Upon arrival in Yangon, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Rest of the day is at leisure.
Yangon lies in the fertile delta of southern Myanmar, on the wide Yangon River. The city is filled with tree-shaded boulevards, while shimmering stupas float above the treetops.
The city became the capital only in 1885, when the British completed the conquest of Upper Myanmar and Mandalay’s brief period as capital of the last Burmese kingdom ended.
Yangon lies in the fertile delta of southern Myanmar, on the wide Yangon River. The city is filled with tree-shaded boulevards, while shimmering stupas float above the treetops. The city became the capital only in 1885, when the British completed the conquest of Upper Myanmar and Mandalay’s brief period as capital of the last Burmese kingdom ended.
Visit the colonial heart of Yangon
Start the day in the heart of Yangon which features an interesting selection of monuments and colonial buildings. Among others, you will see the Independent Monument, the High Court, the City Hall and the Sule Pagoda (view from the outside only).
Visit Botataung Pagoda
The Botataung Pagoda was named after the 1000 military leaders who escorted relics of the Buddha brought from India over 2000 years ago. This ancient monument was completely destroyed during WWII. It was then rebuilt in a very similar style to its predecessor; however , this particular iteration is hollow, and one can walk through it.
Visit the National Museum
The National Museum hosts several interesting exhibits, especially the 8- meters high Sihasana Lion Throne, used by King Thibaw Min, the last Burmese king, and returned to Burma in 1908 by Lord Mountbatten. The main floor contains jewelry, old black and white photos of Mandalay Palace and Yangon, royal relics, Hintha opium weights, and inscribed tablets.
Visit Bogyoke Aung San (Scott) Market (closed on Mondays and public holidays)
Explore the Bogyoke Aung San Market, also known as Scott Market, which contains over 2000 stalls and is the best place in Yangon to browse through the complete range of local handicrafts.
Visit Shwedagon Pagoda at sunset
The highlight of any trip to Yangon is a visit to the spectacular Shwedagon Pagoda, which dates back about 2500 years and was built to house eight sacred hairs of the Buddha. Its bell-shaped superstructure, resting on a terraced base, is covered in about 60 tons of gold leaf, which is constantly being replaced.
You will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Bagan. On arrival in Bagan, you will be met at the airport, transferred to the hotel to drop off your luggage and proceed for your sightseeing tour.
Discover the Beauty of Bagan
Explore the vast and fascinating area of Bagan, and discover temples with unique stories, features and architecture. The spectacular plain of Bagan stretches away from the Ayeyarwady River and is dotted with over 2,000 temple structures dating back over 800 years.
Spend the day exploring the temples and hearing the fascinating history and stories behind these imposing structures. Have a chance to visit a lacquerware workshop to learn about the intricate process of lacquerware making and decoration. At the end of the tour enjoy a panoramic view of the sun setting over the plain of Bagan from one of the ancient pagodas.
A selection of temples will be visited, including: Shwezigon Paya, a beautiful golden pagoda containing relics of Buddha. The site was started by Anawrahta but not completed until the reign of Kyanzittha between 1086 and 1090. The pagoda’s graceful bell shape served as a prototype for later stupas built throughout the country. Gubyaukgyi Temple at Wetkyi-Inn, an early 13th- century temple with an Indian-style spire. The ceiling is covered with paintings depicting the previous life of the Buddha.
Ananda Pahto is, one of the largest, most beautiful and best preserved of the Bagan temples. It was built around 1105 by King Kyansittha who was inspired by Indian architecture. During the 1975 earthquake, Ananda suffered considerable damage but has been totally restored.
Gubyaukgyi Temple at Myinkaba, a 12th- century Buddhist temple famous for its well-preserved frescoes, is considered to have the oldest original paintings to be found in Bagan. Manuha Temple was built, according to inscriptions, by the captive Mon King Manuha in 1067. It contains three seated Buddha images along with an image of the Buddha entering Nirvana.
Shwesandaw Paya is a graceful white pyramid-style pagoda dating back to 1057. This 328-foot-high imposing structure is visible from far, rising from the plains of Bagan. Enjoy sunset at one of the sunset hills or from Bu Paya.
(There are restrictions at Shwesandaw Pagoda, one is not allowed to climb up until further notice as some old bricks have fallen off and the repair work is going on)
Mount Popa and Burmese Tea Experience
Join a Burmese tea party and visit an extinct temple-topped volcano dedicated to the legendary ‘nat’ spirits. During the journey from Bagan, stop in the small village of Shwe Hlaing to experience Burmese Tea at a local Toddy Palm hut. Take a stroll around the village and watch the locals demonstrate how they climb the palm trees and how they use the sap to make palm sugar and fiery liquor.
Continue to Mount Popa, an extinct sheer-sided volcano that rises out of the plain. Topped by golden stupas, it is a famous pilgrimage site for locals who come to worship at the Nat temples. Along the way enjoy the array of flora and fauna, including many species of birds and butterflies.
Relax for a while taking in the breathtaking views across the plains, valleys and distant mountains, before starting the return journey to Bagan.
Excursion to Salay
Explore local life in this unspoiled Burmese town of Salay. Visit the Yoke Son Kyaung, the oldest surviving wooden monastery, with beautiful carvings of court life and scenes from the Ramayana. Continue to wander around the town and the market.
Visit Mann Paya, a modern pagoda housing a 6-m gold Buddha made of straw lacquer, west of Payathonzu. As the story goes, the Buddha image was originally located near Monywa, and it was washed downstream all the way to Salay during the monsoons in 1888. Ask for a peek inside from the latched door out the back.
Special note: Please wear light loose-fitting cotton, pale color clothes. Bring sunscreen and sunglasses. Please ask your guide before taking photos of the locals. Please inform your tour operator if you have any food allergies.
You will be transferred to the airport at Yangon where you will connect to your flight to Siem Reap via Bangkok. On arrival in Siem Reap, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel.
Your exploration begins with the Khmer ruins at Angkor Wat and surrounding sites. Strolling through the massive hallways, you will find many small shrines still in use by the local people at this ancient site. Picturesque Ta Prohm remains overgrown, presenting oddly haunting and exotic scenes. View Angkor Wat at sunset from Phnom Bakheng.
See Angkor Thom or “Great City,” in some ways even more spectacular than colossal Angkor Wat, as it had nearly disappeared into the jungle.
Transfer to the airport for the flight to Phnom Penh. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel.
Flight Option: 3:35pm – 4:25pm
In the morning, visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the notorious Khmer Rouge Killing Fields. The exhibits at these sites are graphic and may not be suitable for all visitors. In the afternoon, you will visit some of the capital’s most impressive sites, including the National Museum, the Silver Pagoda containing the Emerald Buddha statue, the Royal Palace and Wat Phnom, Phnom Penh’s oldest shrine. (B)
Transfer to the airport for your flight back home or next destination.
HaLong Bay… Vietnam, this really was amazing… pics of our boat which also was great
P Delphi
We had a wonderful time for the entire Vietnam stay and Cambodia, and this was greatly due to all the arrangements that were made by you. You did an outstanding job.
Suchu V