Cultural Tour Of Burma

Arrive in Rangoon and check-in at the hotel. The rest of the day is free. You may wish to venture out and take in your first impressions of the city.

Overnight Standard Hotel

Today we take a walking tour of Rangoon. Starting with a stroll along the banks of Kandawgyi Lake in the centre of the city we continue on to Botataung Pagoda. This pagoda is unique in that it is hollow – as we walk through we can see many ancient relics and artefacts displayed in glass cases. Later on we walk along Pansodan Street though downtown Rangoon, taking in the rich colonial architecture and bustling street markets. In the afternoon we make our way to the Chaukhtatgyi Paya, home to a giant 70 metre long reclining Buddha. The highlight of the day, though, is a visit to the magnificent Shwedagon Pagoda, the most revered Buddhist temple in Burma, whose golden stupa dominates the city skyline making it the ideal spot from which to watch the sunset.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Leaving Rangoon behind we drive to the town of Bago. Founded in 573AD, it is home to a number of sacred shrines and pagodas, including the Shwemawdaw Paya (the Golden God Temple) the tallest pagoda in the country. We visit the pagoda, as well as the Shwethalyaung Reclining Buddha (the second largest in the world) and the Kyaik Pun Pagoda. In the afternoon we continue our drive to the foot of Mount Kyaikhtiyo, or Kin Pun ‘base camp’. Upon arrival we continue in an open truck up a steep 11 kilometre track to Yathetaung. From here we walk for approximately 45 minutes to the mystical and highly revered Mount Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda in time for sunset. Also known as Golden Rock, this pagoda is a large boulder precariously balanced on the edge of a cliff near the top of the mountain, supposedly held in place by a hair of the Buddha.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

If our hotel is at the top of mountain we have a chance to view the sunrise before continuing on our way to Mawlamyine via the town of Tathon, where we will stop for lunch. If road conditions allow we travel by way of Kawtgoon Cave, which has many intricate Buddha images carved into the walls, before proceeding on to Mawlamyine. The former capital of British Burma, Mawlamyine today is the capital of Mon State and the gateway to Burma’s little visited south-eastern region. In the early evening we make visit to the 9th century Kyaikthanlan Phayar (Pagoda), the highest structure in the city, to enjoy the sunset.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

After breakfast we take a ferry across to Bilu Gyun (Ogre Island) to visit some of the local communities that lie along the Thanlwin River. After a chance to explore some of the villages and watch traditional craftsmen at work, we head back to Mawlamyine for an afternoon tour of the city. The afternoon is left free perhaps to visit the 100-year old monastery of Seindon Minbaya Kyaung or a walk along the Strand Road to take in every day scenes.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Today we spend the day returning to Rangoon by road stopping off along the way for photo opportunities, including a visit to the Allied War Memorial Cemetery in Taukkyan which commemorates over 30,000 British Commonwealth soldiers who died in Burma during World War II. There are over 6000 beautifully well-kept graves in all (along with 52 graves of WWI soldiers). Furthermore 27,000 names of fallen soldiers with no known graves are engraved on the Rangoon Memorial, an imposing and sombre memorial pillar.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

We take an early morning flight to Bagan. Without doubt one of the most impressive religious sites anywhere in Asia, Bagan is an ancient city dating from the 9th to the 13th centuries with thousands of temples, stupas and monasteries covering an area of 140 square kilometres. A half-day tour of some of its most distinctive pagodas include visits to the Shwezigon Pagoda, the 13th century frescoes and cave temple of Wetkyi-in-Gubyaukgyi and the Ananda Pagoda, one of the best preserved monuments in the entire city. Late in the day we watch the sunset from a panoramic viewpoint on one of the upper terraces overlooking the temple site.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

After breakfast we continue our exploration of Bagan with visits to the Sulamani Temple of King Narapatisithu and the finely crafted brickwork of the Dhammayangyi Temple, the largest shrine on the site. This afternoon has then been left free to enjoy as you wish. There is a chance to take an optional trip out to Mount Popa, Burma’s sacred abode of the Nats (spirit gods). A volcanic plug that rises some 1,500 metres above the surrounding landscape, the summit provides some fine panoramic views of the surrounding hills. The journey also travels via a local farm producing traditional ‘toddy’ palm juice.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we enjoy a two to three hour boat ride along the Irrawaddy River to Pakkou, a bustling tobacco trading centre. From here we continue by road for about 3 hours to Monywa in the Chindwin Valley. This afternoon offers us the chance to visit the colourful Thanbuddhay Pagoda (home to more than 500,000 images of Buddha) and the Hiaungdawmu Buddha, the second largest reclining Buddha in Burma.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Crossing the Chindwin River this morning we visit the cave chambers of Po Win Daung and Shwe Ba Daung. A system of nearly 500 sandstone caves that honeycomb the Po Win Hills, these extraordinary caverns contain around 450,000 paintings, statues and carvings, representing what many experts believe to be the most comprehensive collection of Buddhist art anywhere in South East Asia. After our visit we continue by road to Mandalay, Burma’s last royal capital and, for many, the centre of its most historic and culturally rich region. En route we plan to stop in Monywee Kayemon village to visit a blacksmith and a local cottage industry where they make slippers.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

A short distance to the south of Mandalay lies Inwa (Ava). Here we take a horse cart ride around the bumpy dirt roads of the old city, visiting the monasteries of Manu Ok Kaung and Bagaya Kyaung and the ‘Leaning Tower of Inwa’. In the afternoon we head on to the former royal capital of Amarapura, en route visiting some local cotton and silk weavers. In Amarapura we visit the Mahagondayon Monastery, a large complex of buildings most often visited by the tourist crowds in the mornings. We can enjoy the tranquil atmosphere in the evening spying monks going about their tasks. Later we make our way to the 19th century, 1.2 kilometre giant teak footbridge of U Bein that spans Lake Taungthaman. Here locals take their evening promenade as the sun goes down.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we take a short cruise to Mingun village and the ruins of the unfinished Mingun Pahtodawgyi (pagoda) which, had it been completed, would have been the world’s largest pagoda. Begun by King Bodawpaya in 1790, the pagoda work on the monument ceased with the king’s death in 1890. Nearby we also visit the giant 90 tonnes bronze Mingun Bell - considered to be the largest un-cracked bell on the planet. Returning to Mandalay we then spend this afternoon exploring some of the city’s major highlights, including the world’s largest book at the Kuthodaw Pagoda and the intricate wooden majesty of the Shwenanda (Golden Palace) Monastery. We also plan to include visits to craft shops where you can observe traditional and skilled gold-leaf making, tapestry making and wood carving as well as the fascinating jade market. If time allows we then head up Mandalay Hill for sunset and views across the river and over the city.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Driving north we leave the city behind and head to the former British Hillstation of Pyin Oo Lwin in the Shan Hills. Formerly known as Maymyo, after Colonel May of the 5th Bengal Infantry, it was the perfect retreat to escape the heat of Mandalay. We explore this Colonial town to see the Purcell Tower, a clock tower that was a gift from Queen Victoria; the morning vegetable market; the 100 year old Church of the Immaculate Conception and the National Kandawgyi Botanical Gardens, built by Turkish prisoners of war during WWI. We end the day at Naung Kan Gyi Paya, a hilltop pagoda, from where we can enjoy panoramic views of town.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we board the Mandalay-Lashio train for a scenic however slow, bouncy and creaky three hour ride crossing the spectacular Gokteik Viaduct, which crosses a deep gorge. The Viaduct was constructed in 1901 by the Pennsylvania Steel Company it is 100 metres high and 700 metres long, making it the world’s second highest railway bridges. The train slows to a crawl when crossing the viaduct itself. We disembark at Naung Pain Village and continue by road to the dusty Shan town of Hsipaw, a further two hour drive, stopping for lunch en route in Kyaung Me. We visit Bawgo Pagoda just before arriving into Hsipaw. In the evening we drive up to Thein Daung Pagoda on Sunset Hill.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we take a cruise along the Dutawaddy River enjoying beautiful scenery along the way as well as stopping off and walking around local Shan villages to get an insight to traditional rural life in the area. We cruise back to Hsipaw in time for lunch. The afternoon is free for those who wish to relax and enjoy this pleasant sleepy town. An optional four hour easy walk is available for those who wish to explore further. We walk through the countryside passing farmer’s villages and paddy fields along the way and have the chance to see some of the cottage industries in the area such as bamboo basket making, weaving and cheroot rolling.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Today we spend the day driving back to Mandalay stopping off in Pyin Oo Lwin for lunch. Afterwards we visit a local coffee plantation before continuing on our journey.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we fly to Heho. From here we drive through villages and endless fields of dry cultivated mountain rice and potato. We make a stop at Pindaya noted for its extensive limestone caves filled with nearly 8,000 Buddha images of different sizes and made of various materials. Nearby we have the opportunity to visit a local family to see how they make paper umbrellas from the bark of a mulberry tree. In the afternoon we continue on to Kalaw. Set in the edge of the Shan Plateau this charming Colonial town was popular with the British during their time in Burma. The remainder of the day is free.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning sees an opportunity to explore this engaging hill town, whose attractions include the gold lacquered bamboo Buddha of Nee Paya and the Catholic church of Christ the King. We then continue on by road for two hours to the beautiful setting of Lake Inle, high up on the Shan Plateau. Surrounded by hills and populated predominantly by the Intha people, Lake Inle is one of the highest lakes in the country. Devout Buddhists, the local population of self-sufficient farmers and fishermen live in simple stilted houses of wood and bamboo, growing their food on floating gardens of grass and seaweed. We plan to make a tour of some of the local villages by boat and pay a visit to the famous ‘cat jumping’ monastery of Nga Phae. Time permitting we will make a short visit to Leshae Village where you can see the making of Buddha images from dried flower powder.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Our boat takes us to the western part of the lake this morning, to a local Indein village, where we visit a hilltop complex of 1,000 stupas (places of worship). From up here we can enjoy some great views across the lake and on to the valley beyond. Continuing by boat on to the villages of Nanpan and Innpawkhone, we also get a chance later in the day to see some traditional boat making and silk weaving, and hopefully some local fishermen practicing their uniquely distinctive rowing technique.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

We take a morning flight to Rangoon. The remainder of the day is free for further sightseeing. You may like to visit the immense Bogyoke Market, formerly known as Scott’s Market, to search for some last minute souvenirs (closed on Mondays, full moons and public holidays).

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Tour ends after breakfast.

Included meals: Breakfast