Myanmar Highlights Travel

After breakfast, your guide will accompany you to admire Immanuel Baptist Church, one of Yangon’s oldest Christian churches. After passing through the city center's streets lined with British-style buildings, arrive at the 2,600-year-old Sule Pagoda. The golden octagonal shrine is home to Sule Nat, an old spirit who selected the location for Myanmar’s most venerated Shwedagon Pagoda. Afterward, proceed to Botahtaung Pagoda, a 2,500-year-old sanctuary on the Yangon River's bank, housing the Buddha's hair relic that was escorted by a thousand soldiers from India. Be dazzled by the opulently gold-inlaid interior of the octagonal chambers, where believers pray at each corner that represents a zodiac sign.

In the afternoon, let’s head to Chaukhtatgyi Buddha Temple to admire Myanmar’s largest indoor Buddha statue, which is 66 meters (217 feet) long! Besides, a platform next to the Buddha’s feet provides a broad perspective of the statue. Afterward, enjoy a leisurely stroll around Kandawgyi Park, which is located beside the tranquil Royal Lake, and have a photo stop at the iconic Karaweik Palace, a ship-shaped floating palace featuring two golden birds bearing a pagoda.

We’ll also admire Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar’s holiest pilgrimage site, housing precious relics of four Buddhas. With two massive golden sculptures of the mythical lion-like Chinthe guarding the entryway, this sacred area is dominated by the 99-meter (325-foot) tall golden pagoda covered with 7 tons of gold leaf! Can you imagine that in a nation with a per capita GDP of less than USD 1,200, people always try their best to donate gold to the pagoda? At last, your guide and the driver will escort you back to your hotel. If you wish to linger for its night view on your own, as the holy pagoda is always brightly lit at night even though the country faces a severe electricity shortage, you can use the Grab app to hail a ride to return to your hotel.
► Tips:
1. Taking off shoes and socks is a must when visiting Myanmar Buddhist sites.
2. Be cautious about anyone providing "free" blessing ropes, which might later be demanded at a high price.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Rose Garden Hotel Yangon (5 stars) or Esperado Lake View Hotel (4 stars) or similar

After breakfast, enjoy a private convoy transfer to the airport to board a 1.5-hour flight to Bagan. As you arrive, your local guide and the driver will pick you up and accompany you on a Bagan temple tour. From the 11th to the 13th century, Theravada Buddhism was set as the main religion of the Pagan Kingdom, and the kings ordered the construction of tens of thousands of pagodas! Although only about 2,000 remain after wars and earthquakes, they still awe the world.

We’ll first admire the Ananda Temple, a Bagan masterpiece that blends Indian style and local temple layouts. The white square edifice features four corridors leading to the center hall, with four 9.5-meter (31-foot) tall standing Buddhas facing cardinal directions. Outside the temple was bustling with food stalls, souvenir vendors, and small band performances, creating a lively atmosphere. Then, visit Minkaba Gubyaukyi Temple and appreciate its precious murals depicting the Buddha's 550 reincarnations. Our temple tour then comes to Htilominlo Pahto, Bagan’s last Myanmar-style temple, and Mya Zedi Temple, which was built by a king seeking spiritual atonement after killing his siblings for the crown.

Bagan lacquerware products are highly renowned throughout Myanmar, and we’ll drop by a lacquerware workshop. In the simple wooden shed, young men are hand-polishing the lacquerware, and ladies in traditional longyi tube-skirts walk briskly while carrying huge bamboo baskets with heavy loads on their heads to deliver lacquerware materials.

Before dusk, enjoy an Irrawaddy River boat ride to take in the breathtaking sunset and hunt down the best photo-shooting spots, as it beckons photo junkies throughout the world. At last, your guide and the driver will escort you to the hotel for check-in.

► Warm Tips:
1. Bring binoculars to look out over the vast Bagan Plain and a flashlight to appreciate the ancient murals inside the dimly lit temples.
2. Most of the Bagan dirt roads are dusty, so wear a lightweight and breathable mask or scarf.
3. Slippers are the most practical choice for visiting temples. Band-aids and wet wipes come in handy on sandy roads.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Aye Yar River View Resort (4 stars) or Amazing Bagan Resort (4 stars) or similar

After breakfast, we’ll experience the local daily life at Nyaung U Market, Bagan’s largest market, with a myriad of products, including fruits, vibrant woven bags, and unique wood carvings. Our next stop is Shwezigon Paya, an early 11th-century Buddhist pagoda that served as the prototype of later Bagan temples and Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. Besides, one of the country’s most vibrant festivals, the Light Festival, is held here around October, when the pagoda is illuminated with lamps, and locals celebrate by performing traditional dances, releasing lanterns, and trading at markets. Then, visit Nanpaya Temple, which boasts stone carvings of the Hindu god Brahma. Actually, it used to be the jail for Mon King Manuha of the Thaton Kingdom (4th-11th centuries), who even built a namesake temple beside Nanpaya to vent his dissatisfaction, featuring three large Buddha statues squeezed in cramped rooms.

★ Travel Through Time to the Pagan Kingdom by Horse-cart!

This afternoon, let’s hop on a traditional horse cart ride along sunny country roads, accompanied by the “clop-clop” hoofbeats, to explore temples and pagodas in the old Bagan Town. Our first stop is Bagan's highest pagoda, Thatbyinnyu Temple, which stands 60 meters (197 feet) tall! You’ll be impressed by its pale grey façade with receding terraces. Next, visit Dhammayangyi Temple, the largest temple in Bagan. It’s also referred to as the "haunted temple," as the tyrannical King Narathu (r. 1167-1171 AD) allegedly had the laborers’ fingers chopped off for tiny brick cracks, and the temple was never completed since the king was later assassinated. Afterward, head to Sulamani Temple to see the 18th-century frescoes, some of which depict Buddhist rituals and uncommon animal deity images. During the visit, you might also encounter vendors selling distinctive, handmade sand paintings outside of some large-scale pagodas.

By nightfall, let’s enjoy the breathtaking sunset on a hill, watching the vast plain gradually being dyed orange while herders lead their cattle wandering towards the far-off hamlet. Finally, your guide and the driver will escort you back to your hotel.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Aye Yar River View Resort (4 stars) or Amazing Bagan Resort (4 stars) or similar

In the morning, your private guide will convoy you to the airport by private car for a 30-minute flight to Mandalay. Once you arrive, your local guide and the driver will pick you up and accompany you on a Mandalay city tour.

★ Witness Monks Lining up to Receive Their Lunch Alms Silently

We’ll first head to Mahagandayon Monastery, one of Myanmar’s most renowned monastic colleges and a hotspot for the spectacular sight of over a thousand monks receiving alms and having food together. Myanmar monks only have two meals at 4:00 am and 10:30 am each day. When the bell rings at 10:15 am, all of the monks, from novices to the elderly, hold their bowls and line up neatly for the alms. The novices may cheerfully wave to visitors, whereas senior monks always keep calm, as if they have been accustomed to the tourists' gaze. Their daily food is donated by local families, who are so proud of it that they even queue up to donate, at a cost of roughly USD 1,500. You might also see poor kids waiting outside the monastery to receive the leftover food. Although Myanmar monasteries provide food, clothing, and shelter, not all impoverished families send their kids to become monks, as they still need them to earn money.

We’ll then admire Mahamuni Pagoda, home to the Mahamuni Buddha image, which is regarded as the incarnation of the Buddha. The temple is always swarming with pilgrims gilding the statue and worshipping. Every morning at 4:00, a face-washing and teeth-brushing ceremony commences solemnly. We can arrange it for you if you are interested. Then, following a visit to the Kuthodaw Pagoda, which is renowned for its 729 white stone tablets engraved with Buddhist teachings, tour the Shwenandaw Monastery, which was once a king’s chamber within the Mandalay Palace. We’ll also stop by some handicraft workshops to catch a glimpse of how the locals use a waist loom to make elaborate woven fabrics and how they carve and polish marble Buddha statues.

In the afternoon, let’s head to U Bein Bridge, the world's oldest and longest teak footbridge. We’ll take a boat trip on Taungthaman Lake to admire the breathtaking sunset, which draws visitors from all over the world. At last, your guide and the driver will escort you back to your hotel.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Mercure Mandalay Hill Resort (4 stars) or Eastern Palace Hotel (4 stars) or similar

Today, your guide will accompany you to enjoy a 1-hour boat trip across the Irrawaddy River to explore the ancient Mingun City. After disembarking, take a 15-minute walk to today’s destination. However, if you don't want to walk, the unique ox carts are available at your own expense. They park on the soft sandy shore, and their simple, cute bamboo canopies are written with the word "TAXI". We’ll first visit Mingun Pagoda, a large, crumbling brick structure. It was originally planned to be 160 meters (525 feet) tall. However, the king stopped the construction right away after hearing a wandering monk’s prophecy that the day it was completed would mark the end of the kingdom, leaving the pagoda only 50 meters (164 feet) tall. We’ll also get a view of the Mingun Bell nearby, the world's second-largest bell that is 3.7 meters (12 feet) tall and weighs over 90 tons! Then, after seeing the pure white Hsinbyume Pagoda, a huge cream-cake-shaped masterpiece, soak up the relaxed ambiance at Mingun Village, which is alive with thatched huts and vendors selling fried shrimp cakes under lush trees.

In the afternoon, let’s visit the Soon Oo Pon Nya Shin Paya atop Sagaing Hill. Pay homage to the white marble Buddha statue and golden pagoda that enshrines the Buddha’s tooth relic. The legend states that a devoted minister magically built the pagoda in a single night in order to enshrine the Buddha's relic originally placed in a betel nut box! This place is also an excellent spot to take in a broad view of the Irrawaddy River and Mandalay city. At last, your guide and the driver will escort you back to your hotel.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Mercure Mandalay Hill Resort (4 stars) or Eastern Palace Hotel (4 stars) or similar

Today, say farewell to your one-week Myanmar best tour package. Your guide and the driver will escort you to Mandalay International Airport according to your flight time and see you off. Have a pleasant journey home!

If this tour satisfies your curiosity about Myanmar’s Buddhist culture and leaves you panting for more about Asian gems, consider extending your trip to Thailand to enjoy laid-back beaches, Cambodia to admire the breathtaking Angkor Wat, and China to trek the magnificent Great Wall. Our consultants are always ready to customize a bespoke itinerary for you!

Meal: Breakfast