Wonders of the Golden Land-Myanmar

You can book your flight to Yangon, or we’d be happy to make those reservations. Upon arrival at Mingaladon airport of Yangon (previously known as Rangoon), our local guide will meet and take us to our hotel. After some rest in the hotel, we can explore this 2,500-year-old capital city of Myanmar.

We can begin from the gilded Sule Pagoda and the impressive Karaweik Hall on the Royal Lake, then the famous Shwedagon Pagoda, which dominates the skyline of the city. This masterpiece houses an intricate complex of smaller pagodas and Buddha images.

Overnight hotel in Yangon.

After breakfast, it’s off to the airport for our flight to Bagan. At Bagan airport, our local guide will take us to our hotel. Then we can explore the archeological wonders of Bagan, a town that flourished from the 11th through 13th centuries, during which there was the construction of thousands of magnificent stupas and temples. Many of them are still standing with all glory along the banks of the Irrawaddy River.

We visit the vibrant market of Nyaung U, then drive to the archaeological zone to visit the temples and pagodas of Shwezigon, Gubyaukgyi, Htilominlo, Ananda, Thatbyinnyu Sulamani, Dhammyangyi, all of which speak of their glorious past. In the evening, we can enjoy the spectacular sunset from the terrace of Myaukguni Temple and conclude the tour of the day.

Overnight hotel in Bagan. 

This morning, we head southeast 48 km (30 miles) to Mount Popa, an extinct volcano with a height of 1,518 m (4,979 ft.). We climb to the top of the volcano ridge for the stunning views of the surrounding countryside. Mount Popa has played an important role in Myanmar culture, religion, and history since the earliest times. It is believed to be the abode of the “Nats,” ancient Burmese animist spirits. As we climb the stairs to the top, we will get to learn about the Nats and Nat rituals.

We will have a lunch break in a local restaurant (pay on your own). Then we will head to Salay, an important Buddhist center with many active monasteries. Salay created a unique style of Bagan-era architecture, including the Yok Stone Kyaung Monastery, one of the oldest in the area. Today, time permitting, we can also take a sunset boat ride on the Ayeyarwady River.

Overnight in the hotel.

This morning we have a flight to Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city. After setting in at our new hotel, we set out to explore the wonders of Mandalay.

We can visit the three former royal capitals, Amarapura, Sagaing, and Inwa, each with its charm and atmosphere. We begin at Amarapura’s Mahagandayon Monastery, where we watch monks and novices line up to receive their daily alms and food from faithful Buddhists. Next, Sagaing, the spiritual center of Myanmar, abundant with hundreds of stupas, monasteries, temples, and nunneries.

We cross the river by ferry, on this fantastic day, to the ancient capital of Inwa, situated on the shores of the Irrawaddy River, which is now a quiet rural oasis. We can enjoy a leisurely horse carriage ride in the peaceful countryside and visit the beautiful teak wood monastery. On the way, we stop at a workshop where locals make the famous alms bowls out of iron.

We conclude the day at U Bein‘s Bridge in Amarapura. It is a picturesque teak bridge that extends more than one kilometer across Taungthaman Lake. At dusk, the bridge is swarmed by monks and local people as they stroll home or linger to enjoy the colors of the sunset.

Overnight hotel at Mandalay. 

This morning, we visit Mahamuni Paya, enshrined with the Mahamuni Image, and covered in more than six inches of gold leaf. The image is probably the most revered Buddhist image in Myanmar. Devotees flock to the shrine at four in the morning to observe the unique face-washing ceremony. En route to the pagoda, we will stop at a workshop to see the amazing and challenging process of making gold leaf. We may also stop by a craft shop.

More options include the Golden Teak Monastery, built entirely of golden teak with an intricate carving. The monastery was once the part of Mandalay Palace, used by King Mindon and his chief wife as their private chamber. Next, we can visit Kyaukawgyi Paya, known for a seated Buddha, carved out of a single marble block. The Kuthodaw Paya, a vast walled temple complex, is at the base of the southeast stairway to Mandalay Hill. King Mindon built Kuthodaw Paya at about the same time as the Mandalay Royal Palace.

This afternoon, we board a ferry up the Irrawaddy River from Mandalay to a laidback riverside village of Mingun. We can enjoy the serene beauty of the river and glimpse the lives of the people who live and work on these waters. It takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour to arrive at Mingun, but we can see the attractions of Mingun luring us from far away. There is the 12-foot-high, 87-ton Mingun Bell, which is the world's largest bell. Just south of the bell lies Mingun Pagoda, a giant brick structure built in the 1700s. It never got completed due to economic troubles, but it is still an impressive sight. Mingun's other attraction that we don’t want to miss is the Hisnbyume Pagoda, a white-washed temple built to resemble Mount Meru. Mingun is full of small neighborhoods crafting traditional basketry and other artistic items. We’ll have plenty of opportunities to stop by and interact with the craftsmen and friendly locals.

We take the ferry ride back at dusk, floating through the river’s beautiful colors.

Overnight hotel in Mandalay.

After breakfast, we embark on our overland journey to Kalaw, which will take most of the day. We will pass by small towns and villages and get glimpses of rural life away from the cities.

Kalaw, situated at an elevation of 4,000 feet on the western edge of the Shan Plateau, served as a popular retreat during British Era. It is still a peaceful and quiet place with an atmosphere reminiscent of those colonial days. The small population here is a mix of Shan, Indian Muslim, Bamar, and Nepalese ethnics.

Overnight hotel in Kalaw.

Today we embark on the tour of Kalaw. We begin from Thein Taung Pay, a temple perched on the hill overlooking the main road. There are many Western-style buildings still standing in Kalaw, including Christ the King Church, founded by an Italian missionary. We will also take a light trek to a nearby hill tribe village. One of the primary sources of income is the cultivation of large leaves used to wrap Burmese cigars.

After the trek, we continue overland to Inle Lake, where we will take a ferry ride to get to the hotel.

Overnight hotel in Ine Lake. 

Inle Lake, situated Shan State, is beautiful, with calm waters dotted with patches of floating vegetation and fishing canoes. The lake is surrounded by high hills on all sides, with 17 villages on the lakeshore and islands. Intha ethnic people mostly inhabit the villages. Our boating trip takes us through spectacular scenery with skilled fishers using their leg-rowing technique to propel themselves around the lake. We visit the floating gardens, a floating market, and an Intha village. Please note that markets do not take place on full moon days. We will also visit the Phaung Daw Pagoda and the Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery.

Later in the day, a ferry ride takes us back to the lakeshore to meet our journey to the airport for flight to Yangon. Our local guide will get us to our hotel.

Rest of the day, you are on your own to pursue your interests.

Overnight hotel in Yangon.

Transfer to the airport for flight back home or next destination.