Myanmar Treasures

Min-ga-la-ba and welcome to the former capital city of Myanmar, Yangon. Formerly known as Rangoon due to the influence of British colonialism, this former capital of Burma is still the most influential city in the country.

Upon arrival to Yangon, our driver will pick you up and transfer you to the lakeside boutique Chatrium Hotel among lush greenery surrounding the famous Kandawgyi Lake with breathtaking views of the iconic Shwedagon Pagoda. Enjoy your day free at leisure to explore Yangon on your own.

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon

Rise and shine to your first full Burmese day! Enjoy a classic breakfast at the hotel before transferring to the busy streets of India Town in the downtown area of Yangon. Hop on to the circle line commuter train at the Yangon Central Train Station to experience a real-life look into the daily life of the inhabitants of Yangon.

After a 45-minute ride, disembark for a visit to Chaukhtatgyi Paya, home to a 70-meter-long reclining Buddha, and Sule Pagoda, one of the most important religious sites and meeting points in Yangon.

Stop for a snack at a local tea shop with an array of treats and delicious teas or coffees to participate in another wonderful daily life activity to the Burmese. Gathering at tea shops is a local custom and you will see all manner of folks stopping by to conduct business and socialize.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon

Today experience one of Myanmar’s holiest and most spiritual sites, the Golden Rock, known in the local tongue as Kyaiktiyo. The sight of the huge boulder covered in gold leaf by devout followers and gleaming in the sunlight as it perches precariously on a cliff is something sure to stay with you the rest of your life.

The truck will return you to the base of the mountain where the rest of your day is free to discover the village of Kinpun, where we will stay for the night.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Mountain Top Hotel

Awaken this morning and have breakfast before making the return journey to Yangon for your domestic flight to the cultural and traditional heart of the country, Mandalay. Filled with Buddhist monasteries, exotic temples, and glittering pagodas, it’s easy to see why Rudyard Kipling had so much to write about in his iconic poems.

Check into your hotel and rest after a long day of travel.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: The Link 78 Mandalay Boutique Hotel

Have a lazy morning before an afternoon tour of the most famous sites within the city, such as the Royal Palace of Shwe Nan Daw and its monastery, built almost exclusively with gorgeous teak wood. Then, at the foot of Mandalay Hill, enter Kuthodaw Pagoda, home to the world’s largest book, a set of Buddhist scriptures inscribed on huge stone tablets.

Wander freely amongst the many shimmering gold pagodas and temples on the hill before enjoying a stunning panoramic sunset. Attend an evening performance at the Mandalay Marionette Theatre to see the traditional art form of puppetry alive and well.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: The Link 78 Mandalay Boutique Hotel

Begin your exploration of the past with a visit to the ancient capitals of Sagaing and Amarapura on this half-day tour out of Mandalay.

Stroll across the iconic U-Bein Bridge in Amarapura, to observe the comings and goings of the local people. It’s also possible to take a small rowboat ride in the lake to enjoy a different angle of the longest teak bridge in the world. Gaze at the beautiful handmade silk weavings at a local workshop before learning more about the national religion in the living center of Buddhism, Sagaing, where there are over 600 white-coloured pagodas and monasteries housing over 3,000 monks and 100 meditation centers.

Return to Mandalay in the early afternoon and rest before the early start tomorrow.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: The Link 78 Mandalay Boutique Hotel

Set sail for Bagan in the morning and enjoy a lovely day cruising the Irrawaddy River and observing local life and the surrounding countryside.

Stop in the small village of Lekkapin to see the how the local inhabitants survive on agriculture and traditional hat making. Join in and learn how to create the jute hat like a local!

Dine on board with a hearty lunch as you sunbathe and watch the world pass by. In the afternoon, there is a demonstration to learn and try on the traditional longyi clothing and thanatkha make-up, a type of powder used by women to protect their skin from the sun.

Arrive to Bagan as the sun sets and check into the Bagan Thande Hotel.

Please note the Irrawaddy Cruise is only available between November and March. For travel occurring between April to October, the transfer will occur by flight or car.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Bagan Thande Hotel

Start your morning early before the heat of the day hits with a half-day cycling tour visiting the many important sites of Bagan, starting with Ananda and Dhamayangi Temple. Keep pedaling through small villages filled with local markets, simple shops, and people going about their business before returning to town to stop at the ancient Buddhist Shwezigone Pagoda and Gu Byauk Gi Pagoda with its beautiful mural paintings. Pause for lunch in a local restaurant and return to your hotel for a much-needed rest and cool down in some air-conditioning.

As the heat begins to fade, a guide will bring you to Shwe Sandaw Pagoda for awe-inspiring sunset views, ending a perfectly magical day of exploring Bagan.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Bagan Thande Hotel

Depart from the hotel this morning after breakfast and travel 1.5 hours south to the legendary Mount Popa, a monastery located at the top of an extinct volcano and revered by locals as the home to 37 spirits.

Upon arrival to Mount Popa, options include climbing the 777 stairs to the top of the hill to explore the monastery, complete with its beautiful flowers, plants, and butterflies, or admiring the view from another vantage point easily accessible by car. Enjoy an early lunch with a view and continue on to quiet Salay along the Irrawaddy River. Experience the vintage world of a British-Colonial trading company at a restored riverside warehouse filled with antiques from colonial times and sip tea and munch on snacks at the gorgeous colonial Salay House before returning to Bagan in the late afternoon.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Bagan Thande Hotel

Transfer to Nyaung U Airport for a 40-minute flight to Heho, a small town located in the Shan State. Upon arrival to Heho, your transport will drive just over one hour to the accommodation where we will be staying the next 3 nights.

Inle Lake is a gorgeous highland area with incredibly scenic views of crystal clear waters, lush vegetation, and faded blue mountain ranges. Sit back and unwind as you breathe in the fresh mountain air and enjoy the peaceful surroundings of Myanmar’s Shan State, home to many ethnic minorities.

Our tour today will take us out on to Inle Lake where it’s still possible to view the powerful image of fisherman gliding along the water with their unusual rowing techniques, casting glittering nets to find food.

Pass by villages inhabited by local people with the houses built on stilts and floating gardens before reaching Nga Hpe Chaung Monastery, well-known for not only its shan-style Buddha statues but also the resident cats who have been trained to do various tricks.

We will also stop by Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the lake’s main shrine, before visiting a cheroot workshop where Burmese cigars are rolled out by hand. Rest at a floating restaurant for lunch before returning to the hotel for an afternoon free for your leisure.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Wake up to a refreshing morning on Inle Lake and fill up on the delicious breakfast before taking the half day tour to Indein Village, home to the Pa O minority tribe and also one of five villages who host the weekly morning market. This market is visited by all lake inhabitants and the surrounding hill tribes and gives us a first-hand look into daily life and work in the region.

Take a gentle walk through the village, following an old path that leads to a 13^th century monastery and ancient set of ruins peeking out throughout the jungle.

Stop by a workshop creating the ubiquitous Shan parasols, a favorite image often captured by photographers visiting the country, before heading to a local restaurant for lunch.

Return to hotel for an afternoon free for your leisure and relaxation.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Enjoy your last day in Inle Lake with a day free for leisure. Popular day-trips include visiting NyaungShwe, a sleepy little village filled with charming nunneries, local temples, and farming lands, and the Red Mountain Estate, one of the finest vineyards in all of Myanmar.

Meals: Breakfast

Transfer to Heho airport for the one hour flight to Yangon. Your day is free to discover the city and snatch up those last-minute souvenirs before transferring back to the airport for onward travel.

Meals: Breakfast