Myanmar Holiday Along Irrawaddy River

breakfast and lunch and dinner

Today you will take a flight to Bagan with the assistance of your private guide. Upon arrival, your guide will meet you and pick you up to the ship for lunch.

In the afternoon, you will take a half day city tour. The thousands of Buddhist pagodas on the plain will surprise you. First, experience the local life in Nyaung Oo Market where local people buy food in daily life. Then, visit Shwezigon Pagoda, which is the first Burmese style pagoda. All pagodas all over Myanmar are built according to its magnificent style. It was built in 1060 and is still the most worshiped shrine in Bagan. You will also visit Htilominlo Temple which contains four Buddha images facing four directions on its first floor. 

Overnight in Bagan.

Bagan

breakfast and lunch and dinner

In the morning, you will explore the World Heritage Site - Bagan Archaeological Zone, which is amazing with its over 2000 ruins scattering on the vast plain of Bagan. Some are large and tall while others are hidden among the grass and hard to spot out. Take a horse cart, and you will follow your guide to visit some best of them, including Ananda Pagoda, Gawdawpalin Temple, Thatbyinnyu temple, etc.

Before returning to the ship for lunch, take a stroll around the Khaymingha Pagoda complex to learn about the different architectural styles: Indian, Sri Lankan and Myanmar-Mon hybrid.

In the afternoon, follow the winding path passing palm trees, small reined temples and monasteries, you will reach Myinkaba village, a typical village which is famous for many traditional lacquer-ware workshops. Here you can see the locals fetch water, herd cattle, etc.

Continue to visit the Dhammayangyi Temple, Shwesandaw Pagoda and Taung Guni temple. End the day by enjoying the breathtaking sunset in the plain.

Moor overnight near Nyaung U.

 (*Optional: Hot air balloon flight can be reserved during October to next March)

Bagan

breakfast and lunch and dinner

In the morning, set sail to Salay, a small town which was once a bustling trading port, now a peaceful village filled with colonial architectural treasures and teak monasteries. We will walk to Yoke-Sone Kyaung, the best-known teak carved monastery in Burma, and stop at Salay House before returning.

Sail upstream to the Ayardaw charity clinic supported by Pandaw, then drive up along the winding road to the Tant-Chi-Taung mountain to visit the hill-top stupa. Late, watch the traditional paper-mache elephant dance performed by the villagers from Tant-Chi.

Moor overnight in Salay.

Yoke-Sone Kyaung Monastery

Paper-mache Elephant Dance

breakfast and lunch and dinner

Today, we will sail to Pakokku and experience the local market and town centre by Tuk Tuk. Pakkoku is a city located 30 km from Pagan. It mainly produces tobacco, cotton, Thanatkha (traditional make-up and sun lotion) and textiles.

You will visit Pakokku’s main market by Tuk Tuk. Then stop at a cheroot workshop to see how traditional cheroot cigars are made.

Moor overnight in Pakokku.

Pakokku

Pakokku

breakfast and lunch and dinner

Today, we will continue to sail towards Mandalay. While you are approaching to Yandabo Village, your tour guide will take you onshore for a sightseeing in the village. It is a village specializing in making terracotta pottery, where the peace treaty of the First Anglo-Burmese war was signed on Feb. 24, 1826. We will visit the pottery workshops, the monastery and the school. You can try to make a pottery if you wish.

Afterwards, cruise will continue to sail and moor overnight at Pauk-taw Pauk-myaing village near Ava.

Yandabo Village

Yandabo Village

breakfast and lunch and dinner

After breakfast on ship, we will set out to Amarapura. On the way, you will see monks collecting alms around the villages, which contributes their daily austerities and food. At about 10:00 am, you will be in time to visit Mahagandayon Monastery when thousands of monks are waiting in line for daily meals. What's more, you will have a chance to offer alms to those young monks at the back of the line.

Then, arrive at Inwa Ancient City, the imperial city of Burma from the 14th to 19th centuries. Take a horse cart to get around the ancient city with many historical relics, including Maha Aungmye Bonzan Monastery and Bagaya Kyaung.

Next, drive to Sagaing. Over six hundred pagodas scatter in Sagaing hill, which is resplendent and dazzling from distance view. We will visit U Min Thonze Pagoda, Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda and overlook the picturesque view of Irrawaddy River.

Getting back to Amarapura, you will take a boat trip under the longest teakwood bridge in the world - U Bein Bridge for breathtaking sunset view.

Moor overnight at Sagaing.

U Bein Bridge

breakfast and lunch and dinner

In the morning, we will sail to Mingun, an ancient riverside town in Sagaing region. On the deck, you can enjoy the scenery of the Irrawaddy.

Your first stop is the unfinished Pahtodawgyi Pagoda, the world’s largest unfinished pagoda. King Bodawpaya died before it was completed. In 1838, the huge tower collapsed in an earthquake, and only a huge tower base left. Then, head to Mingun Bell which has a weight of 90 tons, and is believed to be the largest uncracked bell in the world. Next, walk a few minutes towards the north, you will visit Hsinbyume Pagoda, a beautiful white compound like a big cream cake, which was made to commemorate a queen.

After the tour, drive back to Mandalay. In the afternoon, take a tour around downtown area. First, pay a visit to Mahamuni Paya. There you will see local people stick the gold paper on Buddha and pray for a blessing. Besides, you can also make your own wish by sticking the gold paper on the statue (donation needed and only man allowed to do the job).

Next, you will visit the Shwenaandaw Monastery, which has the meaning "Golden Palace Monastery" and was built in the 1900s. This exquisite monastery used to be a part of the royal palace and a textbook example of royal teak wood architecture. You will also visit the Kuthodaw Pagoda, the one with the largest Buddhist books in the world. Last but not least, end the day at the top of Mandalay Hill to enjoy wonderful sunset.

Moor overnight at Sagaing.

Hsinbyume Pagoda

breakfast and lunch

In the morning, you will disembark in Mandalay and transfer to Mandalay airport by car, then take a flight to Heho, a small airport town on Inle Lake. Upon arrival, our guide will meet you and transfer you to your hotel by the lakeside of Inle Lake.

After lunch in the floating restaurant, you will take a boat trip on the lake. You can observe the legendary one-legged fisherman rowing. They will show off their skills by posing for your camera.

As the speed of the boat decreases, you will reach the floating garden. Residents collect weeds from the bottom of the lake and turn them into fertile. The last stop before sunset is Maing Thauk Bridge, which is regarded as the mini U Bein Bridge.

Overnight in Nyaung Shwe.

floating garden - Kyun-Hmyaw

breakfast and lunch

In the morning, start with a boat trip to Inle Lake. Your guide will take you to the local market in the lakeside village. After a 5-day rotation, the trade fair is called the "5-day market" and will be held in some major villages near the lake shore. You may see the long-necked tribe women in the village. 

Next stop is Phaungdaw Oo Pagoda, which is the most worshipped shrine of the lake and houses five gilded Buddha images. You will pass the paper umbrella workshop, lotus silk weaving workshop on the way.

Then, enter the narrow river bank, and you will reach the Shwe Indein Pagoda, which is an Indian Pagoda Complex. You will visit the biggest highlight of Indein village. Most ruined stupas have been covered with moss and weeds. But you can still discover its glory dating back to 16th century. From the top of the hill, you can enjoy great views of Indein village and the surrounding landscape.

Along the ride back to your hotel, make a stop at Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery, a Monastery and an unusual Cat Sanctuary. Finally, relax and enjoy spectacular sunset views over Inle Lake before returning to the hotel.

Overnight in Nyaung Shwe.

Inle Lake

breakfast

Today, you will check out and take a flight to Yangon to catch up your departure flight home.