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| Magical Myanmar |
Myanmar - a beautiful country that feels almost lost in time. The genuine warmth of the Burmese people is incredible, considering the hardships they continue to endure. For the traveller, visiting Myanmar is an opportunity to bring a bit of the outside world to a population that is otherwise very isolated.
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| OVERVIEW |
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ITINERARY |
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PRICING |
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WHAT'S INCLUDED |
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15 days / 14 nights
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| Day Number of Tour |
| Day No. |
Location |
Program |
B |
L |
D |
| 1 |
Arrive Yangon |
Yangon City Tour: Sule Pagoda, Kandawgyi Lake
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B |
L |
D |
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On arrival in Yangon, transfer to the Governor's Residence Hotel. After lunch, explore the old colonial-style city center with the gilded Sule Pagoda, dating back over 2,000 years. Drive through Chinatown and the Indian Quarter, and make a photo stop at Kandawgyi Lake, with views of Shwedagon Pagoda in the distance. Dinner at the hotel.
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| 2 |
Yangon |
Chauk Htat Gyi, Glass Factory, Shwedagon Pagoda
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B |
L |
D |
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Today's sightseeing tour includes Chauk Htat Gyi, a huge reclining Buddha image, and the National Museum to see the 8-metre high Golden Lion Throne and Mandalay Royal Regalia. This afternoon, visit a Glass Factory, where we can see skilled craftsmen hand-blowing glass and creating original glassware which is sold to hotels and restaurants all over Myanmar. Next, we enjoy an extended visit to Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the world's most spectacular religious monuments. The golden dome of the Shwedagon Pagoda rises 98 meters above its base and is covered with 60 tons of pure gold. The Pagoda is believed to be 2,500 years old and the central stupa is surrounded by dozens of intricately decorated buildings and statues. There are always many local people praying and making offerings at Shwedagon, and it's a fascinating place to spend time watching the world go by. Dinner this evening is at Le Planteur Restaurant, considered to be the finest French restaurant in town.
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| 3 |
Yangon / Bagan |
Local Market, Bagan Museum, Sunset over Bagan
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B |
L |
D |
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Transfer to Yangon Airport early this morning for the domestic flight to Bagan. Upon arrival in Bagan, proceed on a sightseeing tour starting with a busy local market and enjoy some free time for browsing the stalls. Visit the Bagan Museum, to introduce this magnificent area before transferring to the Thiripyitsaya Sakura Hotel. Lunch is served at The Beach Restaurant.
After lunch, visit a diverse selection of the most important pagodas and temples such as Shwezigon Pagoda, built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century, Ku Byauk Gyi, a temple with exquisite murals of Jataka scenes, and Ananda Temple with four huge standing Buddha images and numerous seated figures in niches around the galleried interior. Observe sunset in the vicinity of Bagans ancient monuments.
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| 4 |
Bagan |
Horse-cart ride, Sunrise over Bagan, Nat Htaung Kyaung, Puppet Show
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B |
L |
D |
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Early this morning, you will be picked-up by horse-cart, and driven to one of Bagans magnificent monuments, atop which you will await the sunrise. Return to the hotel for breakfast. Afterwards, visit Tayokepyay Temple in Min Nan Thu Village, Phaya Thone Zu and Nandamanya Temples (noted for exquisite 13th century murals) and Kyat Kan Cave Monastery, a famous meditation centre in Bagan, as well as some farming villages around Bagan. Lunch is at Sunset Garden Restaurant.
In the afternoon, sightseeing continues with an excursion by boat on the Ayeyarwaddy River to the nostalgic Nat Htaung Kyaung, a monastery famous for woodcarvings, built in 1781 by a group of monks. Admire the monastery's collection of ancient Buddha statues and lacquer boxes. Dinner with puppet show at Nanda Restaurant.
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| 5 |
Bagan |
Laquer Workshop, Temples, Lesiure Time
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B |
L |
D |
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Optional Morning Program: Balloons over Bagan. Get a magnificent birds-eye view of thousand year-old pagodas, temples and the mighty Ayeyarwaddy River. The champagne flights at sunrise last just under one hour and take off daily from October through March. The balloon is guided by gentle winds not exceeding 24 km/h. Eight passengers plus a pilot fit into the balloons basket.
Continue with a visit to a lacquer craftsmen's workshop in nearby Myinkaba village and sightseeing to Manuha Temple, built in Mon style in 1059, Nanbaya Temple, a unique sandstone monument, said to have been the palace of King Manuha and Myingaba Gu Byaukgyi Temple, noted for its ancient mural paintings under the protection of UNESCO. Return to the hotel, and balance of the afternoon at leisure.
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| 6 |
Bagan / Pandaw Cruise |
Board Pandaw Cruise
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B |
L |
D |
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Enjoy some free time this morning, before we transfer to the pier to board our Pandaw Cruise to Mandalay. Settle into your cabin, and relax this afternoon as the rural scenery slips by. Lunch and dinner are served onboard.
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| 7 |
Pandaw Cruise |
Thein Gone Village, Yandabo Village
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B |
L |
D |
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Full day on board RV Pandaw to enjoy watching life on and along the banks of the Ayeyarwady River. Before lunch, visit Thein Gone Village. The children of the village are joyful and seem to be perpetually at play - in the village street where they play a game with the great seeds of a jungle creeper; in the monastery where they lie upon the floor and scream out their lessons with bawdy delight; in the river where they splash and plunge before they can walk. Buffet lunch on board.
In the afternoon we stop at Yandabo village, which specializes in pot marketing. This is a rarely visited village with no road access to the world. Dependant on the riverine economy, the village is famous for the production of terracotta pottery and the process may be observed at various stages. We are invited to visit local houses and the monastery. In the afternoon, continue sailing towards Mandalay.
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| 8 |
Pandaw Cruise / Mandalay |
Amarapura, U Bein Teak Bridge, Ava, Sagaing
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B |
L |
D |
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Enjoy the morning sailing towards Mandalay. Disembark at Shwe Kyet Yet Jetty around 10:00. After disembarking RV Pandaw, todays excursion takes us to Amarapura. Visit Mahagandayon, a famous Buddhist monastery, where more than a thousand monks live and study; continue to the 200-year-old U Bein teak bridge, built in 1782 at the time when Amarapura was the royal capital. Visit Bagaya Monastery, with a superb collection of Buddha statues. After lunch, we take a local ferry to visit Innwa (Ava), located on an island between the Ayeyarwady and the Myitnge Rivers. We visit Innwa by horse cart, passing through the ancient city walls to visit a brick and stucco monastery called Maha Aungmye Bonzan. Continue to Nanmyin Watch Tower the climb to the top offers lovely views over the river. See also the impressive wooden monastery of Bagaya Kyaung. Continue to Sagaing Hills, a retreat for Buddhist devotees, for a scenic sunset. Return to Mandalay and check into the Sedona Hotel.
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| 9 |
Mandalay |
Mahamuni Pagoda, Shwe Inbin Monastery, Mingun, Sunset from Mandalay Hill
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B |
L |
D |
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Take a sightseeing tour of Mandalay this morning, including Mahamuni Pagoda with its spectacular Buddha image covered with thick layers of gold leaves, Shwe Inbin, one of the most outstanding monasteries in the country, Shwe Nan Daw Kyaung or Golden Palace Monastery, a superb example of a traditional wooden building and Kuthodaw Pagoda, known as the world's largest book, consisting of 729 marble slabs engraved with Buddhist scriptures. A visit is also made to a craftsmen's workshop to see Kalaga tapestries being created.
After lunch, take a boat excursion up the Ayeyarwaddy River to Mingun, site of the world's largest intact bronze bell, 3.7 meters high and weighing 87 tons. Also visit the huge but unfinished Mingun Paya (built with the intention of being the world's biggest pagoda) and the beautiful Hsinphyushin Paya. Return to Mandalay to enjoy sunset from Mandalay Hill.
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| 10 |
Mandalay / Pindaya |
Pindaya Caves, Local paper production
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B |
L |
D |
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Transfer to Mandalay Airport this morning for the domestic flight to Heho. Upon arrival in Heho, embark on an interesting drive up into the hills and across the Shan Plateau, through fields of mountain rice. Lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, visit the magnificent Pindaya Caves, set in a limestone ridge overlooking a picturesque lake, where thousands of different types of Buddha images are on display in the various cave chambers. Visit some local houses where families produce Shan paper and parasols. Dinner and overnight at the Inle Inn, Pindaya.
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| 11 |
Pindaya / Inle Lake |
Boat Excursion on Inle Lake, Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, Cultural Show
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B |
L |
D |
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Proceed by road to Inle Lake, a drive of about 2 1/2 hours, and continue by boat to the Inle Princess Resort on the lake. During today's excursion by boat on the picturesque lnle Lake, see the famous leg rowers, the typical floating gardens and local methods of fishing and village life. Lunch will be taken at a local restaurant on the lake. Further visits are made to Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the weaving village of Inpawkhon and Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery. The beauty of sunset over the Inle Lake enchants all visitors. This evening, we will enjoy a Cultural Show, featuring traditional local dances.
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| 12 |
Inle Lake |
Local Market, Villages, Cottage Industries, Indaing
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B |
L |
D |
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Enjoy another full day at Inle Lake. Visit the local market, which changes daily on a rotating basis, explore villages around the lake and visit local cottage industries. Relax for the balance of the morning, or if you are feeling energetic, you may enjoy visiting the village of Maing Thauk on the edge of Inle Lake. Walk up a dirt track through the village and continue up the hill to a stupa, which has fantastic views out over the lake and surrounding hills. The walk takes around 2 hours round trip and, although uphill, the route is not steep. It is also possible to walk from Maing Thauk down to the Inle Princess Resort, which takes about 1 hour.
In the afternoon, enjoy another boat tour to Indaing, at the western end of the Lake. The boat takes us through a long channel where we can watch the farmers cultivate their produce. This ride is one of the most scenic boat tours on the lake.
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| 13 |
Inle Lake / Yangon / Depart |
Bogyoke Market / Depart
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B |
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Depart for Heho Airport this morning, for the domestic flight to Yangon. We will spend some time in downtown Yangon, with time to explore Bogyoke (Scott's) Market with its hundreds of stores. Later, we return to the airport for departure.
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