Golden Land Tour
This diverse ‘Golden Land’ tour takes you on a journey 13 day Myanmar tour around the most exciting and sacred sites that the country has to offer, finishing off on the deserted beaches at Ngapali, where you have time to relax and reminisce about your incredible Myanmar discovery.
Your Burmese adventure tour starts in Mandalay, where you will take in the local sites, visit various artisans and admire their work, as well as enjoying the spectacular views from the top of Mandalay Hill. The area around Mandalay offers the visitor some incredible day trips, one of which takes you to explore Sagaing, one of the most important religious and monastic centres in the country. From here you take a boat trip to discover Ava the country’s last royal capital. You then continue to Amarapura and visit the monastery of Mahagandaryone before ending the day by watching the sunset at the famous U Bein Bridge, which is 1200 metres long, stretching across the Taungthaman Lake and is the longest teak bridge in the world.
Journeying on, you take a relaxing boat trip all the way to Bagan, where you will be treated to some stunning scenery as you travel. Once in Bagan, its 4000 temples, stupas and pagodas make it an area of some of the most incredible scenery in the world. You will have a full day to explore the temple landscape before taking another boat trio to explore Kyun Thiri to visit a local monastery and Kyauk Gu U Min to discover some incredible caves.
Onwards to the exquisite Inle Lake you will make a stop at the intricate cave network at Pindaya, which is home to thousands of gilded Buddha statues of all shapes and sizes. A full day excursion of Myanmar’s (Burma’s) largest and most used lake in Inle will show you how Burmese life takes place on the water. You will visit floating gardens and see the unique leg-rowing fishermen at work, as well as the work carried out by many different artisans, from weaving to silversmiths to cigar rolling.
The last leg of your Myanmar adventure is relaxing three nights at Ngapali Beach with its white sands and warm turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, a spot of paradise to relax and rejuvenate before ending in the bustling capital of Yangon (Rangoon). Here you can pick up handicrafts and souvenirs, as well as seeing all the incredible sites the city has to offer including the breathtaking Shwedagon Pagoda, which is a highlight of any holiday to Myanmar.
Highlights
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Mahamuni Pagoda
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Shwenandaw Monastery
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Sunset From Mandalay Hill
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U Bein Bridge
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Boat trip to Bagan
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Bagan Temple Sightseeing
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Irrawaddy River trip to Kyun Thiri
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Kyauk Gu U Min cave and huge figure of Buddha
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Pindaya Lake and Pindaya Cave
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Ngapali Beach relaxation
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Yangon City Tour
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Local ferry ride to Dala
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Shwedagon Pagoda
Detailed Tour Itinerary
Day
1
Mandalay
Arrival & City Tour
Upon arrival at the airport in Mandalay you will be met by a ‘See Asia Differently’ representative and transferred to your hotel. Later, you will visit some of Mandalay’s’ holiest sites. In the afternoon you will visit a variety of local workshops to watch the intricate process of stone carving, joss-stick making and paper-fan making. Then stop by Kuthodaw Pagoda and Kyaukdawgyi Pagoda. The day ends on top of Mandalay hill, where you can enjoy a marvellous sunset and get a bird’s eye view of the city.
Overnight in Mandalay (Meals: _/_/_)
Day
2
Mandalay
Sagaing, Ava & Amarpura Tour
This morning you will travel to Sagaing, one of the most important religious and monastic centres in the country. The hillsides that lead up from the river are crowded with numerous monasteries and pagodas and you will visit a few of these before crossing the Irrawaddy river to Ava, which was the country’s former capital. On the island, you will take a relaxing horse cart ride to a few of the historical sites, before ending your day watching the sunset over the 140-year old teak-stilted U Bein Bridge.
Overnight in Mandalay (Meals: B/_/_)
Day
3
Bagan
Mandalay to Bagan | Cruise: 8-11 hours
Today you will enjoy a boat cruise all the way to the plains of Bagan. Along the way, you will get to witness the locals going about their daily life, as well as be treated to some stunning scenery. You will also see many historical monuments that can be viewed from the boat’s sundeck as you drift on by. This is the most relaxing and laid-back way to journey to Bagan.
Overnight in Bagan (Meals: B/_/_)
Day
4
Bagan
Full Day Bagan Tour
Enjoy the whole day exploring Bagan, which is one of the greatest sights in all of Asia. Pagoda after pagoda, large and small rise from the green delta plain, which forms the setting of a great deserted royal city; out of the 10,000 built only 2,200 have stood the test of time. Throughout the day, you will get to visit some of the most famous temples, have a horse cart tour, and finish the day watching the sunset dip below the temple skyline.
Overnight in Bagan (Meals: B/_/_)
Day
5
Bagan
Kyun Thiri & Kyauk Gu U
Today you board a boat and cross the Irrawaddy river travelling to the island of Kyun Thiri to visit a local monastery, where orphan boys make their daily vows. Burmese tradition dictates that all Buddhist males must at some point in their lives become monks – if only for a few days. In the afternoon you board your boat again for a 2-hour cruise downstream to Kyauk Gu U Min, which is home to a cave filled with intricate sandstone carvings and a gigantic figure of Buddha.
Overnight in Bagan (Meals: B/L/_)
Day
6
Inle Lake
Bagan to Inle Lake | Flight: 40 min
This morning you will catch a short flight from Bagan to Heho and then onwards to Kalaw, stopping briefly in Pindaya along the way. At Pindaya you will see Pindaya Lake and Pindaya Cave which is very popular due to the countless Buddha images littered inside. You will then proceed to Kalaw, where you are free to spend the evening as you wish.
Overnight in Inle Lake (Meals: B/_/_)
Day
7
Inle Lake
Inle Lake Tour
Today you will spend the entire day exploring the vast water world that is Inle Lake. Throughout the day you will get to learn about the local way of life and witness the unique leg-rowing technique, which is very famous in this part of the world. Inle Lake is a feast on the eyes and you will get to explore many things as you boat around. Observe daily rotating markets, incredible floating gardens, several pagodas and minority villages. Learn more about its people and traditions and visit ancient pagodas. You will also get to watch various skilful crafts, such as cigar rolling, silversmithing, silk and lotus textiles.
Overnight in Inle Lake (Meals: B/L/_)
Day
8
Ngapali Beach
Inle Lake to Ngapali Beach | Flight: 1 hours
The coast and beach of Ngapali await you today as you travel back to Heho airport for your flight to Thandwe. Upon arrival, you will be picked up and transferred the short distance to your palm-fringed beachside hotel, which will be your home for the next 3 nights.
Overnight in Ngapali Beach (Meals: B/_/_)
Day
9
Ngapali Beach
Free Day
The beach is one of the finest in the country, and it is the perfect place to rejuvenate your body and soul after a long journey through the Golden Land. Here, you will have all the time in the world to bask in the warmth of the sun and enjoy your picturesque beach view.
Overnight in Ngapali Beach (Meals: B/_/_)
Day
10
Ngapali Beach
Free Day
Your last day on Ngapali Beach can once again be spent lounging lazily on the beach, or you could look into one of the many activities to be done there. There are options, such as kayaking, snorkelling, trekking or even mountain biking, as well as taking a sunset cruise out to the bay.
Overnight in Ngapali Beach (Meals: B/_/_)
Day
11
Yangon
Ngapali Beach to Yangon | Flight: 50 min
After time on the coast you transfer back to the airport and onwards to Yangon. In the afternoon you will go out to explore the former capital, previously known as Rangoon during the colonial days. You’ll get to visit some key sites, such as Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda, Lake Kandawgyi (Royal), and finally, you will pay a visit to Shwedagon Pagoda, which is famous worldwide – its golden stupa is the ‘heart’ of Buddhist Myanmar, before ending your day at the fascinating Shwedagon Pagoda to enjoy the sunset.
Overnight in Yangon (Meals: B/_/_)
Day
12
Yangon
Yangon City Tour
Today you will get to explore every nook and cranny of Myanmar’s biggest city. Your walking tour will take you down some enchanting streets, where you will see some fascinating architecture and meet some wonderful people, you might even have time to get your palm read. In the afternoon you will board a local ferry to Dala to give you a sharp contrast between life in the city and life in the suburbs. Upon reaching Dala travel by a local trishaw through the town, visit markets, and chit-chat with local people. The trip to Dala is a shutterbug’s delight, as it is full of scenic spots and natural beauty.
Overnight in Yangon (Meals: B/_/_)
Day
13
Yangon
Departure
Today you are free before being transferred to the airport to catch your departing flight back home.
(Meals: B/_/_)
Tour includes
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Airport pick up and drop off
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Overnights as mentioned
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Excursions as mentioned
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Transportation in private A/C vehicle
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English speaking guide
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Meals as mentioned (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner – excludes drinks)
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All taxes
Tour excludes
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All flights unless included in itinerary & Visa fees
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International airport tax (Included in Airline Ticket)
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Meals, unless mentioned differently
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Beverages and personal expenses
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Other excursions and entrance fees
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Travel insurance (cover against all cancellation costs, medical expenses, including repatriation and evacuation in the event of accident of illness)
Please note: You must have a valid passport with at least 6 months remaining on it as well as bringing with you 4 passport size photos with you for your visa, as well as having a couple spare.
Contact Us
Start planning your holiday today
Call us on 0208 150 5150, for International callers 004420 8150 5150, send us an e-mail [email protected] or just use the form opposite.
Your next steps:
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1Get in touch and talk to our specialist Asia travel team
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2We then craft a unique and tailor-made itinerary just for you.
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3We will stay in touch with you all the way through your holiday experience
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4Pack you bags and get ready for your Asia holiday of a life time
On arrival in Asia we will meet you at the airport, transfer you to your hotel and then sit down to run over your holiday program again. We then introduce you to your local guides and give you some helpful local travel tips; such as local restaurant and bar suggestions and some cultural insights.
Towns & Cities in Myanmar
Myanmar has no shortage of captivating destination to visit on your holiday. Refer to our Towns & cities guide to plan the perfect trip.
Our Favourite Hotels in Myanmar
There are so many beautiful hotels to choose from in Myanmar. So we have selected a few of our most favourite and characterful hotels; giving you a taste of what you can expect.