Burma Extension

The images of Burma are startling in their simple beauty—bullock carts moving slowly across dazzling green rice terraces, saffron-robed monks walking silently in single file, gold-spired pagodas glinting like jewels on faraway hills. On this extension, visit nostalgic Yangon (formerly Rangoon), with its magnificent Shwedagon temple bustling with monks and pilgrims, Mandalay, the cultural heart of Burma, Inle Lake, home to minority hilltribes, and watch a golden sunset over a thousand temples on the great plain of Bagan. This tropical nation abounds with visual delights, but it is the encounter with Burma’s people—graceful and deeply spiritual—that lingers in the traveler’s mind long after journey’s end.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1
Yangon

Arrive in Yangon in the afternoon via Bangkok. You are met on arrival for a transfer to the Savoyr Hotel (or similar); room check-in after 2pm. The remainder of the day is at leisure, with dinner at your hotel...D

Day 2
Yangon

Enjoy a morning walk to the fascinating Chinese street market, where vegetables, fruits, meats, noodles, flowers, and dry goods of all kinds are available, and continue to the Indian market. Then stroll around the heart of the city, visiting the eight-sided Sule Pagoda, considered the heart of old Rangoon and dating back more than 2,000 years, and walk through the busy financial area to the old Strand Hotel for a visit. From here, drive to the Yangon River for a walk along the bustling waterfront, where you can see boats unloading rice as well as local ferry and passenger boats dating from the British era. After lunch, visit the National Museum, Chauk Htat Gyi (a huge Reclining Buddha), and Royal Lake. Your final visit today is to spectacular Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the world’s most impressive and spiritual monuments, standing 300 feet high, covered with 60 tons of gold, and encrusted with thousands of diamonds and other precious stones. Around the multi-roofed main shrine, there are countless other pagodas, temples, monuments, and giant Buddha images, as well as a continual parade of pilgrims and monks and nuns offering their devotions. You can remain at the Shwedagon until sunset with ample time to absorb the rich culture and chat with the friendly Burmese. Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight at hotel…BLD

Day 3
Bagan

An early morning flight brings you to Bagan (formerly Pagan), one of the most extraordinary sights in Burma if not in all of Southeast Asia. Across 24 square miles of countryside, stretching back from the Irrawaddy, stand over 2,000 pagodas and temples, monasteries, and caves, some huge and glorious, others small and graceful, all set in simple fields. On your temple and pagoda visits today and tomorrow, visit some of Bagan’s most beautiful and unusual sites, reflecting the best of Bagan’s architectural styles, temple paintings, and historical significance. Some of the sites you will visit today are Htupa-Layzutan (9th century Pyu style), Hpet-Lake Pagoda (terra cotta), Nagayon Temple (paintings), Nanpaya Temple, Manuha Temple (large Buddha image), Gubyaukgyi Temple (paintings), Tharaba City Gate (nats), Ananda Temple (most beautiful), Ananda Monastery (paintings), Thatbyinnyu Temple and Mingalazedi Pagoda. Enjoy watching sunset over Bagan atop one of the temples. Dinner and overnight at the Thande Hotel located in the heart of the old city...BLD

Day 4
Bagan

This morning you visit the local market at Nyaung O, then continue with your temple tours, which include the famous Shwezigon Pagoda, Kyansittha Cave Temple (paintings), Htilominlo Temple and Lawkahtatepan Temple (paintings). After lunch at a riverside restaurant, visit a Lacquerware Factory and then board a small boat to Tune Thiri Island village for a sunset cruise on the Irrawaddy River (as an alternative more temples can be visited—please consult with your guide). This evening, enjoy dinner and traditional Burmese puppet show at an outdoor restaurant. Overnight at hotel...BLD

Day 5
Mandalay

Fly to Mandalay, last capital of Burma before the British took over. From the airport, your first visit is Mahagandayon, a famous Buddhist monastery where over 1,000 monks live and study. Continue to Amarapura for a stroll across the 200-year-old U Bein Bridge, memorable both for its people-watching and for its scenic views. Continue by road into Mandalay, where you visit Shwenandaw Kyaung (Golden Palace Monastery), a superb example of 19th century architecture that was once part of King Mindon’s Palace, Kuthodaw Pagoda (“the world’s largest book”), where the entire Tripitaka (Buddhist scriptures) have been hand-carved on 729 marble tablets, and Mahamuni Pagoda, Mandalay’s holiest Buddha image that devotees have covered with countless layers of gold leaf. Today you also see immense Buddha images being sculpted out of giant blocks of marble, the process for making gold leaf, one that employs a special bamboo paper (a three-year process), and kalaga embroidery, which is made with gold thread and sequins. In the late afternoon, climb Mandalay Hill for a sunset view. Dinner and overnight at the Mandalay Hill Resort...BLD

Day 6
Heho / Inle Lake

A morning flight brings you to Heho, where you are met for a drive to Inle Lake. Board your own local private boat to motor to the Inle Princess Resort, a gorgeous property built on stilts and located on the lake. After checking into the resort, take our boat across the lake and up a picturesque channel, passing among bathing water buffalo, to Indaing, home to the Pa-O tribe. Here on a hillside are countless ancient stupas, abandoned in time and left to the ravages of nature. Return to Inle Lake for dinner and overnight at the Inle Princess Resort...BLD

Day 7
Inle Lake

Inle Lake has been referred to as “mystical, magical, outrageously picturesque.” This is Shan hilltribe country, but the lake itself is the home of the Intha people, a minority tribe who populate its shores. Explore the lake communities by local private boat, with opportunities to visit hilltribe markets that operate on a rotating five-day schedule. Inle Lake is home to the famous “leg rowers” and you will see how they catch fish standing up with one leg wrapped around an oar. Visit local floating gardens of vegetables and flowers as well as the Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery, one of the oldest on the lake and containing priceless Buddha images, view silk weaving, cheroot making, and other lake activities, then visit Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, with its five gold Buddhas. Lunch at a restaurant on stilts in the lake and dinner at the resort…BLD

Day 8
Yangon / Evening Departure

Return to Heho and fly back to Yangon. In Yangon, your guide can escort you for additional touring or shopping if time permits. Evening transfer to the airport for your return flight to Bangkok.