10-day Myanmar Adventure And Heritage Tour

• On your arrival at Yangon airport, we transfer you to your hotel where the check-in time is 1400 hours. Today, you will get a taste of this beautiful city with a colourful history with a sightseeing drive around town.
• We begin at the famous Strand Road before heading to watch locals make the daily commute via ferries at the Yangon harbour to places in the Delta or to villages up the Ayeyarwady River.
• Our focus today is on the Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the most beautiful religious structures in the world. At Pro Vacation, we emphasise respect and understanding of local culture and practices and our guide will answer any queries you may have. Be sure to learn more about the practices and rituals from a Buddhist monk for you may get the chance to meet one and converse at one of the many pavilions at Shwedagon Pagoda. This 2500-year-old temple covered in gold is considered to guard the city of Yangon and houses the relics of four Buddha’s.
• We first drive you to the eastern end at Bahan Market, from where you will make your way on foot through a maze of tiny shops selling accessories for monks, Buddha statues and flowers. It’s a great place to observe how locals go about their day and to understand more about Buddhism as you make your offerings to the monks.
• Climb the staircase up to the main pagoda and remember to always walk around it in a clockwise direction. Our guide will point out beautiful walkways and lesser known gems that most travellers miss on their visits here.
• At the giant back door of the Shwedagon Pagoda, our guide will tell you about its riveting history before you head on to the stunning grounds and its interior spaces. During your time here, you can chat with a fortune teller or learn about the spiritual beliefs of the locals, or simply spend time in peaceful quiet and meditation.
• A must-see on our Myanmar adventure and cycling tour is the Shwedagon Pagoda lighting ceremony. Over a thousand oil lamps are prepared and a multitude of monks, locals and visitors begin lighting them in the late afternoon. Join in for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and see the final vision come to fruition after dark. It is truly spellbinding.
• Your accommodation for the night is a Deluxe City View room at Chatrium Hotel or a similar property in the city.
• Meals: No meals are provided

• We will delve further into culture and authentic local life today by exploring the villages along the Yangon river and Twante canal.
• For this, we transfer you to the jetty from where you will take a boat ride to the Seik Gyi Kha Naung To island. There are very few motorised vehicles on the island so it is fairly pollution free and quite rural.
• It will be a mix of trishaw and walking as you make your way through the beautiful villages to an old monastery and the huge Myo Ma market filled with colourful vegetables and exotic fruit.
• Seik Kyi Kha Naung Toe offers an excellent insight into the true tenets of Buddhism as you can watch the monks do their rounds of the villages to receive the only food they will eat that day as part of their ascetic life. For more information, do not hesitate from speaking to our knowledgeable local guide or even the head monk.
• The trishaw will pass the wharfs where river boats are repaired and a ship graveyard before the scene changes to green rice fields and thick bamboo groves. If you carry a pair of binoculars with you, you will be able to spot a variety of birds, although pretty flowers and the big water buffalo are common sights.
• We bring the local community into the spotlight by showing you more about Burmese way of farming and animal rearing with a visit to a small farm. Here, it is very quiet and you may attempt to ride the trishaw yourself for a unique experience.
• Religious harmony is evident at Seik Kyi Kha Naung Toe and they will welcome you to watch or even participate in any festival or events such as weddings that are taking place. The main faiths in the region are Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and Islam.
• On your return to Yangon, you will enjoy a delicious lunch at the Pansuriya restaurant.
• In the early evening, it is time to take your transfer to Wardan Street before going on foot across the bridge to Strand Road. It’s a great photo opp here, and you can continue on to Lan Thit jetty where ferries take passengers to villages on the other side and vendors throng the streets.
• At the night market on Strand Road, colourful sights of snacks, exotic fruit and local food shops await.
• Head later to the Kheng Hock Keong temple in Chinatown. For a spectacular view of Shwedagon pagoda from a distance, make your way to 18th Street. On your way to 19th Street, you will notice the beautiful old wooden shutters of homes and shops that are typical of this area. 19th Street is famous for its local beer and delicious barbeque by the street as well as Yangon’s thriving nightlife.
• Enjoy some sumptuous food and drink here before stopping by the Guang Dong Kwan Yin temple and then taking the transfer back to your hotel.
• Your accommodation for the night is a Deluxe City View room at Chatrium Hotel or a similar property in the city.
• Meals: Breakfast and lunch are provided

• Today we head to the land of temples, one of Myanmar’s most picturesque sites filled with ancient history and culture. To get there, we transfer you to Yangon airport for a domestic flight to the town of Bagan.
• It begins with the hustle and bustle of the local market at Nyaung Oo after which we take you to a number of hand selected temples that are significant in the region. One of these is Shwezigon, a reliquary shrine where you will see images of 37 guardian spirits, and the cave temple of Gubyaukgyi at Wet Kyi In village featuring beautiful frescoes depicting the Jataka Tales.
• The last Bamar-style temple in Bagan is also on our list of places to see. Don’t miss the old murals and interesting friezes on the structure. One of the best examples of Mon-style architecture is located in the area, and we’ll show you the imposing standing Buddhas and brick monastery at Ananda Temple, also famous for exquisitely preserved 18th century murals.
• Photo ops are aplenty on this Myanmar adventure, cycling and heritage tour, particularly at the 61-metre tall Thatbyinnyu temple that dates back to 1144 and is Bagan’s tallest temple.
• Following a delicious lunch at the Sanon restaurant, you will hop onto a horse cart for a two-hour ride exploring Bagan’s bylanes and beautiful vicinity.
• To head to Dhammayazika, you will switch to a car and head to Bagan’s biggest stupa shaped like a pentagon. It was completed a little later than Thatbyinnyu temple.
• You will see signs of Indian influence at the Lemyethna Temple, our next stop via carriage, and then move on to the Payathonzu Complex if it is open that day. This is a trio of shrines connected by passages featuring mural paintings reflecting Mahayana or Tantric styles. You can take a short visit to the Nandammanya Temple for a look at some beautiful frescoes and an erotic mural.
• Today’s tour also provides an opportunity to get a glimpse into the lives of the locals at the Minnanthu village on your way up to a nearby hill for a view of the sun setting over the many temples of Bagan.
• Your accommodation for the night is a Deluxe room at Areindmar Hotel or a similar property in the city.
• Meals: Breakfast and lunch are provided

• Through our Myanmar adventure, cycling and heritage tour, ProVacation aims to bring you closer to the life of the locals, introducing you to traditional customs and cuisines.
• A transfer from your hotel takes you to Lawkananda jetty for a five-minute trip by boat to a cluster of villages on East Kyun Thiri Island that is relatively undiscovered by tourists. Here, you will take the traditional mode of transport - a bullock cart - through the winding roads of East Kyun Thiri village filled with fields of mustard, chilli, tomato, cauliflower and other seasonal vegetables.
• Due to regular flooding, local building practices incorporate stilts, including the village monastery. Its an old structure made entirely of wood and you can speak to the head monk here about the practices in the village. A picnic lunch from a home in the village will nourish you before you head back to Bagan.
• Later in the afternoon, we take you from the hotel to the jetty for a ride on a private wooden boat. We have found the perfect spot to watch the sun set over the river, so after about a half hour ride upstream, we will turn around to glide downriver. We serve you drinks and Burmese snacks.
• Your accommodation for the night is a Deluxe room at Areindmar Hotel or a similar property in the city.
• Meals: Breakfast and lunch are provided

• We go back in time to discover life that has remained unchanged for decades and ancient pagodas that have stood the test of time for centuries. You will enjoy nature untouched and the quiet, serene life that comes with Myanmar’s hinterland areas.
• To get here, we transfer you to the domestic airport for a flight to Heho. A drive to Nyaung Shwe is followed by a trip on a local boat to your hotel. If the room is not ready yet, you will continue on a traditional long-tail boat on one of the most picturesque trips in the vicinity towards Indaing perched on Lake Inle’s west end.
• Houses of teak stand high on stilts along the many channels of Ywama, one of Lake Inle’s most populated villages. The main canal is bordered by trees on each side and is the perfect place to observe local farmers engaging in their occupation as the Shan Hills rise in the background.
• Once you reach the jetty, take a walk through Indaing to the ancient pagoda of Nyaung Ohak. The structure has lain here since its construction between the 14th and 18th centuries, remaining untouched and now home to plants and small trees shooting up from its walls. Take the covered pathway filled with souvenir stalls to Shwe Inn Thein Paya. You’ll find a maze of zedi built in the 17th and 18th centuries.
• Go back to the boat for a sail further downstream to Yethar, where you can watch life alongside a river. The canal spills back into Lake Inle at Phaung Daw Oo Paya. Enjoy a delicious lunch at the Inle Heritage Restaurant.
• Your accommodation for the night is a junior suite at Novotel Lake Inle or a similar property in the vicinity.
• Meals: Breakfast and lunch are provided

• Today, we pick up the pace and add a variety of exploration styles to your Myanmar adventure, cycling and heritage tour.
• ProVacation switches things up with a mountain bike trail ride off road on paths that skirt Lake Inle for exquisite views through the bamboo forest. It starts off with an early safety briefing and bike fitting at Grasshopper shop in Nyaung Shwe before the trail begins with an easy 3km ride on asphalt.
• Hereafter, the paths narrow down and are not as proper, demanding confidence on a bike with a low level of technical difficult. Through the year, the crops being cultivated and harvested change and based on the time of your visit, you could witness molasses production, tofu making, harvesting and milling of rice, making of rice crackers, distilling rice alcohol and even baking. We stop for a mid-morning snack at a local Shan restaurant.
• The bikes are then put on boats for a 20-minute sail into the countryside where a circuitous route will take you through picturesque rice fields and villages. Another sail, this time of 40 minutes, will take you to an exclusive Shan house on the lake where you will enjoy a delicious traditional lunch.
• A short boat ride away lies a quiet spot for some kayaking, the duration of which is up to you. Our long-tail boat will be at hand at all times to pick you up whenever you wish. Explore the area, feel at one with nature and understand what makes the area tick.
• Once the kayaking tour is complete, the long-tail boat will head back to Nyaung Shwe where you have the rest of the day at your leisure.
• Your accommodation for the night is a junior suite at Novotel Lake Inle or a similar property in the vicinity.
• Meals: Breakfast and lunch are provided
• Note: Helmets, padded riding gloves, water bottles, local snacks and lunch are provided. These tours run through the year so during the monsoons it can get quite wet and/or muddy. It is best to carry a change of clothes.

• From the villages we head to the city to observe life in Myanmar’s fast lane. We head back to Yangon on a domestic flight and head from the airport to the Insein railway station for a ride on the Circle Line.
• The daily throng of people head every day to Central Railway Station from here as the train takes loops around the city in a routine since its inauguration in 1961. This unique local experience is one that will create memories for a lifetime. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to check out the local market near the station if you are early.
• After lunch at the Rangoon Tea House, take a non-air conditioned coach - not the tourist coach - around the city. Dive right into local city life and experience exactly how they commute every day. Take the chance to chat with them and exchange stories about life in Yangon; you may even have to stand for a part of the 1 hour journey.
• Hop off at Central Railway Station from where we will take you to Scott market to shop for some beautiful handicrafts. You have the rest of the evening at leisure before a delectable fine dining experience during dinner at the Seeds Restaurant.
• Your accommodation for the night is a Deluxe City View room at Chatrium Hotel or a similar property in the city.
• Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided

• Continuing our focus on the city, ProVacation expands your exploration beyond the tourist strongholds. Our Myanmar adventure cycling tour takes you across the Yangon river to discover life on the other side. It’s not a place most tourists visit so you will truly be in touch with the local experience.
• We start early in the morning where you will meet your guide at a pre-appointed starting point about 10 minutes away from Pansodan jetty. You will have to bike to the jetty to make it in time for the big ferry to Dala.
• At Dala, our guide will lead you through the back lanes along the river to a boat that makes for the island. Here you will feel transported to a place stuck in time. Thick bamboo growth obscures tiny huts, paddy fields and their wallowing water buffalo from view. You will have to cut through narrow trails to explore the various parts of this pristine island, passing friendly locals as they go about their day.
• The southern end of the island is the site of the old customs office which still collects taxes from riverboats. Nearby is a beautiful bamboo garden where you can take a breather, and enjoy cold drinks and snacks.
• To get back to Yangon, you will have to get on the antique river ferry for a picturesque 30-minute ride back to the Strand road jetty. On the way back to the starting point, don’t forget to stop at the famous Chinese temple - Kheng Hock Keong, and the Sule Pagoda. Enjoy a cold beer or a chilled soft drink at the end of the tour.
• Your accommodation for the night is a Deluxe City View room at Chatrium Hotel or a similar property in the city.
• Meals: No meals are provided
• Note: Please carry sunscreen, sunglasses, camera, money for snacks, and wear sports shoes, shorts and T-shirts when biking. Remember that knees and shoulders must be covered when entering pagodas. The Yangon biking tour spans 20 miles over mostly paved roads and easy off-road paths

• We complete this Myanmar adventure, cycling and heritage tour with an in-depth discovery of Yangon by foot. Through architecture, you will understand the historical tapestry of this beautiful city which offers a rich collection of heritage structures which continue to find a place in modern life here.
• The Yangon heritage tour begins at Immanuel Baptist Church opposite the Sule Pagoda you passed yesterday on your cycling tour.
• We transfer you from the hotel to this spot where the guided experience begins from Yangon City Hall in centre of the city. This structure rises high into the morning sun and features European design and technology of 1936 without losing sight of Burmese influence. It was constructed by local architect U Tin.
• You will next move on to the a 1910-structure that was used by the Immigration Department. It was built, however, to serve as Myanmar’s most posh department store - Rowe & Co - and prominently boasts top floor balconettes and a beautiful corner tower. A year later came architect John Ransom’s brick building that is the High Court today, which also follows a majestic Imperial look.
• The guide will then lead you to the famous Strand Road where in 1931, the impressive length of Ionic columns added an imperial air to the three-storey New Law Courts.
• The Custom House from 1916 is nearby, and you will certainly notice its gorgeous double-faced clock at the entrance and a sleek white tower. Another tower that commands attention is the square corner tower at the Myanmar Port Authority building, whose Art Deco style showcases aesthetic stucco inspired by waves and in the same vein bas-relief sculptures of ships and other vessels.
• You will find that the white building earlier used by the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company makes an excellent photograph particularly with its colonnaded facade. Towards the end of your Yangon heritage tour, you will pass the red brick General Post Office and the Sarkies Brothers’ impressive Strand Hotel built in 1901.
• You are transferred back to your hotel and have the rest of the day at your leisure.
• Your accommodation for the night is a Deluxe City View room at Chatrium Hotel or a similar property in the city.
• Meals: No meals are provided

• We transfer you to the international airport for your flight.
• Meals: Breakfast is provided

Points to note

• December 15 - January 15, and April 13-17 is peak season. There may be additional charges during Christmas, New Year and the Water Festival
• You will be notified of compulsory gala dinner charges when booking
• Hotel prices can be adjusted for higher or lower categories on request. Featured hotels are subject to availability during booking, and you will be notified of any deposits when booking
• Domestic airfares quoted based on averages and are subject to change. The most convenient flight is booked and final price confirmed once tickets are issued based on class of seat and availability