Myanmar To Vietnam Tour

Upon arrival at YANGON airport, welcomed by your guide and transferred to hotel (Remark: Official hotel check-in time is at 14.00). Then, depart for a heritage tour start at YANGON CITY HALL, located at the heart of the colonial-era city. Nearby is the former Immigration Department. This building was designed in 1910 to be the country’s most upmarket department store, Rowe & Company. Proceed to the High Court, a 1911 brick building designed by the architect John Ransome. Continue walking down to PANSODAN STREET enjoying impressive colonial buildings and have a stop at HLA DAY, a non-profit social enterprise shop, offers quality contemporary and traditional handicrafts sourced from local producers often struggling to overcome disability, exclusion and poverty. You'll find colorful women's and kids' clothing, soft toys, stationery, jewellery, home wares and more there. Continue to Strand Road, home to the three-story former New Law Courts. Next stop is the 1916 Custom House, a large building with an elegant white tower and double-faced clock above the entrance. Walk past the red brick General Post Office to the luxurious Strand Hotel, built in 1901 by the Sarkies brothers, Armenian hoteliers. And also see the bustling life at the NANTHIDA JETTY. Visit and stroll through the BOGYOKE (SCOTTS) MARKET (closed on Monday and Gazette Holiday), a compound of hundreds of stalls and shops, that gives you the opportunity to see Myanmar's wide range of handicrafts. 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. Evening, visit to one of the world’s most spectacular monuments, the SHWEDAGON PAGODA for sunset viewing.

Overnight stay in Yangon..

After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for a domestic flight to BAGAN. Upon arrival visit 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; small monastic school at ZAY TA WUN MONASTERY; GU BYANUK GYI, a temple with superb murals of Jataka scenes; KHAY MIN GA TEMPLE, noted for its panoramic view of the area’s numerous monuments and ANANDA TEMPLE, with four standing Buddha images.

Afternoon, visit one of Myanmar’s and Bagan’s most famous lacquer ware workshops, and see craftsmen, in MYINKABA village. You will continue to MANUHA TEMPLE, built in Mon style in 1059; NANBAYA TEMPLE, a unique sandstone monument and according to legends a former palace site of King Manuha. Next you will explore the UNESCO protected MYINGABA GU BYAUKGYI TEMPLE, a temple known for its mural paintings. Enjoy a short horse cart ride among the temples. Continue to an elevated viewpoint for an unforgettable sunset over the plains.

Overnight stay in Bagan.

After breakfast, visit to TA YOKE PYAY TEMPLE in Min Nan Thu Village; PHAYA THONE ZU and NAN DAMANYA TEMPLES noted for their exquisite murals of 13th century; KYAT KAN CAVE monastery, a famous meditation and DHAMMA YANGYI TEMPLE. Bagan is not only the site of thousand year old temples and pagodas, but also home too many villages scattered around the surrounding plains. 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, bamboo roof producers and horse-carriage will take you through some of the more off the beaten track temple sites.

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 in Bagan offer visitors exclusive sunrise champagne flights over the ancient pagodas of Bagan from late October to April.

Early this morning transfer to the jetty to boat to MANDALAY. The trip takes approx. 10 hours upriver; journey offers an insightful exploration of life on the Irrawaddy. Along the way explore a local village before continuing to Mandalay. Upon arrival at Mandalay’s jetty, welcomed and transfer to hotel.

Overnight stay in Mandalay.

Remark: From June to September the Mandalay to Bagan joint in schedule boat trip will be organized by car.

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

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

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. Day 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. Start visit to the PHAUNGDAW OO PAGODA, one of the most sacred shrines in Myanmar, dating back to the 18th century; SILVER SMITH, BLACK SMITH, CIGAR and WEAVING WORKSHOPS in YWA-MA and INPAWKHON. And also visit Padaung Family (If the Padaung Family is still in Inle Lake) and the NGA PHE KYAUNG MONASTERY wonderfully carved wooden floating monastery in the lake. Return back to hotel in Nyaung Shwe.

Overnight stay in Inle Lake.

After breakfast, the visit begins with the local market in the Inle Lake region (Remark: on market days only). Then proceed to the Western Shore of Inle Lake, where you will find the beginning of a stair path leading to the well-hidden INDEIN complex. Visit one of the most amazing historical sights on the shore of the lake consisting of hundreds of small stupas overgrown by moss and green vegetation. After lunch break, 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.

Overnight stay in Inle Lake.

After breakfast, transfer to airport for onward flight to YANGON, and then connect with the international flight to SAIGON, the economic center of Vietnam in the South. Upon arrival in SAIGON, you will meet your local guide in the airport and then escorted to hotel. In the evening, enjoy a welcome dinner on the cruise ship sails along the SAIGON RIVER where you will enjoy the beautiful night scenery of SAIGON. Rest of day is at leisure.

Overnight stay in Saigon.

Remark: Subject to travel date and flight schedule, first flight to Hanoi before Saigon might be changed.

Enjoy a full day tour from SAIGON to MY THO to discover the MEKONG RIVER DELTA, which is famed as the ‘rice bowl’ of Vietnam. You will take a private boat tour through the water coconut forest to center of MENKONG DELTA, enjoy a biking tour (about 1 hour) to discover the villages and a sampan trip through the narrow canals. Transfer back to SAIGON in the afternoon.

Overnight stay in Saigon.

In the morning, you will visit the CU CHI TUNNEL to see the complicate tunnel system the Vietnamese built in the war time. In the afternoon, drive back to the city and visit the NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL, THE OLD SAIGON POT OFFICE, The Chinatown of the City with THE EMPEROR JADE PAGODA (PHUOC HAI). Fly to DANANG and check in hotel in HOI AN.

Overnight stay in Hoi An.

Visit the MY SON HOLY LAND in the morning to discover THE RUINED TEMPLE which was built in the 4th century. When drive back to HOI AN, visit the historical HOI AN Ancient Town includes the colorful local market, the THAN KY OLD HOUSE, FUKIEN ASSEMBLY HALL and the 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge. You can also visit the local residents raising silkworms and producing silk for HOIAN’s burgeoning textile industry.

In the evening, the local people will hang up the RED LANTERNS; it will give you the feeling of traveling back to ancient time.

Overnight stay in Hoi An.

Enjoy the morning free on your own to be relax. In the afternoon, fly to HANOI. Upon you arrive in HANOI, you guide will pick you up from airport and escort you to hotel.
Overnight stay in Hanoi.

Full day excursion to HALONG BAY to discover the world’s natural wander. Once at HALONG BAY City, you will be welcomed on board for a four-hour cruise on the stunning bay, stopping along the way to visit one of the limestone caves in the area. As you are cruising, the boat crew will serve you a sumptuous local seafood lunch. After 4 hours, you will sail back to the harbor, rejoin car, and head back to your hotel for another night's stay in Hanoi.

Overnight stay in Hanoi.

In the morning, you will enjoy a half day city tour for some highlights of HANOI. Visit the HOAN KIEM LAKE, THE ONE PILLAR PAGODA, TEMPLE OF LITERATURE and HO CHI MINH MANUSOLEUM and his former residence.

(Close on Monday, Friday and the whole of Oct. and Nov.)

In the afternoon, transfer to airport for your homeward flight.

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