Myanmar: Yangon-Bagan-Popa-Mandalay-Monywa-Maymio-Pindaya-Inle

 
 

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Day 1 Arrival Yangon

Arrival at the international airport in Yangon. Meet with the guide, transfer and lunch at htl restaurant. Afternoon: h/d panoramic tour of Yangon. Dinner with show at local restaurant. O/n in Yangon.

   
Day 2 Bagan
 

ABF. Trsf to apt. Flt to Bagan, the most scenic and historically important site in Myanmar. F/d tour of Bagan, including: the colorful Nyaungoo market, the famous Shwezigon pagoda, Kyanzittha Umin temple built as a tunnel, Gubyaukgyi temple and Htilominlo temple. Lunch at local restaurant on the bank of the Ayeyarwaddy river. Afternoon visit of a laboratory of the famous lacquer ware, then the beautiful Ananda temple, Manuha temple and Nampaya temple. Wonderful sunset from the top of one pagoda. Dinner at local restaurant with puppets show. O/n in Bagan.

     
Day 3 Second day Bagan
 

ABF. H/d tour to the interesting village of Minnanthu to witness the typical villagers life. Visit the temples of a later period with well preserved frescoes inside, and Kyat Kan cave monastery, a famous meditation retreat. Lunch at local restaurant. Afternoon h/d Bagan tour , including Thatbyinnu, the highest temple ( 61 m), Sulamani temple, and Shwesandaw pagoda. Fabulous sunset on the riverbank, at Bupaya pagoda. Dinner at local restaurant. O/n in Bagan

   
Day 4 Mandalay
 

ABF. H/d tour of mount Popa. About 50 km south-east from Bagan, is an extinct 1.520 meters high volcano, considered the legendary home of the Nats (spirits). The top can be reached walking barefoot on a steep and winding path. Lunch at local restaurant at Meikhtila. Continue to Mandalay by a scenic road. See the genuine villagers life. Dinner and o/n at Mandalay.

     
Day 5 Monywa
 

ABF. Departure for a tour of Amarapura, Mahagandayon monastery, Sagaing hills. Lunch at local restaurant. Afternoon proceed to Monywa on the eastern bank of the wide and placid Chindwin river, busy with boat traffic, and local people, bathing or washing. The 136 km journey takes about 3 hours drive. Monywa itself is a dusty town bustling with activity, but is particularly interesting for the unusual pagodas and temples you find here. Visit to a rural village with lacquer ware - making center. Dinner and o/n at Monywa hotel.

   
Day 6 Second day Monywa
 

ABF. F/d tour of Monywa ( lunch in local restaurant ) including: Pho Win hill ( by ferry boat, on the west bank) with impressive cave temples which house thousand Buddha images, either standing or reclining. Thanboddhay temple, comparable to Indonesia's world famous Borobudur temple because of similarities in the architectural design. It's stupas, terraces and pillars are intricately carved, and filled with Buddha's statues (more than 582.000). Lei Di inscription hall. Shwe Gu Ni pagoda in the lacquer ware village of Kyaukka. In the evening drive back to Mandalay. Dinner and o/n in hotel

   
Day 7 Mandalay
 

ABF h/d tour by local motorboat to Mingun, ancient royal town 11 km up-river from Mandalay. During the pleasant trip see the typical life on the river. Visit the unfinished huge pagoda, the biggest ringing bell in the world ( 90 tons weight) and the Myatheindan pagoda. Return to Mandalay. Lunch at local restaurant. Afternoon h/d Mandalay tour. Shwenandaw monastery with beautiful wooden carvings, sunset from Mandalay hill dinner at local restaurant. O/n in Mandalay.

   
Day 8 Maymyo
 

ABF and morning departure for a f/d tour of Maymyo, the "city of flowers", beautiful hill station (1.100 m ) 60 km from Mandalay (2 hours drive). Visit of the waterfall and the Buddha statue in the forest, then a cave of 250 m deep. Lunch in a local restaurant in Maymio. City-tour by horse-cart : the old colonial buildings, the local colorful market, and the botanical garden. Return to Mandalay dinner and o/n at hotel.

   
Day 9 Pindaya-Kalaw
 

ABF. Trsf to apt and flight to Heho, in the Shan State, also known as the Switzerland of Myanmar for the beautiful mountains and Lakes. Departure by road to Pindaya. Lunch at local restaurant. Visit of the famous caves of Pindaya, at Shwe U - min pagoda hill (nearly 9.000 Buddha statues in every dimension, style and materials together with stalagmites and stalactites). Proceed to the beautiful hill station of Kalaw, (1.320 m high). Dinner and o/n at htl in Kalaw.

   
Day 10 Inle lake
 

ABF. Drive to Inle through a panoramic road. Accommodation and lunch at htl in Nyaungshwe. Afternoon h/d s/s tour by boat of Inle Lake, magical place populated by the Inthas. Fishermen stroll their long narrow boats with a unique leg rowing motion, in silence and tranquility while the Lake is surrounded by mist-shrouded mountains. Visit the floating gardens and markets, visit Phaung Daw Oo pagoda and Ngaphechaung monastery, also famous for the jumping cats. Dinner and o/n at htl in Inle.

   
Day 11 Yangon
 

ABF. Trsf to Heho apt. Flight to Yangon. Arrival trsf and lunch at htl restaurant. H/d tour of Yangon: the Reclining Buddha ( 70 meter long) at Chaukhtatgyi pagoda, Kandawgyi Lake, and Shwedagon pagoda. Dinner at local restaurant. O/n in Yangon.

   
Day 12 Second day Yangon
 

ABF. H/d tour of Yangon including Botataung pagoda, Sule pagoda, Bogyoke market. Lunch at local restaurant. In the afternoon trsf to the International Airport for departure.