Highlights of Myanmar

Day 1

Arrive Yangon

On arrival at Yangon International Airport you will be met and welcomed by our English speaking guide and transferred to your Hotel. Depending on your time, visit around Yangon.
Visit Chauk-htat-gyi Buddha, the 230 ft long reclining Buddha statue and its monastic compounds. Drive around the Sule pagoda, which is landmark of the downtown
Yangon and then through the colonial style bulidings aslo in downtown.
Drive around scenic Royal Lake to Karaweik Hall, have a look at the lake with the world famous Shwe Dagon Pagoda in the background.

Overnight in your hotel.

Day 2

Yangon / Mandalay (B)

This morning “hop” a plane to Mandalay, where the Konbaung kings resided and eventually capitulated to the British, more than 100 years ago. The sightseeing program will start directly on arrival. Drive to Mandalay to visit the Mahamuni Temple housing the country’s holiest Buddha image, century-old and legendary Arakan Buddha, made of pure gold, if you are interested, you could also visit a gold, marble and bronze plate making places. In the afternoon, visit Shwe Nandaw, the famous Golden Monastery. Stroll to Kuthodaw Pagoda with its 729 marble slabs showing the entire Buddhist canon and commemorating the Fifth Buddhist World Council at the end of last century. If you are up for an adventure, you might climb up to the top of Mandalay Hill for a bird’s eye view (or take the elevator).

Overnight at your hotel.

Day 3

Mandalay / Mingun / Amarapura / Sagaing / Mandalay (B)

Today you will travel the Ayeyarwaddy, the mighty Elephant river, and enjoy its sights washerwomen among buffalo carts at the river bank. It takes one hour upstream to reach Mingun where a mighty king once tried to build the world’s biggest pagoda and failed. Yet even the dimension of his failure is still impressive. In the afternoon visit the temples and small pagodas of former ancient capital Amarapura (Sanscrit for “Beautiful town”). There you can take a walk over the world’s longest teakwood bridge, U Bein.

Visit the Mahagandayong monastery with its more than 1000 residing monks. Visit Sagaing Hills meditation centre. Close to a hilltop pagoda you will be fascinated by the view over temples and pagodas in Sagaing and over Ayeyarwaddy River. Return to Mandalay after sunset.

Overnight at your hotel.

Day 4

Mandalay / Bagan by Shwekennerary Boat (B)

Spend the whole day on a local boat along the Ayeyarwaddy River – the main stream of Myanmar waters. Arrive in Bagan in the late afternoon and transfer to your hotel for overnight stay.

Day 5

Bagan (B)

Today, visit Bagan, the first and most beautiful capital of the Burmese, founded in the eleventh century by a great king. Along with Angkor in Cambodia, this is the most important temple and pagoda complex in Asia. An all-day visit to this huge area – a day full of culture when you will see the most beautiful temples and pagodas, leisurely but in detail:
Shwezigon Paya: One of the oldest stupas in Bagan area built by the two great kings Anawrahta and Kyanzittha. The Stupa’s graceful bell shape became a prototype for virtually all later stupas over Myanmar. It is known as the site where the 37 pre-Buddhist nat were first officially endorsed Burma monarchy.
Wetkyi-in Gubyaukgyi Temple: a perfect Indian-style temple, you will see hundreds of frescoes illustrating the jataka-stories of the previous lifes of Lord Buddha.
Htinlominlo Pahto: built by King Nantaungmya in 1218. Inside the 46m-high temple, there are four Buddhas on the lower and upper floors. Traces of old murals are also still visible.
In the afternoon tour Ananda Pahto, whose interior seems almost Gothic and is considered to be the most beautiful among all the temples of Bagan. Facing outward from the centre of the cube are four 31 ft standing Buddhas.
Ananda Ok Kyaung: Ananda brick monastery, one of the few surviving monastery buildings from the early Bagan era. The interior of the building is lined with well-preserved murals which depict everyday scenes from the Bagan period.
Manuha Paya: erected over huge Buddha-image, was named after the Mon King from Thaton, who was held captive in Bagan by Anawrahta. Insides, three seated Buddhas face the front of the buildings. All seem too large for their enclosures, and their cramped, uncomfortable positions are said to represent his captive period.
Nanpaya: this shrine is said to have been used as Manuha’s prison, although there is little evidence supporting the legend.
Lacquerware: visit a traditional manufacturer of unique Bagan lacquerware.
Enjoy sunset by horse-cart ride among the ruins of temples and pagodas.

Overnight in your hotel.

Day 6

Bagan / Mount Popa / Bagan (B)

In the morning, you will stroll through the marketplace of Nyaung U, and get a glimpse into the lifestyle of Burmese people.

Later on, drive through the sun-parched plain with Palmyra palms to the Mountain of Deities, Popa (2 hours). There you will climb the huge volcanic rock on a staircase to see shrines for nats (celestial spirits of Burmese mythology) and small temples for Lord Buddha. It will take about 20 minutes to reach the top of Mount Popa (Sanscrit word for Flower) and you will pass by many small food stalls and small “drugstrores” selling herbal medicine.

Just in time for sunset you will be back in Bagan to enjoy its scenic beauty of plains with 1000 years old red brick temples and white-washed pagodas.

Overnight in your hotel.

Day 7

Bagan / Yangon (B)

In the morning, take a flight back to Yangon. Drive through the colonial style buildings downtown, the Chinatown area and the Indian quarter. Continue to Bogyoke (Scott) Market (closed on Monday), where you have the last chance to buy souvenirs. Transfer to your hotel for overnight stay.

Day 8

Yangon / Departure (B)

Today transfer to Yangon International Airport to connect with your departure flight.

Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon
Yangon (Rangoon)

Strand Hotel
Yangon (Rangoon)

Mandalay Hill Resort
Mandalay

Rupar Mandalar Resort
Mandalay

Tharabar Gate Hotel
Bagan

Aureum Palace Hotel
Bagan