Myanmar Highlights 10 Days

Your tour guide will take you to the downtown and the classic journey tour will begin on Mahanbandola Road known as the location of Immanuel Baptist Church which was constructed in 1830. You will proceed to go to the east crossing a number of alleyways filled with food stalls and markets. Take the right turn onto Pansodan Street whose stalls selling used and photocopied books.

Before reaching Strand Road, you will pass some other places such as the High Court Building, Myanmar Port Authority building and the Inland Water Transport offices. You will take a stop at the outdoors of the grand Strand Hotel and wander around Strand Road until you will find the Customs House and the premium Law court - a magnificent colonnaded construction.

Head to the north onto the unruly Banh Street and to Sule Pagoda Road, where you are able to confer many fortune-tellers who go out under the trees. Make sure that you take a pause at Sule Pagoda Road which is considered to symbolize the downtown area as preserving its current structure for over 2,000 years and catch a view of Independence Monument and Mahabandoola Garden. After finishing a sequence of taking a look at the city Hall which has experienced reconstruction twice, continue to Mahanbandoola Road through the lively Indian and Chinese quarters.

Make an exploration to the gold shops of Shwa Bontha Street and take sight of the Moseh Yechua Synagogue located on 26th street. Then you will visit Theingyi Zei market, where you will stand a chance of participating in an interesting hunting of pickled-snake. Walk out onto Anawratha Road until you arrive to the Sri Kali temple - claimed as the most vibrant Hindu temples in Yangon. 

Visiting Kyaukhtatgyi Pagoda, you will be impressed by the giant Buddha statue which have the size equals to that of a blue whale. After that, take a stop at the Royal Lake uptown which gain its popularity among local citizens, especially at dusk and dawn. Take a glimpse of Karaweik Hall, a replica of a royal barge and enjoy a truly magnificent sight that the Golden Shwedagon Pagoda will give.

A journey to Myanmar wouldn’t be completed without paying a visit to the renowned Shwedagon Pagoda. Are you looking forward to an interesting expedition? The presence of delightful visual features makes this trip worthwhile.  Starting at the eastern staircase, you have no difficulty in finding a bunch of shops located at the base of temple which sell a variety of religious objects such as monks robes, alms bowls, offerings, incense and other distinctive Buddhist items.  Therefore, this is the must-go place in the itinerary of Asia Private Travels.

Your guide is always available to make it clear to you the use and principles of Myanmar’s Buddhist people. Catch the very moment of color transformation on the 100-meter chedi which have over 40 tons of gold leaf encircled. For Burmese, Shwedagon remains as the greatest religious site; most visitors claim that this journey is definitely unforgettable and still left a strong impression to them. 

Overnight stay at a hotel in Yangon.

• Transport:

  Car

• Meals:

  Breakfast

After breakfast, you will be taken to the airport in order to take a domestic flight to Bagan. Welcome to Bagan where is famous for being one of the most magnificent Asian architectural sites. In the past from 11th to 13 centuries to be specific, Bagan was the capital city of Myanmar and it owned numerous giant stupas and pagodas to the monarchs, which the Irrawaddy River remains some stores on the banks till these days.

One of the most outstanding features of a Myanmar holiday are the splendor of Bagan together with 3000 red brick religious constructions on a plain equals to the size of Manhattan Island. This mixture of breathtaking view will attract the attention of every visitor.

You will have a chance to visit Ananda Temple which is known as one of the most hailed of Bagan temples. With a view to creating every possible opportunity for you to engross yourself in the majesty of the temple in the most tranquil atmosphere, we will assure you that our visit comes to this site before others.

The tour continues with your chance to pay a visit to other temples belong to this campus which would definitely enable you to catch a view of a diversity of architectural styles in the area along with artistic masterpieces dated back 9th - 14th centuries. You are also able to get an insight into rural Bagan daily life while you wander around the temples because amongst the sites are the workplaces of farmers and families.

A next visit to two workshops making out the signature products of Bagan which are lacquer ware and wood crafts will enable you to experience the local culture. Your mind will be blown away as watching the professional craftsmen applying traditional techniques to produce these beautiful items.

Overnight stay at a hotel in Bagan.

• Transport:

  Fly

• Meals:

  Breakfast

After enjoying your breakfast at the hotel, you will be picked up by your tour guide and driver to start exploring Bagan. It begins with a visit to the energetic Nyaung Oo Market, which welcomes the local inhabitants to trade fresh products and other daily items. From this point, you will take a look around the Old Bagan beginning with a visit to the famous Shwezigon Pagoda which owned its construction as a religious monument to King Anawrahta in the early 11th century.

Travel pass lanes filled with dust and shady roads cross temples and monasteries to a small village. At one of these sites, you will stand a great opportunity of taking part in a distinguished traditional Buddhist ceremony.

Then you will travel on horse cart for an expedition that crosses many breathtaking sites namely Thatbyinnyu- the highest temple in Bagan, giant Dhammayangyi Temple which is known for its famous brickwork, and finally Sulamani Temple. Wallowing yourself in the glorious sunset picture from the upper terrace of one of the temples in the area.

Overnight stay at a hotel in Bagan.

• Transport:

  Car

• Meals:

  Breakfast

You will take a short flight to Mandalay this morning to continue your trip with Asia Private Travels! Then, you will be taken to the “City of Immortal” - Amarapura to visit the home and also the monastic school of thousands monks - Mahagandayon monastery.

After that we visit Mahamuni Pagoda. This pagoda houses one of the country’s most honored Buddha images, completely covered in gold leaves that are everyday applied to the statue by male devotees. Our next destination is Mahamuni Pagoda, where the national gold-plating Buddha images are situated. The statue is coated in gold on a daily basis by male devotees. 

Next onto the Kyauktawgyi Pagoda, hailed as the Great Marble Image’s pagoda which was built from a block of marble. It’s claimed that it took almost a fortnight for 10,000 men to transfer the massive marble block from the riverside to its current site. The tour goes on with a visit to” The World’s Biggest Book”- Kuthodaw Pagoda, this name comes from the fact that this pagoda contains up to 729 marble slabs etched to Buddhist texts. Then the Shwenandaw Monastery, this golden site is the only remaining construction of the Royal Palace in the 19th century. The amazing woodcarving contributed to this magnificent structure. 

Late in the afternoon, we will get to the great U bein Bridge, which was constructed in 1782 when all the attention was down to Amarapura. The length of this bridge is 1.2 km across the shallow Taungthaman Lake and it is recognized for being the longest teakwood bridge on the world. Take pleasure in the amazing picture of sunset shadows and set light on the local inhabitants coming back home. Majestic sunset scene in U Bein Bridge. 

Overnight stay at a hotel in Mandalay

• Transport:

  Fly

• Meals:

  Breakfast

You will begin your day with a transfer to Mandalay jetty and take a private boat for a relaxing journey of 1 hour on the Irrawaddy River to Mingun.

Immersing yourself in the sounds and sights of Mingun, beginning with the Mingun Paya which would have been considered the world’ largest (if it’s not been for the death of King Bodawpaya before its completion). There was a cease to the construction of this gigantic building of brick because of the prediction of the King’s death before finishing by a fortune-teller. In the 1800’s, the site was under the massive influence of an earthquake that it was nothing but a partial rubble which makes it possibly the largest pile of bricks on earth. Let Asia Private Travels help you explore this interesting place!

You will take a glimpse of the Hsinbyume Paya, Mingun village and the river from the thin top. The tour continues with a particular stupa - Hsinbyume Pagoda which has many stories behind it. It’s the replica of the Sulamani Paya which based on the meaning of plan of the cosmos of the Buddhist, positions on top of the Mount Meru (the mountain that stays at the heart of the universe). After that, visiting the Mingun Bell weighing 90 tons and also known as the second largest hanging on the world, this unbreakable bell remains its capacity of ringing.

Before heading to Mandalay by boat, you will spare enough time to make an exploration to the small neighborhoods that have tradition of manufacturing basketry and take a chance to get familiarized with the hospitable businessmen and craftsmen.

Continue cruising on the Irrawaddy River until you meet Sagaing. Sagaing Hill is famous for being a huge spiritual center of Myanmar which consists of 600 pagodas and monasteries colored by ivory, and also being the habitats of about 3000 monks and 100 meditation shrines. You will have great chances to pay a visit to other pagodas namely Swan OoPonNya Shin, U Min ThoneSae and Shin Pin Nan Gyaing. Continually, you will come to a less popular place which is the local market of Sagaing.

We will come to a famous destination- pottery village which is distinguished for its producing popular water pots. Here you will stand an opportunity to catch a view of how the tradesmen make use of traditional skills to manufacture their items.

Overnight stay at a hotel in Mandalay.

• Transport:

  Cruise

• Meals:

  Breakfast

This morning, you will come back to the Mandalay airport to take a flight to the centre of the Shan State- Heho. After arriving at the Heho airport, you will pay a visit to NyaungShwe village. On the way, you will stand a good chance of going to rural workshops where produce specialized products such as old- time Shan paper and special Handcrafted umbrellas.

Additionally, make sure to take a stop at the teak monastery of Shweyanpyay to take a look at elaborate wood craving artwork and the monks’ craft skills there.

On heading off to Inle Lake, you will travel on a private motorboat. Inle Lake is one of the most magnificent and amazing sites of Myanmar. On its tranquil waters are the presence of fishing canoes which have a perfect backdrop like scenic hills and vegetation.

You will cross many villages that are constructed on stilts over the lake which is home to the local Intha citizens. Take a chance to watch the daily routines of the local fishermen with their floating gardens which are structured by strips of water hyacinth, earth and stitched to the bottom of the lake on the bamboo poles. 

You will pay a visit to Nga Hpe Chaung monastery, which contains bunches of Buddha images from an early period. This temple was once known for  its” jumping cats” but these days there are just a few roaming sounds heard and the jumping cats are no longer existed in the area. However, it is worthwhile to make an expedition to the Buddha images.

The tour continues with a visit to Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda- the primary paradise of the lake which consists of five frightened pictures of Buddha ornamented in gold leaf. If you expect, we can stop at one of the numerous traditional crafts having their origin on the Inle Lake. This site produces amazing woven goods made from lotus silk, boat builders( basing on the period of the year) , a workshop specializing in making cigar, blacksmiths or silver smiths. A travel on boat back to the hotel will make an end to this exploration.

Overnight stay at a hotel on Inle Lake.

• Transport:

  Fly

• Meals:

  Breakfast

After enjoying breakfast, you will travel to the morning market by the lake (the market is always available except for dark moon and full moon on calendar days).

The morning market’s position varies among the lake’s villages in a 5 day routine and this place welcomes the lake’s habitants along with nearby natives who also come here to sell and trade their goods. After travelling for an hour on boat down to a small canal, you will get to the Pa-Oh village of Indein whose location is on the western banks of Inle Lake.

Wander around the village before coming to the stairway covered by moss to the peak of the hill. When you arrive at the summit, you will catch sight of a legendary Buddha image which sits right among hundreds of stupa ruins and old shrubbery. On the peak, you will have a chance to enjoy the amazing views of the surrounding places. Let's capture the best moment with Asia Private Travels.

The Indein Pagoda definitely deserves its reputation for being the most magnificent monument around the lake’ bank and it contains hundreds of small stupas which are controlled by moss and greenery.

Overnight stay at a hotel on Inle Lake.

• Transport:

  Cruise

• Meals:

  Breakfast

Spend this morning’s time at your leisure while waiting to be transferred to Heho Airport to take a returning flight to Yangon. As you land in Yangon, you will move to the hotel for check-in and have some rest. 

Overnight stay at a hotel in Yangon. 

• Transport:

  Fly

• Meals:

  Breakfast

Spend your time leisurely while waiting to be transferred to Yangon International Airport to fly home. This is the end of Asia Private Travels tour. 
 

• Transport:

  Car

• Meals:

  N/A