9 DAYS / 8 NIGHTS - MYANMAR ESSENTIAL 2

(YANGON - GOLDEN ROCK - YANGON - BAGAN -  KYAUK GU I MIN - HEHO - INLE LAKE - HEHO - PINDAYA - INLE LAKE -  INDEIN - HEHO - MANDALAY)
 

DAY 1: YANGON / ARRIVAL

Upon arrival at Yangon International Airport welcome by our local guide and transfer to your Hotel. In the afternoon drive to Mawtin Jetty and take a rickshaw for a short trip along the Yangon River. Then visit Chaukhtatkyi Pagoda (a huge reclining Buddha), Karaweik Hall, a Royal floating barge on the Royal Lake for a photo stop. Late in the afternoon, visit the Shwedagon Pagoda described by Somerset Maugham: "The Shwedagon rose superb, glistening with its gold, like a sudden hope in the dark night of the soul of which the mystics write, glistening against the fog and smoke of the thriving city." This massive bell-shaped stupa rises nearly 100 meters above its hill-top surroundings. Wander through this magnificent structure and its courtyards, stupas, bells, Temples, and Buddha images, and see religious and secular visitors from all parts of the globe. Shwedagon has become the symbol of Myanmar. Enjoy the sunset over the Pagoda. Overnight in Yangon.

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DAY 2: YANGON - KYAKTIYO  (GOLDEN ROCK)

Early morning drive to Kyaiktiyo – Golden Rock (appr. 5 hrs. drive). On arrival at Kinmon Base Camp, take an open truck to Hermit Hill (appr. 45 mins drive). From here, continue the journey up to Golden Rock Pagoda on foot (nowadays you can drive with a pick up till to the entrance of the Golden Rock Pagoda.) Visit the Golden Rock a small stupa placed atop the Golden Rock, a massive granite boulder. Covered with gold leaf, and precariously balanced over the edge of the mountain, it is reported to be held in place, “balanced on hairs of the Buddha”. Watch hundreds of pilgrims lighting candles, incense, and worshipping at this sacred monument, and enjoy the sun setting behind it. Enjoy the early after dark activities at the shrine. Overnight in Kyaikhityo.

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DAY 3: GOLDEN ROCK - BAGO - YANGON 
After breakfast walk part way down the mountain, and then continue the journey by car to the small village of Kyaikhto. At around 10 am arrive in Bago and visit one of the biggest monasteries in Myanmar.  Watch  how over 1000 monks are waiting in line for their rice to be filled in their monks’ bowl. Continue to  the Shwethalyaung Pagoda (Reclining Buddha), the Shwemawdaw Pagoda and walk from there to the Hintha Gon Pagoda, the place where Bago was founded. Before returning to Yangon vist Kyauk Pun Pagoda for a photo stop on the way to Yangon. Late afternoon arrival in Yangon. Overnight in Yangon.

 

DAY 4:  YANGON - BAGAN

Early morning flight to Bagan. Today enjoy the whole day at the most extensive archaeological site in Asia. Bagan has over 2,000 temples and pagodas of various sizes in varying states of repair and spread across the plain. Shwezigon Pagoda, built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century as a religious shrine; Gubyaukgyi, a temple with exquisite murals of Jataka scenes and Ananda Temple with four huge standing Buddha images and numerous seated figures and niches around the galleried interior. In the afternoon visit lacquer ware home industry; Manuha Temple built in Mon style from 1059 and Nanphaya Temple, said to have once been the residence of King Manuha; Gu Byauk Gyi Temple (Wet Kyi Inn), which has very nice frescoes inside. Enjoy sunset over terraces of the Shwesandaw Pagoda. Overnight in Bagan.

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DAY 5:  BAGAN  by bicycle & by boat

Explore Bagan this morning by bike and in the afternoon by boat. First drive to the colourful morning market. Sip a typical Burmese tea or indulge in one of the tasty breakfast noodles at one of the tea-shops.  Then paddle to a novice monastery where you meet the young monks and learn about their daily life (age 5 to 20). Some of the kids mothers are the ‘long neck ladies’ who sell souvenirs at the Inle Lake.  Now leave the main archeological zone to discover a different side of Bagan. Visit two or three of the 19 villages of Bagan where you will have the opportunity to interact with villagers and observe  how cart wrights make traditional bullock carts or  watch how the skillful artists weave bamboo and horsehair cups. 

In the afternoon have a transfer to the Bagan boat jetty where you board a private river boat and sail upriver toward Kyauk Gu U Min. Enjoy amazing scenes of life on the water: fishermen, local ferry boats, riverside villages and views of the Bagan temples, you name it. 

 

Upon arrival  at Kyauk Gu U Min have a ten minute walk  to this beautiful temple with its exquisite stone carvings depicting religious figures and flowers on the door. The temple itself is built against the side of cliff. On the way back to the jetty you might be luck to watch a spectacular sunset. Overnight in Bagan.

 

DAY 6:  BAGAN - HEHO - PINDAYA - INLE LAKE

Take a morning flight to Heho. Upon arrival drive to Pindaya (appr. 1½ hours drive), a charming village with its paper umbrella cottage industry. Visit the Pindaya cave, famous for its thousands of Buddha images and the paper umbrella cottage industry. After your lunch time continue to Nyaung Shwe (appr. 3 hrs. drive), and visit Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery, which is more than 150 years old. This monastery is a favorite spot for photographers because of its unusual oval shaped windows. You should also not miss the Shwe Yan Pyay Pagoda just beside the monastery. There is cave like corridor around the stupa and the walls are decorated with amazing glass mosaic which also have Buddhas in the niches. Overnight at Inle Lake.

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DAY 7:  INLE LAKE & INDEIN

After breakfast enjoy a whole day on picturesque Inle Lake. Take an Inthar Style sampa for your excursion on Inle Lake (25 km) famous for its unique one-leg rowers, typical floating gardens, local methods of fishing and village life. Visit the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda housing five sacred and almost shapeless Buddha images, contorted because of the quantity of applied gold leaf, gifts from the believers. The Buddha images are reported to have come here in the 12th Century. In the afternoon, proceed to the silk weaving village of In Phaw Khon and visit Nga Phe Chaung (the biggest and oldest monastery around Inle Lake). In the afternoon proceed to Indein (appr. 1 ½ hour drive) to see the ancient Bagan + Shan style pagodas, built during Bagan Period, passing the beautiful scenery with tall grasses and little water steps. The ruin pagodas, hidden in the bushes will give you an impression that you were back to the 12th century. Overnight at Inle Lake.

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DAY 8:  INLE LAKE - HEHO  - MANDALAY  - AMARAPURA

After breakfast transfer to the airport for the flight to Mandalay. 

Upon arrival drive into Mandalay city and visit the Mahamuni Pagoda, with its spectacular Buddha image covered in thick layers of gold leaf. From here proceed to a little workshop which produces the famous gold leaves this ‘MUST SEE’ is one of the still ancient gold leaf producer (yes the leaves which are now decorating the Mahamuni Buddha). Time surely stood still here. Half-naked men in over 20 gold leaf workshops in Mandalay pound 12 gram gold pieces into the thinnest flat gold sheet ever:  0.75 inch wide and 5 feet long which then divided into 200 pieces. A coconut timer counts each time for 3 minutes and few seconds to sink completely into water… Follow the whole procedure! Then visit the Shwenandaw Monastery, noted for its exquisite wood carvings, Atumashi Monastery, the “Incomparable Monastery”, and the Kuthodaw Pagoda, known as the world’s Biggest Book for its stone slabs of Buddhist scriptures. Finally drive up to Mandalay Hill, a vantage-point for panoramic view of the city. One famous song in Myanmar said “if you want to live long, you have to go Mandalay Hill.

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In the afternoon proceed to Amarapura the “City of Immortals” and once the capital of upper Burma until 1850. As was the custom, most of the important wooden palaces and monasteries were taken down and transported to the new capital in Mandalay. Visit to a house of hand weaving looms, where, they produce silk and cotton textiles. Amarapura’s silk has a very unique pattern, sometimes; some patterns even take 3 months to finish a longyi. Then have a leisure walk at U Bein teak wood bridge, which is over 150 years old. Atmosphere during sunset is sometimes spectacular!

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DAY 9: MANDALAY - JADE MARKET - INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT/DEPARTURE
Early breakfast and before heading to the airport your guide will pick you up at the hotel to get started for an amazing morning experience.  Drive to 86th street for a walking tour of the surrounding streets. Mandalay is strategically located in Northern Myanmar, nearby the ruby, gold and jade mines and this has welcomed the merchants from China, India and Thailand who contributed to the jade market’s flourishing.  Here you discover white, yellow and green jade which can  be found in all forms, from its raw, unpolished state to beautiful handcrafted jewelry.  Watch skilled craftsmen cut and polish the stones on wet saws and sellers and buyers involved in negotiating the best price. It is now the busiest time of the day! Before heading to the airport snack at one of the numerous tea shops.