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10 Days Myanmar
(Yangon - Heho - Pindaya - Kaung Dine - Inle Lake - Kaung Dine - Mandalay - Mingun - Mandalay - Bagan - Yangon)

DAY 1: YANGON
Upon arrival at Yangon International Airport welcome by our local tour guide and transfer to your hotel for check-in. In the afternoon drive to Mawtin Jetty and take a rickshaws for a short trip along the Yangon River, proceed to Botataung Pagoda, where sacred hair relic of Lord Buddha is enshrined in it and at 16:00 P.M board the RV Mahaythi for a sunset cruise on the Yangon River. After arrival at War-tan Jetty at 18:30 P.M. transfer to your hotel for overnight. 

DAY 2: YANGON - HEHO - PINDAYA (1/2 Day Trekking)
Morning flight to Heho in Shan State. Upon arrival drive to Pindaya (appr. 2 hours drive), a charming village with its paper umbrella cottage industry. In the afternoon take the footpath around Pindaya. The road and trail goes through beautiful scenery. On the way visit tribal villages of Danu, Taung Yoe. After 1 hr you arrive Htwet Ni, a Danu Tribal Village with an average of 40 houses. These people make their living from agriculture & occasionally grow fruits like papaya, jack fruit. Your local tour guide will introduce you to the villagers and will show you the traditional way of making the bamboo products like hats & mats. The path goes up for another 40mins till you arrive See Kya Inn a Taung Yoe tribal village. Native along the way do the plantation for Cauliflower, Coffee, Malt Rice, Tea leaves and Cordial leaves. From here the footpath goes down further till you are back to Pindaya. Overnight in Pindaya.

DAY 3: PINDAYA - KAUNG DINE - INLE LAKE
After breakfast visit the Pindaya cave, famous for its thousands of Buddha images and the paper umbrella cottage industry. Then drive to Khaung Dine Village (appr. 3 ½ hours drive) at the north-western shore of Inle Lake. This Intha village is well known for the production of soybean Cakes and noodles. Wander around and observe these cottage industries. Late afternoon transfer to your hotel for check-in and overnight.

DAY 4: INLE LAKE
Full day excursion on Inle Lake (25 km) famous for its unique one-leg rowers, typical floating gardens, local methods of fishing and village life and 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 purported 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). Overnight at Inle Lake.

DAY 5: INLE LAKE - KAUNG DINE - MANDALAY
Early morning drive to Mandalay (appr. 8 hrs). Upon arrival visit Mahamuni Pagoda, originally built by King Bodawpaya in 1784, hosting the revered Mahamuni image, cast in the 1st Century and now covered in thick gold leaves and arts and crafts center (bronze casting; stone carving, etc.). Overnight in Mandalay.

DAY 6: MANDALAY - MINGUN - MANDALAY
After breakfast drive to Kywezon jetty to watch the busy riverside activity and take a local riverboat to the ancient capital of Mingun (appr. 1 hour per way). Visit the Settawya Pagoda, with a footprint of the Buddha, walk to the huge Mingun Bell, see the nearby unfinished Mingun Pagoda, built to be the world’s biggest pagoda and visit the Hsinbyume Pagoda, a reproduction of the mythological Mt. Meru. Then come back to Mandalay. In the afternoon visit the Shwenandaw Monastery, noted for its exquisite wood carvings, Atumashi Monastery, the "Incomparable Monastery", the Kuthodaw Pagoda, known as the world's Biggest Book for its stone slabs of Buddhist scriptures and sunset on Mandalay Hill, a vantage-point for panoramic view of the city. Overnight in Mandalay.

DAY 7: MANDALAY - BAGAN (express boat)/ For High Season (From 01.10.07 to 31.03.08)
Early morning transfer to Gaw Wein jetty to take the express boat to Bagan (Etd:07:00/ Eta: 17:30).After a day river cruise on the mighty river of Ayeyarwaddy you reach Bagan. Thousands of decaying pagodas rises majestically from the plain to create a timeless scene, saluting a glorious past. On arrival at Bagan Jetty transfer to your hotel for check-in and overnight.

DAY 7: MANDALAY - SAGAING - MANDALAY - BAGAN (FLIGHT) / FOR OFF SEASON (FROM 01.04.07 to 30.09.07)
In the morning, drive to Sagaing, 21 km southwest of Mandalay, You can visit the lively market of Sagaing. Then proceed to Kaunghmudaw, an enormous dome shape Pagoda and after a short visit to the silversmith home industry proceed to Sagaing Hills, a retreat for Buddhist devotees with numerous Pagodas, monasteries and nunneries. In the afternoon transfer to Mandalay airport for the flight to Bagan. Overnight in Bagan.

 
DAY 8: BAGAN
Enjoy the whole day at the most extensive archeological site in Asia. Bagan has over 2000 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 scene 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.

DAY 9: BAGAN - YANGON
After breakfast transfer to the airport for the flight to Yangon. Upon arrival visit the Dragon glass factory, producing exquisite hand-blown glasses and the Mae La Mu Pagoda, popular for all of its Buddha images, and a much more "folk oriented" feeling than other Pagodas. Afternoon sightseeing starts with Chaukhtatkyi Pagoda (a huge reclining Buddha), Karaweik Hall, a Royal floating barge on the Royal Lake for a photo stop and 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.

DAY 10: YANGON - Departure Day
After breakfast continue sightseeing of Yangon: Sule Pagoda , dating back over 2000 years, the Mahabandoola Park with it's Independence Monument and walk around the downtown area and the sprawling Bogyoke Market. Wide streets, orderly town planning and neglected public buildings revive visions of British rule, while busy streets scenes and shimmering pagodas, bursting through a leafy canopy, hint at the rich local culture. Skyscrapers and glaring neon billboards have yet to overtake the capital. Afternoon free at your own leisure till transfer to Yangon International Airport for your departure flight. 

© 2005 Myriam Grest Thein