Highlights
As well as the classic stops of Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan and Inle Lake, you’ll stay in the ancient capital of Pyay, call in at the lakeside village of Indein and spend two nights cruising the gentle waters of the Irrawaddy River from Bagan to Mandalay in style.
Some of the highlights included are:
- Marvel at the enormous reclining Buddha of Chauk Htat Gyi
- Admire the pagodas in historic Pyay, A UNESCO site
- Watch the sunset over Bagan’s temples
- Cruise the Irrawaddy River from Bagan to Mandalay
Holiday Type
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What's included
- Authentic local experiences
- All international & internal flights
- 11 nights in 5* hotels
- 2 nights on board the Irrawaddy Princess II
- 9 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners
- Arrival transfers
Need to know
- Arrives: Yangon International Airport (RGN)
- Time difference: GMT+5½
- Visa requirements: British passport holders require a tourist visa; please ask your travel consultant for more information
- Language: Burmese
- Currency: Kyat (MMK)
- Flying time from UK: Around 14 hours with stopover
- Plug type: 2-prong flat or round blade plug
- Voltage: 230 volts/50 cycles
Your route
Itinerary
Fly from UK to Yangon
Yangon
Arrive in Yangon and relax after your flight. Perhaps take a wander around the markets and admire the colonial architecture, or simply chill out at your hotel. The next day, set off on a full day tour of the city sights. You’ll visit Scott Market for a bargain or two, see the enormous reclining Buddha at Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda and view the famous Shwedagon Pagoda with its 110m diamond-encrusted, gold-plated spire lit up at night.
5* Sule Shangri-La Hotel
Town Hall, reclining Buddha of Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda, Kandawgyi Lake, Scott Market, Shwedagon Pagoda
Pyay
Drive to Pyay, a UNESCO World Heritage site and ancient capital of the Pyu Kingdom. Discover the Baw Baw Gyi pagodas, Be Be Paya and Payama, and visit the fascinating Srikshetra Museum to learn more about the Pyu Kingdom. You’ll take in the views from the top of the Shwesandaw Pagoda and, after a short boat ride on the Irrawaddy River, spend a morning in Akauk Taung admiring the Buddha images caved into the cliffs.
5* Mingalar Garden Hotel
Baw Baw Gyi pagodas, Srikshetra Museum, Shwesandaw Pagoda, Akauk Taung half day trip
Bagan
Drive cross country to Bagan, watching the changing landscapes as you go. On arrival, gaze across the 2,200 temples, shrines, pagodas and monasteries that make up this mesmerising sight, before watching the sunset over the landscape from the top of Shwesandaw Pagoda. For the ultimate experience, view the stupas over the misty sunrise from a hot-air balloon, and activity that’s best booked in advance (not included).
5* Bagan Lodge
Swesandaw Pagoda
Mandalay
Board the delightful Irrawaddy Princess II cruise ship, sit back and relax for your Irrawaddy River cruise from Bagan to Mandalay. From the deck, you can admire the passing villages and fields, as well as stopping in Yandabo, a village famous for its terrcotta. Learn more about the pottery making process and learn more about the Yandabo Treaty, signed here in 1826. Best of all though, is simply watching the passing scenery as you drift by.
onboard the Irrawaddy Princess II
Yandabo Village visit
Mandalay
Arrive in Mandalay, disembark and spend the afternoon ticking off the sights. Start with the dominating Mandalay Hill, with its moated palace, then move on to the Mahamuni Pagoda, see the world’s largest book at Kuthodaw Pagoda and visit a gold leaf workshop to learn more about this craft. The next day, head to the monastery at Amarapura and the many stupas at Sagaing, before viewing the Leaning Tower of Ava at Inwa.
5* Mandalay Hill Resort
Mahamuni Pagoda, Kuthodaw Pagoda, Mandalay Hill, Amarapura, Sagaing, Inwa
Inle Lake
Fly on to Heho and transfer to Inle Lake, where you’ll enjoy a relaxing boat ride, stopping to admire the floating gardens and traditional villages as you go. Keep a look out for the unusual local rowing technique, as fishermen paddle with just one foot, which they make look very easy. Spend the afternoon relaxing on the water’s edge and looking for water birds. The next day, take a boat to Indein to see the stupas and handicrafts including loom-woven silk, jewellery and Burmese cigars.
5* Aureum Inle
Lake cruise, Indein village
