Vantage World Travel

Myanmar Joint Tour - 13D/12N

Myanmar, the country formerly known as Burma, is one of the few truly original travel experiences remaining in this much-traveled world. Decades of social and economic isolation have preserved here many of the traditional features, physical and cultural, which have been lost in other Asian countries. Myanmar is a captivating travel destination - for its diversity of sightseeing, for the wealth of cultural and scenic attractions it can offer and, above all, for the warmth and friendliness of its charming people.

YANGON - Capital and main gateway to Myanmar. Perhaps the last remaining authentic example of an Asian tropical city still true to its former colonial origins. Most famous for the unique and glittering Shwedagon Pagoda, but a wealth of other sights await visitors, including diverse temples, markets, beautiful gardens and lakes as well as impressive colonial-era buildings.

BAGAN - One of the richest archaeological sites in Asia, a huge area containing literally thousands of pagodas, stupas and temples, all set in a vast dusty plain beside the Ayeyarwaddy River. Memorable for its tranquility, as well as for its majesty.

MANDALAY - Second largest city and former Royal capital of Myanmar with many historical buildings and interesting sights, temples and pagodas . This is also a center for silk and cotton weaving, marble carving, bronze and silver crafts and kalaga tapestries. Excursions out of Mandalay include the monastery and pagoda covered hills of Sagaing, former ancient capitals of Amarapura and Ava, as well as the scenic trip upriver to Mingun, with its vast unfinished pagoda and world’s largest bronze bell.

Note: This tour is operated as either PRIVATE or SEAT-IN-COACH.

Included: Accommodation in shared twin rooms with daily breakfast. Half board (Breakfast & Dinner) - meals as specified in the program on table d’hôte basis. All entrance fees. Transfers and tours with English speaking local guides (or as specified). 1 Tour leader is free of charge as of a minimum of 15 full paying pax. Transportation by air-conditioned van/minibus/coach. Service charges, room tax and baggage handling.

Not Included: Travel insurance. Visa fee for Myanmar. International Airfare. Lunches for the whole trip. Expenditure of a personal nature, such as drinks, souvenirs, laundry etc. International airport tax in Yangon (US$10.- per person). Christmas and New Year’s dinner supplement. Services, which are not mentioned in above. Domestic airfares Yangon-Bagan-Mandalay-Heho-Yangon and domestic flight security tax (as above, separately quoted).

Accommodations
YANGON: KANDAWGYI PALACE HOTEL
KYAIKTIYO: GOLDEN ROCK HOTEL
BAGAN: MYANMAR TREASURE RESORT
MANDALAY: MANDALAY HILL RESORT
INLE LAKE: KHAUNG DAING VILLAGE RESORT

Itinerary

• DAY 01 Sunday: YANGON (-, -, D) - Upon arrival at YANGON airport you will be welcomed by your German speaking guide and transferred to your hotel. Your journey begins with an afternoon tour through Yangon. Visit the magnificent reclining Buddha at CHAUK HTAT GYI and stop for a photo at the KARAWEIK HALL, a ‘hamsa-bird-shaped’ floating barge on Kandawgyi (Royal) Lake. Complete your first day in Myanmar with an extended visit to one of the world’s most spectacular monuments, the SHWEDAGON PAGODA. Lunch to own account. Dinner and overnight stay at The Kandawgyi Palace Hotel (****, Superior room) or similar in Yangon.
• DAY 02 Monday: YANGON (B, -, D) - After breakfast, drive to the landmark STRAND HOTEL and have a look at PANSODAN JETTY to observe the busy life on Yangon River. Continue driving up PANSODAN STREET famous for some of Yangon’s most impressive colonial buildings. Start your walking tour at MAHABANDOOLA ROAD from where you have a perfect view on SULE PADOGA, CITY HALL and the HIGH COURT. Cross through the greens of MAHA BANDOOLA GARDEN before discovering the gold shops of SHWE BONTHA STREET. Go further on to KON ZAY DAN STREET and SHWEDAGON PAGODA ROAD before crossing through the animated INDIAN DISTRICT of ANAWRAHTA ROAD to reach an HINDU TEMPLE. Continue to the 31st STREET well known for second hand book shops as well as typical historical shop houses. Visit BOGYOKE (SCOTTS) MARKET with hundreds of food, clothes, handicrafts and gems stores. Complete walking time is about 1 ½ hours, whereas transportation waits at pre-detirmend locations to pick up passengers that prefer to drive. Lunch is to own account. In the afternoon we will visit the CHINESE TEMPLE in Chinatown and then head to the train station for a 20 minute ride on the circular line. This short ride will give you the opportunity to mix with the local people and observe the Yangon city life. Return transfer to hotel. Lunch to own account. Dinner and overnight stay at The Kandawgyi Palace Hotel (****, Superior room) or similar in Yangon.
• DAY 03 Tuesday: YANGON – BAGO – KYAIKHTIYO (B, -, D) - After breakfast, pick-up at your hotel for the drive to BAGO (84 km - 1½ hours). Visit the charming and characteristic monastery of KYA KHET WAII, an eminent teaching center for hundreds of monks from neighboring regions to study Buddhism. You will have ample time to observe the monks walk mindfully in procession for their last meal of the day. Proceed to the KIN PUN ‘base camp’ (110 km - 3 ½ hours). The tour will continue to one of Myanmar’s landmarks, which is famous for its precarious position and religious importance: KYAIKTIYO the ‘Golden Rock’, a huge boulder completely covered by gold leaf and delicately balanced on the edge of a cliff. To reach the pagoda from KIN PUN a steep 11 km road leads to the upper staging point. The journey is made sitting on benches in open trucks, which are very crowded and very uncomfortable (be advised of this before you decide to join this tour). The ‘upper area’ must be traveled by foot, at present, and the walk is approximately 4 km (1 hour) up a steep path which ascends some 500 m to the GOLDEN ROCK. If you wish to take a more comfortable approach, you can sit back and be carried in sedan chairs by four porters. This will incur an extra cost of approx. US$ 10.00 p.p. On arrival you can enjoy the beautiful sunset. Walk downhill to your hotel (45 minutes). Luggage will be carried by porters. Lunch to own account. Dinner at hotel and overnight stay at Golden Rock Hotel (**) in Kyaikhto.



• DAY 04 Wednesday: KYAIKHTIYO – BAGO – YANGON (B, -, D) - After breakfast you will return to YANGON (194 km - 5 hours). The drive back to Yangon will be a journey back in time as we will take you through rural landscapes including visits to a farming village, a small typical country side town, a pottery village as well as a Mon village that produces woven bamboo wares. We will also stop at the Allied War Graves cemetery near HTAUK KYAN and a “Nat” tree shrine. Upon arrival in Yangon, transfer to your hotel. Lunch to own account. Dinner and overnight stay at The Kawdawgyi Palace Hotel (****, Superior room) or similar in Yangon.
• DAY 05 Thursday: YANGON - BAGAN (B, -, D) - After early breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for domestic flight to BAGAN. Upon arrival, start your day with visits to the most significant pagodas and temples of Bagan. SHWEZIGON PAGODA, built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century as a religious shrine; KU BYANUK GYI, a temple with superb murals of Jataka scenes; KHAY MIN GA TEMPLE, noted for its panoramic view of the area’s numerous monuments and ANANDA TEMPLE, with four standing Buddha images. In the afternoon visit one of Myanmar’s most treasured handicrafts, a lacquerware craftsmen’s workshop in nearby MYINKABA village. You will continue to MANUHA TEMPLE, built in Mon style in 1059 and follow on to NANBAYA TEMPLE, a unique sandstone monument said to have been the palace of King Manuha. Proceed to BUPAYA PAGODA or MINGALA ZEDI STUPA to watch the sunset over the famous Ayeyarwaddy River. Lunch to own account. Dinner at a riverside restaurant and overnight stay at Myanmar Treasure Resort (***, Superior room) or similar in Bagan.
• DAY 06 Friday: BAGAN (B, -, D) - After breakfast, visit more temples including the site of TAYOKEPYAY TEMPLE in Min Nan Thu Village; PHAYA THONE ZU and NANDAMANYA TEMPLES noted for exquisite murals of 13th century and KYAT KAN CAVE monastery, a famous meditation retreat in Bagan. In the afternoon a visit to farming villages around Bagan will give you insight into the rural life of the local people. During the late afternoon a colorfully decorated ox-cart will take you through some of the more off the beaten track temple sights in the traditional way of transportation used by people in Myanmar’s countryside. Lunch to own account. Dinner with puppet show at local restaurant and overnight stay at Myanmar Treasure Resort (***, Superior room) or similar in Bagan.
• DAY 07 Saturday: BAGAN – MOUNT POPA - MANDALAY (B, -, D) - After breakfast, visit the colorful local market in Nyaung U. A 50 km drive (1 ½ hours) will then take you to MOUNT POPA, an extinct volcano with spectacular views. Its shrine is dedicated to animist spirits known as “nats” and you will have time to climb the 777 steps to the shrine at the top of the peak. The journey will then continue through varied agricultural landscapes (230 km - 6 hours) to MANDALAY. Some of the roads in Myanmar are in rather bad condition and guests should be prepared for a long and bumpy journey. Lunch to own account. Dinner at local restaurant and overnight stay at Mandalay Hill Resort (****, Superior room) or similar in Mandalay.
• DAY 08 Sunday: MINGUN - MANDALAY (B, -, D) - After breakfast, an excursion by boat on the AYEYARWADDY RIVER to MINGUN about 11 km (1 hour) upriver from Mandalay. Visit will start with the MINGUN BELL, a magnificent sight of the world’s largest un-cracked bell weighing 90 tons, and continues with HSINBYUME PAYA as well as the unfinished MINGUN PAYA, built as one of the world’s largest chedis by King Bodaw Paya. Return by boat to Mandalay. In the afternoon experience the sights and sounds of Mandalay including one of the most revered religious monuments in Myanmar, the MAHAMUNI PAGODA; the SHWE INBIN MONASTERY; the GOLDEN PALACE MONASTERY, a superb example of a traditional wooden building and KUTHODAW PAGODA the world’s largest book, made of marble. Mandalay is also a major crafts center. Visit a Kalaga tapestries craftsmen’s shop. Lunch to own account. Dinner at local restaurant and overnight stay at Mandalay Hill Resort (****, Superior room) or similar in Mandalay.



• DAY 09 Monday: AMARAPURA – AVA – SAGAING (B, -, D) - After breakfast, excursion to Amarapura, 15 km from Mandalay. 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. The city has been noted ever since for silk- and cotton weaving. Visit a traditional hand-woven silk workshop before proceeding to BAGAYA MONASTERY, with a superb collection of Buddha statues. In the afternoon excursion to the former Royal Capital of INWA (AVA) which is reached by a short boat trip. Visits by horse-drawn carriage to NANMYINT WATCH TOWER, the remains of the palace building nicknamed “the leaning tower of Ava“; MAHA AUNGMYE BONZAN MONASTERY, built of brick and stucco; BARGAYAR MONASTERY, famous for its impressive ornate woodcarvings and teak posts. Continue to SAGAING HILLS, a retreat for Buddhist devotees for sunset. Lunch to own account. Dinner at local restaurant and overnight stay at Mandalay Hill Resort (****, Superior room) or similar in Mandalay.
• DAY 10 Tuesday: MANDALAY – HEHO – PINDAYA – INLE LAKE (B, -, D) - After early breakfast, transfer to airport for domestic flight to HEHO. Upon arrival, proceed by road to PINDAYA (59 km – 2 hours) and visit PINDAYA CAVES, a unique site housing thousands of Buddha images placed there by pilgrims over the centuries. After lunch (to own account), drive to NYAUNG SHWE (90 km – 2 ½ hours) and transfer by boat to your hotel for check-in. Lunch to own account. Dinner and overnight stay at Khaung Daing Village Resort (**, Floating cottage built on stilts over Inle Lake) or similar hotel on the lake or in Nyaung Shwe.
• DAY 11 Wednesday: INLE LAKE (B, -, D) - After breakfast, board your boat to the western shore of the lake where you will find the beginning of a stair path leading to the hidden and unknown INN THEIN PAGODA complex. Visit one of the most amazing historical sights on the shore of the lake consisting of hundreds of small stupas overgrown by moss and greens. Continue on foot to a nearby village where several crops are grown in traditional ways. Walk at an easy pace along one of the many creeks passing through rice fields to the village of SAE MA. Visit the primary school of the village where you will have the possibility to meet the children and teachers to observe their way of learning and teaching. Step in a wooden canoe for an exciting ride down a narrow creek until you reach the PAUNG DAW OO PAGODA. Walk across to the weaving village of THA LAY. In the afternoon meet the people in the villages on the lake and travel to one of the monasteries to observe the monastic activities. Return by boat to hotel. Lunch is to own account. Dinner and overnight stay at Khaung Daing Village Resort (**, Floating cottage built on stilts over Inle Lake) or similar hotel on the lake or in Nyaung Shwe.
• DAY 12 Thursday: INLE LAKE - HEHO – YANGON (B, -, D) - After breakfast, excursion by boat on Inle Lake to see the famous leg rowers, typical floating gardens, local methods of fishing, village life and the magnificent scenery. Lunch to own account. In the afternoon transfer to HEHO airport (32 km – 1 hour) for domestic flight to YANGON. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel. Dinner and overnight stay at The Kandawgyi Palace Hotel (****, Superior room) or similar in Yangon.
• DAY 13 Friday: YANGON (B, -, -) - After breakfast, day at leisure until transfer to airport for international departure flight.

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