Tour Overview
Join this 13 days tour to discover the best essence of Myanmar, including the ancient golden pagodas, awesome sand beaches, breathtaking natural scenes, and authentic Burmese ethnic culture. Start in Yangon where you can see various sacred pagodas and historical architecture, you will then see the countryside life, visit the handicraft workshop, and experience the hot air balloon ride in Bagan. From here, relax on the cruise from Bagan to Sagaing with numerous shore excursions available. Following the cultural center of Mandalay, and the scenic boat trip along Inle Lake, we will get to Ngapali to explore peaceful fishing villages and enjoy leisure time on sand beaches.
Highlights of This Tour
- Admire some of Myanmar’s most famous golden pagodas, including Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, and Shwezigon Pagoda in Bagan.
- Visit families in the countryside area of Bagan, and gain insight into local culture and life.
- Thoroughly relax yourself on Ngapali Beach, and ride a bike to explore nearby fishing villages.
- Walk on the U Bein Bridge, the oldest wooden bridge in the world, and take a boat to appreciate the stunning sunset.
- Entertain yourself with many traditional activities, including wearing longyi (traditional dress in Myanmar), and putting on Tanaka (the make-up powder of Burmese women).
Itinerary
Welcome to Yangon! Upon your arrival at Yangon, your local English-speaking guide and driver will greet you at the arrival hall, and then drive the hotel for checking-in. The rest of the day is free for you to take a rest or stroll around your hotel by yourself.
Note: Flight to Yangon on your arrangement
Meals: N/A
Accommodation: Yangon
This morning, catch your early morning flight to Bagan. Upon arrival, your guide and driver will welcome you at the airport and transfer you to the rural area of Bagan. You will see the real countryside life in Myanmar by visiting some local households and interacting with local hosts.
After that, take a romantic horse cart ride to explore the charm of Bagan. You will travel along the dusty path with few cars. After lunch, visit a local handicraft workshop in Myinkaba village and learn how locals make traditional lacquerware.
Proceed to Manuha Temple to see four larges images of the Buddha there. Then, head to Nanbaya Temple which houses intricated carvings of Brahma, the god in Hinduism, etc. Move on to Bupaya pagoda or Mingala Zedi Stupa to catch the amazing sunset view over the Irrawaddy River.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Bagan
Get up early to catch the hot air balloon ride (about 45mins – 1 hr) over Bagan. Before the hot air balloon ride, you can enjoy some coffee or tea at the balloon point. Enjoy the first hint of the sun as you fly over thousands of pagodas. After landing, get on one of the retrieve vehicles to enjoy some sparkling wine and refreshments, then drive back to your hotel for check-out.
At 12:30, hop on the sightseeing cruise from Bagan to Sagaing. Lunch will be served on the cruise after boarding. Your first stop this afternoon is theKhayminga pagoda complex highlights a perfect combination of natural beauty and awe-inspiring historical structure. Then get to the Ananda Temple which is said one of the oldest and most beautiful temples in Myanmar.
Around dusk time, marvel at one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world at sunset hill. Then, a small welcome briefing with sparkling champagne is prepared for you at the board before you enjoy your candlelit sandbank dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: on the ship
Start today with a visit to Nyaung U Market where you can see local people buy and sell their daily food and how they bargain. Then transfer to the Shwezigon Pagoda, an ancient Burmese-style pagoda that is covered by over 30,000 copper plates.
Then back to the ship and continue sailing upstream to Sagaing. Entertain yourself with many interesting activities on board, including wearing longyi (traditional dress in Myanmar), and putting on Tanaka (the make-up powder of Burmese women). Enjoy your dinner in the Talifoo Restaurant.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Sagaing
This morning, you’ll get a chance to take part in a cooking class. It will be a delightful experience to learn to make some traditional Burmese dishes with an Executive Chef.
In the afternoon, after docking at the jetty in Sagaing, you will then follow your guide to Sagaing Hill which is home to over 550 monasteries. You will visit a Monastic school to meet local monks, and go to the Soon Oo Pon Nya Shin Pagoda for a panoramic view of the Irrawaddy River.
In the late afternoon, you will be accompanied to AmarapuraAncient Town. Once the royal capital of Myanmar during Konbaung Dynasty, it is now the worship and academic center for Buddhism in Burma. Visit the U Bein Bridge, the oldest wooden bridge in the world and the biggest highlight in the ancient town. Get your camera ready as we will hop on a small boat to catch the stunning sunset scenery over the water.
Enjoy your free night time after enjoying the sunset.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Mandalay
After breakfast, visit Mahamuni Pagoda, where a huge golden Buddha statue is enshrined. Each morning at 4:00 am, a Face-Washing Ceremony takes place at the pagoda when the presiding abbot helps the Buddha image wash face, brush teeth, slather on some sandalwood paste and sprinkle scented water.
Following the pagoda with a visit to a local workshop where you can see how local artisans make gold leaves in the Burmese traditional way. You can also learn to make gold leaf.
The last stop for your Mandalay city tour is the Kuthodaw Pagoda, where you can admire the world’s largest book composed of 729 marble slabs.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Mandalay
Drive to the airport in the early morning for your flight to Heho, the gateway to Inle Lake. After arrival, meet your guide and driver and transfer to Nyaungshwe, then a boat trip will take you to the hotel for check-in.
After a short break in your hotel, you will hop on a boat trip again and follow your guide to fully explore Inle Lake – the most beautiful lake in Myanmar. Your first stop is Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the most revered temple in the Inle Lake area, housing five 800-year-old golden images of the Buddha.
The boat trip will then take you to several local workshops where you can look into locals’ traditional way of silk weaving and blacksmith. Continue your boat ride to Ngaphechaung Monastery, a 200-year-old teakwood monastery built on stilts. Get a nice view of the mesmerizing floating garden from the monastery. From here, move on to Nampan Village to see the way of life of local Shan and Intha ethnic groups, the local cheroot factory, and canoe carving.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Inle Lake
In the morning, indulge yourself in the lively market where you can meet local hill tribe people in colorful dresses bartering for goods and products and see local monks collecting their morning alms. The market rotates every five days around five different villages in this area.
Then, get on a boat trip again and flow through local ethnic people’s unique floating gardens until you get to Indein. A small village on the west of Inle Lake, Indein is home to the Shwe Indein Pagoda which houses over 1600 ancient stupas of the 16th century. You can enjoy a leisure walk through the colonnade to see many shop stalls selling various Burmese products.
After visiting Indein, follow your guide to meet the long-neck women who are good at making traditional weaving. Then, row back to Inle Lake, and see local Intha fishermen fishing with traditional leg-rowing techniques. Get your camera ready to capture the most expected images.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Inle Lake
After check-out the hotel, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Ngapali. Upon arrival, your local guide and driver will be ready to welcome you and escort you to the hotel in Ngapali Beach for check-in.
In the afternoon, you can ride a bike to leisurely explore some nearby fishing villages. Before getting back to your hotel in the late afternoon, you will be wowed by the amazing sunset at the serene beach.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Ngapali
After breakfast, start your full-day exploration in Ngapali. You will ride a bike to explore the nearby fishing villages and pottery villages, and gain more insights into local life and culture by communicating with locals.
A snorkeling trip is also available for those who love sea creatures.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Ngapali
Continue to enjoy your leisure beach holiday in Ngapali today. Entertain yourself with either the normal activities on the beach or some excursions. A visit to the local market is also a memorable experience.
After that, take a boat to explore some small islets nearby the beach.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Ngapali
Check out your hotel in Ngapali and take a flight back to Yangon. Upon arrival, a full-day Yangon city tour is waiting for you. Yangon, being found in 1755, is the largest city in Myanmar where you will be attracted by plenty of cultural, and natural wonders, and magnificent colonial architecture.
The first stop is Chaukhtatyi Pagoda which is known for the image of a giant reclining Buddha. After that, move to the Karawik Palace on the Royal Lake for some great photo opportunities. Next, a scenic drive will take you through the Strand Hotel, Post Office, and City Hall.
In the afternoon, head to the Shwedagon Pagoda, the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in Myanmar, where you can enjoy the stunning sunset and peaceful people watching when locals doing their end-of-the-day prayers. The 99 meters high golden dome is said to be plastered with 60 tons of pure gold.
Admire the stunning sunset over the glittering pagoda before you get back to your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Yangon
After breakfast, enjoy your free time at the hotel before your driver picks you up at the appointed time and transfers you to the airport for your departure flight. End of your Myanmar trip.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: N/A
What’s Included
Dates & Availability
Tuesday
15 Sep,2024
Wednesday
24 Sep,2024
Total price
$1,049
Tuesday
15 Sep,2024
Wednesday
24 Sep,2024
Total price
$1,049
