Exotic Myanmar
Day 1 : Arrive
Yangon
 Arrive in Yangon and transfer to hotel.
Yangon, formerly known as Rangoon, is
still a relatively quiet and charming
city. Its impressive colonial and
spiritual heritage makes Yangon one of
the most fascinating and authentic
capitals of South-East Asia. After
lunch, a city tour includes the National
Museum, Kyaukhtatgyi Pagoda’s 70m long
reclining Buddha and Myanmar’s holiest
monument, the Shwedagon Pagoda with its
gold covered stupa. Overnight in Yangon.
Day 2 :
Yangon -
Kyaikhtiyo by
coach. (B)
 Leaving Yangon in the morning, enjoy a
scenic journey by road to Kyaikhtiyo,
190km to the east. One of Myanmar’s
great pilgrimage sites is the Golden
Rock at Kyaikhtiyo, a huge boulder
covered by gold leaf and delicately
balanced on the edge of a cliff. The
pagoda at the Golden Rock is said to
hold a hair of the Buddha. Late morning,
arrive at Kyaikhtiyo base camp and
transfer to the transit junction with
one of the small open trucks in a one
hour ride. After lunch, start an easy
walk up to the Golden Rock and enjoy
sunset from this unforgettable site.
Overnight in Kyaikhtiyo.
Day 3 :
Kyaikhtiyo -
Bago -
Yangon (B)
 After breakfast, return to the base-camp
by open truck and head in the direction
of Yangon for 110km to Bago, an ancient
capital dating back to the 6th century.
Sightseeing in Bago includes the
beautiful 55m long reclining Buddha
called Shwethalyaung and the Mon style
Shwemawdaw Pagoda, one of the most
venerated in Myanmar. Its spire stands
114m high and is taller even than the
Shwedagon Pagoda. Also visit the old
Palace of Kambozathadi and the huge four
sitting Buddhas. Return by road to
Yangon, visiting the Allied War Cemetery
near Htaukkyan, the final resting place
for over 27,000 allied soldiers, and a
local woven bamboo factory. Transfer
back to Yangon. Overnight in Yangon.
Day 4 :
Yangon -
Mandalay by morning
flight. (B)
 After breakfast at the hotel, transfer
to Yangon’s Mingaladon Airport for the
flight to Mandalay. On arrival, a
sightseeing tour of Mandalay, Myanmar’s
cultural capital, features Mahamuni
Pagoda, famous for its venerable statue
of Buddha covered with gold leaf.
Mandalay has long been known as a centre
of skilled craftsmanship and in former
times supplied the royal courts. A tour
of traditional workshops includes crafts
such as woodcarving, marble masonry,
Kalaga tapestry and gold-leaf making.
After lunch visit to Mandalay Palace,
Kuthodaw Pagoda with its 729 marble
stone slabs of Buddhist scriptures
(known as the world’s biggest book) and
Shwenandaw Monastery, noted for its
exquisite woodcarving. Enjoy the sunset
from Mandalay Hill. Overnight in
Mandalay.
Day 5 :
Mandalay -
Amarapura -
Ava
-
Sagaing -
Mandalay
by car. (B)
 After breakfast at the hotel departure
for a full day trip to the former
capitals of Amarapura, Ava and Sagaing.
The day begins with a visit to the 18th
century capital, Amarapura where the
country’s largest monastery, Mahaganda
Yon Monastery, is located. Continue to
the 200 year-old U Bein Bridge,
constructed entirely from teak and a
silk weaving workshop. Lunch at hotel.
Proceed to Ava, the capital from 14th to
18th centuries and visit by horse and
carriage the old wooden Bagaya Monastery
and the remains of the Royal Palace and
fort. Lunch on the way. In the afternoon
cross the bridge over the Irrawaddy
River and continue to Sagaing. Covered
with 600 white-painted pagodas and
monasteries, Sagaing Hill is widely
regarded as the religious centre of
Myanmar and is home to 3,000 monks and
100 meditation centers. Overnight in
Mandalay.
Day 6 :
Mandalay -
Mingun -
Mandalay
by boat. (B)
 After breakfast, transfer to the jetty
and board a private chartered boat for
an excursion over the Irrawaddy River
towards the former capital of Mingun.
After a 45 minute cruise, arrive in
Mingun famous for its huge unfinished
pagoda also home to the Mingun Bell,
considered as the world’s largest
uncracked ringing bell. Also visit the
beautiful white Hsinbyume Pagoda. Return
by boat to Mandalay. In the afternoon
visit the Kuthodaw Pagoda with its 729
marble stone slabs of Buddhist
scriptures (known as the world’s biggest
book), Shwenandaw Monastery, noted for
its exquisite woodcarving and the
impressive Kyauktawgyi Pagoda with its
huge sitting Buddha. Enjoy the sunset
from Mandalay Hill for panoramic view of
city. Overnight in Mandalay.
Day 7 :
Mandalay -
Kyaing Tong by
morning flight. (B)
Depart from Yangon with flight to Kyaing
Tong. Transfer to hotel and proceed with
visits to lacquer ware workshop, and
then to Lone Tree Hill, the viewpoint.
Before sunset, stroll around Naung Tong
Lake and watch the locals’ way of life.
Stay overnight at Kyaing Tong.
Day 8 :
Kyaing Tong (B)
 Drive to the Hokyin Mountain and then
hike to a remote Akha (Iquor) village.
Visit to another isolated Palaung
village, then to a former Italian
missionary station and to the Roman
Catholic Church. Watch the producing of
rice wine in a very traditional
technique in some villages. Along the
way from village to village, visitors
will enjoy the trekking along the scenic
path. Stay overnight at Kyaing Tong.
Day 9 :
Kyaing Tong -
Heho/
Inle by
after noon flgiht. (B)
In the morning take a walk around
colourful Kyaing Tong market, where
tribes from near by villages gather for
trade of local products. In the
afternoon transfer to airport for flight
to Heho/Inle. Upon arrival at Heho
Airport, from Heho, enjoy a scenic drive
to Inle Lake, one of Myanmar’s
best-known sights. The Intha people, a
tribe of Mon descent, mostly inhabit the
lakeshores and floating villages. On
arrival at Nyaung Shwe village, transfer
by boat trip to hotel for check in with
a beautiful scene of sun-set with hazy
blue mountain. Overnight in the Inle
Lake.
Day 10 :
Inle Sightseeing. (B)
 to start a sightseeing tour of Inle Lake
including a chance to see the leg-rowing
fishermen. Continue to see the floating
gardens, built up from strips of water
hyacinth and mud and anchored to the
bottom with bamboo poles. There are also
floating villages like Ywama, the lake’s
downtown, where a floating market is
held every five days. In the afternoon
continue to Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the
weaving village of Inpawkhon and the
jumping cat monastery. Overnight in the
Inle Lake.
Day 11 :
Inle Lake -
In Dein. (B)
After breakfast, visit In Dein in the
south of the lake by motor boat. From
the middle of the lake, continue down a
small canal leading to the village of In
Dein, a recently opened area in Shan
State. After a walk around the village,
passing a local school, take the covered
stairway to the beautiful Alaung Sitthou
area where ancient stupas are partly
covered by vegetation. From here there
is a magnificent view over the lake.
Back to hotel with a beautiful scene of
Sun-set into to hazy blue mountain.
Overnight in Inle Lake.
Day 12 :
Inle -
Taunggyi -
Kakku.
(B)
 After breakfast at hotel, transfer by
motor boat to Nyaung Shwe jetty. Then
proceed to Kakku by car (1½ hours
drive). Sightseeing at Kakku which is
ancient Pagoda. Drive back to Taunggyi.
Overnight in Taunggyi.
Day 13 :
Taunggyi/
Heho -
Yangon by
morning flight. (B)
After breakfast at hotel, transfer to
Heho Airport for the flight back to
Yangon. On arrival end the tour with a
visit to Myanmar’s holiest monument, the
Shwedagon Pagoda with its golden stupa
covered with 60 tons of pure gold leaf.
After lunch, free time for shopping at
Bogyoke Market (formerly known as
Scott’s Market).
Day 14 : Departure from
Yangon.
(B)
After breakfast at hotel, transfer to
airport for departure.
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