17 Days Thai and Burmese Cultural Highlights Tour

ITINERARY

Day 1: Mandalay | Arrive in Mandalay

International Flight: Excluded
Meals: Dinner
Welcome to Myanmar! Upon arrival in Mandalay, our guide will greet you at the airport welcome area and transfer you to your hotel for check-in.

This evening enjoys a unique cultural dinner show at Kinsana Garden Theatre. The performance features traditional musical instruments and dance spanning eight periods dating back to the 11th century. While the theatrics ensue, enjoy some of the finest cuisines in Myanmar to welcome you to Burma.

Accommodation: Hilton Mandalay

Day 2: Mandalay | Explore Mandalay Highlights

Meals: Breakfast

Morning is at your leisure to relax.

In the afternoon, you’ll go to see the Highlights of Mandalay, you’ll start off your day with an opportunity to learn about the distinct Buddhist culture unique to Burma. You’ll visit the Mahamuni Image where you’ll have an opportunity to watch locals pray and place the gold paper on the statue of Buddha for a blessing. You can participate as well if you like for a small donation to the temple(only men are allowed to place the gold on the statue).

You’ll also visit a gold paper factory to see how golden leaves are made, a staple in Burmese religious practices. Then you’ll visit the 19th-century Shwenandaw Monastery (Golden Palace Monastery) famous for its teak carvings of Buddhist mythology.

Next, you’ll see the Kuthodaw Pagoda which is a Buddhist stupa that contains the world’s largest book of Buddhism.

At the end of your day, you’ll enjoy a gorgeous sunset from the top of Mandalay Hill.

this contains the world’s largest stone book

Accommodation: Hilton Mandalay

Day 3: Mandalay – Monywa | Ancient Amarapura | Continue to Monywa

Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, transfer to Sagiang, the capital of Sagiang Division located on the Irrawaddy River. You’ll cross the Inwa Bridge, which was built by the British in 1934. Then you’ll visit the Maha Ganayon Kyaung Monastery to see hundreds of monks line up for daily meals. Then visit the U Bein Bridge which is 1.2 kilometers long and is the longest teakwood bridge in the world. Continue to Monywa (approx; 3 hours). Monywa is the second biggest city after Mandalay in central Myanmar. It is the major trade center whose surroundings are filled with fertile fields yielding crops such as rice, beans, vegetables, and tobacco.

On the way to town, visit Thanbude Temple with its more than half million Buddha Images inside and outside of the main temple. Then drive to the jetty of Chindwin River which is the third longest river to take a ferry to the other side where an American Willy Jeep waits to carry you to Pho Win Taung Cave Pagodas. Walk all the way up the Sandstone Caves built from the 16th to 19th century. Monkey food sellers may try to accompany you as you explore the caves. Then, drive back to Monywa for check-in at your hotel.

Accommodation: Win Unity Resort Hotel

Day 4: Monywa – Bagan | Irrawaddy River Ride to Bagan

Meals: Breakfast
In the morning, visit Bodhi Ta Taung Buddhas so named after one-thousand Sitting Buddhas under a thousand Bo Trees. Then visit the second largest Reclining Buddha and the tallest standing Buddha which measures 413 feet in height. Depart Monywa to Pakkoku(3 hours), on the way stop at Ma U village to experience village life with home industries such as Bamboo Scales Making, Incense Stick and so on. Take a walk among the 16th to 18th century Pagoda Complex nearby. You can also drop in at one of the pit-stops where you can see Thanaka plantations – a special Burmese wood used in their traditional cosmetics.

Continue driving to Pakkokku, which is known as the Tobacco Trade Center where you embark on a private boat to the ancient city of Bagan(3 hours). You’ll observe local river life along the banks. Arrive in Bagan and check in to your hotel.

Accommodation: Aureum Palace Hotel

Day 5: Bagan | Bagan’s Valley of a Thousand Temples

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Experience the unrivaled majesty of thousands of ancient temples drifting below you in style, comfort, and safety. You’ll rise early in the morning to beat dawn for a spectacular sunrise over the unique Bagan scene aloft in your hot air balloon. The captain will explain the safety procedures, and you can some coffee or tea before departure. Then the balloon will take off and you’ll be treated to an amazing view of the temples across Bagan. It is also great to see the other balloons in flight. After an hour ride, you’ll have a smooth landing.

Then you’ll explore Bagan’s temples. After that, you will visit the Nyaung Oo Market where locals buy and sell produce. Then you’ll visit the Shwezigon Pagoda which is the largest pagoda in Bagan painted with real gold.

Have a rest in the hotel during the afternoon. Then you’ll enjoy a Horse Cart Ride first to the small village of Taung Phi where rests a worn teak monastery awaiting the rare tourists who are lost. You’ll continue by horse cart around temples and winding roads as the sun makes it’s a way to the sky’s edge casting curious shadows from the temples across the plain. Continue to Shesandaw Pagoda. From your vantage point, you’ll watch one of the best sunsets in Southeast Asia. Then you’ll take a horse cart ride back to your hotel.

ancient temples of Bagan

Accommodation: Aureum Palace Hotel

Day 6: Bagan – Inle | Flight to Heho | Leisure

Internal Flight: Included
Meals: Breakfast
Morning is at your leisure. You may want to relax or explore the rest in the city on your own.

Board an afternoon flight to Heho. Upon arrival, our guide will greet and transfer you to your resort next to scenic Inle Lake for check-in.

Accommodation: Sofitel Inle Lake Myat Min

Day 7: Heho – Inle | Inle Lake Excursion by Long Tail Boat

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Your Excursion today will be made by private longtail boat to see the life of the In-tha tribe(name of local ethnic people live on the lake), to discover their unique floating farms and life on the water. You will also witness local fisherman who fishes while using only one leg to paddle the boat. Then you’ll visit the Long Neck Ladies who were relocated from the Myanmar and Thailand border.

Rest of the day is at your leisure to relax.

Intha tribe at Inle Lake

Accommodation: Sofitel Inle Lake Myat Min

Day 8: Heho – Yangon | Flight to Yangon

Internal Flight: Included
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Morning is at your leisure to relax and enjoy the scenic lake.

In the afternoon, take a flight to Yangon. Upon arrival, our guide will greet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel for check-in.

In the evening, enjoy a Myanmar royal style dinner on a floating marble boat. Enjoy the fine cuisine as you finished exploring Burma.

Accommodation: Sofitel Inle Lake Myat Min

Day 9: Yangon | Burmese Capital Highlights

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, visit the downtown area to see the Old City Hall and Maharbandoola Park. Then take a stroll along the old street ending at the old Strand Hotel. Next, drive to Botahtaung Pagoda which features golden decorations inside the pagoda. Continue to Bogyoke Market which sells many Burmese traditional handicrafts including stone carving, wood carving, bronze carving, painting, etc.

In the afternoon, visit Kandawgyi Park for a stroll near Chaukhtetgyi Reclining Buddha Image – one of the largest in Yangon. Continue to the highlight of Yangon: the golden Shwedagon Pagoda, which has been described as one of the wonders of the world. Shwedagon plays a very important role in the Old Burmese History and also is an important Buddhist icon. Enjoy the sunset over the pagoda.

Shwedagon Pagoda – 17 Days Thai Burmese Cultural Highlights Tour

Accommodation: Belmond Governor’s Residence

Day 10: Yangon – Bangkok | Flight to Bangkok | Bangkok Night Life

Internal Flight: Included
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Board a morning flight to Bangkok.

Upon arrival in Bangkok, our guide will greet you at the airport and transfer you to the hotel for check-in. Then you are at leisure to explore the Chao Phraya riverfront, go shopping, or visit a Muay Thai boxing gym on your own.

In the evening, you’ll be picked up to explore the bustling Chinatown a popular tourist attraction and a food haven. Upon this 1-km strip packed with market stalls, street-side restaurants and a dense concentration of gold shops. Continue the journey to Pakklong Talaad, the biggest wholesale and retail fresh flower market in Bangkok. Drive to Wat Suthat and The Giant Swing.

From here, we continue on foot passing Bangkok Metropolitan Office to Democracy Monument. You’ll enjoy dinner at Hotel D’ Moc’s restaurant, then travelling by tram around Ratanakosin area with the fantastic views of “The Must-See” attractions in Bangkok, Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall, The Golden Mount, Wat Ratchanaddaram, The Democracy Monument, The City Pillar Shrine, The Grand Palace, Wat Pho, National Theatre and Santi Chaiprakarn Park. End up the night by exploring the Khao San Road for its famously described as “the center of the backpacking universe”. After tour completed, you’ll transfer back to the hotel.

Accommodation: Mandarin Oriental

Day 11: Bangkok | Ayutthaya Kingdom Discovery

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Start early and transfer North to the Ancient Kingdom of Ayutthaya. Start by visiting Wat Phu Khao Thong – a temple outside of Ayutthaya started by the invading Burmese who built the base when they overtook Ayutthaya and was finished by Siam who later took back their city. Continue to Ayutthaya and start with the Royal Palace and Royal Temple – dating back to the 14th century. Continue to the nearby Viharn Phra Mongkol Bopit where the largest bronze Buddha in Thailand is housed.

Wat Phra Si Sanphet – 17 Days Thai Burmese Cultural Highlights Tour

Enjoy a Thai lunch and some free time. Have a short visit to Wat Lokaya Sutha – the image of the reclining Buddha. Then continue to the Royal Palace at Bang Pa-In, which is the Summer Palace of the Thai Royal Family. Return back to your hotel in Bangkok for leisure time.

Accommodation: Mandarin Oriental

Day 12: Bangkok – Chiang Rai | Bangkok by Traditional Long Tail Boat | Flight to Chiang Rai

Internal Flight: Included
Meals: Breakfast
In the early morning, take a traditional longtail boat to Wat Arun – the Temple of the Dawn to enjoy a stunning view and explore the gem of Bangkok.

Continue to one of the must-see sights, the spectacular Grand Palace, undoubtedly the city’s most famous landmark. Built-in 1782- and for 150 years the home of the Thai King, the Royal court and the administrative seat of government – the Grand Palace of Bangkok is a grand old dame indeed, that continues to have visitors in awe with its beautiful architecture and intricate detail, all of which is a proud salute to the creativity and craftsmanship of Thai people.

Bangkok Royal Palace – 17 Days Thai Burmese Cultural Highlights Tour

Within its walls were also the Thai war ministry, state departments, and even the mint. Today, the complex remains the spiritual heart of the Thai Kingdom. Within the palace complex are several impressive buildings including Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), which contains the small, very famous and greatly revered Emerald Buddha that dates back to the 14th century. The robes on the Buddha are changed with the seasons by HM The King of Thailand and forms an important ritual in the Buddhist calendar. Thai Kings stopped living in the palace around the turn of the twentieth century, but the palace complex is still used to mark all kinds of other ceremonial and auspicious happenings. Then return to the hotel for some leisure time in the afternoon.

Northern of Thailand

Board a morning flight to Chiang Rai. Upon arrival, our guide will greet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel for check-in.

Chiang Rai is a quiet city nestled between two mountain ranges in the valley along the Mae Kok River. It has a colorful history, is the birthplace of the Lanna Kingdom and was once home to the Emerald Buddha – during a short time when the priceless Buddhist relic was brought for hiding. The friendly town makes a great base camp for visiting the Golden Triangle, Ancient City of Chiang Saen, Mae Salong Mountain, and the “Island on the Clouds” (Phu Chi Fah viewpoint). Aspiring local artists have produced world-acclaimed pieces of architecture and art such as “The White Temple” and “The Black House”.

Accommodation: Le Meridien Chiang Rai Resort

Day 13: Chiang Rai | Mae Salong Mountain: Tea Plantations & Hill Tribes

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, transfer to Mae Salong mountain, a scenic peak in the Shan Highlands. First, stop at a tea plantation to try some fresh hot tea in the morning while taking in the splendid views. Learn about the Chinese military KMT village that resettled at Mae Salong and their interesting story. Have lunch at a Yunnanese restaurant. In the afternoon, visit Akha, Yao and Lisu hill-tribe villages. Then return to the resort for leisure time.

Accommodation: Le Meridien Chiang Rai Resort

Day 14: Chiang Rai – Chiang Mai | Chiang Saen Ancient City and Golden Triangle | Road Trip to Chiang Mai | The White Temple

Meals: Breakfast
In the morning, visit the Golden Triangle, where the Ruak River and the Mekong river meet forming the borders of three countries – Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos – the area is known for its stunning views. Visit the Hall of Opium museum to learn about the history of the Opium War. Continue on to the ancient city of Chiang Sean at Wat Chedi Luang – a stone city and the first capital of the Lanna Kingdom. Then return to town for some leisure in the afternoon.

Then you’ll transfer to Chiang Mai. On the way, you’ll stop at Wat Rong Khun(the White Temple). This unique and modern temple features Hindu and Buddhist architecture along with very contemporary and peculiar art and sculptures. Along the way, stop at a charity school which provides education to the children in the remote Shan hills. You’ll continue to Chiang Mai to your hotel for check-in.

The old city walls still stand verdantly against the course of time, inviting pilgrims to come rest, and explore the lost treasures of the Lanna Kingdom. Established as the capital in 1296AD of the vast “Kingdom of a Million Rice Fields”, Chiang Mai carries a heritage lurking around every quiet cobble-stone alley and corridor. These days, cafes, boutiques, pubs, and spas are auspiciously peppered throughout, while colorful Meo and Akha hill tribes make their daily ritual visit to the valley to offer their handmade tapestries and handicrafts to curious adventurers. The Ping River weaves through the valley to the East of the Old City while a peaceful moat surrounds the time-worn walls.

Accommodation: Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai

Day 15: Chiang Mai | Temples of the Lanna Kingdom

Meals: Breakfast
In the morning, visit the most prominent temples in Chiang Mai. Start with Wat Phra Singh which houses the famous Phra Singh Buddha image. It features Lanna art throughout and illustrates many famous Buddhist stories. Continue on to Wat Chedi Luang, which once contained the Emerald Buddha. The temple is partially in ruins due to an earthquake in the 1500s. Then stop at Wat Chiang Man which is the oldest temple in Chiang Mai and also houses one of Thailand’s greatest treasures: the Crystal Buddha.

Then continue to Wat Suan Dok, which houses many of the remains of generations of the old Chiang Mai Royal Family. Finally, visit Wat Jet Yot – this peaceful temple is surrounded by green and was built in the Mahabodhi style from India to house the Eighth World Buddhist Council in 1453. You’ll return to your hotel for some leisure in the afternoon.

Accommodation: Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai

Day 16: Chiang Mai | Befriending the Gentle Giants of Asia

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Today, you will join in a tour to an elephant sanctuary in the jungles near Chiang Mai by 4WD truck. First, you’ll learn about the project and hear the amazing stories of each rescued and orphaned elephant. Learn how they became a proud herd free from abuse and misuse. Then have an opportunity to feed them. Next, enjoy a picnic spread. Then take a stroll with the herd to the nearby river. Here you will have the opportunity to observe or participate in bathing the elephants with the sanctuary staff.

After you have said your farewells, return back to the hotel for some leisure time.

Elephant Sanctuary – 17 Days Thai Burmese Cultural Highlights Tour

Accommodation: Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai

Day 17: Chiang Mai | Farewell!

Meals: Breakfast
Today our guide will transfer you to the airport before your homeward flight and will bid you a fond farewell. Thank you for traveling with us!

GET FREE QUOTE