The Essentials of Myanmar

Welcome to Myanmar! You are greeted at Yangon Airport by your driver who brings you to your hotel. After depositing your luggage, you meet your Travel Expert who gives you the latest information necessary for the smooth running of your trip. Then, without further ado, you set off to discover the historic city of Yangon. Head to the ancient Sule Pagoda and the colonial district of Yangon for a stroll through the heart of its fascinating architecture. Then, go to the famous Bokyoke Market. In the evening, do not miss a chance to admire the sunset at the breath-taking 103-meter-high Shwedagon Pagoda! A highlight of your trip.

This morning, you take a short flight to reach the city of Mandalay. Your new driver welcomes you at the airport and accompanies you to your hotel. You then join the district of the gold pounders. Feel free to enter a workshop to observe the immaculate manufacturing technique of gold leaf that is common to all Burmese pagodas and temples. You then visit Mahamuni Pagoda which houses one of the country's most honoured Buddha representations and Kuthodaw Pagoda, with its 729 ‘kyauksa gu’ or stone shrines, each containing a marble slab with a page of text from Buddhist texts. At the end of the day, you watch the sunset on Mandalay Hill and admire the beautiful view of the Mandalay Palace and the Irrawaddy River.

A beautiful day awaits you. You start by visiting a ‘longyi’ (traditional Burmese clothing) factory in the former royal capital of Amarapura. You then continue to Inwa, also called Ava, an ancient imperial capital. After crossing a small river by local boat, it is aboard a carriage that you discover the remains of the ancient capital of the Shan kingdom. At the top of Sagaing Hill, covered with pagodas, you have the opportunity to meet the monks of a local monastery. At sunset, during the monk’s prayer time, you walk along the U Bein Bridge, the longest teak bridge in the world, stretching over 1.2 kilometres.

Wake up at dawn to board a boat to reach Bagan. You enjoy a peaceful day cruising to the gentle rhythm of the Irrawaddy, a river born of glaciers in the east of the Himalayas. An excellent way to discover the landscape of the Burmese countryside and rural life. Along the way, the banks are lined with yellow sand from which the locals make bricks with the silt of the river. Fishermen sit on the banks while others pull the nets. You may even have the chance to watch the farmers bring their water buffaloes to cool down in the river after the morning field work.

Your day begins with a visit to the traditional Nyaung Oo market. A place bustling with life, where locals come to stock up on tropical fruits and vegetables but also to get dressed and chat. Taking in the cheerful atmosphere, you walk the paths discovering colourful stalls where the bravest can even taste dried ants. In the early afternoon, you can visit the Manuha Temple or discover the painstaking work of lacquer, the region's renowned handicraft. At the end of the day, take a private cruise to admire the sunset over the majestic temples of Bagan. A unique experience.

Today will be without a doubt one of the most memorable days of your trip. You set off on an electric scooter to explore Bagan, one of the most beautiful archaeological sites in Asia. Completely free, you spend your day discovering thousands of temples and pagodas along small dirt roads. Make sure to visit Ananda Temple, Shwezigon Pagoda and Sulamani Temple, which are some of the most impressive buildings, but don’t forget to stop and visit the smaller lost temples along the way that give this archaeological site its charm. At sunset, climb to the top of one of the temples to enjoy an incredible view of the entire site for an unforgettable experience.

This morning, wake up at dawn to ensure that you don’t miss one of the most beautiful shows in Burma. At sunrise, hot air balloons rise above the roofs of pagodas adding even more magic to the site. Then take the road to Bagan Airport to reach the city of Pindaya where you will discover its natural caves in which there are thousands of statues of Buddhas covered with gold. You walk through a succession of cavities that reach almost 150 metres into the hillside, sometimes having to crawl to get through. Then you continue on road towards Kalaw to spend the night. At dinner, treat yourself to a tea leaf salad, a specialty of the region.

Opportunity to witness the sunrise aboard one of the hot air balloons.

After a morning tour of Pindaya Market, your private driver will take you to Aung Ban Train Station to catch your train to Shwe Nyaung. The train runs slowly, allowing you to admire the beautiful scenery of the Shan countryside. You cross colourful fields, small green groves, carts loaded with produce and traditional wooden houses. Your driver will meet you at the station to bring you to your hotel at Inle Lake. Located more than 850 metres above sea level in the heart of the Shan Mountains, this immense expanse of fresh water is the meeting point of the many ethnic groups that populate the region.

You get up in a hurry, eager to discover the beauty of Inle Lake. You embark on a traditional canoe to discover life around the lake. Taking it all in, you let yourself be overwhelmed by a wave of wonder. The fishermen here paddle on one leg using the Inn Thar technique, forming a majestic ballet on the water. You advance on small canals twisting in between stilt village houses and floating vegetable gardens. Here, life is spent on the water. Next, you visit Indein, a village known for its lotus flower fabric, or the village of Nampan where women hand roll traditional cigars.

If you feel like it, and depending on your flight schedule, you can indulge yourself on a last outing on the lake and head to the local market, which is held every day at a different location on the lake. You come across women of the Pa-O ethnic group wearing colourful fabrics who come down from the mountains to sell their fruits and vegetables. Your driver will then bring you to the airport to catch your domestic flight from Heho to Yangon. In the afternoon, take the time to visit the major sites in Yangon that you did not have time to explore on the first day. Then, depending on the time of your flight, your driver will bring you to Yangon International Airport for your return flight.