Classic Myanmar

Mingalar bar!  You will be welcomed by our local guide at airport and transferred to hotel. 

Myanmar’s former capital and largest city, Yangon, still bewitches with an impressive array of ancient cultural and historic gems. This includes magnificent Shwedagon Pagoda, one of Myanmar’s most sacred Buddhist sites and a pivotal force in Yangon daily life. Shwedagon contains a 99m (325ft)-high golden stupa and spires, adorned with 7,000 diamonds, sapphires and rubies and allegedly, hairs belonging to the Gautama Buddha. During our evening visit, we join the throng of pilgrims at a special oil lamp lighting ceremony, an ancient and highly symbolic Buddhist ritual. Observe red-robed monks chant ancient Pali scriptures as more than a thousand oil lamps are lit around the gilded pagoda. Our guide explains the meaning behind the chants, helping you understand the ritual. A truly awe-inspiring spiritual experience.

We take-in some of Yangon’s fascinating attractions with the first visit to Sule Pagoda, a 2,000-year-old golden temple and stroll through streets lined with faded colonial-era architecture, making a stop at the 1908-built Central Post Office. Continue to Kyaukhtatgyi Pagoda, containing one of Myanmar’s most revered reclining Buddhas – and at 70m (230ft)-long, one of the country’s largest. We tour the National Museum, one of Myanmar’s most important museums for Burmese art, history and culture. Founded in 1952, the five-storey cavernous museum exhibits an extensive collection of ancient artefacts, art works and historic memorabilia. The jewel-encrusted Lion Throne, which belonged to Myanmar’s last King, is a highlight. Spend time at Bogyoke Market, or ‘Scott Market,’ built in the 1920s under British rule. Contained within a heritage-listed building, this sprawling bazaar is crammed with over 2,000 stalls.Stay overnight in Yangon.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport and short flight to Heho.

Upon arrival, drive to Nyaung Shwe, the gateway of Inle Lake. Full-day tour of beautiful Inle Lake which is referred as the Venice of Asia, featuring stilt houses and villages, floating gardens, fishermen using ancient techniques such as leg-rowing, and, on the shores, workshops of traditional artisans, e.g. weavers and cigar-makers. Also included are visits to sanctuaries such as Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda and Nga Phe Chaung Monastery.

Stay overnight on Inle Lake.

Spend a half-day cruising Inle Lake, at 22km (13mi) long and 11km (7mi) wide, Myanmar’s second largest lake. Nestled in highlands, this freshwater lake is also one of its highest. Serene Inle Lake is home to rich flora and fauna and more than 200 floating villages. Visit to the colorful local market around Inle lake, where villagers from the surrounding area sell their products. Continue your exploration to the western banks of the lake and travel down a small canal to Indein – a Pa-Oh village which is known for its stupa-covered hill with 1,054 stupas constructed between the 17th and the 18th centuries. Spend time exploring Indein on foot, strolling around the village, visiting a local school and making your way to the top of the hill where you can wander amid the weather-beaten stupas and enjoy magnificent views of the lake below. 

Bagan was the capital of several powerful Burmese Kingdoms that constructed up to 4,400 temples between the 11th and 13th centuries. Its oldest temples are reminiscent of other majestic ancient Southeast Asian cities, such as Cambodia’s Angkor Wat. Today, approximately 2,200 of Bagan’s original temples remain standing, mainly contained within the Bagan Archaeological Zone – why Old Bagan is regarded as one of Asia’s richest archaeological areas. Explore Bagan’s lesser-visited temples by alternative means, automatic electric bike. Weave through jungle paths and off-the beaten trails on this modern form of transport, exploring ancient kingdoms hidden for centuries.

Our tour includes shrines such as Ananda, Htilominlo, Thatbyinnyu, Dhammayangyi, Sulamani, and Shwezigon Pagoda, plus secular sights such as Nyaung U market and traditional workshops.  Overnight stay in Bagan.

This morning, transfer by car about 4 hours to Mandalay.

Myanmar’s last royal capital, Mandalay, is considered the nation’s spiritual hub. On the city’s outskirts, explore two former capitals of ancient Burmese kingdoms. At Myanmar’s penultimate royal capital, Amarapura (‘City of Immortality’), we visit Myanmar’s largest monastery and most prominent monastic college, Mahagandayon, where over a thousand monks live and study. Continue to Ava (or Inwa), which preceded Amarapura as Myanmar’s royal capital from the 14th to the 19th centuries.  We take a traditional horse-drawn carriage to Bagaya Kyaung, a teak wood monastery originally built in 1834, which still serves as a monastic school; the Burmese royals were educated here. Our day concludes watching the sunset from 200-year-old U-Bein Bridge, the world’s longest teak bridge, originally constructed in 1782.

Stay overnight in Mandalay.

Beyond Mandalay, visit Mingun, home to an early 19th century bronze bell weighing over 87 tons, the ‘World’s Largest Hanging Bell.’  Continue to all-white Hsinbyume Pagoda; its wave-like, tiered terraces modelled after mythical Mount Meru, a striking departure from pagoda norms.  At Mandalay’s Daw Ma Ma Naing Marionette Theatre, learn how to create – and manipulate – a traditional marionette, tutored by a master puppeteer.  Afterwards, the theatre’s co-founder and celebrated marionette performer, Daw Ma Ma Naing, explains the history of this once popular art form. Head to Shwenandaw ‘Monastery, built by the last Myanmar King, renowned for its exquisite teak wood carvings of Buddhist myths and traditional architecture. At Kuthodaw Pagoda, known as ‘The World’s Largest Book,’ marvel at the 729 marble slabs inscribed with Buddhist teachings. Overnight in Mandalay.

This morning is free for you to explore the city at your leisure. Transfer to Mandalay Airport for your onward flight.
Goodbye Myanmar and we hope to serve you next time.