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Suggested Myanmar Itineraries
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Optimum Classical Journeys
> OCJ12DPC |
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Optimum Classical Journeys
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Tour Code: OCJ12DPC
12-Day 11-Night – OCJ12DPC
Yangon- Mandalay-Amarapura-Inwa-Sagaing-Mingun-Bagan-Mt
Popa-Kalaw-Pindaya-Inle Lake
Itinerary Overview
|
Day |
Itinerary
|
Transportation |
|
1 |
Yangon – Arrival in the morning
and sightseeing |
Car |
| 2 |
Yangon – fly to
Mandalay & full day exploration
to three ancient cities before Mandalay
period: Amarapura, Inwa and Sagaing |
Car / Flight / Boat /
horse cart |
|
3 |
Mandalay – half day excursion boat
trip to Mingun village and continue
visit In-City highlights of Mandalay
in the afternoon |
Car/Boat |
|
4 |
Mandalay – express boat (or even
s-l-o-w… boat) to Bagan |
Car / Boat |
|
5 |
Bagan – full day exploration to
the 11th century archaeological
wonders |
Car |
|
6 |
Bagan – full day exploration to
the 11th century archaeological
wonders |
Car |
|
7 |
Bagan – road transfer to former
British hill station Kalaw, via
Mt Popa tour |
Car |
|
8 |
Kalaw – full day trekking tour to
Palaung & Danu hill tribe villages |
On foot |
|
9 |
Kalaw – 2hrs drive to Pindaya and
visit the caves – proceed to Inle
Lake |
Car / Boat |
|
10 |
Inle lake full day visit to see
local 5-day market, floating villages,
interesting pagodas, and impressive
Inn Din ruins |
Boat |
|
11 |
Inle Lake – optional 5-day market
visit in the morning (or) fly back
to Yangon in the morning and continue
visit the remaining highlights in
Yangon |
Car/Boat/Flight |
|
12 |
Yangon – free and easy visits, departure
out in the late afternoon |
Car |
Operating Period:
Year-round (though less comfort to do Kalaw
trek from June to September due to some
rainfalls)
Detailed Program
| Day |
Description |
| 1 |
Arrival
Yangon in the morning & sightseeing
Arrival Yangon in the morning welcomed
by your guide from Santa Maria Tours
and led to your hotel. Sightseeing
in Yangon will be commenced after
a brief rest at the hotel. You’ll
be taken to the downtown sections
to see the colonial buildings; the
'Botataung Hair Relic Pagoda' on
the bank of Yangon River; the Sule
Pagoda located at the heart of the
city & the City Hall; and the Chauk-htat-gyi
colossal reclining Buddha Image.
In the afternoon, visit will be
made to the World Famous Shwedagon
Pagoda until sunset. |
| 2 |
Yangon
– fly to Mandalay, full day tour
of deserted cities around Mandalay:
Amarapura, Inwa, & Sagaing
Have breakfast at the hotel and
transfer to Yangon airport at about
5:15am. Then, 1hr. 20min flight
to Mandalay, and upon arrival Mandalay
airport, drives to directly to Amarapura.
If time permissible, visit to a
typical Burmese village on the way
to Amarapura, in time to visit Mahagandayon
Monastery with over 1000 Buddhist
monks while they queue for their
last meal of the day at 10:15am.
You will also see one of traditional
Burmese silk weaving looms that
have been the major production center
in Amarapura for more than 150-yrs.
Afterwards, drive to Inwa ferry
port, where you’ll take a short
ferry ride across “Small River”
and take a horse cart ride along
bumpy jolting trail passing scenic
farms dotted with pagoda ruins and
typical Burmese villages. In Inwa,
you will see an old huge wooden
monastery, the site of the Inwa
Palace and the leaning tower of
Inwa, and the beautiful masonry
monastery of Queen Maenu. Return
to your car and proceed to Sagaing
to see unusually shaped Kaungmudaw
Paya, the silversmith of Ywahtaung
village producing impressive Burmese
traditional silverwares, and some
pagodas of Sagaing hills. Lastly,
enjoy watching an unforgettable
sunset view at centuries-old U Bein
Bridge, known as the world’s longest
span built by the teak wood. Proceed
to Mandalay for overnight stop.
|
| 3 |
Mandalay
– Mingun half-day tour by boat,
and continue visit In-City highlights
of Mandalay
Have your breakfast at the hotel
before transfer to the jetty at
about 8:00am. Then take a private
boat on the legendary Ayarwaddy
River for around 1-hr and visit
some amazing monuments of 18th &
19th centuries, such as the huge
unfinished Mingun Paya, the world
biggest working Mingun Bell dedicated
to the gigantic Mingun paya now
known as the world’s biggest pile
of bricks! Finally to the beautifully
proportioned Myatheindan (Sinbyume)
pagoda built to depict the heaven
of Buddhist cosmology. Return to
Mandalay about lunch time and continue
visit the In-City highlights of
Mandalay: the Mahamuni temple, the
most important religious site of
all upper Myanmar, the intricate
wood-carved Golden Palace monastery:
the world biggest stone books: the
huge Kyaukdawgyi Marble image carved-out
from a single block of stone: if
there’s time, optional visit can
be made to King Mindon's Myanansankyaw
Palace site of Kaunbaung dynasty:
Wind up the tour by visiting Mandalay
Hill pagoda where you can enjoy
the panoramic view to the city,
palace & surrounding area atop from
it just before sunset. |
| 4 |
Mandalay
– express boat to Bagan on legendary
Ayerwaddy River
Have your early breakfast at the
hotel and transfer to Mandalay jetty
at about 6:15am. Embark your express
boat (Shwe Keinnary or Malikha –
please see the difference in River
Transport Chapter) at about 6:30am
and leave Royal Mandalay for Ancient
Bagan at 7:00am. The duration of
this boat trip will vary depending
on the water level – approx. 8 to
9-hrs from June to November and
10 to 12hrs from December to March.
Shortly after leaving Mandalay,
the boat will pass Sagaing, a religious
sanctuary, studded with numerous
glittering stupas, monasteries,
& nunneries, and the historic Ava
Bridge built by the British in 1934.
Then, the boat will pass by the
island of Inwa, an ancient capital
of Burmese, Shan, & the Mons, with
it towering Palace Watch tower,
and the remarkable yellowish Maenu
brick monastery. You will see interesting
activities of the local people on
this life-line of Myanmar…fishing
boats, river sand miners, river
villages, cargo boats carrying pottery
to rice and cans of edible oil,
teakwood barges, and occasional
bamboo rafts. The boat will stop
at two bigger river towns of Myinmu
and Pakkoku where you can observe
village people come to sell their
regional goods and various seasonal
fruits. As you approach the land
11th ~ 13th century’s ancient temples,
the riverbanks become higher and
you will notice the hills on both
banks. Then you’ll see a few of
small Bagan era stupas and temples
before the bright golden dome of
Shwezigon pagoda and a series of
towering temple pinnacles here and
there dotted along the eastern bank
of the river. Welcome to Bagan!
You’ll be disembarked at a jetty
located closed to the old city and
transferred to the hotel. After
a brief rest (depending on the time
of your visit) at the hotel, you’ll
be taken on to a temple rooftop
to enjoy breathtakingly beautiful
Bagan sunset. |
| 5 |
Bagan
full day exploration
Have your breakfast at the hotel.
Your first visit will be made to
Nyaung Oo Market, a place where
you can observe various staffs used
for Burmese kitchen, seasonal fruits
and fresh vegetables to bamboo baskets,
Thanaka wood and souvenirs . Then,
commence your great exploration
of Bagan archaeological zone by
visiting Shwezigon pagoda, a must
for everyone visiting Bagan. Today’s
temple highlights will be included
of Kyansitther cave, Htilominlo
& Anandan temples before taking
a short afternoon break. In the
afternoon, you will see a lacquer
industry, where you may study steps
of making unique Bagan style lacquerware
and see impressive finished products.
Afterwards, you will see a few more
temples of Myinkabar village area
such as Manuhar, NanPaya, Gubyaukgyi
and Abyeyadanar temples. Depending
on the time of visit, you could
see a few more or less but Santa
Maria’s driver & guide will always
on hand to fulfill clients’ satisfaction.
Then enjoy watching the stunning
scenery of the breathtakingly impressive
Bagan's sunset over the legendary
Ayeyarwaddy River as an aesthetic
joy while in Bagan. |
| 6 |
Bagan
full day exploration
Have your breakfast at the hotel.
Today, a deeper insight to the remaining
highlights of Bagan’s temples and
pagodas. It is highly recommended
to take a short bicycle ride in
the morning or late afternoon horse
cart tour along the trails dotted
with 800-years old temple ruins.
This can be arranged on the spot
or with a short notice. You will
see some beautiful temples inside
walled old city, such as the Library,
Shwegugyi & Thatbyinnyu temples,
Natlyaung Kyaung, and Pahtotharmyar
before taking a short afternoon
break. In the afternoon, continue
visit the monuments around Minanthu
village including Dhamayangyi, Sulamani,
Payathonzu, and Damayazika. Depending
on the time of your visit or your
interest, a village tour can be
made. Enjoy your last memorable
Bagan’s sunset from a temple top. |
| 7 |
Bagan
– drive to Kalaw with tour of Mt
Popa on the way
Have your breakfast at the hotel.
Leave Bagan for Kalaw in the morning
around 7:30am by car along the road
across central Myanmar passing through
typical Burmese villages & bigger
towns, monasteries, pagodas, farms
of toddy, corn, sesame, groundnuts
etc. alongside the road, giving
you an opportunity to have a deeper
insight to the country you are visiting
while visiting interesting “folk
religion” or the Nat (Spirit) worshipping
center at Mt Popa where the picturesque
shrines sit atop the impressive
rocky crag believed to be the neck
of an extinct volcano last active
250000-yrs ago. Shortly after leaving
Bagan, you’ll be visiting a toddy
farmer’s house where you could observe
how to retrieve sweet toddy juice
from the tree and make widely eaten
palm sugar ball (local version of
chocolate). You can sip the sweet
juice or naturally brewed the “folk
beer” or liquor distilled from the
sugar balls & fermented sticky rice.
Then continue drive to Mt Popa and
study the Myanmar Nat pantheon at
the base before climbing up 777
steps towards the top monastic complex
providing fresh air and breathtaking
views of surrounding plains. Proceed
to Kalaw, via a big town Meikhtila
located on the main Yangon-Mandalay
express road. The landscape starts
to change soon after leaving Meikhtila
as you turn east towards the Shan
mountain range, the foothills of
Himalayan range. You’ll be driving
through villages which particularly
related with the timber industry
and forestry products. See changing
of social/geographical-economic
systems as you drive by the scenic
river filled with various sizes
of stones with different natural
colors, or sometime through the
woods densely forested with the
most treasured teak & other hardwoods,
and sometime driving alongside the
deep gorge. Short stops en route
to study the life-style of the local
communities. The trip would take
around 10-hours for 270km. You may
take an evening stroll around the
cozy old British Hill station to
stretch out your legs after a considerably
long drive. |
| 8 |
Kalaw
- full day trekking tour to Palaung
and Danu tribal villages
Have your breakfast at the hotel.
A full day trekking tour (or a half-day
trek depending on your strength
and determination) to the nearby
hill tribe villages, where you could
stretch your legs, fill your lungs
with fresh air and go closer with
the nature while walking through
pine clad hill tops, orange farms,
fields of raps, tea plantations,
or the rice growing valleys . You
will mainly see the Palaung tribe
from Mon-Khmer stock, renowned for
their tealeaf industry, and their
eye-catching red & blue strips costume
and the beautiful bonnet. Visit
some village houses, chat with the
locals, and enjoy great views of
Shan range. You will have your picnic
lunch at a suitable spot, whether
in the woods or on top of a hill
with stunning views. Return to Kalaw
in the afternoon and continue visit
a Shan monastery with over hundred-year
old huge lacquer image. |
| 9 |
Kalaw
– Drive to Pindaya and visit the
famous caves, proceed to Inle Lake
Have your breakfast at the hotel.
Visit the central market of Kalaw
before leaving for Pindaya. Afterwards,
about 2hr drive to Pindaya, a small
town of Danu, Taungyo and Bamar
lies in one valley of Shan Hills.
The road to Pindaya is renowned
for its scenic beauties: the landscapes,
colorful vegetations, and tribes
working in the farms, whole lots
of village life to see en route
…and its quite refreshing with cool
& fresh air of all seasons. In Pindaya,
you will see a 200-million years
old natural limestone caves, filled
with over 8,000 of ancient Buddha
images in different style and materials.
Before driving back for a total
of 3.5hr on the same road up to
the Heho airport and drive further
east and then south to Nyaungshwe,
the gateway Town of Inle Lake, you
will see one of parasol industries
in Pindaya. Then, transfer to your
lake hotel by the boat. |
| 10 |
Inle
Lake full day visits
Have your breakfast. Full day tour
on the outrageously beautiful lake
by private boat to see a colorful
5-day market where the hill tribes
come to exchange their goods with
the lake people, the Jumping Cats
(Nga Phe Kyaung) monastery, region’s
most revered Paundaung Pagoda, traditional
silk weaving looms at Inn Paw Khon
village, the silversmith village,
and the impressive ruins of Inn
Dein village. While on the boat
tour, you will also observe the
unique lifestyle of Inn Thar people…
the leg rowers, floating gardens,
fishermen with strange fishing gears
etc. Hotels can be chosen from the
ones on the lake or on the land
in the town Nyaungswe depending
on your taste. |
| 11 |
Inle
Lake – morning flight back to Yangon
and departure in the evening
Have breakfast at the hotel. You
will have two options:
- Fly back to Yangon in the
morning and continue visit the
remaining highlights of Yangon
including Bogyoke Aung San market,
some minor pagodas, art galleries,
and museums etc. (people who
will leave Yangon in the morning
on the 12th day might consider
this option)
- Visit another interesting
5-day market in the morning
before transfer to Heho airport
and fly back to Yangon in the
afternoon (people who’re leaving
Yangon in late afternoon might
consider this option)
|
| 12 |
Yangon
– free and easy visits before departure
out
Have you breakfast at the hotel.
Depending on the time of your departure
flight from Yangon, you can visit
some remaining highlights or stroll
around the bustling city center
on your own (or) transfer to Yangon
Intl’ airport in the morning.
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End of the tour
Not Satisfied?
Please contact us for a tailor-made itinerary
*** Tour Price upon request***
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