Myanmar Higlights Tour - 8 Days 8 Days 7 Nights

An essential part of any Myanmar tours is the chance to experience the local culture and way of life, which has remained unchanged for hundreds of years.

Our Salay day tour begins with a visit to the nearby town of Chauk, where we will explore one of the largest markets in the region. With all manner of goods on sale, you will have the chance to explore at your own leisure and sample some of the local delicacies on offer.

Returning to Salay, we visit one of the most important of the town’s 50 active monasteries, Yoke Sone Kyaung. The oldest remaining wooden monastery in the region, this beautiful and unique building is now home to a wonderful museum hosting a range of artefacts from the Konbaung period. Having had the chance to explore this historic complex, we continue to the equally renowned Shin Pin Thar Long to visit a famous 13th-century lacquerware image of the Lord Buddha.

On our return journey, we have plenty of time to explore the historic British buildings that dominate much of the local landscape. As charming as they are beautiful, the colonial buildings evoke a sense of days gone by and tell the story of an important part of the region’s history. Before returning to our accommodation, we have the option of visiting a local plantation to witness palm sugar being produced using traditional techniques.

Includes: Hotel; transport; English speaking guide; meals: breakfast & lunch; all entrance fees

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the domestic airport for your flight from Bagan to Mandalay. From the Mandalay Airport, you’ll make a short stop at Mahagandayon – a famous Buddhist monastery where more than a thousand monks live and study.

Our Mandalay day tour begins after hotel check in with a visit to a traditional Gold Leaf factory where we observe the fine art of creating sheets of gold just a fraction of a millimetre thick. From here, we pay a visit to the giant seated Buddha at the Mahamuni Pagoda, before visiting a famous stone carving street to witness local craftsmen at work. After a short stop at a Local Jade Market, we visit the monks of the Grand Shwe In Bin Monastery before enjoying a delicious lunch at a traditional restaurant.

In the afternoon, our guided tour of Mandalay continues with a trip to the Shwenandaw Monastery. Dating back to 1878, the monastery is famed for its incredible teak carvings of Buddhist myths which line the walls and ceilings. Our next stop is the magnificent Khuthodaw Pagoda, home not only to a beautiful golden stupa but also to the world’s largest book. A short journey up Mandalay Hill takes us to our final stop of the day, from where we can enjoy magnificent views across the city and Ayeyarwady River before returning to your accommodation.

Free time and overnight in Mandalay 

Includes: Hotel; transport; English speaking guide; meals: breakfast & lunch; all entrance fees

After breakfast you will be transferred to the Mandalay Airport for your flight to Heho.

A pleasant surprise awaits you here because the elevation of the Shan Plateau is roughly 1000 meter above sea level and thus the weather is a bit cooler.

We begin our Inle Lake tour in Heho, from where we start our drive through the stunning Shan Landscape to the Town Of Pindaya. The scenery in this region is amongst the most incredible to be found in the country, with rolling hills, traditional farms and villages displaying a truly spectacular array of colours. Life in the Shan State has remained largely unchanged for decades, and the local population still use traditional methods to cultivate their fertile lands, providing us with a wonderful insight into this untouched corner of Myanmar. One of our first stops is to explore the magnificent limestone caves of Pindaya, which are home to over 8,094 Buddha images and overlook a stunning lake.

Continuing our drive, we visit a traditional Shan paper and parasol factory, where goods are still made by hand using traditional methods. Further along our route, we have the opportunity to taste some delicious locally produced Honey at the Plan Bee Beekeeping Centre. In the afternoon head to Inle Lake, your overnight place after this intense and beautiful day in Shan State.

Includes: Hotel; transport; English speaking guide; meals: breakfast & lunch; all entrance fees

After breakfast, we begin our Inle Lake boat tour with a visit to the ‘5 Day Market’ for a fascinating insight into traditional life on Myanmar’s second largest lake

From there, we continue by boat to a traditional silversmith, where we can see intricate items of jewellery being made by hand using traditional methods. The village of Paw Khon is our next stop and is famous locally for its fine silk weaving industry which we will experience first-hand.

As we continue our Inle Lake boat tour, we visit a number of other local industries including a boat making workshop and a traditional Cheroot Factory, where this unique style of cigar is still hand rolled using tobacco and tamarind. The Jumping Cat Pagoda and Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery are our next stops, before proceeding to the sensational Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda. A highlight if many people’s visit to Inle Lake, the pagoda houses 5 gold carvings of Buddha, upon which pilgrims apply small squares of gold leaf as a form of blessing.

The return part of our trip takes us through Inle Lake’s largest floating village at Ywama where we will explore the floating garden and learn more about the Inthar way of life. We then return to our accommodation, where our Inle Lake boat tour will end.

Comeback and overnight in Inle 

Includes: Hotel; transport; English speaking guide; meals: breakfast & lunch; all entrance fees

You won’t be so willing to collect all your luggage early in the morning but you’ll have to get ready for the transfer to Nyaung Shwe Jetty by boat and then for the drive to the Heho Airport to catch the Yangon flight.

Your Myanmar tour has come to an end! We hope you had a really good time in the Burma Buddhist Land.

Includes: Transport; English speaking guide; meals: breakfast