MYA
- T 07: COMPACT CIRCUIT, 10 days (L)
Yangon
– Bagan - Mandalay - Meikhtila – Kalaw - Pindaya - Taunggyi - Inle Lake -
Nyaung Shwe -
Heho -
Day
1
Arrival at
Overnight in
Yangon lies in the fertile delta of
southern Myanmar Yangon River Upper Myanmar and Mandalay
SHWEDAGON PAGODA: the highlight of
any visit to
Day
2
After breakfast at
the hotel, you will be escorted on an introductory tour of this colorful
metropolis. First to visit Sule Pagoda - an excellent landmark
of
Afternoon, visit the National Museum
with several interesting exhibits such as the regal Lion Throne of the Last
Burmese King, the gem-encrusted crown jewels of old Burma, a modern art
gallery, wood and lacquer furnishings from everyday life.
Overnight in
SULE PAGODA: this 48-meter
high the British used golden dome 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.
BOTATAUNG PAGODA: this paya was
named after the 1000 military leaders who escorted relics of the Buddha brought
from
KYAUKHTATKYI PAGODA: the temple
contains a gaudy, modern, 70 meter long reclining Buddha, built in 1966 and
housed in an iron pavilion. The temple doubles as a monastery and a center for
the study of Buddhist manuscripts.
Day
3
After early breakfast, transfer to the
airport for domestic flight to Bagan. 
Upon arrival,
transfer to the hotel; continue the day with sightseeing in the major temple
and lacquer ware factory in Bagan: visit Ananda Pahto - one of the
finest, largest, best preserved and most revered of the Bagan temples. Shwegugyi
- smaller but elegant pahto is an example of the Middle period, Thatbyinnyu
Pahto - this 'Omniscient' temple is one of the tallest in Bagan, Pahtothamya
- was built by King Anawrahta who carted off some 30 elephant-loads of
Buddhist scriptures and built this library to house them in 1058, Nathlaung Kyaung - Bagan's only Hindu
Vaishnavite temple probably built in the 10th century, Gawdawpalin Pahto
- one of the largest and most imposing of the Bagan temples. The name literally
means Platform to which Homage is paid. Visit the oldest cylindrical Pyu-style
stupa Bupaya, which is located on the bank of the
Overnight in Bagan
BAGAN is a spectacular plain stretching
away from the
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.
SHWEGUGYI: built by Alaungsithu in 1311, this
smaller but elegant pahto is an example of the Middle period, a transition in
architectural style from the dark and cloistered to the airy and light.
THATBYINNYU PAHTO: this 'Omniscient'
temple is one of the tallest in Bagan, rising to 61m and built by Alaungsithu
around the mid-12th century.
PITAKA TAIK: following the
sacking of Thaton, King Anawrahta carted off some 30 elephant-loads of Buddhist
scriptures and built this library to house them in 1058. The design follows the
basic Early Bagan gu plan, perfect for the preservation of light-sensitive,
palm-leaf scriptures.
NATHLAUNG KYAUNG: Bagan's only
Hindu Vaishnavite temple probably built in the 10th century to serve Bagan's
Indian community of merchants and craftsmen.
PAHTOTHAMYA: probably built
during the reign of Kyanzittha (1084-1113), although it is popularly held to be
one of the five temples built by the non-historical King Taunghthugyi
(931-964). Painting remnants along the interior passages may rate as the
earliest surviving murals in Bagan.
GAWDAWPALIN PAHTO: one of the
largest and most imposing of the Bagan temples, it was mostly built during the reign
of King Narapatisithu but was finished by his son, King Htilominlo. The name
literally means Platform to which Homage is paid.
BUPAYA: right on the bank of the
Day 4 Bagan
–
After
breakfast, continue sightseeing in Bagan visit Mahabodhi Temple,
Inspired by the Mahabodhi at Bodh Gaya in India, Dhamayangyi Temple -
the brickwork of this temple is said to rank one of the finest in Bagan, Sulamani
Temple - temple is one of the best examples of the later, more
sophisticated temple styles; experience the mural paintings which the interior
tell the story of the Temptation of Mara in Nandamannya Temple and visit
“Omniscient” Temple and its enormous size makes a classic example of
Bagan - Thatbyinnyu Temple. After that transferred by vehicle from Bagan
to
Overnight in
Day
5
After breakfast, you will process to visit
Overnight in
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
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
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 also 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
Day 6
After breakfast at the hotel,
excursion to Inwa (Ava) a charming horse-drawn carriage will take
you to the Nanmyin Watch Tower - the remains of the palace building call
”leaning tower” of Ava. Visit the Maha Aungmaye Bonzan Monastery - built of brick and stucco as well as
the Bagaya Kyanun Monastery - famous for its ornate woodcarvings and
teak posts. Then continue to Sagaing and Amarapura with numerous
monasteries and pagoda, a retreat for Buddhist devotees, and visit 200-year-old
U Bein teak bridge - built in 1782 at the time when Amanrapura was the
Royal Capital before return to
Overnight in
INWA: this ancient city, for a long time
a capital of
NANMYIN: the 27 meter high masonry
watchtower is all that remains of the palace built by Bagyidaw. The 1838
earthquake shattered the upper portion 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.
AVA BRIDGE: this
British-engineered, 16-span bridge dates from 1934 and was the only structure
that crossed the Irrawaddy River until 1998 when a new Chinese-engineered
bridge was completed at Pyay.
SAGAING: located on the
right bank of the Irrawaddy 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.
THABYEDAN FORT: the fort built by
the Burmese as their final resistance against the British forces in the third
Anglo-Burmese war in 1886.
KAUNGHMUDAW PAYA: this is Sagaing's
most important temple. It was built by King Thalun in 1636 and styled after a
Ceylonese (Sri Lankan) pagoda in commemoration of the re-establishment of Ava
as the royal capital.
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.
AUNGMYELAWKA PAYA: situated on the
riverfront, this zedi was erected by Bodawpaya in 1783 on the site of his home
before he became king. It is built of sandstone and based on Shwezigon Pagoda.
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 watchtower and treasury building.
PAHTODAWGYI: built by King
Bagyidaw in 1820, this well preserved pagoda stood outside the old city walls.
The lower terraces have marble slabs illustrating Jatakas (scenes from the
Buddha's life).
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.
PALACE RUINS: little remains of
the palace except for two masonry buildings - the treasury building and the old
watchtower. King Bagyidaw and King Bodawpaya were both burnt here on the site
of their 'tombs' and their ashes placed in velvet bags and thrown into the
Ayeyarwady River.
U BEIN'S BRIDGE: a long and
rickety teak bridge, curved to withstand the wind and waves, crosses the
shallow Taungthaman Lake. During the dry season, the bridge crosses mostly dry
land.
Day
7 Mandalay
- Meikhtila – Kalaw
After breakfast at the hotel, your drive begins for Kalaw past Meikhtila and Kyaukse.
Overnight in Kalaw
KALAW sits high on the western edge of
the Shan Plateau. This was a popular hill station in the British days, and it’s
still a peaceful and quite place with an atmosphere reminiscent of the colonial
era.
Day
8 Kalaw
- Pindaya - Taunggyi - Inle Lake
After
early breakfast, start your journey by road, north along Highway 41 past
Aungban and the Danu Villages of Pwehla and Ji-Chanzi in Shan State. The Aungban-Pindaya
road is scenic and there are fields of dry-cultivated mountain rice along the
way and potato fields where the tuber is grown in red mud mounds. Visit Pindaya
Caves - a unique site housing thousands of Buddha images placed there by
pilgrims over the centuries and Shwe U Min Paya - a cluster of low
stupas just below the ridge near the Pindaya Caves. Afternoon, proceed by road
to Nyaung Shwe (Inle Lake) An excursion by boat on the Inle Lake,
located in Shan State. It is beautiful with very calm waters dotted with
patches of floating vegetation and busy fishing canoes. High hills rim the lake
on all sides. The lakes 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 Phaungdaw U Pagoda - the weaving village and
visit local market and Intha Village around the lake.
Overnight in Inle
Lake
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 colorful pagoda festival
at Shwe U Min.
Day 9 Nyaung
Shwe - Heho – Yangon
After breakfast, free time at leisure and transfer to Heho airport for domestic flight from Heho to Yangon. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel and evening free time at leisure.
Overnight in Yangon
Day
10 Yangon
After breakfast at the hotel and free time at leisure before transfer to the airport for departure
End
of Services **Note: Itinerary
subject to change due to flight schedules.