leisure.

• Day 6:

  Enjoy breakfast at hotel before your transfer to Nyaung Oo airport for the flight to Heho (additional cost for the flight). Upon arrival in Heho, you will be transferred to Nyaungshwe jetty at the edge of the Inle Lake, famous for its unique leg rower. On the way, visit "Shwe Yan Pyay," a beautiful red-painted teak building dating back to the 19th century. Arrive at Naung Shwe jetty to start your boat trip on Inle Lake - a photographer’s dream. Its calm waters are dotted with floating vegetation and fishing canoes, to which scenic hills provide the perfect backdrop. See the lake's unique "leg rowers," Intha fishermen who row standing up with one leg wrapped around a single oar, leaving their hands free to manipulate the conical fishing net. Check into your hotel on Inle Lake and enjoy some free time. Accommodation in Inle Lake: (4*+) Pristine Lotus Resort Inle (Floating cottage) (three nights)

• Day 7:

  After breakfast at the hotel, travel through Indein village to reach the 14th - 18th century pagoda ruins of Nyaung Ohak. Explore a five-day rotating market (if your visit coincides with the schedule) which offers an insight into the life of the ethnic Pa-O, Danu and Intha people who come to these markets to sell and buy goods. Stop at Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the holiest religious site in southern Shan State. Visit a traditional silk-weaving workshop which uses wooden handlooms, and a blacksmith’s forge. Pass endless floating gardens, where Intha lake dwellers grow fruit and vegetables. Lastly, visit Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery, one of the oldest on the lake, where you can see exquisite Buddha statues which are more than 200 years old. Transfer to the hotel and the rest of your day is at leisure.

• Day 8:

  Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before you board a long-tailed boat across the lake to Indein , at the western end of Inle, for one of the most scenic trips on the Lake. Passing through the busy village of Ywama, the largest on the lake, with many channels and tall teak houses on stilts, enter a long, often tree-lined canal, either side of which farmers cultivate their land against the backdrop of the Shan Hills. Disembark at the jetty and walk for 15 minutes with souvenir stallholders which lead up to Shwe Inn Thein Paya, a complex of weather-beaten 17th - 18th century zedi; some newly reconstructed. Return back to Inle lake with the rest of your day at leisure.

• Day 9:

  After breakfast at hotel, transfer to the Heho airport for your flight to Yangon (additional cost for the flight). Upon arrival in Yangon, depart on your Yangon Colonial walking tour. There is a mixture of colonial buildings churches, mosques (including Sunni and Shia ) and Buddhist monastery and ordination hall. The beautiful building reflects the mix of religions in the city. Continue to one of Yangon highlights - Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda to see a huge reclining Buddha image, Karaweik Royal Barge (a royal floating barge on a lake for the fantastic photo view). In the afternoon, visit the Bogyoke Market with hundreds of food, clothing, handicrafts and gemstones. In the late afternoon, complete your day with an extended visit to one of the world's most spectacular monuments, the Shwedagon Pagoda, its golden stupa is the 'heart' of Myanmar. The pagoda is believed to be 2,600 years old and the central stupa is surrounded by dozens of intricately decorated buildings and statues. There are always many Myanmar people praying and making offering at Pagoda. Accommodation in Yangon: (5*) Melia Hotel (Deluxe room) (two nights) Note: The famous Scott market will close every Monday and Gazette Holidays.

• Day 10:

  After breakfast at the hotel, you will have the opportunity to purchase beautiful souvenirs and contribute to a good cause at the same time. Hla Day is a fair trade marketplace for small Myanmar producers, opening opportunities for them to improve their social and economic situation. In the afternoon, a car and guide will be at your disposal to visit places of interest or do last-minute shopping.

• Day 11:

  After breakfast and some leisure time, you will be transferred to the Yangon Airport for your next flight.

April 01 – September 30, 2020 (Except for public holidays)

Per Person Sharing:      $1,299

Single Supplement:       $  539

Inclusions:

• Hotel accommodation with daily breakfast as mentioned or similar
• Transfer services in private air-conditioned vehicle
• Entrance fees and boat fees where applicable
• Meals listed in the itinerary (if any)
• English-speaking local guide in each city
• Bottled water on coach during transfer
• Government taxes and service charges

Exclusions:

• International and domestic flights, along with airport taxes (including airport departure tax), unless otherwise mentioned
• Meals not mentioned
• Drinks and surcharge for special request on foods and meals
• Entrance fees, guide service during free time and other personal expenses
• Insurance
• Gratuities for guides and drivers
• Surcharge for public holidays and/or peak periods (if applicable)
• Any compulsory meal by the hotels (during Christmas and New Year)
• Any type of visa and fee
• All other services not stated in the program

PLEASE NOTE

Standard hotel check-in time is 14:00 and check-out time is 12:00 (Early check-in time or late check-out time is subject to availability and with additional charge.)