Jewels of Burma

Mingalaba! Welcome to Yangon, the former capital, commercial and artistic hub of Myanmar!
Met at the airport and transfer to hotel for check in. Later, enjoy your time for a guided tour exploring highlights of the city.
Wander through historical downtown of Yangon that is home to medieval streets dotted with many historical buildings both colonial and Burmese styles. Visit the Yangon Post Office, a colonial building noted for its reddish-brown color with typical lancet arched windows, charming beaux-arts portico and ornate stucco work. From here you take a leisurely walk passing other landmarks such as Victorian-style Strand Hotel, Mahabandoola Garden and Independence Monument to the Kandawgyi Park, a fascinating green spot right in the cetre of the town where you see the impressive Karaweik Hall, a replica of Royal Barge floating on a vast lake, reflecting it glittering image on peaceful water surface with stunning background of surroundings.
Following is the Chauk Htat Kyi temple that houses the amazing 66-meter long reclining Buddha which is one of the most revered Buddha images in the country.
Of course, your visits of Yangon’s highlights can’t be excluding the renowned Shwedagon Pagoda with the imposing 100-meter tall chedi gilded by 40 tons of gold leaf. This place simply the most famous landmark and most revered Buddhist temple in Myanmar. The view of Shwedagon become most spectacular during the sunset and when lights are on.
Back to the hotel and enjoy free evening at your leisure.

Summary of inclusions

Private vehicle

Sightseeing yangon

Hotel in yangon

Leave Yangon for a scenic road journey northeastward to the Mon state for visit to Kyaiktiyo Pagoda popularly known as the Golden Rock, one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Burmese Buddhists.
This natural wonder and holy religious structure seated on the summit of Mount Kyaiktiyo at the elevation of 1,100 meters above sea level. What you will see is a huge gleaming golden boulder with a gilded pagoda atop precariously perched on the edge of a bigger boulder, defying the gravity in a magical way. As the legend says and the fact shows, it seems there is a supernatural power hold hit back from rolling down the hill.
Upon arrival at the base camp around late morning, pick up an open truck for nearly one hour ride along winding mountain road uphill then take a short walk to the pagoda. Once there, you will wander around sightseeing of the temple ground and of course, the rock that is full of spiritual vibes. Enjoy spectacular view from here. The landscape and view of the rock is particularly beautiful at sunrise and sunset.  

Accommodation tonight is near the Golden Rock.

Summary of inclusions

Private vehicle

Sightseeing golden rock

Breakfast

Hotel in Kyaiktiyo

Get up early for stunning sunrise over the Golden Rock and spectacular mountains. Enjoy strolling around and get for you some memorable shots then return to hotel for breakfast. Get back to base camp then get to visit Bago on the way back to Yangon. Also known as Pegu, this city once was the capital of the Mon Kingdom. The great number of historical vestiges and treasure-filled temples spread throughout the town makes it quite appealing.
Upon arrival, enjoy your time exploring around to learn about the history and myths of the city. Your visit of Bago including the Shwe Tha Lyaung Pagoda that is home to an impressive 55-meter long reclining Buddha, the Kyaik Pun with the 27 meter high four seated Buddhas, the very ornate golden palace of Kanbawzathadi which reflects the splendor and wealth of the second Burmese empire, and the thousand years old Mon-style Shwemawdaw also known as Golden God Temple with outstanding 114 meter tall golden chedi which is the highest one in the country and can be seen from miles away. Also, spend time to visit a local market that is filled with local products and fresh produces.
After Bago, you will make another stop in Htaukkyan to visit the Allied War Cemetery, the the final resting place for Allied soldiers who fought and died in battle in Burma during the Second World War.
Back to hotel and remainder of the day is at your leisure.

Summary of inclusions

Private vehicle

Golden rock sunrise tour

Sightseeing bago

Breakfast

Hotel in yangon

Transferred to the airport for short early morning flight to Bagan. Seated by the bank of the mighty Irrawaddy River, the Old Bagan with more than four thousands impressive red brick temples scattered on a vast dry plain is claimed to be one of Asia’s greatest architectural site and is for sure one of the best highlights in Myanmar.

Met upon arrival and go straight on your tour exploring Bagan. Start your interesting tour with a visit to a local market. It is said that the great way to learn about a place is to see its marketplace, and yes, that is so true when you wander through this colorful and bustling atmosphere where you gain an insights into local life and business.  
Following, you will spend time to explore the architectural masterpieces of ancient Bagan with a diverse selection of some most important shrines and temples. Walking around, listen to your guide for interesting stories behind each of these impressive monuments, look at fantastic works and be amazed at how people created this magnificent site.
A visit to traditional lacquerware workshop will perhaps bring you some ease after lots of history and architecture. This is also the chance for you to learn somthing about a traditional art that is popular in Myanmar.
In the late afternoon you will take a climb to the top of an elevated temple for spectacular view of sunset over the Bagan. Just sit back relax and be overwhelmed by the striking landscape as the sun is slowly setting down behind the background of mystical towering temples.

Summary of inclusions

Private vehicle

Internal flight

Sightseeing bagan

Breakfast

Hotel in bagan

This morning you will take scenic drive to Mount Popa which is 50km away to the southeast of Bagan. Along the way you will have stops to visit local farms of some kinds, interact with hard working farmers and learn about their traditional working methods.
The Mt Popa you are visiting today is an extinct volcano, one and half thousand meters above sea level, where known as one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Burmese. Atop of this impressive truncate cone shaped mount is a group of golden gilded temples and stupas surrounded by yellow painted walls giving an impression of a celestial fortress of Olympus. Worshiping here including for Buddhism, Animism and traditional beliefs, reflecting interesting multifaceted religious life of Burmese people.
Take a climb along 777 step stair up to the top of the mount where you explore the fascinating temple ground and enjoy the rewarding view of the surrounding areas with the background of ancient Bagan and conical peak of Taung Ma-gyi from a far.
Get back to Bagan and in the afternoon you will spend time to visit some traditional villages dotted around the ancient site where you witness the local authentic way of life in those ‘living museum’. Later, hop on horse cart for an exciting ride through hidden side of Bagan along little paths, gaining the taste of Bagan with different perspective.
Back to hotel in the late afternoon for your leisure time.  

Summary of inclusions

Private vehicle

mount popla explore

bagan rural village visit

Breakfast

Hotel in bagan

Transfer to the airport for a short morning flight to Mandalay, a Myanmar’s historical city and great cultural importance.
Take a sightseeing tour of the city with your first visit to the Mahamuni Pagoda, the most important pilgrimage site in Mandaday and central to local’s spiritual life. This pagoda houses the greatly venerated statute of Mahamuni Buddha which is day by day and over the years, continuously to be covered with gold leaf by devotees, making it unique with special uneven contour.
Your next visit is the Shwenandaw Monastery, also known as Golden Palace Monastery, a special architecture built of teak wood dating back from 1878, famous for its wonderfully intricate carvings. Following is the Kuthodaw Pagoda whose 729 marble slabs, carved with Buddhist scriptures, have earned the title ‘World’s largest book’.
The last highlight of today is the legendary U Bein Bridge, the longest teakwood bridge worldwide spanning across the Taungthaman Lake. Take a leisurely walk along, enjoy the breeze and stunning view of the lake with colorful boat skimming on water surface. This centuries-old bridge is most photogenic during the sunset.
Evening is free at your leisure.

Summary of inclusions

Private vehicle

Internal flight

Sightseeing mandalay

Breakfast

Hotel in mandalay

This morning you hop on a private boat for a relaxed 1 hour cruise on of the Irrawaddy River to Mingun, a historical site about 10 kilometer from Mandalay.
Explore the Mingun Paya, a massive construction begun and unintentionally left unfinished by King Bodawpaya in the late 18 century. This uncompleted monument was expected to be the greatest and highest in Myanmar and perhaps in the World at that time with intended height of 150 meters now recorded as the ‘largest brick pile’ in the World. Wander around, admire the grandeur and listen to your guide about interesting story about it.
Nearby is a Burmese style pavilion called zayat which houses the Mingun Bell, a national treasure of Myanmar, weighing 90 tons and claimed to be the World’s heaviest functioning bell several times in history.  
Admire the beauty and grandeur of the Hisnbyume Pagoda, built by King Bagyidaw as a proof of his eternal love and in memory of his beloved wife, something reminding you the story behind the Taj Mahan in India.
Also, spend some time wandering around the neighborhood of Mingun, visiting village of local cottage industry where you have chance to interact with friendly local craftsmen and observe the production of traditional craft using special techniques that remain unchanged for centuries.
Then, back to Mandalay downtown and this afternoon is for exploring of the compound of Mandalay Royal Palace which dominated by dark-red color roofs and golden patterns reflecting pomp and circumstance of the last Burmese monarchy.
Get up to the Mandalay Hill for fantastic, rewarding panoramic view of Mandalay during spectacular sunset.

Summary of inclusions

Private vehicle

Boat cruise irrawady river

Sightseeing mingun & Mandalay

Breakfast

Hotel in mandalay

A short morning flight will take you to Heho, the gateway to one of Myanmar's most charming destinations, the Inle Lake.
Met and greeted upon arrival and take private transfer to hotel for check in.
Following, hop on a long tail boat for sightseeing around Inle. This vast natural water body at the elevation of 800 meter above sea level is fringed by marshes and floating gardens, wooden houses perched above the water on stilts and glittering temples rise above the serene water surface.
Cruise pass the endless charms of the lake and make a visit to the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, an impressive religious structure and the most revered site in the Inle Lake area and southern Shan State. Also, visit local villages on the bank of the lake where you can interact and observe local craftsmen using traditional techniques for silk weaving, silversmith, boat building and making cheroot, a kind of Burmese cigars.
Enjoy the authentic scenes that shine on the water and get for you wonderful photos.
Back to the hotel and remainder of the day is at your leisure. 

Summary of inclusions

Private vehicle

Internal flight

Boat cruise inle

Sightseeing inle

Breakfast

Hotel in nyaungshwe

After breakfast, start your another interesting day in Inle by a visit to the colorful local market which rotates through villages around the lake and including a day on the lake itself when trade is conducted from small boats. This is where and when you will see local hill tribe people in the colorful traditional dresses congregating to barter and purchase. A very nice scene!
Continue by boat along winding and scenic canals to Indein, a little yet fascinating village on the western bank of the lake. This place is known for its two groups of ancient pagodas and stupas with hundreds structures in many shapes and sizes varying from authentic crumbling state with trees and plants entwine around them to the restored, gilded and tacky one, offering an impressive sight of evolution through successive generations.
It is wonderful to see people having bath in the river, boats moving about on water, colorful shops and stalls, the mythical world of gods and life of ordinary smiling people. Wander through, walk up the hill along colonnades and enjoy the cram-full sight of exotic scenes around.
Following, visit a weaving villages with houses perched on stilts, interact with “long neck” tribal women who working on traditional looms. And of course, you will not miss the chance to observe and take wonderful photos of the Intha fishers in traditional costume fishing on the lake with traditional tools and distinctive one-legged rowing technique. A typical image of Inle.
Back to the hotel and remainder of the day is at your leisure.

Summary of inclusions

Boat cruise inle lake

inle & surroundings Sightseeing

Breakfast

Hotel in Nyaungshwe

Get transfer to Heho airport for flight to Ngapali, the best beach destination in Myanmar.
The tranquility and beauty of the beach with incredibly peaceful atmosphere, wonderfully fine sand and perfect water is just described as paradise for beach lovers. So far, the place still maintains quite well a laid-back fishing village vibes.
Pick up and transfer to hotel for check in. Remainder of the day is free at leisure for swimming, sun bathing and strolling along the white sand beach. During free time you may like to pick up a bicycle and cycle your way along the length of the beach and head to neighbor fishing villages, checking out local markets and interact with friendly people.
Ngapali for sure is a wonderful place for seafood lovers. Find a good restaurant and indulge yourself with tasty fish curry, grilled calamari, giant shrimps or lobster.

Summary of inclusions

Private airport transfers

Internal flight

beach relax

Breakfast

Hotel in ngapali

Enjoy your day free for sun, sea and sand of Ngapali.
For those who like something more active, there are several optional activities for you to choose from. The first option is to take a local boat and head off to the nearby island for visiting to a local fishing village and enjoy some snorkeling in turquoise water. Cycling or taking a motorbike ride along beautiful beaches and villages to the Tilawkasayambhu Buddha that situated on a hilltop in the south of Ngapali is also a good choice. This place offers a fantastic rewarding views of the bay. For golf lovers, there is also a beautiful golf course nearby that can offer you a nice round. And, to get the best possible views of Ngapali and the surrounding coastline, a hot air balloon ride can be available at your disposal.  

Overnight in hotel in Ngapali.

Summary of inclusions

beach relax

Breakfast

Hotel in ngapali

Take a short morning flight back to Yangon. Get pick up at the airport and take a visit to the Bogyoke Market, also known as Scott’s market, a wonderfully colorful place where there are lots of handicrafts and other local products to browse through. Wander around, enjoy some shopping if you wish and perhaps, take a sit down at a local tea shop enjoying typical Burmese tea drinking experience.
Following, spend time to visit some other prominent sites of Yangon such as St Mary's Cathedral, a gothic style architecture dates back from 1899, the glittering Burmese style Sule Paya, and the century old Rangoon Synagogue. These visits give you a clearer view of the multifaceted culture of the town.
Later, proceed to the India and Chinatown where you take stroll along bustling streets with maze of colorful shops and thousands of photo opportunities around you.
Check in hotel and remainder of the day is at your leisure.

Summary of inclusions

Private vehicle

Internal flight

Sightseeing yangon

Breakfast

Hotel in yangon

Enjoy the morning free at your own pace until check out hotel (12.00) and get a private transfer to the airport for your international flight back home or to onward destination. Safe travel and see you again!

Summary of inclusions

Breakfast

Private airport transfer