Real taste of Myanmar culture

Mandalay

• Activities:

  Arrive Mandalay, visit Sagaing hill temples, Amarapura, Mahagandayon Monastery, sunset at U Bein Bridge

• Meal:

• Included:

  741,

Welcome to Mandalay, Myanmar. Upon your arrival, you will be greeted and welcomed by our guide and driver and then transferred to your hotel. After check-in and relaxation, we leave the city and head to Sagaing, an important religious center of Myanmar thanks to its numerous Buddhist monasteries. Then access U Min Thonze Cave Temple with its impressive Buddha statues and Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda, Sagaing's central pagoda located at the top Pagaing Hill, offering you the enjoyment of seeing Mandalay's panoramic view. Next, take a half hour drive to Amarapura, the best place to experience the monk life in Mandalay and access its famous Mahagandayon Monastery - one of the largest monasteries in Burma. Lately, contemplate magical sunset over the iconic U Bein Bridge - the world's most extended teak bridge.

Mandalay

• Activities:

  Morning boat trip to visit Mingun unfinished pagoda, explore further key sites of Mandalay, sunset at Yankin hill

• Meal:

  Breakfast]

• Included:

  741,

This morning you will be driven to GawWein jetty in Mandalay, and then embarked on a private boat upstream Irrawaddy river to Mingun, an ancient riverside town in Sagaing region. Our first stop in Mingun is the world’s largest unfinished Pahtodawgyi Pagoda which was supposed to become the world’s largest pagoda if King Bodawpaya hadn’t died before it was completed. Even though it was never done, the first constrution is enough massive piece of art.  Let’s get closer and admire the richly decorated entrance and detailed the history of the temple's construction in inscription stone. Leave the pagoda, we will head to Mingun Bell which has a weight of 90 tons, which is believed to be the largest uncracked bell in the world. From here, should you wish, a few minutes walking to the north, we will visit Hsinbyume Pagoda, a beautifully white-washed compound which holds a sorrow story behind about graceful Princess Hsinbyume, who had died during childbirth at very young age. Leave the town, back to your boat for a windy sail back to Mandalay. Get back to your car for a drive to explore Kuthodaw pagoda, frequently known as “The World’s Biggest Book”with great collection of well-preserved 729 marble slabs inscribed with Buddhist teachings. We then stop at Shweinbin monastery to witness impressive wood carving architecture as well as daily life routines of local monks. End of afternoon, we move to drive up Yankin Hill, an isolated temple-topped hill with excellent panoramic views from summit. If you prefer climbing to savor the surrounding sceneries slowly, it would take roughly 30 minutes along step stairway to conquer the top. Enjoy the rewarding sunset falling down the vast countryside before return to Mandalay for dinner and night relaxation then.

Bagan

• Activities:

  Morning fly to Bagan, drop by Nyaung U market, visit Ananda Temple, Gubyaukgyi Temple, Htilominlo Temple, sunset at Ayarwaddy River

• Meal:

  Breakfast]

• Included:

  740,

After having breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for a domestic flight to Bagan. As you present at the Nyaung U  airport in Bagan, you will soon start the enjoyable city tour with the first destination of local Nyaung Oo Market to experience the wonderful daily activities among people. Then pay a wonderful visit to Shwezigon Pagoda, the first gold pagoda built in Burma enshrining Gautama Buddha's relics and Ananda Temple, the home of four huge Buddha standing statues - each faces one of the four cardinal directions. Afterward, more temple visitations are carried out as we take you to Gubyaukgyi Temple at Myinkaba - an Indian style pagoda built in 1113 whose exteriors are still in good condition and nearby lacquer ware workshop to witness interesting process to create beautiful lacquer, Htilominlo Temple whose name means "blessings of the three worlds" containing four Buddha images facing four directions on its first floor. To finish your day in Bagan, enjoy sunset along the Ayarwaddy River. 

Lunch and dinner are on your own account.

Inle Lake

• Activities:

  Morning fly to Inle Lake, visit Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery & Shan paper umbrella workshop on airport transfer way, boat trip around Inle Lake, discover traditional villages & Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda

• Meal:

  Breakfast]

• Included:

  678,

Morning fly to Inle, the primary air gateway to Inle Lake. It takes one hour to drive from airport to Inle; along the way, soothe yourself with cool weather and peaceful settings. Drop by a Shan paper umbrella workshop to how skillful locals are to create these amazing handcrafts. Also, visit Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery which was constructed completely from teak and painted red. Show up in Inle Lake, we take a boat to visit Inle Lake with floating villages, floating gardens, floating markets, several traditional villages such as weaving. The most special sight on Inle Lake is floating gardens where the local use the water hyacinth combining with seaweed on the bottom of the lake to keep the soil to grow more vegetables such as tomatoes, mint, etc. Up and down the lake have many temples, monasteries with golden pinnacles brightening on the sunlight. Discover Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda where houses the five Buddha images. These images are covered with gold in order to make visitors not be able to see the original form. Leave Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, we continue to Ywa Ma village and Kay Lar Village before move to your hotel and check in.
Lunch and dinner are on your own account.

Inle Lake

• Activities:

  Sail to visit Indein pagoda and stupa jungle

• Meal:

  Breakfast]

• Included:

  678,

In order not to miss a great opportunity to enjoy the scene of local tribes in their colorful clothes and exotic market atmosphere, in the early morning, we will take a boat to the lake and visit the local market which is held every five day. Then we will move by boat to Indein to witness the farmers harvesting their crops and rarely-known site of Indein which still remains hundreds of ancient brick stupas and pagodas dated back to 17 century the ancient Shweinndein Pagoda.  Next up, we continue to discover local traditional Blacksmith workshop and Shan Cheroot (tobacco) making before travelling back to your hotel in Inle Lake for relaxation in the afternoon.
Lunch and dinner are on your own account.

Mandalay

• Activities:

  Fly back to Mandalay, depart

• Meal:

  Breakfast]

• Included:

After breakfast at the hotel, take morning flight back to Mandalay then connect to your departure flight home then. End of services.