Duration: 8 days/7 nights
Start/End: Bagan/Bagan
Tour Route: Bagan – Mandalay – Sin Kyun Village – Tan Chi Taung
Tour Category: Myanmar river cruise
Cruise Ship: Sanctuary Ananda
Tour Highlights:
- Venturing on the legend Irrawaddy River with 7 nights stay on the luxurious Sanctuary Ananda
- Explore the magnificent temples and pagodas on the plain of Bagan
- Gain cultural experiences in a visit to the idyllic village of Mandalay
- Wander around the local market and taste the authentic flavor of the rural life in Burma
- Enjoy outstanding services and delicious dishes on the board
- Behold the charming sunset from the world’s longest teak bridge U Bein Bridge
Brief Itinerary:
Day 1: Bagan (L, D)
Day 2: Bagan – Sagaing (B, L, D)
Day 3: Sagaing – Amarapura (B, L, D)
Day 4: Mandalay Discovery (B, L, D)
Day 5: Sin Kyun Village (B, L, D)
Day 6: Tan Chi Taung (B, L, D)
Day 7: Bagan Discovery (B, L, D)
Day 8: Bagan Disembarkation (B)
Day 1: Bagan (L, D)
Mingalaba! Welcome to Bagan, the city of great temples and unrevealed mystery. Today welcomed by our guide and check in on the board at 12:30 pm.
For early birds on this Myanmar tour, we arrange a great short ship for you to gaze out at the charming Bagan. What’s a better way to gain more insights into the local life of the people than visiting a family in the village? Take this chance to meet and interact with the people to share your own cultural experience. Then we also visit a local lacquerware workshop to witness how the skillful artisan creating beautiful items using traditional methods. From here, proceed to Khay Min Ga, a group of ancient stupas surrounded by natural beauty.
Follow your guide to Ananda Temple, a fabulous man-made masterpiece of Bagan dating back to the 12th century. Spend your time to explore the great architecture of Mon people featured on every corner of the pagoda.
In the late afternoon, follow your guide to the sunset hill in Bagan where you will climb up to the top and watch the majestic sunset. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the view.
This evening, savor a luxurious dinner in the twinkle light.
Day 2: Bagan – Sagaing (B, L, D)
Rise before dawn this morning to capture the stunning sunrise over Bagan, which is considered one of the not-to-miss moment while you are in Bagan. Then, to embrace the heart-touching beauty, why don’t take a hot air balloon trip to float over thousands of monuments on the plain? To do this, please tell us in advance so we can arrange a balloon trip for you. (Note: Hot air balloon season lasts from 1st October to 30 March)
After that, we spend the rest of the morning to discover the fascinating Bagan. We start at Nyaung u market, the main bazaar in the region. Spend your time to wander around the market area, you will observe a variety of local products and good. From flowers, vegetable to lacquerware. All are amazing to see!
After that, head to Shwezigon Pagoda, one of the most sacred religious sites in Burma. Here you will have a chance to learn more about the history and also the legend story kept in the main gold plated stupa. Listen to your guide to learn more about that.
Next up, get back to the jetty, embark on the ship and start your 8-day cruise along the Irrawaddy River. Enjoy your first well-come lunch on the board while Sanctuary Ananda passes through the untouched landscape.
In the afternoon, learn more about the history and culture of Myanmar on traditional performance. You will learn how to wear the traditional dress of Burma and put on Thanaka – the traditional makeup of Burmese women.
Day 3: Sagaing – Amarapura (B, L, D)
This morning, join in a cooking course with a chef on the board to learn more about simple ways to make Asian dishes. Then start the day with a visit to Sagaing Hill, one of the most important religious sites in Myanmar where hundreds of monastic school, meditation centers, and stupas dominated the green hill. Here we make a visit to a monastic school and orphanage to learn more about Buddhist education. Then climb up to the top to visit Soon Nyu Ponya Sin Pagoda where house an impressive giant Buddha image. Spend your time to explore the pagoda and gain an incredible view of the breathtaking scenery blending with the gentle river.
Afterward, crossing the Sagaing Bridge to reach Amarapura, which was once to be the royal capital of Burma. Upon here, we visit U Bein Bridge, the world’s longest and oldest teak bridge which gently curves across the serene Taungthaman Lake. You can choose either to walk on the bridge and meet many friendly locals or get on a boat to sail around the lake and see the panoramic view of the highlight being red under the light of sunset.
Day 4: Mandalay Discovery (B, L, D)
Today is a full day to discover the hidden charm of Mandalay. We will start at Shwenadaw Monastery, an impressive wooden monastery which used to be a part of the Royal Palace. Then we discover “the world’s largest book” as we proceed to Kuthodaw Pagoda. Dating back to 1857, the pagoda is a great combination of glittering gold plate stupas and 729 white-washed marble slabs. Then highlight your morning sightseeing at Mahamuni Pagoda – one of the greatest pagodas in Myanmar housing the highly revered Buddha image in the country.
In the afternoon, visit a local workshop to discover the gold leaf making. If you like, trying your hands-on making gold leaf under the guidance of the artisans will help you learn more about the local production.
Later on, drive to Mandalay Hill to hike on the Sutaungpyei Pagoda to contemplate the incredible view of the whole city.
Day 5: Sin Kyun Village – Tan Chi Taung (B, L, D)
The morning of day 5 delivers you a chance to experience the life of the villagers in Sin Kyun Village, an idyllic village where is known for agriculture and hat making. Spend your time to wander around the village and visit a family to interact with the locals and see the real life of the rural dwellers.
Leaving the village, we continue our river cruise to Tan Chi Taung. Your journey will lead you through the massive unfinished Mingun Pagoda, one of the most worth-seeing attractions in Mingun village. Take time to relax in your private balcony or the sundeck to capture the stunning scenery along the way. Your boat trip will provide you a window to the real Myanmar with many iconic images: women talking with each other on the riverbank, ox-cart carrying goods, and some fishermen rowing their boat.
This afternoon, take part in a demonstration on the vessel to learn more about the country’s rich history, the current as well as the future development of Burma.
Day 6: Tan Chi Taung (B, L, D)
If the previous course in day 3 brought you a chance to learn more about Asian and Burmese cuisine, today, why don’t join in an interesting test-bud test which is demonstrated by the Executive Chef to see how much you know about the local dishes and whether you can make Asian delicacies?
After that, continue your cruise downstream toward Bagan for the rest of the morning. Enjoy your time at leisure on the board. You can relax at the bar, nibbling some wine or having special treatment in the spa to reward yourself after a long day sightseeing.
As we reach Bagan, get off for a visit to Tan Chi Taung Mountain where will visit a well-known pagoda, enjoy an elephant dance show and marvel at the panoramic view to the incredibly 2000 monuments in Bagan.
In the late afternoon, get on the sundeck and enjoy the picturesque sunset on Irrawaddy River. Relax and listen to the harmony of light wind, behold the giant sun slowly immerse everything surround you in golden light.
Day 7: Bagan Discovery (B, L, D)
Today is a full day for you to discover Bagan – an important archaeological site in Southeast Asia which was recognized as UNESCO Heritage Site in July 2019. Let’s try exploring the area by a horse carriage, exotic local transportation. Start the day with a visit to Htilominlo Temple, an elegant three-story temple built under the empire of King Htilominlo. We also visit Sulamani Pagoda, an impressive monument built in the 12th century.
Following your lunch by visiting Kyauk Gu U Min Temple, one of the four stone brick-built pagodas. The temple is much like a cave which will offer you a great view of caverns as you take a stroll along with the light in the corridors. Next up, move to a local village to meet and interact with more locals and learn about their simple life. Take this chance to chat and share your own cultural experiences.
Day 8: Bagan (B)
This morning, enjoy your breakfast and check-out at 9 am to get back to the land. Trip ends. We hope that you love the journey and services we provide. Thank you for making an Irrawaddy river cruise with Go Myanmar Tours!
