Myanmar Holiday, Southern and Highlights

Upon arrival at YANGON airport, welcomed by your Asian Tour guide and transferred to hotel.

After small refreshment, your journey begins with an afternoon tour through Yangon’s colonial-style city center. Visit MAHABANDOOLA PARK from where you have the perfect view on Colonial Buildings, CITY HALL and HIGH COURT. Visit and stroll through the BOGYOKE (SCOTTS) MARKET (closed on Monday and Gazette holidays), a compound of hundreds of food, garment, handicraft and gem stores. After a photo stop at the KARAWEIK HALL, a 'hamsa-bird-shaped' floating barge on Kandawgyi (Royal) Lake, visit the magnificent reclining Buddha CHAUK HTAT GYI. 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.

Early morning, drive to Bago (84 Km, 1½ hour). En route visit a tree shrine dedicated to legendary animist spirits known as ‘nats’. Then visit the impressive and moving Allied War Graves cemetery near Htauk Kyant, the last resting place of over 6300 Allied soldiers and home to a memorial to 27,000 more. A stop is made in the handicraft village that produces woven bamboo wares. Continue to Kin Pun (110 km, 3½ hours) where you start in the trucks and on foot for Kyaikhtiyo (the ‘Golden Rock’). On arrival, walk over a large platform to the Golden Rock and watch the beauty at this important pilgrimage site. Usually the place is lively with many people coming to spend precious moments here.

Overnight stay in Golden Rock.

NOTES:

The road from the base camp up to the Golden Rock has to be done by special dedicated trucks. You are not allowed to drive up there with your own vehicle. These open trucks are equipped with narrow benches on the back.
During the raining season, the platform around the Pagoda can be slippery due to rain or mist.
It is advisable to carry a torch light as there are frequent power cuts.
You are advised to only carry a light duffle bag or hand carry as your big luggage will stay in the car/bus at the base camp or leave at hotel in Yangon.
The Golden Rock Pagoda does regular gilding in a three year cycle. During this time, the rock will be covered in bamboo scaffolding. Prior notice and exact schedule may not be given.
Overnight stay in Golden Rock.

Drive to Kin Pun where you start in the trucks and on foot for Kyaiktiyo (the ‘Golden Rock’). Depart Kyaiktiyo for HPA-AN (120 km – 3½ hours), the capital of the Kayin State. En-route stop in THATON, the former capital of Mon Kingdom, enjoy lunch break at a simple local restaurant and explore BAYINNYI a network of limestone caves extending through the whole mountain range opening to a picturesque lake. After refreshment at hotel, explore the town including LUMBINI GARDEN and LAKE KANTHARYAR known for its small island with fascinating rock formation with pagoda on the top. Continue to SHWE YIN MYAW Pagoda at river side for sunset viewing.

Overnight stay in Hpa-An.

After breakfast, start the day with local market and continue to SADAN Cave; Kyauk Ka Lap Pagoda and Caves of KAWGOON, YATAEPYAN and PAYON, famous for its countless Buddha images, stalagmites and stalactites.

Afternoon, continue drive and visit THAMANYA MONASTRY and HEINDU WEAVING VILLAGE before proceeding to KAWKATAUNG CAVE and a short walk to RUBY CAVE WITH IT’S LAKE. Enjoy the village life at LAKANAR & SHAUNG TONE VILLAGE.

Overnight stay in Hpa-An.

Drive 1½ hr to the port town of MAWLAMYINE.

Optional : Take the boat along the Thanlwin River to Mawlamyine. This is one the highlight of the trip: the tour takes 2 hours. Beautiful river scenery and hardly any other boats to be seen during the journey. Half way stop in the village of Kadow. This sleeping village offers great opportunities to discover simple village life: stroll through the narrow main lane of the village, talk and laugh with the people! Visit to the U Nar Auk Monastery which houses fantastic reliefs displaying the history of Buddha’s life.

Arrive Mawlamyine and check in at hotel on Strand Road among historic buildings from colonial era.

Afternoon, drive past rubber plantation to THANBYUZAYAT, 70 km (2 hours) south of Mawlamyine was the western terminal of the infamous Burma-Siam ‘Death Railway’. Visit a locomotive dating from World War II, a small museum and an Allied War Cemetery, resting-place for over 3,500 Allied POWs (Prisoners of War). Enroute to MAWLAMYINE, visit huge reclining Buddha image in MUDON.

Overnight stay in Mawlamyine.

After breakfast, drive to BILUISLAND ISLAND and discover the serene scenery of paddy fields and quaint villages. Visit small wood workshops, typical for Myanmar where walking sticks and pens are produced. Return to Mawlamyine late afternoon.

Afternoon, take trishaw tour through the post colonial city. The sightseeing includes the first BAPTIST CHURCH; ZYEGYI MARKET (if possible); MAHAMUNI PAGODA, a major temple site in Myanmar and SEINDON MIBAYA KYAUNG, where King Mindon’s queen sought refuge. Enjoy the sunset from KYAIKTHALAN PAGODA, known as the Kipling Pagoda.

Overnight stay in Mawlamyine.

Depart to YANGON (364 Km – 8 hours) with a stop in Bago.

Here you visit the Shwemawdaw Pagoda, which is over a thousand years old, and whose tip is even taller than that of Yangon's Shwedagon Pagoda. Continue to the 55-metre-long reclining Shwe Thalyaung Buddha image, one of the country's most revered objects. Visit the Maha Kalayani Sima (ordination hall) and Mahazedi (Great Stupa), offering panoramic views. Lastly, continue to Yangon, with a brief stop at Kyaik Pun Pagoda, famous for its four giant Buddha figures.

Overnight stay in Yangon.

Optional: Experience another colourful way of local transportation. Rise early morning and take the local train (very simple and basic) to Thaton. Upon arrival in Thaton your driver awaits you for the journey back to Yangon.

After breakfast, transferred you to airport for flight to HEHO and drive (25km – 1 hour) to NYAUNG SHWE Jetty for boat ride to INLE LAKE. Excursion by boat on the Inle Lake will include sights of the famous leg rowers, typical floating gardens, and local methods of fishing, village life and magnificent scenery. You will visit the PHAUNGDAW OO PAGODA, one of the most sacred shrines in Myanmar, dating back to the 18th century; SILVER SMITH, BLACK SMITH AND WEAVING WORKSHOPS in YWA-MA and INPAWKHON. And also visit the NGA PHE KYAUNG MONASTERY wonderfully carved wooden floating monastery in the lake.

Overnight stay in 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 INDEIN PAGODA complex. Continue on foot to a village nearby where several crops are grown in traditional ways. Walk in an easy pace along one of the many creeks passing through rice fields to the village of SAE MA. Visit the primary school of the village and possibility to meet the children and teachers to observe their way of learning and teaching. Return back to hotel.

Overnight stay in Inle Lake.

Optional: Balloons Over Inle

Shan state is one of Myanmar’s most beautiful and culturally diverse areas. This exclusive balloon ride is a truly remarkable experience allowing you to venture off the beaten path and gain a unique perspective of the country and people. To fly over the lake in a balloon, has to be one of the most beautiful ways to see this wonder. You will see the morning fishermen looking for the first catch of the day, and boats laden full of produce on their way to the market by the immense labyrinth of canals. At higher altitude you will be amazed to see thousands of village houses seemingly floating on the lake.

After breakfast, return by boat to NYAUNG SHWE and proceed by car to KALAW (62 km, 2 ½ hours), 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 break, continue on a narrow, winding and bumpy road (48 km - 1 ½ hours) through the Shan Hills to PINDAYA. Check-in at your hotel.

Overnight stay in Pindaya.

After breakfast, visit to PINDAYA CAVES, a unique site housing thousands of Buddha images placed there by pilgrims and devotees over the centuries. Continue to visit the Traditional Umbrella and bamboo paper workshop.

Afternoon, drive to HEHO airport (60 km – 2 ½ hour) for domestic flight to MANDALAY. Upon arrival, transfer directly to your hotel.

Overnight stay in Mandalay.

Drive 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. Then, visit also one of the most revered religious monuments of Myanmar, the MAHAMUNI PAGODA. Mandalay is well-known for its skilled craftsmen and, while touring traditional workshops, learns more about the city’s cottage industries. Observe the production of wood carvings, kalaga tapestries, and gold-leaf, where the techniques remained unchanged from those used centuries ago to craft items for the Royal Court. (OPTIONAL ACTIVITY: Make a marionette- Join local craftsmen at their workshop and create a unique traditional puppet. A hands-on way to learn about the local culture and create a memorable, personalized souvenir! ).

In the afternoon, experience the sights and sounds of Mandalay including the GOLDEN PALACE MONASTERY, the only Royal Palace building to survive World War II bombing. This grand teakwood building is known for its exquisite woodcarving. Next is the KUTHODAW PAGODA, whose 729 marble stone slabs of Buddhist scriptures have earned it the title being home to the ‘World’s Biggest Book’. Then proceed to MANDALAY HILL for sunset. If time permit, visit Shwe Kyin Monastery to observe student monks start their evening prayers before return your hotel.

Overnight stay in Mandalay.

Option Tour - Early morning face washing ceremony

You are picked up by car at 04:00 to observe the traditional ritual of the daily face-washing ceremony at Mahamuni Pagoda, the most important pilgrimage site for local people.

After breakfast, transfer to the Mandalay jetty and board a private local boat for travel upstream on the Ayeyarwady River from Mandalay to MINGUN (11 Km, about one hour). The river is always busy - small long tail boats, bamboo rafts and ferries carry goods up and down the river. Visit the unfinished MINGUN PAYA, huge brick structure that was left unfinished after an astrologer predicted the King would die should the temple be completed. In the 1800s, an earthquake left several large cracks in the structure. Continue to the beautiful Hsinbyume (Mya Thein Tan) Paya and the MINGUN BELL which, weighing in at more than 90 tons is considered the world’s largest uncracked ringing bell.

Take local transport Tuk Tuk and continue to visit SAGAING, where your car awaits. Covered with numerous white-painted pagodas and monasteries, Sagaing Hill is widely regarded as the religious center of Myanmar. It is home to more than 3,000 monks and 100 meditation centers. Visit Swan Oo Pon Nya Shin and U Min Thone Sae Pagodas for a glimpse into the unique environment of this area.

Continue to 200-year-old U BEIN teak bridge, built in 1782 during the era when Amarapura was the Royal capital, for sunset viewing.

Overnight stay in Mandalay.

Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to jetty and board a ferry boat for your journey on the AYEYARWADDY River. Upon arrival to Bagan transfer to your hotel.

Optional: Experience 1night/2nights/3nights/4nights cruise between Mandalay and Bagan by exclusive vessels.

Overnight stay in Bagan.

A full day tour by car to the best known temples of the area including Ananda, Dhammayangyi, Sulamani, and Thatbyinnyu that will certainly impress you.

Afternoon explore the village life around Bagan - Leave to Taung Bi Village, and visit the noodle makers, a Myanmar-style movie theatre, the village hairdresser and a local tea shop. Proceed to visit traditional family business including blacksmiths, brick makers, dry snack workshops and bamboo roof producers. Continue to an elevated viewpoint for an unforgettable sunset over the plains.

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. Sunrise Balloon offers visitors exclusive sunrise champagne flights over the ancient pagodas of Bagan from late October to April.

Exploring Magic Bagan with its numerous pagodas and temples has a fascinating countryside. Drive out into the country side. The road leads through stunning land scenery, where depending on season peanuts, sesame, soya beans and other crops are planted. Each field is protected by palm trees which give shade to the farmers and which protect the fields from the wind. Stop in Sel Village and enjoy a walk through this wonderful quiet place. Wooden slippers are also produced here – people use them for showering or working in the fields. Many people here produce Soya Paste, a welcome ingredient to make a tasteful dinner. From Sel, we continue driving to Nga Thayouk village. Walk through this village and amongst many interesting things you can see families making cooking pots. The next village is famous for the children’s hairstyle which is the same like centuries ago where the top hair is not cut and kept in a knot. Children up to teenager age keep this style under the supervision of the head monk of the village. Walk through this village and talk to the head master of the school and learn about village life in general.

In the afternoon, drive one hour back to Kyauk Gu U Min Temple on the eastern side of the river. The temple is famous for its amazing sandstone figures, gigantic Buddha statues and fine square frescoes. The temple itself is built against the side of a cliff; there is a cave behind the main hall. In the upper storey, there are some square niches on both sides of the inner and outer walls of the vaulted corridor. These niches are believed to show unfinished painted scenes from 550 Jatakas. These several small niches were dedicated to practice individual meditation. Transfer back to your hotel by car.

Overnight stay in Bagan.

After breakfast, transferred you to airport for domestic flight to THANDWE, the gateway to Ngapali Beach. Upon arrival to Thandwe transfer to your hotel (provided by the hotel). Rest of the day is free.

Overnight stay in Ngapali Beach.

Breakfast at hotel.

Day at leisure to enjoy the crystal clear waters and un-spoilt paradise beaches of Ngapali.

You can swim, snorkel or take leisurely strolls along the ocean. Board a boat to explore the offshore islands (available at hotel) or rent a bicycle for a trip to the fishing villages and colorful markets nearby. Watch the breathtaking sunset above the Bay of Bengal. (Activities are not included in our package)

Overnight stay in Ngapali Beach.

Day at leisure at the Beach.

Overnight stay in Ngapali Beach.

Breakfast at hotel. Afternoon transfer to airport by hotel arrangement. Flight to Yangon. Transfer to your hotel.

Overnight stay in Yangon.

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

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