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Tours
By Region |
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 FASCINATING
MYANMAR
A cultural tour of Myanmar
Myanmar formerly known as Burma, is one of the few truly original travel experiences remaining in this much-traveled world. Decades of isolation have preserved here many of the traditional features that have been lost in other Asian countries. Fascinating Myanmar is a carefully designed single-country program giving an in depth picture of the wealth of cultural and scenic attractions this country has to offer.
Day
01 Saturday: Arrive Yangon
Mingalaba! (Welcome) Yangon lies in the fertile delta of
the Yangon River and gives the impression of being full
of trees, shade and shimmering stupas floating above the
treetops. Our afternoon tour includes the magnificent Shwedagon
Pagoda which dates back about 2500 years and was built
to house eight sacred hairs of the Buddha. Its bell-shaped
superstructure is covered in about 60 tons of gold leaf.
The National Museum holds several interesting exhibits,
including the mammoth Sihasana Lion Throne as well as many
treasures of Burmese royalty. The Sule Pagoda has a 48
meter/52 yard high golden dome used, when it was rebuilt
in the 1880s, by the British as the nucleus of their grid
pattern for the city.
Overnight: Summit Parkview Hotel, Yangon (2 nights)
Day 02 Sunday: Yangon
An interesting experience today includes mingling
in the Bogyoke Aung San Market, also known
as Scott Market, and its 2000 little shops.
The Kyaukhtatkyi Pagoda contains a gaudy, modern,
70m/76 yard-long reclining Buddha built in
1966 and housed in a formidable iron pavilion.
The temple doubles as a monastery, as well
as a center for the study of Buddhist manuscripts.
Mailamu Pagoda has a series of interesting
images of the Buddha in his previous incarnations
as well as a lovely reclining Buddha image.
(B)
 Day
03 Monday: Yangon/Bagan (Flight)
A short flight gets us to Bagan with its spectacular
plain dotted with thousands of ancient temple
ruins. Although human habitation in 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. Our tour
includes Ananda Pahto, one of the finest, best
preserved and most revered of the Bagan temples
thought to have been built around 1105, and
the Shwegugyi temple, built in 1311. We also
visit Thatbyinnyu Pahto, Nathlaung Kyaung,
Bagan's only Hindu Vaishnavite temple, and
the Pahtothamya. Gawdawpalin Pahto, one of
the largest and most imposing of the Bagan
temples. Bupaya is a cylindrical Pyu-style
stupa said to be the oldest in Bagan; local
residents claim it dates to the 3rd century.
Overnight Bagan Hotel, Bagan (2 nights) (B)
Day 04 Tuesday: Bagan
Our excursion to Mount Popa, gives
us an interesting picture of life
in the countryside. We also visit
Salay famous as the historic home
of Salay U Ponya, a Bagan Era writer/poet.
We go to many interesting sites
including Payathonzu, an interconnected
complex of three brick shrines;
Thadanayaunggyi Kyaung, an ancient
monastery in continuous use for
several centuries, and Mogok Vipassan
Yeiktha, a meditation center. We
will also have the opportunity
to see Nan Paya, home to a large
lacquer Buddha dating back to the
13th century, and an old brick
and stucco Buddhist scripture library.
We finish the day with a visit
to Youqson Kyaung, the oldest surviving
wooden monastery hall in the Bagan
area. (B)
Day 05 Wednesday: Bagan/Mandalay
(Drive 200 kms/124
miles)
This morning we depart
by road to Mandalay,
the last capital of
Myanmar before the
British took over.
Mandalay is of great
cultural and historical
importance and is the
most “Burmese” of
Myanmar’s large
cities. Mandalay's
Buddhist monasteries
are the most important
in the country - about
60% of all the monks
in Myanmar reside in
the Mandalay area.
Overnight: Mandalay
Hill Resort, Mandalay
(3 nights) (B)
Day 06
Thursday:
Mandalay
Constructed
in 1857,
Mandalay
Fort (Fort
Dufferin)
is an imposing
walled
palace
compound
encircled
by an impressive
moat. We
get a glimpse
of history
at the
Mandalay
Museum
and Library,
known for
their large
collection
of Mandalay
regalia,
royally
commissioned
art and
palm-leaf
manuscripts
that were
formerly
housed
in the
palace.
Next we
visit the
Kyauktawgyi
Pagoda,
home to
a huge
seated
marble-image
of the
Buddha;
the Sandamani
Paya, a
cluster
of slender
whitewashed
stupas
and the
Shwenandaw
Kyaung,
fine example
of a traditional
Burmese
wooden
monastery.
(B)
 Day
07 Friday:
Mandalay
Today we
visit the
one time
capital
of Inwa
followed
by Sagaing
and Amarapura
where we
visit Nanmyin,
Maha Aungmye
Bonzan,
and Bagaya
Kyaung,
a monastery
built of
teakwood
and supported
by 267
teak posts.
Sagaing
is widely
regarded
as the
religious
center
of Myanmar
and is
popularly
known as
'Little
Pagan'
as the
Sagaing
ridge is
littered
with around
600 pagodas
and living
monasteries.
We also
visit Thabyedan
Fort, Kaunghmudaw
Paya, Sagaing's
most important
temple,
Tupayon
Paya with
its unique
architecture
and Hsinmyashin
Paya, known
as the
Pagoda
of Many
Elephants.
Amarapura
means City
of Immortality,
however
its period
as capital
was brief.
We visit
Pahtodawgyi,
and Bagaya
Kyaung
- a museum
and library
known for
its collection
of palm-leaf
manuscripts. (B)
Day
08 Saturday: Mandalay/Kalaw
(Drive 200 kms/124 miles)
Our
destination today is Kalaw,
a popular hill station in
the British days. Kalaw sits
high on the western edge
of the Shan Plateau and is
still a peaceful and quiet
place with an atmosphere
reminiscent of the colonial
era. The small population
is a mix of Shan, Indian
Muslims, Bamar and Nepalis
making for an interesting
cultural experience. Our
afternoon tour includes Aung
Chang Tha Zedi, a glittering
stupa covered in gold-colored
mosaics, Dhamma Yon, a two-story
temple provides a fair view
of the town, Dhamma Yanthi
Paya and the ruins of the
Hsu Taung Pye Paya. Nee Paya,
and Christ The King Church,
wrap up our days sightseeing.
Overnight
Pine Hill Resort, Kalaw (1
night) (B)
Day
09 Sunday: Kalaw/Inle
Lake (Drive 100
kms/62 miles)
We
drive to Inle
Lake, located
in Shan State.
The lake is beautiful,
with its serene
waters dotted
with patches
of floating vegetation
and fishing canoes.
High hills rim
the lake on both
sides creating
a cozy and tranquil
setting. The
lakeshore and
lake islands
bear 17 villages
on stilts, mostly
inhabited by
the unique Intha
people.
Overnight
Inle
Lake View Resort,
Inle Lake (1
night) (B)
Day
10
Monday:
Inle
Lake/Heho/Yangon
(Drive/Flight)
This
morning,
we
enjoy
a
boat
trip
on
the
serene
Inle
Lake
followed
by
a
scenic
and
countryside
drive
to
Heho
where
we
catch
our
flight
back
to
Yangon.
Overnight
Summit
Parkview
Hotel,
Yangon
(1
night)
(B)
Day
11
Tuesday:
Depart
Yangon
Today
we
bid
farewell
after
what
will
have
been
an
awe-inspiring
journey
to
Burma.
We
are
transferred
to
the
airport
for
our
departure
flight
with
unforgettable
memories
of
this
extraordinary
culture.
(B)
Departure
Dates |
| 2010
English Speaking Departures
Jan 09 & 30, Feb 13 & 27, Mar 13 &
27, Apr 03 & 17, May 08 & 22, Jun 05
& 19, Jul 03 & 17, Aug 07 & 21,
Sep 11 & 25, Oct 09 & 23, Nov 06 &
20, Dec 04 & 18
|
Inclusions |
| Tour
Price Includes |
Tour
Price Does Not Include |
| Hotel
Accommodation as mentioned or similar |
International
Airfare |
| Meal
Plan as mentioned (B=Breakfast) |
Departure
Taxes |
| Regional/Domestic
Air/Trainfare: Yangon/Bagan & Heho/Yangon |
Insurances
/ Visa Fees |
| All
sightseeing and transfers by private transportation |
Drinks/Beverages
with meals |
| Entrance
Fees to Museums and Sites |
Tips/Gratuities
to Drivers & Guides |
| Services
of local English speaking guides |
|
|
Tour
Price |
|
| We
accept payment in US $ (US Dollars),
CA $ (Canadian Dollars) or equivalent
EURO (for clients outside North America).
Bestway
Tours & Safaris offers conversion rate protection.
Once full payment has been received, and no
modification has been made to the tour itinerary,
we will honour that rate.
For
complete payment procedures, please download
 Bestway_Payment_Info.pdf
Note: to read this file you must have Adobe
Acrobat. |
| Departure |
Double
Occupancy |
Single
Room Supplement |
| 2010 |
US
$ 2080 |
US
$ 395 |
|
Estimated
International Airfare - International
airfare is NOT included in this tour |
| Canada
- West Coast |
N/A |
USA
- West Coast |
US
$ 1400 |
| Canada
- East Coast |
N/A |
USA
- East Coast |
US
$ 1600 |
|
Participants |
| This
tour operates on a minimum of 02 and a maximum
of 15 participants. |
Notes
|
Customised
Itinerary
If you would like to have a tour on dates
other than the above ones or with a customised
itinerary, please contact us and we will be happy
to work out an exclusive program for you.
Foreign Language Departures
Please contact us for information on French,
German,
Italian and Spanish
speaking departures.
You may e-mail us at bestway@bestway.com
or call us at 604.264.7378. Residents of
U.S.A./Canada may call us toll free at 1.800.663.0844. |
|
|
|
| © Copyright 1999-2010 Bestway
Tours & Safaris |
Site last updated May 27,
2010 |
| Photographs by Peter
Langer & Mahmood
Poonja |
Website © 1999-2010 Powered
by BTS |
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