Absolutely wonderful holiday in Myanmar
Overview
Overview
Myanmar is probably the perfect destination for a romantic trip with its beautiful places of the country; the fauna and flora endemic to the area of Southeast Asia; its relief surrounding the mountain; the coasts of scattered islands in their many colors, traditions, smiles… In this tour, you will have chance to discover famous cities of Myanmar such as Mandalay, Bagan and Yangon. The highlight of this excursion is the boat trip from Mandalay to Bagan and amazing experience balloon over Bagan. Come to Myanmar and explore this magnificent country on your unique way.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
- Visit the beautiful temples and bustle markets
- Explore the Myanmar’s largest city of Yangon
- Embark on Paukan to discover Bagan with its culture and tradition of artisan craftwork
- Get amazing experience balloon over Bagan
- Take a cruise on Inle Lake, one of the most famous & spectacular sights in Myanmar.
- Pay a visit ancient royal capital of Mandalay
Itinerary
Accommodation: At the hotel in Mandalay
Meal: Not available
When in Mandalay, we can’t miss Mandalay Palace & Fort. This is known as the last royal palace of Burmese’s monarchy. Being built in 1857, most of the palace was designed in traditional architecture. Situated on a square of 413 hectares, this palace was built inside a solid fortified wall and surrounded by a beautiful water moat. Mandalay Palace is the main royal residence of King Mindo and King Thibaw - the last two kings of the country. Therefore, all parts are magnificent, built of wood teak and gilded and reddish.
We transfer to Gawein jetty for the embarkation at 12.00 noon and cast off after half an hour time. Welcome Cocktail and briefing in the Saloon or Sundeck followed by Lunch. After cruising upstream for two hours we arrive at the Mingun Pagoda Complex. The English speaking manager of the cruise (or your private guide) will accompany you during the visit. Moor to overnight at a sandbank mid-stream. After dinner, you can enjoy a Dance and Drama performance by the Mandalay Arts School on the sundeck (if available).
Accommodation: On Paukan cruise
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, wishing to visit Sagaing, you can go offshore with the assistance of the Cruise Manager or your own guide.
We resume our downriver voyage at 10.30AM and we will sail all day long. In the late afternoon we stop at Yandabo, a village specializing in Pot-Making, where the peace treaty of the First Anglo-Burmese war was signed on Feb. 24, 1826. We visit the Pot workshops and the monastery. Moor overnight near the village of Shwe Nann Tint.
Accommodation: On Paukan cruise
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Upon arrival in Bagan, we start our exploration with a visit to Nyang U Market. This is a local market in the village of Nyaung U to the northeast of Bagan. The market provides tourists with an opportunity to take photos, mingle with the local Burmese and watch how they conduct their daily lives. The market is divided into different sections selling different items, and includes a wet market. There is a section selling rattan items, others selling tealeaves - a delicacy in Myanmar, yet another selling clothes.
We then head to Shwezigon pagoda, a famous temple with the ancient religious architecture and sanctuary of Myanmar. The pagoda was constructed under the reign of King Anawrahta, founder of the kingdom of Bagan. This is the first golden pagoda built in Myanmar and is also the prototype for the padoda later. The main chedi of the pagoda is gilded and then placed on a square background, making the temple a solid figure. Especially under the tower hanging many small bells make the temple more prominent and splendid.
The last destination today is Shwesandaw Pagoda, looking like an Egyptian pyramid from far away with four sides, five floors and a stupa (bell tower) on the top. The temple was built by King Anawrahta in 1057 to preserve the relics as one of the eight hairs of Buddha Shakyamuni brought back from India in early AD. This is the highest ancient pagoda in Bagan; moreover, it has special steps leading up to the terrace, so Shwedagon Pagoda is always chosen to explore the architecture of temples, but also a place to watch the perfect sunset moments compared to other temples in the area.
Have a lunch then we transfer to check-in the hotel in Bagan. You can take your time to relax until sunset you have an opportunity to experience balloon over Bagan. Your adventure begins with a short ride on the classic bus to move to the balloon camp. You have time to drink tea, coffee and refreshments while the staff prepares the balloon. The ball is driven by light winds of no more than 15 miles an hour, allowing you to enjoy the tranquility of ancient temples. At the end of the flight, you are served with fruit, fresh pastries and a glass or two glasses of wine.
Return to the hotel and you are free to relax.
Accommodation: At the hotel in Bagan
Meal: Breakfast
The next destination is Tayoke Pyay. This is a large temple built by Narathihapate (1256-1287), also known as the king who fled from the Mongolian invasion. This is the meaning of “Tayok Pye” in Myanmar. It is a one of the best temples decorated with beautiful stucco. There are also glazed sandstone and terracotta tiles and some beautiful murals.People are still allowed to climb up at this temple to view the sunset of Bagan.
Keep on our journey to Payathonzu Pagoda. The “Payathonzu” means “three pagodas”, due to the complex of three connecting pagodas. The interior of the pagodas has frescoes, which are said to be Mahayana and tantric. The pagoda complex was built in the 13th century. However, it was abandoned shortly before its completed construction, it was probably because of the occupation of Mongolian. Three pagodas were constructed to worcruise Hindu Gods such as Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma. But in another way, it is the representation of "Triple Gems" of Theravada Buddhism which as Dhamma, Buddha, and Sangha.
The other temple we will visit is Nandamanya Temple, the one is topped with a bell-shape tower, which is the mixture in architecture between a square and tower temple. The attraction is that the temple is decorated with beautiful paintings.
We end the journey day with paying a visit to Kyat Kan Cave Monastery. This is the underground monastery, remaining cool even during hot season. It is also a famous meditation retreat in Bagan, which is still being used.
Return to the hotel and you are free to relax.
Accommodation: At the hotel in Bagan
Meal: Breakfast
Continue the trip with Gubyaukgyi Temple built in 1113 AC by Prince Yazakumar soon after his death – King Kyansittha of the dynasty of Bagan. The temple is famous for containing a large array of frescoes which was well-preserved on the inside walls, the oldest paintings found in Bagan. All of these were accompanied by ink caption, giving one of the earliest examples of language-using in Myanmar. The temple is a mixed-construction in architecture between Mon and Indian.
Check-out the hotel then we transfer to the airport, taking a flight to Heho. En route, we say goodbye to Bagan with the final attraction: Thatbyinnyu temple. The temple was built in the mid-12th century, Thatbyinnyu temple is considered the highest temple in Bagan. On the outside, the temple is massive, whitewashed, looks like a Renaissance Christian monastery in Europe. Within the Thatbyinnyu temple, there are long corridors arranged with altars and statues of different Buddhas, but all are glistening gold. Thatbyinnyu temple is said to have been a fresco of Burmese Buddhist art, but during the renovations, white lime was scorched on the wall, losing precious paintings.
Upon arrival in Heho, we proceed to Inle Lake. Checking-in the hotel in Inle Lake and you are free to enjoy the luxury accommodation.
Accommodation: At the hotel in Inle Lake
Meal: Breakfast
First of all, we visit Nga Hpe Chaung Monastery- the biggest and the most ancient wood teak monastery on Inle Lake. It was built on stilts on the surface of the lake in 1850s. The monastery is famous for the collection of pagoda images from ancient Tibet, Bagan and other parts of Myanmar. There is a luminous Buddha statue, which is on darkness and glows. Another attractive point of the monastery, is that there are many cats trained to jump over a hoop.
Visit Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the most highly revered pagoda in the Inle Lake area. At the center of the pagoda, there is an ornate shrine with a pedestal on which the five more than 800 years old statues of the Buddha are kept. The statues are believed to have been brought to the Inle Lake region by Alaungsithu, King of the Bagan empire in the 12th century. There are many gold leaves applied on statues, that they have become unrecognizable and look like a solid mass of gold. Every day Buddhist devotees come to the pagoda to pay their respect to the statues and apply more gold leaf, which only men are allowed to do.
To be truly experience the local life of Inle Lake, we stop at the weaving village of Inpawkhone. This is the community of skillful textile artisans. The village produces one of the rarest fabric on the world- silk made from the lotus growing on Inle Lake. The process of making products from lotus is tough: a small scarf requires 4.000 lotus stems, 40.000 stems for a large scarf, and 220.00 stems accompanied by 60 artisans for a full set of monk’s robes completed in 10 days. Since the demand for textile is growing more and more, the lotus on Inle Lake is definitely not enough, the village has imported lotus from other parts of country for making products.
We continue to cheroot factories in Nam Pan village where woman and ladies roll 500 cigarettes by hand each day. The cheroot includes a mixture of tobacco and some other woody substances, probably along with other herbs and spices for flavoring. The tobacco mixture is then rolled in outer leaves of–not tobacco, and not paper, but–Tha-nut hpet leaves. Each factory has its own mix of these ingredients. The Burmese people believe that cheroots are less harmful than cigars because their tobacco content is lower.
At sunset is the time to enjoy a short walk through one of the lakeside villages.
Return to the hotel and you can take your time to relax.
Accommodation: At the hotel in Inle Lake
Meal: Breakfast
Check-in the hotel in Myanmar and you are free until we pick you up to visit and have dinner at Karaweik Hall, (or Karaweik Palace) is a concrete structure that looks like two giant golden birds with roofs built in the shape of Pyatthat. It was built in the image of Karaweik, a bird in Burmese mythology. We will have dinner while enjoy leisure activities such as elephant dance, Burmese puppets and traditional Myanmar dances with traditional dancers in Burma. There is also an exhibition of traditional Myanmar handicrafts, Burmese art and traditional Burmese costumes and Karaweik costumes.
Accommodation: At the hotel in Yangon
Meal: Breakfast, Dinner
We continue to visit Shwedagon Pagoda. Magnificently golden plated and decorated with diamond and gemstone, Shwedagon Pagoda is one of the most beautiful and sacred Buddhist constructions in Myanmar. Archaeologists considered that the pagoda was built in the 6th century. The temple holds four treasures for the followers of the Buddha: the stick of the Buddha, the water filter of the Buddha's Na, the piece of the Buddha's Lettuce, and the eight hair of Shakyamuni Buddha. Being built on the sacred Singuttara hill with the highest chedi is 99m, you can see the pagoda from wherever of Yangon.
Keep going to visit Bogyoke Market built in 1926, consisting of more than 1.600 stalls selling everything from handicrafts, food, clothing, jewelry, fashion and consumer goods. Bogyoke Market is also the place holding Thingyan festival, known as Zay Thingyan meaning water festival, usually held on the 11th or 12th of April. Children from all over the city come dressed in festive outfits. The shops serve traditional dishes free of charge such as Monte Lone Yay Paw. Thargu. And Shwe Yin Aye.
It seems that no matter which way in the city you go, it still leads to Sule Pagoda. According to legend, this sacred pagoda has a rather long life about 2.500 years, where one of the 8 hairs of the Buddha was preserved, which he donated to two Myanmar merchants. Sule Pagoda has an octagonal structure up to the top of the tower and is characterized by the Mon ethnic. The interior details at the temple are sophisticatedly sculptured, that visitors to this place must be surprised by its beauty.
The last destination today is Kalaywa Tawya Monastery. This monastery seems to be the Buddhist University where thousands of Buddhist monks dwell and learn Buddhist Scripture. Orphans from all over Myanmar are also brought here to be cared for.
Return to the hotel and you are free to relax.
Accommodation: At the hotel in Yangon
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Not available
Meal: Breakfast
Trip notes
Tour includes:
- Accommodation in a double or twin share room with daily breakfast
- Private air-conditioned vehicle during all tours and transfers.
- Entrance fees for all visits as mentioned in the itinerary
- Experienced English speaking guide during all tours and transfers
- Lunch or dinner as specified in the itinerary
- Boat, cruise as specified in the itinerary
- Water & cool towels
- Government taxes & service charge
Tour excludes:
- Myanmar Visa stamp fee
- International airfare and departure taxes
- Meals, if not specified in the itinerary
- Early check in/ late check out
- Domestic flights and domestic airport taxes
- Compulsory Gala dinner on 24th and 31st December
- Surcharged for Public holidays
- Drinks and meal not mentioned
- Personal expenses such as laundry, telephone, drinks … etc.
- Personal travel insurance (we highly recommend that you purchase adequate insurance).
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