“Mingalabar” – “Welcome to Myanmar” at the airport by your tour guide and your EMH – Enjoy Myanmar Holiday’s transfer team.  We then transfer you to the hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals: Meal is not included on this day.

After breakfast at the hotel, start sightseeing by:

• Walking around the city center to enjoy the city being busy with the sellers on the street and also the pedestrians and Colonial Style buildings.

Then, make the short journey to Yangon’s Central Train Station to board the ‘circular railway’. This local commuter train service slowly weaves its way through the city’s various neighbourhoods, revealing the lively and colourful life of the inhabitants.

Upon arrival at Hledan, disembark and continue by car to visit:

• CHAUKHATKYI PAGODA – the colossal reclining Buddha
• KARAWEIK HALL & ROYAL LAKE for Photo stop
• Explore BOGYOKE MARKET (SCOTT MARKET) which is the best place for shopping in our country.
• Enjoy the sunset at SHWEDAGON PAGODA, the soul of Yangon.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast at the hotel, start the drive to the Kin Pun ‘base camp’ for around 4 hours. This afternoon you will visit one of Myanmar’s landmarks, Kyaiktiyo, also known as the Golden Rock, which is famous for its precarious position and religious importance. The ‘Golden Rock’ is a huge boulder completely covered by gold leaf and delicately balanced on the edge of a cliff.

To reach the pagoda from Kin Pun, a steep 6-miles road leads to the top of the mountain. The journey is made in open trucks, which can be crowded but once you reach the top, you will be amazed by the breathtaking views, pilgrims chant, light candles and meditate. Return back to Kin Pun base camp around 6 pm in the evening.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast at the hotel, set out on the drive to Hpa An, capital of the Kayin State, a journey of around 3 hours. On arrival in Hpa An, you will check in the hotel.

This afternoon, take a tuk-tuk and set off to visit Sadan Cave (typically only accessible from November to April), a naturally formed cave that takes 15-20 minutes’ to walk through, along a long dark tunnel (with lights). On the other side of the cave, you will find beautiful countryside and a small lake on which you can enjoy a short canoe ride, passing under a stone cave and past paddy fields.

Then return to the tuk-tuk and proceed to Shweyinhmyaw Pagoda which is located at the banks of the Thanlwin River. Afterwards stop at Lake Kantharyar for a good view over the distant Zwekabin Mountain, one of the most famous landmarks in the Karen State and 772 metres (2532 feet) high.

End the day with a visit to Kyauk Ka-Lat, an unusual pagoda which is built on layers of natural karst rock formations. Surrounded by a lake, the scenery guarantees a great photo opportunity. You can watch the sunset here before returning to your hotel for an evening at leisure.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to a private charter boat, and set off down the Thanlwin River towards Mawlamyine. This journey will take around 2 hours, through some beautiful karst scenery and rustic riverside village life. On arrival, you will transfer to your hotel to check in.

This afternoon, you will drive past rubber plantations on the way to Thanbyuzayat which is around 90 minutes’ drive south of Mawlamyine and was the western terminal of the infamous Burma-Siam ‘Death Railway’. Here you will see a locomotive dating from World War II, a small museum about the railway and an Allied War Cemetery which is the resting-place for over 3500 Allied POWs. Afterwards return to Mawlamyine late afternoon.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast at the hotel, set out to explore Bilu Island, where a true Myanmar experience far away from modern civilization awaits you. Discover the serene scenery of paddy fields and quaint villages that are home to small cottage industries & workshops where typical Myanmar walking sticks, rubber bands, pipes and pens are produced. Return to the mainland for lunch in a local restaurant (cost is at your own).

After lunch, a scenic drive through rubber plantations and local villages will take you back to Yangon (approx. 6 hours drive). Once returned to the city, you will be dropped off at the hotel to spend the evening at leisure.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals: Breakfast

In the early morning, take a short flight to Bagan.  Once at Bagan, your tour guide will take you around its wonderful scenery and architecture.

Bagan is a truly mesmerizing destination, and a favourite of many travellers.  Renowned as the city of four million pagodas, this is one of the richest archaeological sites in Asia.  Today there are more than 2,000 pagodas, temples and monasteries — most built during the Bagan Dynasty, founded by King Anawrahta in 1044.

Firstly:

• we’ll go to the lively Nyaung U Market. This Nyaung U Market provides a great photo opportunity, and also the chance for tourists to mingle with the local Myanmar people, and watch how they conduct their daily lives.

Next, we will start sightseeing as below:

• Ananda Temple (the architectural masterpiece of a millennium)
• Hti-Lo-Min-Lo Temple (a double-storied building with artistic stucco works)
• Shwe-Zi-Gon Pagoda (considered a prototype of all future such temples)

If time allows, we will visit more places of this UNESCO world heritage site.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast at the hotel, join your guide for an e-bike tour of Bagan.

We’ll start our adventure by exploring the village of Taungbe. We’ll have about half an hour to ride around the village, and you’ll get to visit a small morning market and meet with a local family, who will share with you their story of local life in Myanmar. We’ll also visit a 150-year-old wooden monastery that’s in the village.

After another short ride, we’ll arrive at the spectacular Shwegugyi Paya. Its name translates to “Great Golden Cave,” so we’re going to say it’s pretty spectacular.

We’ll then ride to reach the next village, Myingabar, which is famous for its bamboo products. From there, it’s a 10-minute ride past toddy palm trees to reach Dhammayangyi Pagoda — the largest Buddhist temple in Bagan. 

We’ll ride back to Nyaung U for lunch at the local restaurant, cost is on your own, before riding back to your hotel.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Your day will start with a beautiful sunrise from the upper deck of RV PANORAMA, enjoying breakfast on the upper deck under the warm sunlight and gentle breeze. Upstream from Bagan to Mandalay, exploring the Ayeyarwaddy will give you unforgettable memories. Delicious Myanmar cuisine will be served to you for lunch and you will have a relaxing time for sunbathing in the sun deck. As an additional service, our crew team will demonstrate different ways of wearing Myanmar Traditional Longyi (garment worn by Myanmar people) and Thanatkha (fragrant paste made from the bark of Thanatkha tree). Enjoy the gorgeous sunset moment and arrive at your destination. 

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll drive to the Mingun town that is sitting on the bank of the mighty Irrawaddy river. The main highlights are:

• Mingun Bell, weighing 90 tons known as the world largest ringing bell;
• HsinByuMe Paya also known as Mya Thein Tan Pagoda, a representation of the SulamaniPaya which stands atop Mt. Meru.

Then come back to Mandalay by boat. After lunch, spend your whole afternoon by visiting major sites in Mandalay. Sightseeing for Mandalay will include most of the city’s outstanding historical and cultural sites

• Mandalay Royal Palace, the last royal palace of the last Burmese monarchy
• KuThoDaw Pagoda, known as the world’s biggest book;
• ShweNanDaw Monastery (Golden Palace Monastery), famous for its wood carving;
• Famous U Bein Bridge for a stunning sunset view.  This U Bein Bridge is1.2-kilometre (0.75 mi) and built around 1850 and is believed to be the oldest and longest teakwood bridge in the world.  Really nice to walk on the bridge under sunset.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Now for a chance to escape the lowland heat; make a morning departure for Maymyo, also known as Pyin Oo Lwin, which is about two hours from Mandalay and sitting at an altitude of 3510 feet.

En route to the former Colonial hill station, you’ll get the chance to take in the colours and smells of Mandalay’s morning flower market, located at Kyauk Mee Village about 20 minutes from the city centre. Local growers arrive with their blooms carefully secured to their motorbikes, to sell primarily for offerings in homes and temples, but also for weddings and use in the city’s hotels. There’s a sociable buzz to proceedings and you’re likely to be the only curious tourists.

Continue your journey to Maymyo, with a further stop possible at an interesting Shan village. Originally a military outpost, Maymyo became a permanent military post in 1896, and was the summer capital during British rule. During the afternoon you can visit the Kandawgyi National Botanical Gardens & Pyin Oo Lwin Nursery, with their wide variety of plants, trees and indigenous orchids; several pagodas and temples and the impressive Pwe Kauk Waterfalls.

Maymyo is also a pleasant town to simply saunter through, enjoying the delicious dishes and excellent local coffee served at a number of small cafes and restaurants.

Return to Mandalay in the late afternoon.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport for a flight to Heho. On arrival, proceed to Pindaya by car. This drive will give you delightful sceneries of hill station by passing through picturesque landscapes. Huge Banyan Trees near Pindaya caves are also well known for photo stop. Then visit PINDAYA CAVES where one can enjoy countless number of Buddha images from the late 18 centuries. Well known for its beautiful stalactites and stalagmites.

Next stop are Traditional cottage industry of UMBRELLA MAKING and Pone Ta Lote Lake.

Then transfer to the hotel in Inle.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Looking down over the lake from the Taunggyi road, Inle lies in an enormous carpet of greenery. Dotted around the lake are the stilt-house villages and floating gardens of the Intha tribe. The Intha technique of leg rowing – where one leg is wrapped around the paddle to drive the blade through the water in a snake-like motion – is unique.

With our Inle Lake boat tour, you will experience a unique way of life that has lived on through generations, whilst exploring the culturally significant surrounds that form part of this beautiful region of Myanmar.  You will be provided with a life jacket and easy seat for each person on the boat.

Inle lake sightseeing will be filled with visit to:

• PHAUNG-DAW-OO PAGODA, the most important symbol of religion of Shan State
• NGA-PHE-CHAUNG MONASTERY, attractive wooden monastery
• FLOATING VILLAGES (INNPAW KHONE, POUK PAR, YWA MA, KHAR TAW)

A visit to these sights provides deep insight into how the people on the lake make their livings, you can enjoy Unique One Leg rowing fisherman, Lotus and silk weaving, boat making and cheroot making.

• After lunch proceed to Indein. And take a short trek to Indein Pagoda. On the way, you can enjoy the serene atmosphere as you wander through artfully scattered 8th century Pagodas in ruins covered by trees and bushes.
• Then observe Intha tribes Village lives and enjoy the local market along the shore.

Finally, we will return to hotel.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll set off to the jetty. On arrival, jump in a boat that will take us to our first stop.

For 45 minutes we’ll glide across the lake admiring beautiful views of the green hills beyond and the idyllic stilt villages with their pretty floating gardens. 

We will dock at Magyigone Village and once we have disembarked the boat, your guide will give a quick safety briefing. 

Your scenic trek will take approximately 3 hours, taking you through some of Southeast Asia’s most spectacular panoramas; through the peaceful serenity of the Shan Hills, a mesmerising region that is famous for its rubies, sapphires and other precious gems, all of which is on the waitlist for UNESCO World Heritage status. 

Passing through terrace farms, bamboo forest and lush plantations, we’ll arrive at Moe Kaung Village, a pretty hilltop village where we will meet a friendly local family and talk to them about rural life on the lake. We’ll then share a deliciously traditional Burmese lunch with our new friends before making our way to another village. 

Here we will take a walk around, admiring the different styles of home and chatting to locals about their everyday lives. The views of the lake from this are to die for, so you’ll definitely want to spend some time pondering the vistas and taking Instagram-worthy pictures that you’ll treasure forever. 

After a short boat ride, you’ll find yourself back in the hustle and bustle of Nyaung Shwe, where your tour’ll end when arrive back at your hotel.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Morning transfer to Heho in time for your flight to Thandwe.

Upon arrival you will be met and transferred to Ngapali Beach to check in to your hotel.

Without doubt one of the most impressive beaches in South-East Asia, let alone Myanmar, Ngapali Beach is a series of long bays of fine white sand leading down to crystal clear water. Until recently served by a small handful of decent hotels, more are now being built as the country’s tourist industry flourishes. Although this means that Myanmar’s best known seaside village is more developed than it used to be, the greater choice of good quality accommodation is undeniably welcome.

The remainder of your day is at leisure.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Enjoy your day at leisure in Ngapali beach. You can simply relax on the beach, swim in the waters or take a biking excursion to nearby villages to meet local fishermen and observe their daily lifestyles. If you are seeking a more adventurous experience, take a boat trip to swim, snorkel or dive around the surrounding islands.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Spend another leisure day at the beach. You can simply relax on the beach, swim in the waters or take a biking excursion to nearby villages to meet local fishermen and observe their daily lifestyles. If you are seeking a more adventurous experience, take a boat trip to swim, snorkel or dive around the surrounding islands.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Afternoon, you will be transferred to the airport to fly back to Yangon.  The flight time will approximately be an hour. Upon your arrival in Yangon, you will be met and transferred to the hotel.  The rest of the day is your own Day at Leisure in Yangon.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Breakfast and free time until time to go to the airport for departure flight.  Then, transfer you to the Yangon International Airport three hours prior according to your flight departure time.

Meals: Breakfast