Base of Myanmar With Loikaw

Safely arrive at Yangon International airport and warmly welcomed by local tour guide with the welcome-board on which your name will be mentioned.

Transfer to the hotel for refreshment and then walk on a heritage line of Yangon's bustling city center, observing the urban street networks with well-preserved old British colonial buildings where you will pass through the Sule Pagoda; 2500-year-old Burmese Stupa located in the heart of downtown Yangon, which is surrounded by colonial era buildings such as City Hall, High Court and Maha Bandula Park. Yangon city center is fascinating as of presenting of a church, a mosque, a synagogue and a temple all within walking distance of each other.

In the afternoon, visit Botataung Pagoda, (which means 1,000 military warriors, who escorted the delivery of the hair relic in 6th century B.C.), a famous landmark on Yangon’s waterfront, is the first temple in the world with the sacred hair relic of Buddha.

Every visit to Yangon should include a trip to Shwedagon Pagoda, the iconic symbol of the city, gleaming in gold and decorated with diamonds, is a spectacular work of architecture and proportional beauty.

Fly to Loikaw in the morning. Loikaw is a great place for travellers who are interested in local hospitality, unspoiled natural scenery and experiencing cultures that still preserve their traditions and way of life. Today main highlight is the visit to Hta-Nee-La-Lah Kayah Community. Upon arrival at Hta-Nee-La-Lah, enjoy a delicious Kayah barbecue with cultural exchange in local home, and explore ancient ceremonial grounds where “spirit poles” called Kayhto Bo, still used annually for animistic ceremonies, soar up 15 feet into the air. Enjoy the moment of Ox cart ride from the village to Kan-Khon-Na-Sint Seven Lake.

In the late afternoon visit Thiri-MingalarTaungKwae pagoda perched high up on a limestone monolith which affords great views of Loikaw and the surrounding mountain ranges, especially at sunset.

Today highlight is visit to Panpet village where is homeland of Kayan, or “Long neck women”. Salong Kana is one of the five hamlets of Pan Pet community. The brass rings wore by some Kayah ladies have become an iconic symbol of Myanmar and of Southeast Asian tribal culture. Kayan ladies are also well known for their bright shop fronts, where they sell handmade crafts. This program gives you the chance to go 'behind the scenes' by visiting the homes of local artisans, and seeing crafts being made. Visit traditional local homes, where artisans are making Kayan bracelets, weaving traditional textiles, carving wooden statues and weaving bamboo. Other highlights of the trail include visiting the village's Clan Monument, and the spiritual site of Ker Kwang (a Bird Totem) where your local village local guide will explain about the village's clans and ancestors. Don’t forget to taste the Kayan rice-wine. Enjoy the delicious lunch at a local home. The food is prepared by a women's group who have had training in food hygiene.

Morning drive to Phaekon (1.5hrs drive) and enjoy the boat ride from Moebye Dam which connects Loikaw and Inle Lake. Moebye Dam, twice the size of Inle Lake, is a main electric power source in Myanmar. En route stop at Samkar village to witness the ruins of stupa, welcoming Pa O villagers and observe local methods of producing high degree of Alcohol, (CS-country spirit) fermented and extracted from Bran Rice.

In the afternoon sightseeing tour of Inle Lake including a chance to see the leg-rowing Inthars’ fishermen and the floating gardens that built up from strip of water and mud and anchored to the bottom poles. Continue to visit NgaPheKyaung village to visit teak monastery containing 16th and 17th century Lacquer Buddha Images.

After breakfast at the hotel, take a boat ride to the village of Indein (also spelt Inn Thein, and meaning "shallow lake") is the most famous for its crumbling and atmospheric groups of ancient pagodas, some of which are now being restored (sometimes in rather too pristine fashion). These include Nyaung Oak, immediately behind the village, with its carvings of mythical creatures, and Shwe Inn Thein Paya, which can be found at the top of a long and atmospheric covered walkway leading up the hill; the pagoda area features many hundreds of densely packed stupas to be explored. From Shwe Inthein Paya you can also see some wonderful views across the lake. Inndein village also has a vibrant market near the jetty.

Continue to Inle Heritage House to see the hidden gems of Inle Lake by guided tour such as Burmese cat village, vocational school, Aquarium and many other interesting places in one place. Your boat trip leads to Ywama village to pay a visit to ethnic hill tribes “Kayah women” who are known as “long-neck women”. In the afternoon, enjoy a walking tour in a village nearby hotel to explore the ways of life of Inthar people and their ways of life.

Transfer to the Nyaung Shwe jetty for the drive to Heho airport. On the way visit Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery which is located just outside of Nyaung Shwe. It is a charming red painted teak monastery, built in the early 19th Century and well-known by photographers for its unique oval-shape windows which serve as eye-catching frames when novice monks stand to look out.

Mandalay is the religious and cultural center of Myanmar. Its skyline is full of glittering pagodas and temples, with equally impressive whitewashed stupas. The city is much more conservative, spiritual, and slower paced than Yangon. Tour Highlights include the visit to Mahamuni Budda Image, a colossal image of Buddha cast in bronze and inlaid with gold in Myanmar is considered as one of the most venerable pagodas. In the afternoon, visit Shwe Kyaung (Golden Palace) Monastery; noted for its exquisite wood carving and the huge teak wooden pillars, Kuthodaw Pagoda also known as “the World’s Largest Book of Buddhism” which refers to the 729 marble tablets of the Buddhist scriptures in pagoda compound and enjoy the sunset at the Mandalay Hill; advantaged point for a panoramic view of the city.

After breakfast at the hotel, visit Mingun, a Big town in central Myanmar, sits on the banks of the Irrawaddy River (Ayeyarwady River), northwest of Mandalay. Start the sightseeing by about 1 hour boat excursion to Mingun, located 11km up the Ayeyarwady River on the west bank from Mandalay which is the country's vital river and the most important commercial waterway. Mingun has a monumental uncompleted enormous stupa, “Mingun Pahtodawgyi” began by King Bodawpaya in 1790. King Bodawpaya also had a gigantic bell cast to go with his huge stupa, the Mingun Bell, weighting 90 tons and is today one of the largest ringing bells in the world. Just a couple of hundred yards from the great stupa and bell lays the beautiful white Mya Thein Dan Pagoda, also known as Hsinbyume Pagoda with a very distinctive architectural style.

Back to Mandalay and after lunch, head to Sagaing. Visit Khaung Mu Daw Pagoda which is a giant solid dome-shaped Pagoda unlike any other pagodas in Myanmar. Continue to Sagaing Hill and pay a visit to U Min Thone Sae “30 Cave Pagodas” and Soon-Oo-Pone-Nya Shin Pagoda. Continue to “Tha-Kya-Thi-Dar” Buddhist institutions for nuns and to see the lacquer Buddha Image. After visit in Sagaing, head to Amarapura to explore silk weaving works and enjoy the spectacular sunset in Taungthaman lake by taking a canoe boat with the background of 1.2km long U Bein wooden Bridge.

After breakfast, enjoy the overland trip to Bagan (3.5 hours, 192km) to grab the chance to explore ways of life in countryside. Sightseeing in Bagan includes gleaming Shwezigon Pagoda, the graceful bell-shaped stupa which is architecturally important because it became the prototype for many later Burmese stupas; Wet-Kyi-Inn Gubyaukkyi Temple, which has fine frescoes of Jataka scenes; and Htilominlo Temple, noted for its plaster carvings. Afternoon visit Min-Nan-Thu village and temple sites around village area which includes Latmyatna temple “Temple of Four Faces”, a beautiful example of a single-storied temple built in the late style; Paya Thone Zu “Three Pagodas”, a complex of three interconnected shrines. It was abandoned shortly before its construction was complete, could have been due to the invasion of the Mongols. This monument has been built during the 13th century. Enjoy the beautiful sunset at Nanmyint Watch Tower, as well as an ideal viewpoint for visitors to Bagan to see the wonders of over 2000 ancient architectural temples and monuments of 11th to 13th century.

Today highlights start with horse-drawn carriage ride around ancient temple sites. Tour Highlights include Tharabar Gate, which is the only structure left of the old city built by King Pyinbya in 849 A.D; Thatbyinnyu Temple which is the tallest temple in Bagan, reaching 61 metres (201 feet) high and with a floor plan in the shape of an unsymmetrical cross with gilded spires rising up from the corners of the terraces; NaylyaungKyaung which means “Shrine confining Nats or Spirits, a reference to a purported time when King Anawratha tried to banish Nat worship in Bagan; ShweGuKyi Temple “Golden Cave”, located in front of the royal palace and therefore also known as Nandaw Oo Paya meaning the Pagoda in front of the palace; and Dhammayangyi Temple, the most massive structure in Bagan; Sulamuni Temple (also known as crowning jewel) is an impressive and elegant temple which represents some of Bagan's finest ornamental work, carved stucco on moldings, pediments and pilasters.

In the afternoon, visit Ananda Temple displaying a mix of Mon and Indian architecture. It was originally built in 1105 AD and is one of only four temples that survives within Old Bagan. Continue to visit Manuha Temple, which main feature is three chambers that are filled with over-sized statues of the Buddha which are vastly out sized for their spaces; Nanphaya Temple, a unique sandstone monument which inner walls were built of baked bricks whereas the outer walls were built of sandstone. Enjoy the sunset at one of the viewing hills in Bagan.

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the Heho airport for flight back to Yangon. Before departure and if time permits, visit Scott Market (closed on every Monday and public holidays), where you will find stalls selling all types of souvenirs: gold-flecked bowls, puppets, beads, tapestry, clothes and many other local handicrafts which remind you of your time in Yangon. Spend a couple of hours here exploring the fabrics, some local snacks of sticky rice cakes and fresh fruits. On the way back to Yangon International Airport for departure, and Chaukhtetkyi Reclining Buddha Image, which is known for its 65 meters long and 16 meters high structure.