OVERVIEW

Thousand Smiles of Myanmar

Experience 10 days in Myanmar to see Shwedagon pagoda, one of the world’s most spectacular religious monuments and Manuha temple, Nanbaya temple, Myingaba Gu Byaukgyi temple.Visit Min Nan Thu Village, Kyat Kan cave monastery, a famous meditation center in Bagan. See the ancient city of Bagan as it has never been seen before with ‘BALLOONS OVER BAGAN’. You also visit Mahagandayon, a famous Buddhist monastery, where more than a thousand monks live and study.

ITINERARY

Yangon | Bagan | Mandalay | Amarapura | Inle Lake

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Day 01

Yangon Arrival

Meet your guide at Yangon International Airport, transfer to your hotel for check-in and sightseeing tour of Yangon

Accommodation: Hotel in Yangon

Meals: Not included

Meet Asia Top Travel tour guide at Yangon International Airport and transfer to hotel.

Today's sightseeing tour includes the Bogyoke (Scott's) Market (closed on Monday and public holiday) with hundreds of stores and a visit to a gems shop. The tour continues to Chauk Htat Gyi, a huge reclining Buddha image.

An extended visit to Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the world’s most spectacular religious monuments, will conclude the tour of this picturesque Garden City. The golden dome of the Shwedagon Pagoda rises 98 meters above its base and is covered with 60 tons of pure gold.
Day 02

Yangon - Bagan

Fly to Bagan and explore the city

Accommodation: Hotel in Bagan

Meals: Breakfast

After your breakfast at the hotel, transfer to Yangon Airport for domestic flight to Bagan.

Upon arrival in Bagan, transfer to your hotel. After that, start a sightseeing tour with the busy local market and continue with visits to a diverse selection of the most important pagodas and temples such as Shweszigon Pagoda, built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century, Ku Byauk Gyi, a temple with exquisite murals of Jataka scenes, Khay Min Ga Temple, noted for its spectacular panoramic view of the area’s many monuments and Ananda Temple with four huge standing Buddha images and numerous seated figures in niches around the galleried interior.
 
On the afternoon, take a look on a lacquer craftsmen’s workshop in nearby Myinkaba village; followed by a visit of Manuha Temple, built in mon style in 1059, Nanbaya Temple, a unique sandstone monument, said to have been the palace of King Manuha, and Myingaba Gu Byaukgyi Temple, noted for its ancient mural paintings.
Day 03

Bagan Off Beaten Track

Discover Bagan off the beaten track

Accommodation: Hotel in Bagan

Meals: Breakfast

After your breakfast, you will be picked up at your hotel for a full day exploration of Bagan with a range of sites, history, culture and local lifestyles.
 
You start with a visit to an elevated temple, from where you have a spectacular view over the surrounding plains. This is an ideal way to admire the grandeur and scope of Bagan’s architecture. Then you pay a visit to Myinkaba Village and Gubyaukgyi temple, which is favorable for its beautiful mural paintings on its inner walls and well-preserved plaster carvings on its exterior. The close located Manuha temple has nice Buddha statues and stone work that are a visit worth.
 
Continue your way to Tu Yin Taung, a hilltop stupa in the eastern part of the main Archaeological Park. As you approach the temple, you will be greeted by 500 monk statues which line the road.
 
Head to Lawka Nandar, situated in New Bagan close to the Irrawaddy River. 
 
Embark on a private boat and set off upstream to Kyauk Gu U Min. Your eyes will be satisfied with fabulous scenes of life on the water throughout your Irrawaddy river: fishermen, local ferry boats, riverside villages and Bagan temples. Make a stop at Sae Lan village, a typical riverside village along the Irrawaddy River, to take a short walk. The friendly people are almost all farmers and fishermen with a simple, but happy life.
 
Continue on the boat to Kyauk Gu U Min on the eastern side of the river, from where you walk five to ten minutes to the temple. This beautiful temple, with its exquisite stone carvings depicting religious figures and flowers on the door, was built on the side of the cliff, so that you can enter a cave behind the main hall of the temple. Inside the cave are several small niches where you can practice meditation. Legend has it that the cave was built during the 13th century for the locals to hide from the invading Mongols.
 
At the end of the day, return to your boat for a relaxing cruise back to Bagan (around 1 hour).
Day 04

Bagan - Mount Popa - Mandalay

Climb Mount Popa, an extinct volcano (option: Air balloon over bagan)

Accommodation: Hotel in Mandalay

Meals: Breakfast

Optional morning program: We are offering a unique opportunity to see the ancient city of Bagan as it has never been seen before. With "Balloons Over Bagan" you get a magnificent birds-eye view of thousand year-old pagodas, temples and the mighty Ayeyarwaddy River. The champagne flights at sunrise last just under an hour and take off daily from October through March. The balloon is guided by gentle winds not exceeding 24 km/h. Eight/Six passengers plus a pilot fit into the balloon’s basket.
 
Proceed on a scenic overland journey to Mount Popa, an extinct volcano with its shrine dedicated to animist spirits, known as “Nats”. For the most athletics, climb the 777 steps to reach the shrine at the top of the volcanic plug. Continue by road and head to Mandalay, the former capital of Myanmar.
Day 05

Mandalay - Amarapura - Mandalay

Make the most of Mandalay with a complete sightseeing tour

Accommodation: Hotel in Mandalay

Meals: Breakfast

Take a sightseeing tour of Mandalay, Myanmar’s cultural capital.

Visit Mahagandayon, a famous Buddhist monastery, where more than a thousand monks live and study. Continue to the 200-year-old U Bein teak bridge, built in 1782 at the time when Amarapura was the royal capital. Visit Bagaya Monaster, with a superb collection of Buddha statues. En route, stop at a traditional hand-weaving silk workshop.
 
The afternoon sightseeing tour includes Mahamuni Pagoda with its spectacular Buddha image covered with thick layers of gold leaves. Assist to a Gold Leaf Making and a Tapestry Workshop. Discover Shwe Inbin, one of the most outstanding monasteries in the country. Shwe Nan Daw Kyung and Golden Palace Monstery are superb examples of traditional wooden building. Kuthodaw Pagoda is famous for its world’s largest book consisting of 729 marble slabs engraved with Buddhist scriptures. Enjoy a beautiful sunset from Mandalay Hill and spend the night in Mandalay.
Day 06

Mandalay - Mingun - Ava - Sagaing - Mandalay

Cruise the Irrawaddy River

Accommodation: Hotel in Mandalay

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, transfer to the jetty and board on a private chartered boat for a cruise over the Irrawaddy River, towards the former capital of Mingun. After a 45 minutes 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. 
 
Excursion to the former royal capital of Inwa (Ava), reached by a short boat trip. On a horse-drawn carriage, explore Nanmayint Watch Tower, the remains of the palace building nicknamed "leaning tower of Ava" and Maha Aungmye Bonzan Monastery built of brick and stucco and Bargayar Monastery, famous for its impressive ornate woodcarvings and teak posts.

Continue to Sagaing Hills, a retreat for Buddhist devotees, to watch a lovely sunset.
Day 07

Mandalay - Heho - Pindaya - Inle Lake

Fly to Heho, a countryside scenic drive leads you to Inle Lake and its floating villages

Accommodation: Hotel in Inle Lake

Meals: Breakfast

After a breakfast at your hotel, transfer to the airport for the flight to Heho.

Continue by car and enjoy a scenic drive to Pindaya through the picturesque countryside of Shan State. Visit Pindaya’s limestone cave with its maze of chambers displaying more than 8,000 Buddha statues, and local handicraft workshops producing Shan paper (made from mulberry bark) and traditional umbrellas (made from the same paper that are used by monks all around the country).
 
Continue the trip to Inle Lake, one of Myanmar's best-known sights. The Intha people, a tribe of Mon descent, inhabit the lakeshores and floating villages. On arrival at Nyaung Shwe village, check-in at your hotel (for hotels with lake location, transfer by boat).
Day 08

Inle Lake - Inn Thein - Inle Lake

Sail on the Inle Lake and explore typical villages

Accommodation: Hotel in Inle Lake

Meals: Breakfast

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.
Day 09

Inle Lake - Heho - Yangon

Sail on the Inle Lake and fly back to Yangon from Heho

Accommodation: Hotel in Yangon

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, a full day tour of Inle Lake by boat includes a chance to see the leg-rowing fishermen and the floating gardens, built up from strips of water hyacinth and mud and anchored to the bottom with bamboo poles. Visit a floating village at Ywama, the lake’s downtown, where a floating market is held every five days. The tour also includes a visit to Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the weaving village of Inpawkhon and the jumping cat monastery, with beautiful antique Buddha statues. Continue sailing on the lake.

In the afternoon, transfer to Heho Airport for the flight back to Yangon.
On arrival, transfer to your hotel an overnight in Yangon.
Day 10

Yangon Departure

Enjoy Yangon at your own pace and say goodbye to our team at Yangon International Airport

Accommodation: None

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, visit the Botahtaung Pagoda with its amazing relic chamber including million dollar worth Jem stone.

Free time to enjoy the colonial city center of Yangon, including China town.

Transfer to Yangon International Airport for a departure in late afternoon.

Price

  • We can customize this itinerary to meet your specific needs.
  • Please click the yellow button Send Enquiry This Tour to get our free quotes.

TOUR INCLUSIONS

For your peace of mind, our tours are designed to include as much as possible in the price, but also to give you the freedom to find a special place to eat or to seek out an independent adventure that especially appeals to you.
Trip Inclusions
  • Accommodation with breakfast at hotels
  • All domestic airfares with airport tax (Yangon-Bagan/Mandalay-Heho-Yangon)
  • Transfers at all visited places and tours with good tourist class car with air-conditioned
  • English speaking local guide
  • Boat rental at Inle Lake
  • Entrance fees
  • Inn Dein visit
Trip Exclusions
  • All meals (Lunch & Dinner)
  • Baloon ride over Bagan
  • Entry Visa fee 
  • International air tickets to/from Yangon

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