Eye-catching journey crossing Myanmar's lands and Irrawaddy river

Yangon

• Activities:

  Arrive Yangon, check in hotel and relax

• Meal:

• Included:

Welcome to Yangon. Upon your arrival, you are warmly welcomed by guide and driver then transfer to hotel for check-in and relaxation.

Meals are on your own account.

Yangon

• Activities:

  Travel around Yangon's highlights: Botataung Pagoda, Sule Pagoda, French colonial buildings, Mahabandola Garden, Kandawgyi Lake & Shwedagon Pagoda

• Meal:

  Breakfast]

• Included:

After breakfast, we start a day trip to visit Strand Road, Yangon River and Botataung Pagoda. Next up, we head to Sule Pagoda which houses a hair given by the Buddha to two Burmese merchants. Surrounding the pagoda are small shops and all the familiar non-religious services such as astrologists, palmists and so on. Then, we stroll down nearby French colonial buildings and visit Mahabandola Garden. After lunch break, spend your time to stop and relax at the picturesque Royal Palace (Karaweik) & Kandawgyi Lake. To call it a day, find the way to World famous Great Golden Shwedagon Pagoda and see it magically lit at night.

Lunch and dinner are on your own account.

Bagan

• Activities:

  Morning fly to Bagan, visit Nyaung U market and all key ancient monuments: Htilominlo Temple, Shwezigon Pagoda, Gubyaukgyi Temple, Thabinnyu Temple, Myinkaba village, Ananda Temple, Shwesandaw Pagoda

• Meal:

  Breakfast]

• Included:

After breakfast at the hotel, take morning flight to Bagan. Land in Bagan, we start to visit the colorful Nyaung U Market; Shwezigon Pagoda and its magnificent golden stupa; Htilominlo Temple masterfully decorated with carvings from sandstone and plaster; Gubyaukgyi Temple, with superb mural of Jataka tales; Myinkaba village to experience one of Myanmar's best-known handicrafts, traditional lacquer-ware; Ananda Temple, an architectural masterpiece of the early century temple style with four impressive standing Buddha statues; Thabinnyu Temple, the highest temple in Bagan. Wind down with the sun setting over the far horizon, from the upper terrace of the magnificent Shwesandaw Pagoda.

Lunch and dinner are on your own account.

Bagan

• Activities:

  Visit Minanthu local village on foot

• Meal:

  Breakfast]

• Included:

Drive to Minnanthu village and take a stroll and explore real local life and culture. See how the villagers go about their day to day activities like collecting sesame seeds, weaving cloth and spinning cotton. There is also a silversmith shop where they make their own silver jewelry. You are to keep on walking to Lay Myat Hnar complex to experience the layout of brick monastery compound and monastic life in Bagan.

Warm note: From October to March, you can request a hot-air balloon ride which takes you above the charming Bagan plain and the impressive Ayeyarwaddy River to watch sunrise. Remember to get up early.

Lunch and dinner are on your own account.

Bagan

• Activities:

  Transfer to jetty and join ship for lunch on board, afternoon visit lacquerware workshop, Payathonezu, Dhamayangyi & Taung Guni temples

• Meal:

  Breakfast],Lunch],Dinner]

• Included:

After breakfast, pack up your luggage and get ready for a life on board wirh Pandaw. Meet up your guide for then we drive to Ayar Jetty in Bagan and check in cruise around 12:00 pm for lunch. In the afternoon, visit a Lacquerware workshop to explore the process of making lacquer handicrafts which is the specialty craft of Pagan. Continue to the unique Payathonezu, three inter-connected temples with a narrow passage built in the late 13th century. End the day with a visit to Dhamayangyi from AD 1170, the widest and largest temple in Pagan. Watch the sunset from the top of Taung Guni temple before returning to the ship.

All meals are included on board.

Salay

• Activities:

  Sail to visit Salay, walk to Yoke-Sone Kyaung, drive up to visit Tant-Chi-Taung mountain, enjoy traditional paper-mache elephant dance in Tant-Chi villages

• Meal:

  Breakfast],Lunch],Dinner]

• Included:

Set sail early morning to Salay, a small town which was once a bustling trading port, now a sleepy village filled with colonial architectural treasures and timeless teak monasteries. Walk to Yoke-Sone Kyaung, the best-known teak carved monastery in Burma, stopping at Salay House on return.Sail upriver to the Ayardaw charity clinic supported by Pandaw then drive up the winding road of the Tant-Chi-Taung mountain to visit the hill-top stupa. Late afternoon, watch the traditional paper-mache elephant dance performed by the villagers from Tant-Chi. Moor overnight near Nyaung U.
All meals are included on board.

Pakkoku

• Activities:

  Visit Pakokku market and local workshop by Tuk Tuk

• Meal:

  Breakfast],Lunch],Dinner]

• Included:

Explore Pakokku, experiencing the local market and town centre by Tuk Tuk. Pakkoku is a city of about 100,000 inhabitants located 30 km from Pagan. Main produce are tobacco, cotton, peanuts, Thanatkha (traditional make-up and sun lotion) and textiles. Visit Pakokku’s main market by Tuk Tuk. Stop at a cheroot workshop and discover how traditional cheroot cigars are made. Moor overnight at Aung Pan Chaung near the Chindwin confluence.
All meals are included on board.

Yandabo village

• Activities:

  Tour around Yandabo village, explore pottery workshop and local school

• Meal:

  Breakfast],Lunch],Dinner]

• Included:

Explore Yandabo village, famous for its production of terracotta pottery from the river bank clay. This village is well-known as the place where the first Anglo-Burmese war ended by the peace treaty signed in 1826. Morning walking tour and a visit to a pottery workshop to see first-hand the production process. This is a hands-on experience which you are welcome to try. Visit the Pandaw supported Yandabo School (if no school holidays). Afternoon sailing and moor overnight at Pauk-taw Pauk-myaing village near Ava.
All meals are included on board.

Mandalay

• Activities:

  Disembark cruise, visit more key sites of Mandalay including Shwenandaw Monastery, Mahamuni Pagoda, Kuthodaw Pagoda, Sanda Muni Paya Pagoda and Mandalay Hill

• Meal:

  Breakfast]

• Included:

After early breakfast, disembark at Mandalay Sagaing Jetty. Our guide and driver will wait and pick you up for a round tour starting right then. Firstly, we head to Shwenandaw Monastery - one of the best examples of traditional Burmese style wooden monastery building in the country, followed by Mahamuni Pagoda to contemplate huge and impressive statue. Then we move towards Mandalay Hill, first drop at Kuthodaw Pagoda where contains the world’s largest book. Next up, Mandalay Hill appears right in front of your eyes, take a short climb up and enjoy perfect view of sun setting. Lastly, we move a bit towards the Sanda Muni Paya Pagoda, wander around and you might feel lost in time and space here. Later we get in car and drive back to your hotel for check-in and relaxation.
Lunch and dinner are on your own account.

Kalaw

• Activities:

  Morning fly to Heho, drive to Kalaw, en-route visit Pindaya cave, check in hotel and relax

• Meal:

  Breakfast]

• Included:

After early breakfast at the hotel, get in car and transfer to Mandalay airport then take mid morning flight to Heho. On arrival, head to Kalaw (a winding hilly road to the Shan hills to Kalaw, a fresh and delightful hill station, on the rim of the Shan plateau) for hotel check-in and relaxation then.

Lunch and dinner are on your own account.

Kalaw

• Activities:

  Trek to hill villages in Kalaw

• Meal:

  Breakfast],Lunch]Picnic lunch

• Included:

Warm up your morning with an exhilarating trek up and down the hilly routes through beautiful plantation growing a large variety of vegetables, fruits, flowers, teas, etc. It is also a good chance for you to get more immersive experience with hill friendly villagers from Danu, Pa-O, Taung Yo and Palaung ethnic groups. Reaching the hilltop, stop by a guest house for a cup of local tea and have your picnic lunch, you are warmly invited to have a house tour and get to know more about daily activities and practices here. Later on, we trod down hill through another steepy path to initial starting point and connect a car ride back to hotel then. Enjoy your relaxed time then.
Lunch and dinner are on your own account.

Inle Lake

• Activities:

  Drive to Inle Lake, en-route visit , en-route visit Shan umbrella workshop, boat trip to PhaungDawOo Pagoda and lotus weaving village of Inpawkhon

• Meal:

  Breakfast]

• Included:

Morning drive to Nyaung Shwe jetty arrival, after that sail along Inle Lake for sight-seeing, witness the famous single-leg canoe rowing; traditional fishing way; floating gardens; simple village life and breath-taking scenery. Also visit Shan umbrella workshop and PhaungDawOo Pagoda, one of the main principle shrines in Myanmar, dating back to the 18th century and the lotus weaving village of Inpawkhon.
Lunch and dinner are on your own account.

Indein

• Activities:

  Discover Indein village, pagoda and stupas, explore local traditional Blacksmith workshop and Shan Cheroot (tobacco) making

• Meal:

  Breakfast]

• Included:

After breakfast at the hotel, visit a 5-day lively floating market rotating every five days around five different villages around the lake. Boat trip to Shwe Inn Thein situated on west shore of Inle Lake, with a stair path leading to the mysterious Inn Dein Pagoda; discover local traditional Blacksmith workshop and Shan Cheroot (tobacco) making. Free afternoon at hotel and overnight in Inle Lake. 

Lunch and dinner are on your own account.

Yangon

• Activities:

  Fly back to Yangon, depart

• Meal:

  Breakfast]

• Included:

After breakfast, check out your hotel, transfer to Heho airport and take a flight back to Yangon. Find your way to connect departure flight home later on. Tour ends.