Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

Welcome to Myanmar - where the landscape is scattered with gilded pagodas & the traditional ways of Asia endure.

‘This is Burma', wrote Rudyard Kipling. ‘It will be quite unlike any land you know about.’ Amazingly, over a century later, Myanmar retains the power to surprise & delight even the most jaded of travellers. In a nation of multiple ethnic groups, exploring Myanmar can sometimes feel like you have stumbled into a living edition of National Geographic, c 1910.

Arrive in the dynamic & vibrant Yangon, by far the most exciting place in the country, a commercial & artistic hub reflecting the changes that have occurred since the country recently reopened to the world.

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? – Yangon International Airport, subsequent to Immigration & Customs, you will be welcomed by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel. He / she will provide assistance during Check-in & also discuss the program for the next few days.

Reach the hotel & Check-in.

*Check-in time is 02.00 pm. For earlier arrivals in the morning, we will request the hotel for a complimentary early Check-in but cannot be guaranteed unless reserved & paid for ‘immediate occupancy’.

Ancient Civilisations|Golden Wonders|Traditional Life|Simple Pleasures 

Yangon (formerly Rangoon) is the largest city in Myanmar (formerly Burma). Since the 17^th century, Yangon has been a cosmopolitan city with a polyglot mixture of peoples. Portuguese businessmen, Dutch fortune hunters, Englishmen of all sorts, Chinese seeking refuge from the upheavals in the Yunnan & many Indians who arrived in several waves during colonial times. Most of these people are now gone & Yangon is now a predominantly Bamar city with a large Indian minority & a growing Chinese minority. Still, there are traces of the old Yangon still visible, whether it is in the crowded Indian dominated parts of Anawratha Street, or in the occasional Anglo-Burmese or Anglo-Indian who walks up & says hello.

In some ways, the biggest change in modern Yangon is the loss of the Indians, who arrived with the British as soldiers & labourers (though Indian traders have always been a part of the Burmese landscape) &  then left in 2 large waves of migration (during the Japanese occupation and again, in 1963, when they were forced to leave by Ne Win's government). Ethnic groups such as the Shan & Karen are also present. Kabya, or persons of mixed heritage, are common in Yangon.

The city is an amalgamation of British, Burmese, Chinese & Indian influences, and is known for its colonial architecture, which although decaying & beyond appreciation, remains an almost unique example of a 19^th century British colonial capital. New high-rise buildings were constructed from the 1990s (& some are scarily unoccupied and left as ghost skyscrapers & hotels as seen along Upper Pansodan Rd) as the government began to allow private investment (while former national government buildings such as the massive Secretariat Building, as the capital is shifted to Naypyidaw, have been left to rot). However, Yangon continues to be a city of the past, as seen by its longyi-wearing, betel nut chewing & spitting pedestrians, their friendly or even familial attitude towards strangers, its street vendors & its pungent smells.

A mix of colonial architecture, modern high-rises & gilded Buddhist pagodas define its skyline. Its famed Shwedagon Paya, a huge, shimmering pagoda complex, draws thousands of pilgrims annually. The city's other notable religious sites include the Botataung & Sule pagodas, both housing Buddhist relics. In 2006, the capital was moved to Naypyidaw but Yangon remains the business, cultural & intellectual capital of modern Burma. 

Balance of morning or afternoon is at leisure for independent exploration or to relax.

Evening, proceed to the artificial Kandawgyi Lake (also known as Royal Lake), built by the British as a reservoir, to enjoy a Burmese Welcome Dinner on the Royal Barge. It is most attractive at sunset, when the glittering Shwedagon is reflected in its calm waters. The boardwalk, which runs mainly along the southern & western sides of the lake, is also an ideal place for a jog or stroll.

Return to the hotel.

After breakfast, you will meet the Tour-guide in the lobby at the specified time & embark on a full day 6 hour city tour to discover the colorful capital of Myanmar.

A walking tour of the city reveals the majestic British-colonial architecture. Start from the National Museum, to the Sule Pagoda, the Mahabandoola Park, the colonial courthouse & the city hall. Hop on a rickshaw & drive around the colonial area with a stop at a local teashop to enjoy Burmese tea. Continue along the famous Strand Road & visit the bustling Yangon harbour.

See Yangon’s China town & admire the beautiful Chinese temple Kheng Hock Keong. Wander through the Indian Quarter for a look at local life. Next, you will see the huge reclining Buddha image at Chauk Htat Gyi, & spend time exploring Myanmar’s holiest monument - the Shwedagon Pagoda with its golden Stupa which rises 98 meters above its base & is covered with 60 tons of pure gold. Watch the sun sink behind the golden spire that dominates the city's skyline.

Last stop will be Bogyoke Aung San Market (formerly known as Scott’s market) for shopping opportunities.

Return to the hotel.

Evening at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions for “optional’ programs & make arrangements).

Morning, you will be transferred to the Airport for your short flight to Bagan.

Arrive at the temple town - one of Myanmar’s main attractions.

As you exit from the Arrival Terminal? - Bagan Nyaung U Airport, you will be welcomed by a Journeys Rep who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel. He / she will provide assistance during Check-in & also discuss the program for the next few days.

Reach the hotel & Check-in.

*Check-in time is 02.00 pm. For earlier arrivals in the morning, we will request the hotel for a complimentary early Check-in but cannot be guaranteed unless reserved & paid for ‘immediate occupancy’.

Relax & freshen up & get ready to embark on a full day sightseeing.

An ancient city, Bagan, located on the banks of the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) River, was once the capital of a powerful Pagan Kingdom, the first kingdom that unified the regions that would later constitute modern Myanmar.

The UNESCO World Heritage listed ‘Bagan Archaeological Zone’ occupying an impressive 26 square mile plain, part-covered in stands of palm & tamarind caught in a bend of the lazy-flowing Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwady) river, framed by the hazy silver-grey of distant mountains, is home to the largest & densest concentration of Buddhist Temples, Pagodas, Stupas & ruins in the world with many dating from the 11^th & 12^th centuries.

People draw a comparison between this immense archeological site & the other significant archeological gem of Southeast Asia, the Angkor Wat in Cambodia. This analogy may be illustrative: Angkor ruins are like a Chinese Lauriat banquet where food is presented in spectacular servings with a suspenseful wait between items which are hidden beneath curtains of forests. On the other hand, Bagan is served in Spanish Tapas style, the ingredients exposed to the customer & shown in small bite-size servings, with the next attraction close & visible at hand, in shorter intervals.

Shortly after, meet the Tour-guide in the Lobby at ??? & proceed for an 8 hour excursion to visit some of the Temples.

Rising from the plain’s canopy of green are temples, dozens of them, hundreds of them, beautiful, other-worldly silhouettes that were built by the kings of Bagan between 1057 & 1287, when their kingdom was swept away by earthquakes and Kublai Khan & his invading Mongols. Some 2,230 of an original 4,450 temples survive, a legacy of the Buddhist belief that to build a temple was to earn merit.

What makes the Temples look romantic is the process of graceful aging. The shape & construction of each building is highly significant in Buddhism with each component part taking on spiritual meaning. Most are superbly preserved or have been restored by UNESCO, among others, and many contain frescoes, carvings & statues of Buddha, big & small.

For some reason, there are no windbreakers around as shown by the barren, desert-dry mountain range to the west past the river, spinning occasional micro twisters that spawn loose dust particles everywhere from the eroded earth to the structures. This phenomenon had peeled off so much the stucco coating of the temples to reveal the brick structural blocks with its rusty, reddish & sometimes golden brown-like patina when hit by the sun's rays.

Traveling amid the temples on vehicle, ox cart or horse cart, you will get a taste of rural Bagan life in this ‘living museum’ setting where farmers & families work amongst the monuments.

Start with an elevated Temple where you can climb atop to see panoramic views of the Bagan plains. This viewpoint will give you a taste of the sheer number of Temples as well as some of their distinctive styles. Continue to various other temples dotted around the temple plains, including highlights such as Ananda & Pyathada Paya, full of murals & statues of Buddha or Shwesandaw, to experience a variety of architectural styles & artistic wonder of a bygone era.  

Pass through the city’s other important pagodas & temples such as Thatbyinnyu, the tallest temple in Bagan, gigantic Dhammayangyi Temple noted for its remarkable brickwork, Sulamani Temple & Gu Byaukgyi Temple. 

You will also visit the Central Market & Myinkaba - a village famous for it’s distinctive traditional Mon-style lacquerware, one of the most common cottage industries in Bagan. All over Myinkaba village, you will see lots of giant stacks of bamboo, which is the main raw material of the plaited matting used for the walls of houses all over Myanmar.

On the outskirts, just off the main road, you will find many attractive sites including Mingalazedi Paya which represents the final flowering of Bagan’s architectural outburst ; Gubyaukgyi attracting many visitors with its well-preserved, richly, colored painting, Manuha Paya, named after King Manuha whose reign is one of the most admirable part of Burmese history, etc.

The sightseeing comes to a close while watching the sun set from the upper terrace of one of the elevated temples - Shwesandaw, the “sunset” pagoda, so-called because it is the one (with Buledi) most visitors climb to watch the sunset.

The best way to see the temples is from a hot-air balloon (optional, not included – extra payment). The roughly 45 minute flights leave at dawn or dusk & drift over much of the site, with glorious views of the river & distant mountains, hazed by mist, as well as a bird’s-eye view of the temples & rural village life.

Return to the hotel.

Evening at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions for “optional’ programs & make arrangements).

Overnight.   B

Morning, you will be transferred to the Airport for your flight to Mandalay.

Arrive in the 2^nd largest city in Burma & a former capital of Myanmar, Madalay - with its hilly slopes studded with Pagodas, looming over the city.

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As you exit from the Arrival Terminal? - Mandalay International Airport, you will be welcomed by a Journeys Rep / Tour-guide who will ensure your comfort & accompany you on an orientation tour of Mandalay, straight from the Airport.

Mandalay, the very name evokes the splendours of the Burma of old. But, most people will be surprised to learn that Mandalay is not an old city, not even a medieval one, but rather a new city that was created by King Mingdon Min of Burma in 1857 as the new capital of the kingdom of Ava. The city is the economic & religious hub of upper Myanmar & is centred around the Royal Palace. It has wide lanes filled with bicycles & motorcycles and is known for its cultural diversity. Half of Burma's monks reside in Mandalay & the surrounding areas.

Only two Burmese kings ruled from there, King Mingdon & King Thibaw, before the British conquest of Upper Burma in 1885. It was a city of splendour between 1858 - 1885 but most of the magnificence is gone, destroyed by the fire that consumed wooden structures & by intensive bombing by the Allies during the Second World War. The city, neatly planned with its lettered roads and numbered streets, is a British creation. The once magnificent Royal Palace & the great Atumashi (incomparable) pagoda, King Mingdon Min's finest creations, are modern reconstructions. Today, Mandalay lies at the end of the Lashio Road & it is, by Burmese standards, relatively prosperous as a centre for trade with China & for the growing trade with India. Despite the capital having been moved to Naypyidaw, Mandalay remains by far the main commercial centre of Upper Myanmar.

Visit Mandalay Hill, rising 240 meter above the city. At the top, the reward is a full panoramic view, the hazy blue outline of the Shan Hills to the east, the Mandalay Palace (& the city sprawl) to the south & the Irrawaddy River to the west. Directly south of Mandalay Hill stands the Kyauktawgyi Pagoda with a giant Buddha carved from one marble block.

Proceed to Kuthodaw Pagoda, known as 'The World’s Biggest Book' for its collection of 729 marble slabs inscribed with Buddhist teachings.

Final stop of the morning is Shwenandaw Monastery, the Golden Monastery which is the only enduring structure from the Royal Palace of the 19^th century. This impressive structure is celebrated for its remarkable woodcarvings.

Take a break at mid-day & proceed to the hotel to Check-in (Check-in time at most hotels is 02:00 pm).

Afternoon after lunch (not included), continue your guided tour with a visit to the Mahamuni Pagoda. This Pagoda houses one of the country’s most honored Buddha images, completely covered in gold leaves that are applied to the statue by male devotees, every day. 

There are also many craft workshops in Mandalay &, should you wish (& if time allows), you can stop for a visit to one making gold leaf, tapestries, wood carvings or marionettes.

Later, drive to Amarapura, Myanmar’s penultimate royal capital.

The main feature of this charming little town is its many workshops. From practically every house you can hear the clacking of the looms as they produce the most exquisite longyis (traditional sarong-style lower garment) of cotton or silk. There are many bronze foundries and woodcarvers providing devotional objects such as Buddha images and gongs for the lucrative market in nearby Mandalay. All that remains of the former royal palace are the stone ruins - the teak buildings were dismantled and taken away to Mandalay.

This magnificient Mahagandayon monastery founded in 1914 and renowned as a centre for monastic study and strict religious discipline, is one of Amarapura's main sights. One of the largest monasteries in Mandalay where at times there are more than 3,000 monks living & studying here. At 10:30 every morning, hundreds of monks wait in long queues for their Swan (meals). At the same time, hordes of tourists stand watching and photographing them & even in the refectory they cannot escape from the curious & often intrusive gaze of the visitors.

Continue on foot or by bus a short distance to U Bein Bridge. Built in 1782, it spans 1.2 km across the shallow Taungthaman Lake and is said to be the longest teakwood bridge worldwide.  Enjoy the late afternoon beauty as the sun casts long shadows and illuminates the bridge.

The sightseeing concludes & you head back to the hotel in Mandalay.

Balance of the evening is at leisure (we will be happy to offer suggestions).

The day will begin early with a visit to Mandalay’s vibrant morning market.

The Market is a hive of activity in the morning with vendors selling mainly fresh produce and meat but there is an array of other goods including spices, local ‘slippers’ and Buddhist donation items. You will be amazed at the colors & sounds as deals are made. Should you wish to buy some fruits or household items, your guide can assist and advise on a monastery or nunnery in today’s touring at which to donate.

Then, continue across the Irrawaddy River to Sagaing, the Buddhist centre of Myanmar. With 600 ivory colored pagodas and monasteries, Sagaing Hill claims residence to around 3,000 monks & nearly 100 meditation shrines. You will visit some of the more famous Pagodas & enjoy spectacular views from the top of Sagaing Hill before returning down to the small town for lunch.

Then, drive north, travelling on a scenic road parallel to the Irrawaddy River, to Mingun.

This riverside town was built by King Bodawpaya who flaunted his power by building some of the country's largest monument. Visit the massive Mingun Paya, which was intended to be the world's largest religious monument yet construction was halted when a fortune-teller predicted the King’s death upon completion. An earthquake that hit in the 1800’s, split the monument &d reduced it to partial rubble - and these days it’s possibly the world’s largest pile of bricks. Carry on to the gorgeous alabaster Hsinbyume Pagoda, an unusual stupa built to resemble Mount Meru, the mythological mountain that stands at the centre of the universe. Your final stop will be at Mingun Bell, the world's largest 'uncracked bell' which weighs in at 90 tons. If you wish, you can also visit some of the many Mingun craftsmen selling items such as hand-woven baskets, watercolor painters & other vendors.

A relaxing boat journey will take you back across the Irrawaddy River to Mandalay city.

Return to the hotel.

Evening at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions for “optional’ programs & make arrangements).

Morning, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Heho.

You will be met by a Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & also discuss the program for the next few days. The Rep will then see you off for the drive to Inle Lake.

The Lake area is so large and the villages & temples so spread out that Inle never feels too crowded. In addition to tourist sights, Inle Lake is also home to many hotels - mostly high end - which line the lake shore & often feature rooms or bungalows perched right over the water.

Check-in on arrival at the hotel in Nyaung Shwe, gateway village for Inle Lake.

Later, accompanied by the Tour-guide, you will board a private motorboat & go to Inle Lake, one of Myanmar’s most spectacular & breathtaking sights. Its calm waters are dotted with floating vegetation & fishing canoes, to which the scenic hills provide a perfect backdrop. 

Observe the daily activities of the local leg-rowing fishermen & see their ‘floating gardens’, which are built up from strips of water hyacinth, earth & anchored to the bottom of the lake with bamboo poles which rise & fall with the tides to avoid flooding.

You will also visit the lake's main sanctuary, Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, which contains five sacred images of Buddha decorated in gold leaf and Nga Hpe Chaung Monastery, which houses loads of early Shan Buddha Images. In the past this temple was known for its ‘jumping cats’ but these days there are only a few felines roaming around and none are jumping any more.

Return to the hotel.

Evening at leisure.

Morning, meet the Tour-guide again at 08.00 am in the Lobby& continue your exploration of Inle Lake with a visit to the morning market (open every day apart from dark moon & full moon calendar days) where you can meet local hill tribe people who gather from the surrounding area & explore a local village & beautiful ruined ancient stupas.

There are also many traditional crafts originating on Inle Lake &, should you wish, we can stop for a visit to one making incredible woven items from lotus silk, boat builders (depending on the time of year), blacksmiths or even silversmiths  & a cigar making workshop where typical Burmese cigars are made by hand. The Market is a hive of activity as the lake's residents gather to buy fresh produce & other goods in the early morning hours.

Later, embark on a 1 hour boat ride down a small canal, that will take you to the Pa-Oh village of Indein, positioned on the western shores of Inle Lake.

Take a leisurely stroll around the village before ascending the moss-covered stairway to the top of a hill. Once you reach the summit, you will be greeted by an iconic Buddha image which sits enshrined among hundreds of stupa ruins & overgrown shrubbery.

Then it is time to embark on a 45 minute trek to Sae Ma village. Along the way, you will enjoy the natural beauty & panoramic vistas of the area while basking under the shade of the bamboo grooves in the area.

Upon arrival at the village, observe the daily lifestyles of the rural inhabitants.

Should time allow, you'll stop at Intha Heritage House to learn more about the history & culture of the lake's indigenous people.

In the evening, you will return by boat back to the hotel.

Balance of the evening at leisure.

Early morning, you will be met by The Journeys Rep & transferred by Boat & Car to Heho Airport, where you will board the short flight for Yangon.

Alas, this wonderful glimpse of Myanmar comes to end & it is time to say good-bye & go home. But, we sure hope that you may want to discover a bit more of the "Land of the Golden Pagodas" on your next visit.

Arrive in Yangon & depending on your flight schedule, you will connect directly with your onward flight.

However, if your flight departs in the evening & you have time to spare, you will be met by a Journeys Rep, who will ensure your comfort. We will be happy to offer a private car that will be at your disposal to enable you to explore independently & to catch up on any last minute shopping that you may want (no accommodation is envisaged on this day).

In time, the Journeys Driver, will ensure your comfort & transfer you to Terminal? - Yangon International Airport for your onward journey. B

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