17 Days Mynanmar, including 5 days in the Golden Triangle

Day 01 YANGON / Arrival

Upon arrival at Yangon International Airport: welcome by our local tour guide and transfer to hotel. On your first walk through the city centre of Yangon and to the riverbank, you will see many notable sites from the colonial and religious past of this garden city. Old Rangoon was built based on designs by Dr William Montgomerie. He was a senior military physician who learnt about construction planning from Sir Stanford Raffles in Singapore. All culturally significant buildings in Yangon are listed as historic monuments. You’ll then enjoy ‘high tea’ at the Strand Hotel which was built in 1896 and was formerly known as the ‘the finest hostelry East of Suez’. Afterwards, you’ll go to the Botataung Pagoda where a sacred hair relic of Buddha is kept. You will spend the night in Yangon.

Day 02 YANGON (B)

After breakfast, you’ll travel through rural areas on the City Circular Train, with the opportunity to see cigarette sellers, betel nut traders, fortune tellers and much more at the various stops. Back in the city, you’ll visit the National Museum with the Lion Throne, which belonged to the last king of Myanmar, and the royal regalia from the Burmese kingdom of the 19th century. In the afternoon, you’ll visit the Kyaukhtatgyi Pagoda which features a 70-metre long reclining Buddha, the Kandawgyi Lake and its royal barge (with an opportunity to take pictures), and in the late afternoon, the world-famous Shwedagon Pagoda which Somerset Maugham described as follows: ‘The Shwedagon rises majestically, 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 100 metres above the surrounding mountains. You’ll wander through this magnificent building and its courtyards, stupas, bells, temples and statues of Buddha, and observe religious and secular visitors from all over the world. Shwedagon is the symbol of Myanmar. You can enjoy the sunset over the pagoda. You will spend the night in Yangon.

Day 03 YANGON – KYAING TONG (B)

Transfer to airport for your morning flight to Kyaing Tong, the former Shan capital. The sightseeing in Kyaing Tong begins at the Maha Myat Muni Pagoda, where a replica of the famous Mahamuni Buddha is kept, and a local monastery where monks learn to speak the ‘Khun’ language, which is very similar to the language spoken in northern Thailand. You will then travel onwards to a place where you will learn how lacquerware is embossed in the Shan region. Overnight stay in Kyaing Tong.

Day 04 KYAING TONG – PINTAUK – KYAING TONG (B)

After breakfast, travel to the Pin Tauk region. A rich blend of monsoon woodlands with views of rice plains that resemble a huge green patchwork quilt upon which water from the flooded rice fields glistens. On the way to Pintauk, you will visit the village of Yan Law and its Khun tribes, as well as the village of Wan Pauk and its Red Palaung tribes. Eventually, you will arrive in Pintauk, where the Lahu tribes are to be found. Your tour guide will introduce you to some local villagers who belong to these tribes. Some of them have been baptized as Christians, but other tribes still practice animism. It takes about three hours to visit the villages by car, including visits to the people’s homes. In the late afternoon, return to Kyaing Tong. Overnight stay in Kyaing Tong.

Day 05 KYAING TONG – WA VILLAGE – LAHU SHI – KYAING TONG (B)

After breakfast, travel west, to the Wa village of Konma. The Wa were once feared head-hunters. Nowadays, the Wa live off pears and other fruits. From here, the road leads to various Lahu Shi villages. You will have the opportunity here to become acquainted with the ‘black’ and ‘red’ Lahu way of life. In the late afternoon, return to Kyaing Tong. Overnight stay in Kyaing Tong.

Day 06 KYAING TONG – HO KYIN – KYAING TONG (B)

Early morning travel to Ho Kyin (approx. 1½ hours). Visit to the village of Hokyin, home of the Akha tribes, who still wear their traditional costumes with linked silver beads. A typical Akhu woman needs over an hour to get fully dressed in her costume. After this, you will visit three nearby Akha villages and see what everyday life looks like in this rural area. The hike is not difficult and can also be done at a slow pace. Return to Kyaing Tong in the afternoon. Overnight stay in Kyaing.

Day 07 KYAING TONG – MANDALAY (B)

Morning travel to the village of Palaung. The people there are famous for their traditional woven costumes. Then continue to the village of Kaw Ma, home to the Wan Nan Par tribes. Return to Kyaing Tong and visit the lively market with its wide array of local commodities, handcrafted products from the local tribespeople and goods from Thailand and China. Afternoon transfer to airport for your flight to Mandalay. Upon arrival, transfer to hotel, check-in and overnight stay.

Day 08 MANDALAY – AMARAPURA – MANDALAY (B)

Early morning walk through the city centre and go for a stroll around the vast Zegyo Market, which was originally designed in 1903 by an Italian architect. The Zegyo Market is a trading centre that connects the cities of upper and lower Myanmar. Various local and imported goods (mostly from China and Thailand) are traded here. The old, Italian-style market was destroyed and rebuilt with a modern design. The clock tower next to the Zegyo Market was built to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1903. Afterwards, visit the Mahamuni Pagoda, which was originally built in 1784 by King Bodawpaya; its gilded Mahamuni Buddha, the oldest Buddhist statue in Myanmar; and some of the famous craft workshops (wood carvings, marble workshops or gold leaf production). In the afternoon, travel to Amarapura: the ‘City of Immortality’. Along with the surviving pagodas, the ancient silk- and cotton-weaving tradition using handlooms is very much alive there. You will visit a mill where weaving is still performed using handlooms, take a rowing boat across Taungthaman Lake to the picturesque village of Taungthaman, and return at sunset to Amarapura via the U Bein bridge, which, at 1,200 metres in length, is one of the world’s longest teakwood bridges. You will spend the night in Mandalay.

Day 09 MANDALAY – MINGUN – MANDALAY (B, L)

After an early breakfast, climb the 1,729 steps up Mandalay Hill, a vantage point providing breathtaking panoramic views of the city and visit the Shwenandaw Monastery, famous for its exquisite wooden carvings; the Kuthodaw Pagoda, which, owing to its stone tablets with Buddhist inscriptions, is famous for containing the world’s largest book; and the Kusinara Pagoda, with a small museum where the monks will be happy to show you the Peshawar Relics. Then set off on your half-day excursion to Mingun. At the jetty, you will have enough time to observe the lively riverside goings-on and take a riverboat trip to the ancient capital city of Mingun (approx. one hour each way). Lunch on board. Visit the Settawya Pagoda, with its Buddha footprint, and the Mingun Bell, the largest ringing bell in the world; view the nearby unfinished Mingun Pagoda, built to be the world’s biggest pagoda and visit the Hsinbyume Pagoda, a replica of the mythological Mount Meru. In the late afternoon, return to Mandalay by boat. Overnight stay in Mandalay.

Day 10 MANDALAY – SAGAING – MONYWA (B, L)

After breakfast, cross the Ava Bridge towards Sagaing, located 21 kilometres south-west of Mandalay, and visit the Sagaing Hills, a place of refuge for devout Buddhists, with its various pagodas, monasteries and convents. Visit the village of Sagaing at the foot of Sagaing Hill, with its markets, shops and restaurants; the Tilawkaguru Cave Monastery, with its murals; the Umin Thounzeh cave complex, with its 45 Buddha statues; and the Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda, which was built in 1312. This location offers outstanding views of Sagaing. Lunch with the monks or nuns, who will provide you with a glimpse of everyday life within a monastery. In the afternoon, travel onwards to Monywa, a typical Burmese town on the banks of the Chindwin River. Upon arrival, visit the Thanboddhay Pagoda--an impressive complex which, with its over 500,000 small Buddha images, is particularly worth seeing, as are the cotton blanket weavers and makers of traditional lacquerware in the village of Kyauk Kar. You will be just in time to see the sunset over the Alantaya Pagoda, which is home to the largest reclining Buddha in Southeast Asia. It is over 90 metres in length. You will stay overnight in Monywa.

Day 11 MONYWA – PHO WIN DAUNG - PAKOKKU – BAGAN (B)

After breakfast, cross the Chindwin River and drive to the rarely visited Pho Win Daung temple complex, dating back to the 15th century, where more than 450,000 Buddha statues are carved into the mountain’s caves, alcoves and tiny niches. The cave paintings, in indigo blue and soft pastel tones, are still intact. Many of the Buddhas can also be viewed without entering the caves or niches. As long as they don’t enter the sanctuaries, visitors can keep their shoes on. A stunning Buddha not to be missed is the reclining Buddha resting on a rectangular stone mosaic that shimmers like a crystal glass.” Then travel onwards to Pakokku. En route stop in some villages to get a glimpse of the everyday lives of the people in this rural area. Upon arrival in Pakokku, a bustling tobacco trading centre, travel by private boat along the mighty Ayeyarwady River towards Bagan (approx. two hours). You will stay overnight in Bagan.

Day 12 BAGAN (B)

Today explore Bagan by bike or horse-drawn carriage--a city whose foundations were laid in the 2nd century AD and which was the Burmese royal capital until the 14th century. Here you will find the greatest historical buildings and richest ruins in Southeast Asia, which many view as surpassing even the temples of Angkor in Cambodia in size and presence. Nowadays, Bagan is a village that exudes an endless sense of tranquillity. The local inhabitants mostly make their living from agriculture and the production of lacquerware. You will constantly have wonderful views of the Bagan plains; countless pagodas and temples line the riverbanks. Overnight stay in Bagan.

Day 13 BAGAN – KALAW (B)

After an early breakfast, travel to Kalaw (approx. seven hours), a former British colonial town. Kalaw, another hill station and peaceful summer holiday destination, lies approximately 1,400 metres above sea level among pine-covered mountains. It is situated 70 kilometres west of Taunggyi. Many Tudor-style buildings and English gardens still remain from colonial times. Every five days, people in bright traditional costumes come from the Palaung villages and other mountain communities to the market at Kalaw, further adding to the attractiveness of this peaceful town. You will stay overnight in Kalaw.

Day 14 KALAW - PINDAYA – NYAUNG SHWE – INLE LAKE (B)

After breakfast, travel to Pindaya (approx. two hours), 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. In the afternoon, travel onwards to Nyaung Shwe (around 3½ hours), a small town located at the northern end of Inle Lake. From there, take a boat to the hotel to check in. You will spend the night on Inle Lake.

Day 15 INLE LAKE (B)

Boat trip along Inle Lake (25 kilometres in length), which is known for its unique one-leg rowers, typical floating gardens, local methods of fishing and village life out on the water. Today, you will also learn why the famous Shan crackers are so popular with the Burmese people. You will visit a small Intha village to help a family make the popular Shan crackers, which will then be offered for sale at the market. In the afternoon, take a canoe trip through the floating gardens. The floating flowerbeds are tied together in shallow water, which is mostly only around three metres deep, and produce abundant fruits which can be harvested several times a year. Overnight stay on Inle Lake.

Day 16 INLE LAKE – HEHO – YANGON (B)

Morning boat excursion to Indein (approx. one-hour journey) through a beautiful countryside of tall grasses and little water steps, to view the historical Bagan- and Shan-style pagodas built during the Bagan period. The decaying pagodas, hidden in bushes, officially date back to the 12th-13th century. Afternoon transfer to Heho Airport and return flight to Yangon. Upon arrival, transfer to hotel, check-in and overnight stay.

Day 17 YANGON / Departure (B)

You will have the morning free. Explore the Burmese metropolis on your own! If you’re feeling in the mood and want to experience the Burmese culture up close, then just take a trip on the public ferry across the Yangon River to Dala or a leisurely stroll through the Bogyoke market (closed Mondays and public holidays) for some last-minute shopping. There is a wide range of items for sale, including: wooden carvings, bronze statues, lacquer, mother-of-pearl cutlery, longyis and much more. Afternoon transfer to airport for your return flight.