HIGHLIGHTS OF MYANMAR 12 days / 11 nights Yangon – Mandalay – Bagan – Inle Lake Day 1/ Yangon arrival Day 3/ Yangon – Mandalay – Amarapura (B,L) Arrive in Yangon and transfer to your hotel for check in. Early morning, transfer to the airport for flight to Mandalay. Arrive in Mandalay and visit to Day 2/ Yangon (B,L) Mahagandayone Monastery - home to several thousand Begin the city tour with the 2000-year old Sule Pagoda, young monks where you can watch the whole monastery Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda with an impressive 216 ft-long having their meal in silence. Lunch will be served at local reclining Buddha image. Continue to Bogyoke Market, restaurant. After lunch transfer to hotel check in. formerly known as Scott’s Market, where there is time to Afternoon, visit Mandalay Hill, known for its abundance browse through the dozens of stalls and shops. This is of pagodas and monasteries, and has been a major Yangon’s best market for handicrafts and other goods. pilgrimage site for Burmese Buddhists for nearly two (Note: Market is closed on Mondays and public holidays). centuries. Continue on to visit the 200 year old U Bein Return to hotel. Late this afternoon, visit the spectacular Bridge built in 1728 at the time when Amarapura was golden Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the most sacred Royal capital. The bridge was constructed of 984 teak Buddhist pagodas in Myanmar. Enjoy the sunset view posts that were once part of the deserted Inwa Palace over Yangon city and across river from the platform. The and it is 1.2 kilometers in length making it the world’s rest of evening is free at leisure. longest teak span. Enjoy a stroll along the bridge and the Note: Scott’s Market closed on Monday & Gazette fabulous views of the surrounding farms and streams. Holiday Overnight in Mandalay. Email: [email protected] | Tel: +84 28 3832 9868 | Website: www.vexploretravel.com Day 4/ Mandalay – Mingun (B,L) handmade products. Then transfer to Mandalay airport After breakfast ,transfer to Jetty and take excursion by for late afternoon flight to Bagan. Arrive Nyaung Oo local boat to Mingun(Approx. 1hr). Visit Mingun Bel; the airport, transfer to hotel check in. world largest uncracked bell, weighing 90 tons. Then continue to Hsinbyume, the unfinished Pagoda built as Day 6/ Bagan (B,L) one of the world's largest cherish by King Bodaw Paya. Today, tour start at Nyaung U colorful Market, then After lunch, we sail back to Mandalay visit the famous Shwezigon Pagoda built by King Anawrahta in the early Mahamuni Pagoda and stop to see stone carving and 11th century as a religious shrine; Ananda Temple, a later to see gold leaf being beaten. In the afternoon time whitewashed masterpiece of Mon architecture with four , visit Kuthodaw Pagoda, the world’s largest book made standing Buddhas, and the adjacent brick monastery of marble and visit the Shwe Kyaung Monastery excellent with the beautiful , well-preserved 18th century murals. example of a traditional wooden building. Overnight in Continue to visit the Thatbinnyu Temple known as Mandalay. “temples of omniscience” dating from 1144. Visit the Handicraft and Lacquerware Craft Center and Workshop. Day 5/ Mandalay – Sagaing – Ava – Bagan (B,L ) In the afternoon, visit the Damayangyi Temple (the Early morning drive to cross a bridge over the massive temple in Bagan). Experience a local horse–cart Ayeyrawaddy River to Sagaing. Covered with 600 white- ride (15 mins) to enjoy the sunset. Transfer back to hotel, painted pagodas and monasteries, Sagaing Hill is widely evening is free at leisure. regarded as the religious center of Myanmar. It is home to 3,000 monks and 100 meditation centers and you will Day 7/ Bagan (B) visit pagodas such as Swan Oo Pon Nya Shin and U Min Today we set out to discover Bagan, “city of four million Thone Sae. You’ll also visit Sagaing’s local market, a pagodas” and one of the richest archaeological sites in all typical Burmese market that few tourists visit. Here you of Asia. With some 2,000 pagodas, temples, and will find a range of items for sale including locally made monasteries (still standing) spread over a 16-square-mile pottery, silver and other handicrafts. You will also stop at site on the Eastern shores of the Irrawaddy, Bagan distills a small pottery village to see the process of the the very essence of Myanmar’s Buddhist culture. ubiquitous water pots found throughout Myanmar. Early morning, enjoy the spectacular panoramic sunrise Then continue south of the city to Ava, the capital from view from Shwesandaw Pagoda, the second highest 14th to 18th centuries, just a short ferry ride will take you pagoda in Bagan. After breakfast, we visit Manuha across the river to the horse and carriage that is waiting Temple, built in Mon Style in 1095, the Nanbaya Temple, for you. Visit the old wooden Bagaya Monastery and the a unique sandstone monument, said to have been the remains of the Royal Palace and Fort. There are many palace of King Manuha, and Myingaba Gu Byaukgyi small villages located amid Ava’s ruins and as you travel Temple, noted for its ancient mural paintings under the by horse and cart you’ll get a glimpse of local life in the protection of UNESCO. Also visit Lawka Nandar Stupa, Burmese countryside. We’ll stop for lunch in Ava before Sulamani Pagoda meaning "Crowning Jewel" built in returning to our car. On you return to the city, stop at a 1181 by King Narapati Sithu. This afternoon we silk-weaving workshop which produces exquisite encounter Bagan’s rich artistic heritage as we see artisans craft lacquerware. Then enjoy sunset along the Ayeyarwaddy River. Return to hotel late afternoon. Overnight in Bagan. Day 8/ Bagan – Mt.Popa – Bagan (B,L) In the morning start your tour with a horse-cart ride through some of the temple areas, for a final glimpse of the temples. Continue heading through the dry flatlands toward Mt. Popa. Along the way, stop at a small village where the locals make a variety of treats from the juice of the palm tree. Have lunch at a mountain resort surrounded by forests and with a swimming pool. This is a great place to relax and enjoy the natural beauty of Myanmar. After lunch climb up 777 steps to the top of the monastery at Mount Popa. The monastery is built on Email: [email protected] | Tel: +84 28 3832 9868 | Website: www.vexploretravel.com the top of a volcanic plug, caused by the nearby volcano, traditional outfits. Wander amid the stalls where your Mount Popa. It rises 737 meters above sea level and guide will explain the local produce and goods for sale. stands out awkwardly on the landscape, like a lone Stop at Inthar Heritage House to learn more about the skyscraper in a city of shacks. From below, the gold at the history and culture of the lake’s indigenous people. Enjoy top shimmers in the Myanmar sun. Along the staircase to lunch at one of the local restaurants in the area. Proceed the top, various temples and shrines provide a chance for to the village of Inpawkhone to observe the traditional rest and spiritual reflection on why you’re tackling such silk-weaving techniques of Inthar people. Inpawkhone is a climb. This monastery is a popular pilgrimage site for also known for its weaving from the stems of lotus Myanmar people. The drive back to Bagan takes a little flowers, a time-consuming process that results in high- over an hour. Overnight in Bagan. quality materials, famous throughout the country. You also visit a cheroot factory where local Burmese cigars Day 9/ Bagan – Heho – Inle LaKe (B) are rolled by hand. Then visit silversmiths and Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Nyaung Oo airport for blacksmiths still using ancient techniques to create their departure to Heho by morning scheduled flight . Arrive wares. Transfer back to Hotel. Heho airport and drive to Nyaung Shwe Jetty by passing through Shan Plateau and green fields which are ringed Day 11/ Inle LaKe – Indein – Heho – Yangon (B) by the cool green hills of the highlands of the Shan State. Breakfast at hotel. Travel to Indein, on the southwestern At 1300 meters above sea level, Inle Lake is seemingly a shores of the lake. The boat will travel down a small canal world apart from the rest of Myanmar. Explore the lake leading to the Pa-oh village of Indein. Explore the area on by boat to see “one-legged rowing” fishermen, floating foot, strolling around the village, stopping to chat to the markets, and villages and temples that sit on floating locals and observe their traditional lifestyles. Then islands. Visit the “Ancient monastery - Ngaphachaung”, wander through the beautiful Alaung Sitthou area, filled the cottage industries, and the colorful hill tribes in the with picturesque stupas and magnificent views of the mountains for their special handwoven silk fabrics. lake. Transfer to Heho airport for departure to Yangon by Transfer to hotel check in by boat. Overnight in Inle Lake. evening flight. Arrive Yangon airport and transfer to hotel. Day 10/ Inle LaKe – Inthar Village (B,L) Breakfast at hotel. Today begins with a visit the morning Day 12/ Yangon Departure (B) market, which rotates locations on a 5-day basis. (Note: Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to International airport for there are no markets on full moon or dark moon days). departure. Have a safe trip! This daily market attracts people from all over the lake’s shores who gather to buy and sell their wares- if you are MEAL CODE lucky, you may see Pa-Oh, Inthar and Shan people in their B: BREAKFAST L: LUNCH D: DINNER Tour cost included: • Private air-conditioned vehicle • Local English speaking guide in each city • Accommodations on Double/Twin share with daily breakfast • Meals (excluding drinks) as specified • Sightseeing fee as specified, on a private basis • Government tax and services charges • Complimentary drinking water Tour cost excluded: • Visas • Personal expenses • Tips or gratuities • Airfares • Insurance and bank fee Email: [email protected] | Tel: +84 28 3832 9868 | Website: www.vexploretravel.com .