Spiritual Quests of Myanmar Tour in 10 Days

Upon your arrival, met by your guide and driver and transfer you to your hotel for check-in. In this afternoon, we’ll start our exploration with a walk down the marble carving street, you may visit the traditional cotton and silk weavers before the sunset.

Then visit Mahaganday, the largest Buddhist University in the country. Enjoy the sunset and U Bein Bridge on Taungthaman Lake. Overnight in Mandalay

After breakfast, drive to Pyin Oo Lwin about 1 hour, which was once a British colonial town. Then visit the local market, and take a horse-drawn carriage through the unique colonial architecture of Maymyo in Pyin Oo Lwin. Before continuing to the Kandawgyi National Botanical Gardens, stop by and view historical objects at the Forestry Museum.

After that, we will drive to the Candacraig Hotel, stop for a coffee and tea and photograph break and visit Peik Chin Myaung Caves, an ancient Buddhist temple, before returning to Mandalay in the evening. Overnight in Mandalay.

After breakfast, you are transferred to visit Shwenandaw Kyaung – the original Royal Apartment of Grand Mandalay Palace. Then continue to The Word’s largest Book called Kuthodaw Pagoda with 729 stone tablets with the inscription Buddhist Scripture then back to hotel to check out and then drive straight to jetty where to take a ferry boat to Mingun, 11 km upriver from Mandalay on the western bank of Ayeyarwaddy River.

After taking the boat trip for about 45 minutes, you can walk and start your tour includes the Mingun Pagoda, unfinished pagoda which might have been the biggest pagoda in the history of Buddhism, Mingun Bell, the world largest ringing bell, and Myatheindan Pagoda. Then take a downstream cruise Mandalay and lunch is served on boat. Upon arrival at Mandalay, you will be transferred to Mandalay International Airport to your flight to Bagan. Check-in at your hotel in Bagan for overnight

Start your tour at the busy local market continuing with visits to a diverse selection of the most important pagodas and temples in Bagan. These include Shwezigon Pagoda, a huge gilded zedi built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century, GuByaukGyi, a 13th-century temple with exquisite murals, and the immediately recognizable Ananda Temple; one of the finest and largest temples with its 170 ft shimmering gold spire and four huge standing-Buddha images.

Then have a visit to a lacquer craftsman’s workshop in nearby Myingaba village. Sightseeing continues with visits to Manuha Temple, built in Mon style in 1059, Nanbaya Temple, a unique sandstone monument that is said to have been the palace of King Manuha and Myingaba Gu Byuk Kyi Temple (under the protection of UNESCO). Enjoy sunset at one of the monuments along Ayeyarwady River. Overnight in Bagan.

Option: You can take balloons over Bagan if you wish. There will be surcharge for this option.

This morning visit Minnanthu village. Visit Tayoke Pyay, Payathonzu and Nandamanya Temples (noted for exquisite 13th-century murals) and Kyat Kan Cave Monastery, a famous meditation center in Bagan. Visit farming houses around Bagan. In the afternoon, enjoy an excursion to the beautiful Nat Htaung Kyaung, a monastery famous for wood carvings, built in 1781 by a group of monks. Admire the monastery’s collection of ancient Buddha statues and lacquer boxes. Accommodation at hotel in Bagan.

After breakfast at your hotel, we drive to Mount Popa – 48 km from Bagan. Mount Popa has been a significant part of Myanmar’s culture, religion and history since the earliest times. Its shrine is dedicated to worship the 37 Nats, an old Burmese animist spirit. As you climb the stairs to the top with your local guide, you will gain very interesting knowledge about nats and nat worship.  From the top of the peak you can have an amazing view over the Myingyan Plain (note that the climb is optional).

After lunch, return drive back to Bagan. On the way back, en route stop at village cottage industry to learn the regional product as well as to watch the collection of juice from the palm trees, and its conversion to brown sugar. Do not miss out the chance to try the palm juice. Overnight in Bagan

Today you are transferred to Mandalay international airport for your early flight to Heho. Upon arrival to Heho airport, we take a scenic one hour drive which leads to small town Nyaung Shwe – the major gateway to Inle Lake. On the way to Nyaung Shwe, you will visit Shwe Yan Pyay Wooden Monastery with unique oval shaped window, dating back to over 140 years ago. Then directly transfer to boat stand in Nyaung Shawe and board a private motorboat to head out to Inle Lake, famous for its unique one-leg rowers.

Afternoon sightseeing will include with the excursion to weaving village of In Paw Khone and Cheroot factory where the typical Burmese hand rolled cigars are med by hand. Then continue to Pahung Daw Oo Pagoda, the lake’s main sanctuary which contains five sacred Buddha images covered in gold leaf. Next, we will visit Nga Hpe Chaung Monastery, known as “Jumping cats” monastery. To round off the day, we take a sightseeing tour around the floating gardens areas of Inle Lake on which seasonal vegetables are grown from the boat. Overnight in Inle Lake.

After breakfast, travel by boat via Nampan to Sagar (approximately 2h30 to 3 hrs per way) and Thakong, a rarely visited area south of Inle Lake. Explore the 5-day market (on market days only) on the way and a Shan village where earthenware pottery is produced. At Kyainkhan (near Kyauktaing) visit a family, producing robes (Phongyi clothes) made from fabrics of thousands of lotus stems. Observe local methods of producing high degree alcohol fermented and extracted from bran rice. You will get insight into the unspoiled culture and traditional lifestyle of the ethnic Pa-O and Intha inhabitants around Sagar and Hmawbi. Enjoy the beautiful landscape, flowering trees and numerous settlements dotted on both sides of the canal. Return to the hotel at Inle Lake in the late afternoon. Overnight in Inle Lake

In the morning we take an excursion to Indein – a hidden corner of Inle Lake. It’s covered here with thousands of the ancient Bagan and Shan style pagodas, built during Bagan Period. Upon arrival to Indein, heading off to ancient pagoda complex walking through shady bamboo groves and then transfer back to boat in Nyaung Shwe. From here proceed to Heho Airport to catch the flight back to Yangon. Upon arrival transfer to your hotel for check-in. Overnight in Yangon.

Today is the last day of your trip and also the day to explore the most highlights of Yangon. Your first destination is Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the world’s most spectacular religious monuments. It’s famous for the golden dome pagoda where you can see the local ways of life and belief. If time permits we can drop by the Kalaywa Tawya Monastery Education center where more than 1000 monks and nuns studying Buddhist scriptures. Orphans from all over Myanmar are brought here to be cared for.

We then head to Chaukhtatgyi Pagoda (the huge reclining Buddha Statue in length of 72 meters long) and then drive back to hotel to check out. Your last destination is Scott Market – the major shopping center in Yangon which sells traditional souvenirs and handicrafts. Then drive straightly to Yangon International Airport to fly to your onward destination. End of your tour with Paradise travel. Good bye and see you again!