Come travel First Class through this astounding country. This tour features luxury hotel options such as the Governor’s Residence in Yangon. Marvel at the wonders of Yangon before heading to Bagan to take in the incredible views of the many ancient Pagodas and Stupas at sunrise with a hot air balloon ride. Relax on the classic RV Paukan as you cruise down the Irawaddy River to Mandalay. Explore beautiful Inle Lake and relish the hospitality for which Myanmar is famous. Finish off your journey with some time relaxing on the Bay of Bengal at Ngapali Beach – a beautiful and tranquil spot overlooked by most travelers.
Day 1 Yangon: Arrival
Arrive on your flight in Yangon where you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel.
Meals Included: None
Overnight at The Governor’s Residence – Deluxe Room
Day 2 Yangon: Full Day City Tour
Enjoy a full day tour of the city center, taking in some of the highlights such as the National Museum, Bogyoke Aung San Museum, Chaukhtatgyi (a colossal reclining Buddha), and Karaweik Hall on Kandawgyi Lake. You will also get the chance to explore the famous Bogyoke (Scott) Market, home to hundreds of stalls selling local souvenirs. No visit to Yangon would be complete without spending some time at the stunning Shwedagon Pagoda, one the most venerable places of worship in Myanmar. Take in the array of gold and gems which light up around the giant golden dome as the sun slowly sets around you. Watch as the locals come here to make offerings before they return home for the day. Return to your hotel in the early evening.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight at The Governor’s Residence – Deluxe Room
Day 3 Yangon to Bagan: Exploring the Ancient City
In the morning catch your flight to the ancient city of Bagan where you will spend the day exploring the city. (Yangon to Bagan flight included) Visit Nyaung U Market, Shwezigon Pagoda (the prototype for later Myanmar Stupas), Kyansittha Umin, Wet-Kyi-Inn Gubyaukgyi Temple with its exquisite mural painting from the 13th Century, and Htilominlo Temple. After lunch, visit a fascinating lacquer-ware workshop before continuing on to Manuha Temple, built by the exiled King Manuha, before stopping at Nanphaya, said to have been the residence of King Manuha. You will also visit Ananda Temple, an architectural masterpiece, as well as the Oakkyaung Monastery, which is decorated with multi-colored mural paintings. End the day with some breathtaking sunset views from the terraces of an ancient temple.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight at Bagan Lodge – Villa Room
Day 4 Bagan: Sunrise to Sunset
This morning you will begin the day with the extraordinary experience of ‘Balloons Over Bagan’. As the sun slowly rises, you will be treated to spectacular views as you float over hundreds of pagodas, which dot the landscape as far as the eye can see, and most of which date back to over a thousand years ago.
Once you have returned to land, continue your exploration of this unique area.
This will include a visit to Lawkananda Pagoda, located along the river. Continue on to East and West Phet Leik, which houses clay plaques depicting Jataka scenes, as well as the Thatbyinnyu Temple, the tallest in Bagan. Other notable sites to visit are the Shwegugyi Temple, the Palace site and Tharaba Gate. After lunch and a short rest, continue on this afternoon to visit Apeyadana Temple, which holds some well-preserved paintings of Mahayana. Also stop at Dhamayangyi Temple, one of the bigger temples with some of the finest brickwork in the area. End your day with a peaceful sunset cruise along the Ayeyarwaddy River, before returning to you hotel.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight at Bagan Lodge – Villa Room
Day 5 RV Paukan Cruise: Day 1
You will be transferred to the Bagan Aye Yar Jetty at 11:30am to board the RV Paukan cruise ship. After a welcome cocktail and briefing by the crew you will enjoy lunch onboard, while cruising upriver. In the late afternoon you will disembark the ship to visit a typical river village before docking on a sandbank for overnight.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight at RV Paukan – Main Deck Cabin
Day 6 RV Paukan Cruise: Day 2
Cruise all day with stop enroute in the morning to visit Yandabo, a village specializing in handmade pottery and where the peace treaty of the First Anglo-Burmese war was signed on Feb. 24, 1826. In Yandabo you will visit pottery workshops, the monastery and school. You will overnight in either the Ywar Thit Gyi or Pauk Myaing Pauk Taw village, which are a few miles away from the Ava Bridge.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight at RV Paukan – Main Deck Cabin
Day 7 RV Paukan Cruise: Day 3 and Mandalay City Tour
Cast off early in the morning and enjoy a sunrise breakfast for the last leg of our journey. At approximately 9:30 you will reach the Gawein or Sagaing Jetty where your guide and private van will be waiting to greet you.
Today you will explore the city of Mandalay where you will take a sightseeing tour which includes Mahanumi, a life like Buddha image; visiting a gold leaf making center, to see the gold leaf still being made by hand; marble sculpture and tapestry workshops and Zaycho Market. In the afternoon visit the Old Palace grounds; Kuthodaw Pagoda, known as the world’s largest book for its 729 marble slabs inscribed with the Buddha’s Doctrine; Golden Palace Monastery, noted for its exquisite wood carvings; Atumashi Monastery; and Kyauktawgyi Pagoda, where a huge image is carved out of a single block of marble. At sunset enjoy the panoramic view of the city from Mandalay Hill.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight at Mandalay Hill Resort – Deluxe Room
Day 8 Mandalay to Inle Lake: Day on Inle Lake
You will be taken to the airport in time to catch the morning flight to Heho. (Mandalay to Heho flight included) From Heho you will continue by car for about an hour (30km) to the famous Inle Lake, the residence of the Intha people who live their lives on the water. Check into your beautiful, lakeside hotel before taking a boat trip around the lake. You will see the unique method locals use to row their boats, fishermen with their own style of fishing, floating farms and gardens and a handloom weaving cottage with its own showroom. You will visit Phaungdawoo Pagoda which houses the five most revered Buddha Images in the southern Shan States and Nga Phe Cheung Monastery, formerly known as the Cat Jumping Monastery, which got its name from formerly teaching cats to do tricks but has hence stopped this practice due to overly worked cats. You can still enjoy the many roaming cats while learning about the Shan style Buddhas at the beautiful mid nineteenth century teak monastery. It is a great location to witness monastery life on the lake, as it is located right on the outskirts of a massive floating garden.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight at Inle Princess Resort – Mountain View Chalet Room
Day 9 Inle Lake: Indein
Your guide will meet you at your hotel and you will take a boat to Indein, a small village on the western bank of Inle Lake. To get there you pass through a channel, one of the prettiest boat rides on the lake. You can visit some of the village houses to see their day to day lives. It takes about 30 minutes to walk up the hill of Indein Pagoda complex, as you pass through the bamboo forest where you will see the ruined temples under renovation. Return the way you came, by boat, and once again enjoy the picturesque ride. On your way back you will stop along the way to learn and witness some of the local’s distinct handicrafts of lotus weaving, cigar rolling, blacksmithing and silverwares.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight at Inle Princess Resort – Mountain View Chalet Room
Day 10 Inle Lake to Ngapali Beach
You will be transferred to the Heho airport in time for your flight to Thandwe. (Heho to Thandaw flight included) When you arrive in Thandwe, you will be met and transferred to your hotel in Ngapali.
Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight at Amata Resort – Cabana Cottage
Day 11 – 12 Ngapali Beach: Days at Leisure
You have two days free to relax and explore at the beach.
Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight at Amata Resort – Cabana Cottage
Day 13 Ngapali Beach to Yangon
You will be met at your hotel for your private transfer to the Thandwe airport, where you will arrive in time for your onward flight to Yangon where you will be met and transferred to your hotel. (Thandwe to Yangon flight included)
Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight at The Governor’s Residence – Deluxe Room
Day 14 Yangon: Departure
Your driver will meet you at your hotel for your private transfer to the airport, where you will arrive in time for your onward flight.
Meals included: Breakfast
Tour Rate: $ 5,310 per person based on 2 people traveling (double occupancy) with a $ 3,690 single supplement
Price includes:
- Air tickets Yangon – Bagan / Mandalay – Heho – Thandwe – Yangon
- Boat tickets as specified above
- Accommodation as specified above
- Air-conditioned car/van with driver
- Licensed English speaking guides
- Tours and admission fees as mentioned above
- Meals as specified in itinerary, including water
Price excludes:
- Personal expenses
- Visa fees
- Airport tax
- Drinks (except water) and meals not mentioned in itinerary
- Tips
