Truly Myanmar Explorer

Truly Myanmar 9 Day Tour starts with your arrival in Mandalay.

Welcome to Mandalay, Myanmar! Upon your arrival at the airport, meet your local guide and driver for the 1-hour transfer to your city hotel for check-in and a small refreshment. Along the way, when the vibrant, lively city comes into view  with its busy roads, large factories and lush plantations, there seems much more waiting for you in this heartland of Myanmar's great cultural values than you would expect

After a short break at your hotel, we begin our Mandalay exploration   with a visit to Amarapura, a small attractive town (once the capital city) which is a  suburb of Mandalay. People  say that to find the best Burmese silk, one must go to Amarapura. To verify this truth, we will first stop at the Shwe Sin Tai silk weaving workshop to observe traditional hand-weaving techniques with intricate designs and colorful patterns  the local  artists  use to make their  exquisite, high-quality silk products. Next on the agenda, we continue on our way to view  Amarapura’s iconic destination , the U Bein Bridge, also known as the world's longest and oldest wooden footbridge.  The U Bien Bridge is made of 1086 teak poles from the 18th century,  stretches 1.2 km  over the scenic Taungthaman Lake , and is one of Myanmar's most photographed sites. As the sun goes  down behind this beautiful lake the bridge looks even more outstanding under the  last reddest light of the day. Enjoy the very spectacular sunset before heading back to your city hotel for a good night. 

 Lunch and Dinner on own account. Overnight stay in Mandalay.

After an early breakfast, we begin our second day of Mandalay exploration with a visit to one of the four most sacred pagodas in Myanmar, the Mahamuni Pagoda, which houses a  highly revered giant Buddha image covered  by a very  thick layer of gold leaf, placed there daily, piece by piece, by devoted male worshippers. We continue on our way to Kuthodaw Pagoda, a beautiful compound lying a t the foot of Mandalay Hill and widely  known for its  “world’s largest book” - 729 marble slabs inscribed with Buddhist teachings as an enduring legacy for future generations. Nearby we will stop at Kyauktawgyi Pagoda which houses another enormous statue of Buddha (Great marble image) carved out of a single block of pale green marble. It is said that it took  the efforts of 10,000 strong men over a period of 13 days to transfer this precious marble stone from its original home,  19 km  away. 

After a lunch break( paid on your own), to change the scenery we will  proceed to the  Shwenandaw Monastery  to witness one of the most successful construction works of 19th century Myanmar.  Both the exterior and interior of the Shwenandaw Monastary are decorated with intricate wood carvings.

Finally, we move towards the temple-topped Yankin Hill near Mandalay Fort, where we will climb up to visit local monks and view  their peaceful monastic life, after which we will make the easy climb to the hill’s summit (45 minutes) for a great view of Mandalay’s paddy fields and the extensive Shan mountain range behind.

After sunset, we head back to the city  for dinner and a night of relaxation.

Dinner on own account. Overnight in Mandalay.

After early breakfast, take a gentle stroll along the  Irrawaddy River and get closer to riverside life. We will also visit a nearby  market  in which it seems you are the only visitor. Walking around this colorful, busy market, you will discover a diverse range of local products as well as experience the bustling shopping atmosphere between talkative villagers. Next, we take a 45-minute car ride to Paleik to explore the well-known snake temple. It sounds bizarre, but snakes here are respected as spirits who could bring good luck.  The daily washing of massive snakes has become an important ritual in this area   After our lunch break, we will head  straight to Bagan along the new highway. En-route,  if you wish, we can take the time to visit some architectural wonders in the ancient village of Ava.  Sometime in the late afternoon, Bagan  will finally welcome you to the wonderful sight of countless ruined pagodas and temples tucked into the surrounding palm tree jungle. Check-in to your hotel and have a good night. 

Lunch and dinner on own account. Overnight in Bagan.

After a restful night, we start the day early to catch the very first sunlight from a high temple whose top offers excellent views of numerous, surrounding monuments, Before the temple becomes busy with tourists, take your time to discover the marvelous Ananda temple, the oldest and most beautiful temple in Myanmar. We then continue to a nearby monastery to observe the daily, morning almsgiving ceremony where the local people  give the monks food for lunch and dinner.  To participate further in the daily life of monks, join in the food-offering ceremony if you wish, and receive a special blessing for good fortune, peace and happiness in return. From here, we sneak through the temple jungle before a stop at Myinkaba village. Here we visit a family-run lacquerware workshop famous for its traditional technique in making high-quality, beautifully colored lacquerware,  then  and Gubyaukgyi temple to see the country’s great ancient era illustrated inside by well-preserved mural paintings and remarkable sculptures. When  sunset is near, we drive to explore the impressive brickwork in the Dhammayangyi and Sulamani temples, where we will also learn about the previous life of Buddha through beautiful depictions of the Jataka tales. From there, we drive to a Thatbyinnyu, the highest temple of Bagan, and meditate in the majestic sunset while enjoying the incredible panoramic view of this vast ancient zone. 

Lunch and Dinner on own account. Overnight in Bagan.

Say goodbye to ancient Bagan. After breakfast, we will begin our 6-hour overland trip to the next destination, Kalaw, a laid-back, hilly town with colorful cultivated plantations, and also a haven for trekking lovers. Check-in to your hill hotel upon arrival at noon, and in the afternoon, get to know the area with a slow stroll down the town’s quaint streets and mingle with friendly locals in a pleasant, airy atmosphere before starting a serious trek through tribal villages and seasoned plantations nearby. After a joyful journey, get back to your hotel for dinner and a good night rest.

Lunch and dinner on own account. Overnight in Kalaw.

Take an early morning visit to a local downtown market to genuinely feel the local atmosphere before going to  the Kalaw Train Station where you will hop on a short, scenic train  ride to Inle Lake. The train will pass by fantastic scenes of  hillside  villages and green plantations. Stop at Shwenyaung station after roughly 3 hours, where our team will pick you up for another transfer to Nyaungshwe jetty. From the jetty, we will take a private boat  trip around Inle Lake, one of the most spectacular Myanmar travel destinations. Embraced by the scenic Shane State and decorated with  floating gardens and villages, the lake is a perfect picture of life with what nature has to offer. Getting closer to the details, observe floating Intha houses built on wooden and bamboo stilts, and colorful, floating gardens skillfully made of a drifting fertile layer of earth and bamboo poles. You will also visit Nga Hpe Chaung Monastery,  a lovely, old wooden monastery, best known in the past for its  jumping cats, and for its large  collection of beautiful Buddha images.   Going inside, we can learn all about the  ups and downs of this oldest monastery in Inle Lake. Leaving the monastary, we continue on to the Ywama village to visit Phaung DawOo Pagoda, a  most revered place housing five, gold-leaf covered  images of the Buddha  dating from one of the most important historical events since the very old days of Burma. The pagoda is always a busy place for local people to show their respect to their greatist guardian. Around the lake, to see more of local working life, we will stop to visit some specialized handicraft workshops such as lotus weaving, cigar making or silversmithing (depending on the specific time of year). Our guide will describe  the process in words while skillful workers focus on their mission. When the sun is setting, we return to our hotel for relaxation after a fascinating boat trip.    

Lunch and Dinner on own account. Overnight stay in Inle Lake

After breakfast, we again travel by boat,  further into the lake to visit Indein village, which is a 1 hour ride down from Nyaung Shwe village. On the way, there is  a good chance we can pop in  to the 5-day floating market which is  held in selected villages around the lake. The market is not merely famous as the biggest and most anticipated event for the  lakeside inhabitants, but also because  natives from the surrounding Shan Mountains come to the market to exchange their homemade  products, ensuring  a reliable, colorful blend  of multiple cultures. 

After a long but fantastic boat trip, we will reach Indein village, home of Pa-Oh people,on the westernmost shore of Inle Lake. Walking to the hilltop on a shady pathway through an impressive bamboo forest,  your eyes will soon see an amazing, huge jungle of ancient stupas embracing a quiet, calm pagoda in the middle. While some of the stupas are well restored, many are still in their original state from the 12th century, with an overgrowth of small bushes and trees. The antique landscape will generously offer you breath-taking photos for your Myanmar collection. From here, we proceed to Sae Ma village on foot to observe the  rural life style where traditional agriculture is still an important way of life. 

Finally, en-route  back to your hotel for a relaxed afternoon, if you wish, we will stop for a while at Inthar Heritage House to enjoy tasty local coffee and cake (optional, not included) and to get to know more about traditional lake architecture and a local artist’s work, 

Lunch and dinner on own account. Overnight stay in Inle Lake.

After breakfast, we are free until check-out, after which we transfer to Heho airport by boat and car for our domestic flight to Yangon (1 hour 10 minutes).

Landing in Yangon in the afternoon, we will receive a warm welcome from our guide and driver before exploring  this energetic city. First, we pay a visit to Kyaukhtatgyi Pagoda to witness a glamorous 70 meter long, reclining Buddha statue. Next up, we head to a pleasant stop named Kandawgyi Park – loved not only by tourists, but also by many local people, for the magnificent gilded Karaweik barge which looks just like a giant bird majestically perching on the serene Kandawgyi Lake. The site is  ideal for a leisurely stroll and deep sense of lively surroundings. Soon enough, as the sun goes down,  the glittering Shwedagon pagoda will catch your eye. In the Shwedagon pagoda, you can observe an amazing 100 meter high, massive central stupa decorated by tons of gold leaf, various kind of gems and even diamonds, which beautifully pick up and reflect the light when the evening lamp posts are turned on. With golden Buddha statues and countless shrines all around, the whole pagoda really  looks  like an oasis of shiny treasures that could attract your eyes no matter where in the city you are standing. 

Savor the last afternoon moment and feel all the  blessings in between the sounds of prayer bells and chanting. 

After the sunset, drive to Chinatown to visit another, but very differently-styled religious place  named Khen Hock Keong Chinese temple, best known as the largest among the few Chinese temples in Myanmar. Let’s go inside and view the beautiful, ancient architecture in a different way from most of the other religious sites in Myanmar. In contrast to the peace and quiet inside the temple, the vibrant street outside is full of barbeque food stalls and fresh fruit vendors as you stroll around for a nice, delicious dinner. 

Lunch and dinner are on own account. Overnight stay in Yangon.

It is your last day in Myanmar. Rest, relax, and pack in your free time. Depending on your flight schedule, transfer to Yangon international airport with a drop-off guide and catch  your departure flight home. End of Truly Myanmar 9 Day Tour.