Myanmar Package Tour - Myanmar Odyssey, 20 days

Day 1	Yangon Arrival in Yangon Transfer Overnight in Yangon

Day 2	Yangon Sightseeing Yangon Yangon lies in the fertile delta of southern Myanmar, on the wide Yangon River. The city is filled with tree-shaded boulevards, while shimmering stupas float above the treetops. The city became the capital only in 1885, when the British completed the conquest of Upper Myanmar and Mandalay's brief period as capital of the last Burmese kingdom ended. SHWEDAGON PAGODA: the highlight of any visit to Yangon, this pagoda dates back about 2500 years and was built to house eight sacred hairs of the Buddha. Its original shape has changed beyond all recognition over the centuries. Its bell-shaped superstructure, resting on a terraced base, is covered in about 60 tons of gold-leaf, which is continuously being replaced. BOTATAUNG PAGODA: this paya was named after the 1000 military leaders who escorted relics of the Buddha brought from India over 2000 years ago. This ancient monument was completely destroyed during WWII. It was then rebuilt in a very similar style to its predecessor, but the zedi is hollow and one can walk through it. NGADATKYI PAYA: located in the Ashay Tawya monastery, this paya contains the huge seated "five-story" Buddha image. NATIONAL MUSEUM: a museum with several interesting exhibits, especially the 8 meter high Sihasana Lion Throne, used by King Thibaw Min, the last Burmese king, and returned to Burma in 1908 by Lord Mountbatten. The main floor contains jewellery, old black and white photos of Mandalay Palace and Yangon, royal relics, Hintha opium weights and inscribed tablets. SULE PAGODA: this 48 meter high golden dome was used by the British as the nucleus of their grid pattern for the city when it was rebuilt in the 1880s. The pagoda's peculiarity is its octagonal-shaped stupa, which retains its shape as it tapers to the spire. BOGYOKE (SCOTT) MARKET: this covered market contains samples of Burmese crafts, gems and fabrics, and is a fascinating place to browse. Overnight in Yangon.

Day 3	Yangon - Heho - Pindaya Transfer Flight from Yangon to Heho. By vehicle from Heho to Pindaya Visit the Pindaya Caves PINDAYA CAVES: these caves are ensconced in a limestone ridge overlooking the lake. Inside the cavern there are more than 8000 Buddha images - made from alabaster, teak, marble, brick, lacquer and cement - and are arranged in such a way as to form a labyrinth throughout the various cave chambers. SHWE U MIN PAYA: this is a cluster of low stupas just below the ridge near the Pindaya Caves. Beginning on the full moon of Tabaung (February/March), Pindaya hosts a colourful pagoda festival at Shwe U Min. Overnight in Pindaya.

Day 4	Pindaya - Inle Lake By vehicle from Pindaya to Inle Lake Transfer by boat Excursion by boat on Inle Lake INLE LAKE: Inle Lake, located in Shan State, is beautiful, with very calm waters dotted with patches of floating vegetation and fishing canoes. High hills rim the lake on all sides. The lake's shore and islands bear 17 villages on stilts, mostly inhabited by the Intha people. Enjoy the spectacular scenery and observe the skilled fisherman using their "leg-rowing" technique to propel themselves around the lake. Visit the floating gardens, a floating market and a Intha village around the lake (please note that no markets take place on full moon or new moon days). The day's sightseeing also includes a visit to the PHAUNG DAW OO PAGODA and the NGA PHE KYAUNG, or the MONASTERY OF JUMPING CATS. Overnight in Inle Lake.

Day 5	Inle Lake Excursion by boat on Inle Lake to In Dein, Sae Ma Village and the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Travel by boat to the western shore of the lake to a stairway leading to the hidden In Dein temple complex. Located on the shore of the lake, this site consists of hundreds of small stupas overgrown by moss and greens. Continue on foot past rice fields to the village of Sae Ma, stopping to explore the village and the local school. Continue by canoe down a narrow creek to the Paung Daw Oo Pagoda and continue to the weaving village of Tha Lay. In the afternoon meet the people in the villages on the lake and travel to one of the monasteries to observe the monastic activities. Return by boat to hotel. Overnight in Inle Lake.

Day 6	Inle Lake Excursion by vehicle and boat to Kakku Travel by boat across Inle Lake to a small village on the eastern shores. Continue by vehicle into the mountains through beautiful landscapes, stopping to visit Pa O villages on the way. KAKKU: this magnificent collection of over 2000 Buddhist stupas dates from the 12th and 13th centuries and is concentrated in the space of one square kilometer. Many Buddha statues lie scattered in and around the ruins. Overnight in Inle Lake.

Day 7	Inle Lake - Heho - Mandalay By vehicle from Inle Lake to Heho Flight from Heho to Mandalay. Transfer Afternoon at leisure Overnight in Mandalay.

Day 8	Mandalay Sightseeing in Mandalay Mandalay was the last capital of Myanmar before the British took over so it still has great importance as a cultural center and historically it's the most Burmese of the country's large cities. Mandalay's Buddhist monasteries are among the most important in the country - about 60% of all the monks in Myanmar reside in the Mandalay area. The city takes its name from Mandalay Hill, the 236m-high bluff that rises just to the north-east of Mandalay Fort and its royal palace. MANDALAY FORT: imposing walled palace compound constructed in 1857 with a channel from the Mandalay irrigation canal filling the moat. After the British occupied the city in 1885 the compound was named Fort Dufferin and became the colony's government house and British Club. KYAUKTAWGYI PAGODA: built between 1853 and 1878 and chiefly interesting for the huge seated image of the Buddha carved from a single block of marble. The marble block from the mines of nearby Sagyin was so colossal that it required 10,000 men laboring for 13 days to transport it from a canal to the current site. SANDAMANI PAYA: a cluster of slender whitewashed stupas built on the site of King Mindon's temporary palace - used while the new Mandalay Palace was under construction. The Paya enshrines an iron image of the Buddha cast in 1802 by Bodawpaya and transported here from Amarapura in 1874. MAHAMUNI PAYA: originally built by King Bodawpaya in 1784 when a road paved with bricks was constructed from his palace to the paya's eastern gate. The centerpiece of the shrine is the highly venerated Mahamuni image that was transported to Myanmar from Mrauk U in Rakhaing in 1784. KUTHODAW PAYA: the central stupa here was modeled on the Shwezigon Paya at Nyaung U near Bagan. Building commenced in 1857, at the same time as the royal palace. The paya has been dubbed 'the world's biggest book', for standing around the central stupa are 729 marble slabs on which are inscribed the entire Tripitaka. SHWENANDAW KYAUNG: monastery of great interest, not only as a fine example of a traditional Burmese wooden monastery, but as a fragile reminder of the old Mandalay Fort. At one time this building was part of the palace complex, and was used as an apartment by King Mindon and his chief queen, and it was here that he died. After Mindon's death King Thibaw Min had the building dismantled and reassembled on its present site in 1880 as a monastery. SHWEKYIMYINT PAYA: founded in 1167 by Prince Minshinzaw during the Bagan period. He was the exiled son of King Alaungsithu and settled near the present site of Mandalay. The shrine is notable because it contains the original Buddha image consecrated by the prince. CRAFT WORKSHOPS: Mandalay is the center of all traditional crafts in Myanmar. Visit a workshop specializing in one of the crafts for which the city is famous: bronze-casting, marble-carving, wood-carving, puppetry, or gold-leaf hammering. Overnight in Mandalay.

Day 9	Mandalay Excursion to Inwa (Ava), Sagaing and Amarapura INWA: this ancient city, for a long time a capital of Upper Burma after the fall of Bagan, is on the Mandalay side of the Ayeyarwady River close to the Ava Bridge. From 1364 Inwa was the capital of the Burmese kingdom for more than 400 years, until the shift was made to Amarapura in 1783. NANMYIN: the 27 meter high masonry watch tower is all that remains of the palace built by Bagyidaw. The upper portion was shattered by the 1838 earthquake and the rest has taken a precarious tilt. MAHA AUNGMYE BONZAN: a brick-and-stucco monastery built by King Bagyidaw's chief queen for the royal abbot Nyaunggan Sayadaw in 1818. BAGAYA KYAUNG: a monastery built of teakwood and supported by 267 teak posts. The main hall stands on a raised platform, separate from the monks’ quarters, and is designed so that space between the walls and roof allows air to circulate. SAGAING: located on the right bank of the Ayeyarwady River, it is widely regarded as the religious center of Myanmar. It is popularly known as 'Little Pagan' as the Sagaing ridge is crowded with around 600 pagodas and monasteries in which there are more than 3000 monks. There are also around 100 meditation centers in the area. TUPAYON PAYA: contracted by King Narapati of Inwa in 1444, Tupayon is of an unusual style for Myanmar: it consists of three circular stories each encircled by arched niches. DATPAUNGZU PAYA: a comparatively recent pagoda which houses many relics from other older temples that were demolished when the railway was built through Sagaing. HSINMYASHIN PAYA: built in 1429 and known as the Pagoda of Many Elephants because of the elephant statues stationed at each entrance-way. AMARAPURA: the name means City of Immortality, but its period as capital was brief. It was founded by Bodawpaya as his new capital in 1783, not long after he ascended the throne, on the advice of court astrologers. His grandson and successor, Bagyidaw, moved back to Ava in 1823. The four pagodas that marked the four corners of the city walls still remain, as well as the watch tower and treasury building. BAGAYA KYAUNG: built when Bodawpaya moved the capital to Amarapura, it was destroyed by fire in 1821. It was rebuilt several times and it is no longer a monastery, but houses a museum and library, of interest for its collection of palm-leaf manuscripts. U BEIN'S BRIDGE: the shallow Taungthaman Lake is crossed by a long and rickety teak bridge, curved to withstand the wind and waves. During the dry season, the bridge crosses mostly dry land. Overnight in Mandalay.

Day 10	Mandalay Excursion to Mingun with boat trip Mingun is located a short distance upriver from Mandalay on the opposite bank of the Ayeyarwady River. It is a pleasant trip and gives one a glimpse of river life fishing villages, bullock carts, corn fields, market boats and laundering. MINGUN PAYA: thousands of slaves and prisoners of war labored to build the massive stupa, beginning in 1790. Work halted in 1819 when Bodawpaya died, leaving a brick base about a third of its intended height. The earthquake of 1938 damaged the stupa but there is still a lot to see. MINGUN BELL: in 1808 Bodawpaya had a gigantic bell cast to go with the gigantic zedi. Weighing 90 tons, it is claimed to be the largest bell in the world. HSINBYUME PAYA: built by King Bagyidaw in 1816, three years before he succeeded Bodawpaya as king, this stupa was constructed in memory of his senior wife, the Hsinbyume princess. Sightseeing in Mandalay Visit Zeigyo Market ZEIGYO MARKET: this market encompasses two large buildings and one can find just about everything made in Myanmar here, from everyday consumer goods to jewellery and fine fabrics. Visit Mandalay Hill at sunset Overnight in Mandalay.

Day 11	Mandalay Excursion to Pyin Oo Lwin by train Overnight in Mandalay.

Day 12	Mandalay - Bagan Transfer By express boat (Shwe Keinayee) from Mandalay to Bagan Transfer Overnight in Bagan.

Day 13	Bagan Sightseeing in Bagan Bagan is a spectacular plain stretching away from the Ayeyarwaddy River, dotted with thousands of 800-year old temple ruins. Although human habitation at Bagan dates back almost to the beginning of the Christian era, Bagan only entered its golden period with the conquest of Thaton in 1057 AD. SHWEZIGON PAYA: King Anawrahta started the construction of the Schwezigon Pagoda to enshrine some relicts of Buddha. The construction was finished by his successor, King Kyansittha between 1086 and1090. Originally the Shwezigon Pagoda marked the northern end of the city of Bagan. The stupa's graceful bell shape became a prototype for virtually all later stupas over Myanmar. GUBYAUKHYI TEMPLE at Wetkyi-Inn: This Temple was built in the early 13th Century and repaired in 1468. The great colorful painting about the previous life of Buddha and the distinguished architecture make this temple an interesting site for a visit. This temple is not to be confounded with the Gubyaukgyi Temple in Myinkabe. ANANDA PAHTO: one of the finest, largest, best preserved and most revered of the Bagan temples. Thought to have been built around 1105 by King Kyanzittha, this perfectly proportioned temple heralds the stylistic end of the Early Bagan period and the beginning of the Middle period. GUBYAUKGYI TEMPLE at Myinkaba: Built in 1113 by Kyanzittha's son Rajakumar, this temple is famous for its well-preserved Stuccos from the 12th century on the outside walls. The magnificent paintings date from the original construction of the temple and are considered to be the oldest original paintings in Bagan. MANUHA TEMPLE: The Manuha Temple was built in 1059 by King Manuha, the King of Thaton, who was brought captive to Bagan by King Anawrahta. It enshrines the unusual combination of 3 seated and one reclining image Buddha. It is said that this temple was built by Manuha to express his displeasure about his captivity in Bagan. SHWESANDAW PAYA: In 1057 King Anawrahta built this Pagoda following his conquest of Thaton. This is the first monument in Bagan, which features stairways leading up from the square bottom terraces to the round base of the Stupa. This Pagoda is ideal to watch Bagan's magnificent sunsets. MYINKABA: this tiny village, only two kilometers from Bagan, is known for producing the finest lacquerware in Myanmar. Stop by one of the workshops and learn about the painstaking process of laquerware making and decoration. Overnight in Bagan.

Day 14	Bagan Excursion to Mount Popa and Salay MOUNT POPA: A curiously cylindrical hill rising sharply from the surrounding plain, Mount Popa is considered to be the home of Myanmar’s most important nats (spirits). Visitors ascend up a winding covered staircase encircling the mountain, observed by the curious monkeys that populate the area. At the top is a monastery and temple complex, with shrines to the 37 nats and a spectacular view over the region. SALAY: Explore local life in this unspoiled Burmese town. Visit the Yoke Son Kyaung, the oldest surviving wooden monastery, with beautiful carvings of court life and scenes from the Ramayana. Continue to wander around the town, visiting the market and the Thar Ta Na Yaung Chi monastery, which also serves as orphanage. Overnight in Bagan.

Day 15	Bagan Sightseeing in Bagan Visit Mahabodi Temple MAHABODHI TEMPLE: Inspired by the Mahabodhi at Bodh Gaya in India, this temple was built during the reign of King Nantaungmya (1211 – 1234). Temples of this nature only appeared during the Late Bagan period and the Mahabodhi is the only one of this style in Bagan. Visit Dhamayangyi Temple DHAMAYANGYI TEMPLE: The brickwork of this temple is said to rank one of the finest in Bagan. Built in the 12th century, it is not exactly clear by which King actually started the construction. Some sources say it was King Narathu, others say it was constructed a little earlier, during the reign of King Alaungsithu. Visit Thatbyinnyu Pahto THATBYINNYU TEMPLE: This temple rises up to 61 meters and is one of Bagan’s tallest monuments. It is also called the “Omniscient” temple and its enormous size makes it a classic example of Bagan’s middle period. King Alaungsithu built the Thatbyinnyu Temple in the 12th century. Afternoon at leisure Overnight in Bagan.

Day 16	Bagan - Yangon - Kyaikhtiyo Transfer Flight from Bagan to Yangon. By vehicle from Yangon to Kyaikhtiyo with sightseeing at Bago Bago was founded in 573 AD by Thamala and Wimala, two Mon brothers of noble birth, as an outpost of the Mon Thaton Kingdom. The site, which was then on the Gulf of Martaban, had already been earmarked as the location of a great city by Gautama, the historic Buddha. SHWEMAWDAW PAYA: this is one of the most venerated pagodas in Myanmar. The temple has a 1000-year history and was originally built by 2 merchants, Taphussa and Bhalita, to house some hair relics of the Buddha. HINTHA GON PAYA: this shrine has good views over Bago from the roofed platform on the hilltop. According to legend, this was the one point rising from the sea when the mythical bird (the hintha) landed here. SHWETHALYAUNG BUDDHA: huge reclining Buddha with a sign on the platform in front of the image giving the measurements of each body part. It is reputed to be one of the most lifelike of all reclining Buddhas. The Burmese say the image represents Buddha in a 'relaxing' mode. MAHAZEDI PAYA: Originally constructed in 1560 AD by King Bayinnaung, it was destroyed during the 1757 sacking of Bago and the reconstruction was only completed in 1982. Stairways lead up the outside of the stupa, and from the top there are fine views over the surrounding area. KYAIK PUN PAYA: built in 1476 by King Dhammazedi, it consists of four 30m-high sitting Buddhas placed back-to-back around a huge, square pillar. KYAT KHAT WINE MONASTERY: Depending on the time of day, thousands of monks gather here to accept food offered by the devout. Overnight in Kyaikhtiyo.

Day 17	Kyaikhtiyo - Mawlamyine By vehicle from Kyaiktiyo to Mawlawmyine with sightseeing at Hpa An HPA AN: The capital of Kayin State, Hpa An is a small but busy provincial center, inhabited mainly by Kayin people. Farmers from all around the region come to town in horsecards or trishaws with baskets of produce to see in the market. After strolling though the market and along the riverfront, visit the following highlights: MOUNT ZWEKABIN: The Zwekabin Hill has a very unusual shape, which, once seen, is not easily forgotten. The leading town in the northern section is Thandaung. It is a very beautiful hill station and an important tea, coffee and fruit producing region. It is the land mark of the Kayin state. BAYING NYI NAUNG GU: this natural limestone cave contains hot springs, which draw visitors from the nearby area for their reputed healing powers. The springs are divided into three pools, one for monks, one for men and one for women. Overnight in Mawlamyine.

Day 18	Mawlamyine Excursion by boat and vehicle to Bilu Kyun Travel by local ferry for approximately one hour to Bilu Kyun, or Ogre Island. Continue to the local villages and visit home industries making pipes, ballpoint pens, rubber bands, coconut-fiber ropes and other items for everyday life. Time permitting, stop at one of the local tea shops for refreshment. Overnight in Mawlamyine.

Day 19	Mawlamyine - Yangon Excursion by boat to Gaungse Kyun (Shampoo Island) GAUNGSE KYUN (SHAMPOO ISLAND): this picturesque island off Mawlamyaing's north-western end is so named because during the Ava period the annual royal hairwashing ceremony customarily used water taken from a spring on the island. By vehicle from Mawlamyine to Yangon with sightseeing at Thaton Journey north along Highway 8 past Thaton. THATON: long before the rise of Bagan, Thaton was an important centre for a Mon kingdom that stretched from the Ayeyarwady River delta to similar deltas in Thailand. The town's core is a leafy place, lining each side of the highway are colonial mansions and thatched-roof homes, and a few older stupas on hillsides surrounding the town. Overnight in Yangon.

Day 20	Yangon Transfer