We will drive on the road following the banks of the Irrawaddy River and pass through Myanmar¿s oil capital of Chau to Salay; it is an ancient town rich in Myanmar culture. You will visit Yoke Sone Monastery; the whole building is built of wood and is a fine example of monastic architecture of the late Konbaung Period. The main attraction of the monastery is the decorative wooden panels made by the master carvers of the period whose meticulous workmanship is in many ways superior to those of later periods. Continue the trip by road for 1, 5 hour to Mount Popa; an extinct volcano that is estimated to have erupted for the final time, over three hundred and twenty thousand years ago. The main mountain originally had a circular crater, but the whole of the north-western side was blown away, probably by the final paroxysmal outburst, which suggests that the last eruption must have projected its discharge inclined to the sides of the volcano in that direction. The present mountain is, therefore shaped like a horse-shoe, and it is possible to walk into the crater through the breach in the northern wall''. You will return to Bagan in the late afternoon.
Mandalay was the capital of Konbaung Dynasty or the third Myanmar Empire. Located 668 km north of Yangon, it is a bustling commercial center and a repository of ancient Myanmar culture. On this art and crafts tour you will find out exactly why.
Visit cottage industries that include gold leaf making tapestry, marionette makers, wood carving, marble stone carvings and bronze casting. Continue to Sagaing to see beautiful works of a Burmese silver smith, pottery cottage and rattan wares. Return back to Amarapura where you will observe the exquisite loom weaving of Burmese silk longyis and no doubt be awed by the skill of the blade artists at U Bein Bridge.
Leaving in the early morning, stop briefly at the Htaukyant Allied War Memorial. Then proceeding directly to Bago and arriving in the mid-morning. In Bago, you will visit Hinthagon hill-top, and take a short walk to Shwemawdaw Pagoda (Myanmar’s tallest). On the way seeing the Moat and Gate-way to the 16th Century city of Hanthawaddy and continue by car to visit Bago’s colourful market, Shwethalyuang; reclining Buddha, Mahazedi Pagoda and a traditional cheroot making factory. Then we will return to Yangon in the late afternoon via Kyaikpun Pagoda. Lunch will be served at local restaurant.
Dress Code: For religious reason, the modest and decent dress is required such as wearing to cover your knees. Shoes must be removed before entering the Pagoda since most religious grounds not allow wearing shoes, sandal, thong or flip-flop and socks.
Enjoy your city tour including Htilominlo Temple; it is one of the largest temples of Bagan; and is noted for its fine plaster carvings. There are the remains of fine murals on the interior walls. Sulamani Temple; it is one of Bagan's premier temple attractions. Important features of the Sulamani include its fine brickwork and use of stone in both load-bearing areas as well as on vulnerable external corner elements. The interior was once painted with fine frescoes but only dim traces can be seen today. Dhammayangyi Temple; it is Bagan’s most massive shrine. The temple remains one of the most unique and intriguing constructs on the Bagan plain. Return to the hotel and on the way we will stop to visit Tayoke Pyay Temple where it is the best view point to see a panoramic view of Bagan.
Dress Code: For religious reason, the modest and decent dress is required such as wearing to cover your knees. Shoes must be removed before entering the Pagoda since most religious grounds not allow wearing shoes, sandal, thong or flip-flop and socks. Hats and sunglasses will be useful for tropical zone in Bagan.
After breakfast, set off for a full day of ‘living like a local’ in Yangon, observing the lifestyle and culture of the Burmese people.
Transfer to the Yangon train station and board the slow moving circle train. The 20-30 minute ride is a real taste of local life with the scenery and activities inside the train equally entertaining to the outside landscapes of small villages and traditional markets. Disembark at Kyee Myin Dine station, a neighborhood in the northwest part of Yangon. Shrouded in a rural and urban atmosphere, Kyee Myin Dine is home to friendly people. Visit the market where you can see colorful vendors and shopkeepers as the locals go about their daily shopping.
Transfer to downtown’s vibrant Chinatown area. Begin at the 17 th and 18th street markets where you’ll see noodle making and rice paper making. Continue with a walk toward Latha Street, stopping to visit a Chinese temple and local food shops making delicacies such as roasted pork.
At midday, stop for lunch at a local curry shop. Enjoy a range of delicious foods amid the local atmosphere. Continue your ‘local’ exploration with a trip to Nanthida Jetty to board a ferry to cross the Yangon River to Dhala.
The jetty is often buzzing with activity as a mini-street market is there to sell snacks and other items to the ferry passengers. The boat ride to Dhala takes 15 minutes and offers great views of the waterways as well as a fun chance to interact with the curious locals as they make their way across the river.
Upon reaching Dhala, travel by local trishaw through the town. The scenic town is remarkably different from nearby Yangon, with many trees, local neighborhoods and quiet side streets filling the area. Return by boat to Yangon, observing life along the river and reflecting back on your excursion to Dhala. Upon returning to the Yangon jetty, you will be transferred back to your hotel.
Traveling by a royal horse cart is a relaxing and elegant way to enjoy the temples of Bagan. This half-day trip explores the best of Bagan's temples,starting from Min Oh Chantha Pagoda and proceeds to Dhammayangyi Temple, Sulamuni Temple, finishing at Pyat Thadar Temple where you can enjoy the magnificent sunset over Bagan.
Enjoy your city tour including a visit to Ananda Temple; it is the finest largest and best preserved of all the Bagan temples. The temple is said to represent the endless wisdom of the Buddha.
Next stop will visit That Byin Nyu Temple; it is Bagan’s tallest temple at almost 200 ft. In a monastery compound slightly southwest of the temple there are stone supports which one held the temple's huge bronze bell. Northeast of the temple stands a small Tally Pagoda this was built of one brick per 10,000 bricks used in the main temple.
Then we will continue to visit Shwegugyi Temple; it is a large single story temple set on a large and tall (c. 13 feet) platform. There are three square receding upper terraces with corner spires or stupas at each corner on top of the central block.
Last stop will visit Bupaya Pagoda; it is situated right on the river bank of the Ayeyarwady. The shape is extraordinary being in the shape of a gourd. The Bupaya is set on a polygonal platform made up of a series of crenulated semi-circular terraces overlooking the river; it has long served as a conspicuous landmark for river travelers.
Dress Code: For religious reason, the modest and decent dress is required such as wearing to cover your knees. Shoes must be removed before entering the Pagoda since most religious grounds not allow wearing shoes, sandal, thong or flip-flop and socks. Hats and sunglasses will be useful for tropical zone in Bagan.
Let us show you the rich culture of Mandalay with this half-day tour. Beginning with mysterious "Maha Muni Buddha", the most revered Buddha image in Myanmar. Being the most holy pilgrimage site, a rite of visiting pilgrims is to apply gold leaf to the statue. The result of this has left the statue distorted in some areas, namely the chest where there is 6 inches of gold leaf. These gold leaves, which are made as offerings throughout the country, are produced only in Mandalay with the traditional hand pounding technique. Pay a visit to a gold-leaf making and other nearby handicraft cottages to observe local craftsman at work.
Early morning, you will leave by car to a major port and important trading center known as Syriam and visit Yele Pagoda at Kyauktan; it sits on a small island in Hmaw Wun Creek, a tributary of Yangon River. It is approximately 20 km south of Yangon. This unusual temple was built under King Bawgasena in the third century BCE.
The temple hosts an impressive collection of paintings, sculptures and other fine demonstrations of Burmese Buddhist artwork and craftsmanship. Explore the pagodas and riverside market where you can buy the dry fish, prawns and marine products. Next we will visit Kyaikkhauk Pagoda; Kyaik Khauk Pagoda was built on a hillock named Hlaing Pote Kone on the road from Thanlyin to Kyauktan. It features an imposing golden Mon-style stupa similar to Shwedagon Pagoda across the river before returning to Yangon.
In the morning, the driver will pick you to start the sightseeing in Pindaya. On the way to Pindayacave, we will visit to home base Shan Paper and umbrella making industry. After that, we will visit to Pindaya Cave where thousands of Buddha images with different sizes are existing in.You can enjoy the cold and peaceful atmosphere there and it is the good place to take meditation. After visiting PindayaCave, we will have our lunch at Green Tea restaurant near Pindaya Cave, on the bank of the Ponedalote Lake. After having lunch, we will drive back to NyaungShwe.