Ayeyarwady River Cruise & Beach Holiday

Designed for travelers who wish to enjoy a perfect combination of visiting each specific region and learn more about the culture, history, traditions of the country with a slow pace of life and relaxing cruising upstream on the Irrawaddy in the most comfortable way. This comprehensive twenty days tour covers all the most famous sites including top five destinations of Myanmar: Yangon, Inle Lake, Mandalay, Bagan, and Ngapali beach.

20 days 19 nights

Myanmar

Classic Highlights

- Beach Holiday

- Luxury & Honeymoon

Attractions

Yangon - Mandalay - Bagan - Inle Lake

Duration

20 days 19 nights

Code

MCT7

Overview

Overview
Designed for travelers who wish to enjoy a perfect combination of visiting each specific region and learn more about the culture, history, traditions of the country with a slow pace of life and relaxing cruising upstream on the Irrawaddy in the most comfortable way. This comprehensive twenty days tour covers all the most famous sites including top five destinations of Myanmar: Yangon, Inle Lake, Mandalay, Bagan, and Ngapali beach. And experience the best way of exploring the sights between Mandalay and Bagain with Paukan crusise along the Irrawaddy River. Last but not least, enjoy five night stays relaxing at the most beautiful beach of Ngapali before returning to Yangon where a final night is included to conclude your unforgettable holiday.

Highlights

Explore the must-see sights of Yangon with visit to the world largest pagoda of Shwedagon Pagoda
Take a boat ride excursions through the floating villages and gardens.
Enjoy the timeless beauty of the famous Inle Lake, home to leg-rowers standing on a tiny boat which you cannot find anywhere else in the world.
A visit to the principle places, temples, monasteries of Mandalay.
Take a scenic drive up along the smooth road with hairpin bends leading towards the former British hill station of Pyin Oo Lwin
Soaking up the timeless beauty of Bagan with over 2000 well preserved ancient temples and pagoda dating back from 9th to 13th century.

Itinerary

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Upon arrival at the airport, Asia King Travel’s tour guide will welcome and transfer you to your hotel for check-in. The remaining time would be spent at your own pleasure. Overnight in Yangon

After breakfast we will catch an early flight to Heho. After check in hotel, take 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 Yawama, where you can see long Neck Women. Enter a long often tree lined canal towards Indein Jetty with farmers cultivating their land on either side under the backdrop of the Shan Hills. After disembarking it is a 15 minute walk through Indein village to reach the 14-18th century pagoda ruins of NyaungOhak; many pagodas here remain charmingly unrenovated with plants and even small trees growing out of them making it very atmospheric. A covered walkway, popular with souvenir stalls leads up to Shwe Inn TheinPaya, a complex of weather beaten zedi; some sadly reconstructed although the views from the top make it worth the ascent. Returning to the river jetty we take our long-tailed boat back along the canal to the Lake. Overnight in Inle Lake

After breakfast, today boat excursion on the Inle Lake, you will get insight into the life-style of the ethnic Pa-O, Danu and Intha inhabitants who came to these markets to sell their goods. During today's excursion by boat on picturesque Inle Lake we see the famous leg rowers, the typical floating gardens where fruit and vegetables are grown, local methods of fishing and village life. A highlight is often visiting the traditional village of Paukpan, with its neat rows of bamboo houses and where we may be able to stop and visit a family for Shan tea. In the afternoon we visit Phaung DawOo Pagoda, the holiest religious site in southern Shan State and the boat construction workshop at Nampan village as well stopping to see some traditional handicrafts - silk weaving on wooden handlooms in Inpawkon village, a cheroot workshop and a blacksmith shop. Continue by boat to visit NgaPheKyaung Monastery, one of the oldest monasteries on the lake and where inside its large wooden meditation hall and are over 200 year old ancient Buddha statues. Returning back to the hotel the beauty of sunset over Inle Lake enchants all visitors. Overnight in Inle Lake

After Breakfast, travel by boat via Nampan to Sagar (approximately 2h30 to 3 hrs per way) and Thakong, a rarely visited area south of Inle Lake. Explore the 5-day market (on market days only) on the way and a Shan village where earthenware pottery is produced. At Kyainkhan (near Kyauktaing) visit a family, producing robes (Phongyi clothes) made from fabrics of thousands of lotus stems. Observe local methods of producing high degree alcohol fermented and extracted from bran rice. You will get insight into the unspoiled culture and traditional life-style of the ethnic Pa-O and Intha inhabitants around Sagar and Hmawbi. Enjoy the beautiful landscape, flowering trees and numerous settlements dotted on both sides of the canal. Return to the hotel at Inle Lake in the late afternoon. Overnight in Inle Lake

Transfer to Heho airport for your Mandalay. Upon arrival at Mandalay Airport drive to Amarapura, the penultimate Royal Capital and lying 11 km south of Mandalay. Here we visit Mahagandayon, a famous Buddhist monastery, where more than a thousand monks live and study and the 150-year-old U Bein teak bridge, built in 1851 at the time when Amarapura was the royal capital by staking 1060 teak posts over the wide Taungthaman Lake to connect two villages. One of the most photographed spots in Myanmar and well worth spending time walking across the bridge. Afterwards visit Bagaya Monastery, with a superb collection of Buddha statues. Near the locatin with Amarapura you can study there art and craft such as Bronze foundry, Stone Carving, Tapestry, Silk weaving and return back to Mandalay for hotel check in. Overnight in Mandalay.

After breakfast, drive to Pyin Oo Lwin about 1 hour, which was once a British colonial town. Currently, Pyin Oo Lwin still retains its original British culture. It houses dozens of English colonial buildings, cottages, churches, and quintessential English gardens. Our drive will take us through a winding path through the hills, andwe will pass bybeautiful flower and fruit gardens. When we reach Pyin Oo Lwin, we will first visit the local market, and take a horse drawn carriage through the unique colonial architecture of Maymyo. From our carriage, we will view English styled brick and timber houses that boast chimneys, and sit among white colonial buildings. In the afternoon, we stop by and view historical objects at the Forestry Museum (if open the arrival day), before continuing to the Kandawgyi National Botanical Gardens. The garden is a beautifully quintessential English garden, which was constructed by a British governor, Sir Harcourt Butler, during the colonial periods of Myanmar. After this, we will drive to the Candacraig Hotel, a 1905 hotel built in the style of an English country home. Then, we will stop for a coffee and tea and photograph break (Drinks and the snack are on client’s own account). After this, we will stop at the Peik Chin Myaung Caves, an ancient Buddhist temple, before returning to Mandalay in the evening. Overnight in Mandalay.

Today you have free time for your own exploration. Our car and guide at disposal for further visit in Mandalay (Upon request). Overnight in Mandalay

Transfer to Mandalay airport for your flight to Bagan. Upon arrival at Nyaung U Airport, station local guide will meet and greet with you, from airport start your tour at the busy local market continuing with visits to a diverse selection of the most important pagodas and temples in Bagan. These include Shwezigon Pagoda, a huge gilded zedi built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century, GuByaukGyi, a 13th century temple with exquisite murals of Jataka scenes, and the immediately recognizable Ananda Temple; one of the finest and largest temples with its 170 ft shimmering gold spire and four huge standing-Buddha images and numerous seated figures arranged around the interior gallery. Then have a visit to a lacquer craftsman's workshop in nearby Myingaba village. Sightseeing continues with visits to Manuha Temple, built in Mon style in 1059, Nanbaya Temple, a unique sandstone monument that is said to have been the palace of King Manuha and Myingaba Gu Byuk Kyi Temple (under the protection of UNESCO), noted for its ancient mural paintings. Enjoy sunset at one of the monuments along Ayeyarwady River. Overnight in Bagan.

After breakfast at your hotel, today our guide will bring you another tour sightseeing the ancient city of Bagan from a different perspective. Start your own exploration with a visit to Min Nan Thu Village area by horse-cart. Visit Tayokepyay Temple, PhayaThoneZu, Nandamanya Temples (noted for exquisite 13th century murals) and Kyat Kan Cave monastery- a famous meditation center in Bagan. Continue to the farming villages around Bagan. In the afternoon, pay a visit to the nostalgic Nat HtaungKyaung, a monastery famous for woodcarvings, built in 1781 by a group of monks. Here you will have a chance to admire the monastery's collection of ancient Buddha statues and lacquer boxes. To round off the day enjoy the amazing sunset from the boat on the Ayeyarwaddy River. Overnight in Bagan

After breakfast at your hotel, we drive to Mount Popa – 48 km from Bagan. Mount Popa has been a significant part of Myanmar’s culture, religion and history since the earliest times. Its shrine is dedicated to worship the 37 Nats, an old Burmese animist spirit. As you climb the stairs to the top with your local guide, you will gain very interesting knowledge about nats and nat worship. From the top of the peak you can have an amazing view over the Myingyan Plain (note that the climb is optional). After lunch, return drive back to Bagan. On the way back, en route stop at village cottage industry to learn the regional product as well as to watch the collection of juice from the palm trees, and its conversion to brown sugar. Do not miss out the chance to try the palm juice. Overnight in Bagan

Transfer to Aye Yar Jetty to catch RV Paukan Cruise. Embark time is 11.30 hrs. and welcome Cocktail in the Saloon. The Cast off time is at 12 noon. Lunch will be served at 13.00. In the late afternoon stop in a typical river village. Overnight on the Cruise

Cruise all day with stop enroute in the morning to visit Yandabo, a typical river village specialize in Pot-Making, where the peace treaty of the First Anglo-Burmese war was signed on Feb. 24, 1826. Moor overnight nearby a village (Ywar Thit Gyi or Pauk Myaing Pauk Taw) few miles away from Ava Bridge. Overnight on the Cruise

Enjoy the sunrise. After an early breakfast, disembark at Gawein jetty around 09.30 hrs. Transfer from Jetty to Hotel in Mandalay. Overnight in Mandalay

Transfer to Mandalay Airport for flight to Thandwe. Upon arrival, transfer to hotel at Ngapali Beach for relaxing. Overnight at Ngapali Beach

Enjoy the breakfast at your hotel. Today is your second day of the beach break. The warm and beautiful beach is good to do the water sports like snorkeling and kayaking. There are collection of small islands around Ngapli beach and sail around by the boat. Overnight at Ngapali Beach

Enjoy free time on the beach. The warm and beautiful beach is good to do the water sports like snorkeling and kayaking. There are collection of small islands around Ngapli beach and sail around by the boat. Overnight at Ngapali Beach

You have free time on the beach until we transfer you to the airport for your flight back to Yangon. Afternoon sightseeing starts with Chaukhtatkyi Pagoda, a huge reclining Buddha, Karaweik Hall, a Royal floating barge on the Royal Lake for a photo stop and, visit the Shwedagon Pagoda described by Somerset Maugham: "The Shwedagon rose superb, glistening with its gold, like a sudden hope in the dark night of the soul of which the mystics write, glistening against the fog and smoke of the thriving city." This massive bell-shaped stupa rises nearly 100 meters above its hill-top surroundings. Wander through this magnificent structure and its courtyards, stupas, bells, Temples, and Buddha images, and see religious and secular visitors from all parts of the globe. Shwedagon has become the symbol of Myanmar. Enjoy the sunset over the Pagoda. Overnight in Yangon

Today you are free and relaxed at your hotel until your departure to Yangon International Airport to fly to your onward destination. End of the trip – Hopefully you will miss Myanmar

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Trip notes

Tour includes:

Accommodation in a double or twin share room with daily breakfast
3 days 2 nights on sharing Paukan cruise from Bagan to Mandalay (please check with our travel consultant for boat’s schedule)
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
Private local boat trip in Inle Lake
Lunch or dinner as specified in the itinerary
Water & cool towels
Government taxes & service charge
NOTES: Tour Price in USD net per person valid from 01.Oct.2018 to 30.Apr.2019 except for the peak period (16.Dec.2018-10.Jan.2019)

Tour excludes:

Myanmar Visa stamp fee
International airfare and departure taxes
Balloons Over Bagan (optional)
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).
Gratuities/ Tipping
All other services not specified in the itinerary