Includes internal flights, twin shared accommodation, English speaking guides, private cars, sightseeing and meals listed. Excludes visa and travel documents, travel insurance, international flights, local tipping, etc.
This itinerary is to give you a flavor of what is possible. We can tailor this trip to suit your specific needs and expectations. You may alter any aspect of the itinerary from excursions to accommodation.
International Flight: Excluded Meals: Dinner Welcome to Burma! Upon arrival in Yangon, our guide will greet you at the airport welcome area and transfer you to your hotel for check-in.
In the evening, enjoy a Myanmar royal style welcome dinner on a floating marble boat.
Accommodation: Belmond Governor’s Residence
Day 2: 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.
Accommodation: Belmond Governor’s Residence
Day 3: Yangon – Inle | Flight to Heho | Continue to Inle Lake
Internal Flight:Included Meals: Breakfast Board a morning flight to Heho. Upon arrival, our guide will greet you at the airport and continue the transfer you to your resort next to scenic Inle Lake for check-in. Enjoy the leisure time for the rest of the day.
Accommodation: Sofitel Inle Lake Myat Min
Day 4: 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.
Accommodation: Sofitel Inle Lake Myat Min
Day 5: Heho – Bagan | Flight to Bagan | Bagan’s Valley of a Thousand Temples
Internal Flight:Included Meals:Breakfast, Lunch Board a morning flight to Bagan. Upon arrival, our guide will greet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel for check-in.
Today you’ll explore Bagan, where you will see its thousands of Buddhist pagodas spread in the valley of the Ancient City of Bagan. These pagodas used to own by individual families during prosperous times. 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 hot 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.
Accommodation: Aureum Palace Hotel
Day 6: Bagan | Hot Air Balloon | Popa Volcano
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.
Bagan’s Hot Air Balloon – 20 Days Burma Vietnam Highlights Tour
Your Mount Popa excursion begins after breakfast when your tour guide and driver will meet you at your hotel.
We then head east toward Mount Popa, an extinct volcano standing 1518 meters high. Mount Popa has played an important role in Myanmar culture, religion and history since earliest times. Its shrine is dedicated to the worship of the 37 Nats, the Burmese ancient animist spirits.
Learn about nats and nat worship as you climb the stairs to the top with your local guide. The view over the Myingyan Plain from the top of the volcanic peak is impressive. Transfer back to Bagan late this afternoon.
Accommodation: Aureum Palace Hotel
Day 7: Bagan – Mandalay | Flight to Mandalay | Explore Mandalay Highlights
Internal Flight:Included Meals: Breakfast Board a morning flight to Mandalay. Upon arrival, our guide will greet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel for check-in.
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.
Accommodation: Hilton Mandalay
Day 8: Mandalay | Amarapura Ancient Capital
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch
Morning: Transfer by private vehicle 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.
Amarapura Teakwood Bridge – 20 Days Burma Vietnam Highlights Tour
Next, you’ll see Kaung Mu Taw Pagoda: a dome-shaped pagoda which rises up 46 meters. At the base of the pagoda, there are 812 stone pillars, each one with a hollow and image of a Nat inside. Continue with a visit to Sagaing Hill. The hill has a number of small pagodas with many meditation centers along with Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda – pagoda painted with gold. You can stop at monasteries and nunneries to speak with monks while enjoying hot green tea.
Lunch at a restaurant.
Then continue to visit with a visit of Amarapura,”City of Immortality”,the old capital of Myanmar. At the end of the day, visit the ancient temple of Pahtodawgyi which was built in 1820.
Return to Mandalay and the rest of the day is at your leisure.
Accommodation: Hilton Mandalay
Day 9: Mandalay – Saigon | Flight to Saigon
Internal Flight:Included Meals: Breakfast In the morning, board a flight to Saigon with a short stopover in Bangkok. Upon arrival, our guide will greet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel for check-in.
Saigon(officially Ho Chi Minh City) is a bustling metropolis of the South and the economic muscle of Vietnam. During the Vietnam War, it was the main base center of the US military with the largest airport in the region. Prior to that, it was under French colonial rule and was an Asian hub of sea trade. The city is based in the Mekong River Delta region – the rice basket of Southeast Asia and where many exotic fruits are cultivated. Full of history and culture, Saigon will certainly be an interesting visit.
Accommodation: Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon
Day 10: Saigon | Cu Chi Tunnels | Impression of Saigon
Meals: Breakfast See the highlights of Ho Chi Minh City during this full day tour, which includes the Cu Chi Tunnels.
In the morning, your guide will greet you at the lobby and escort you to the Cu Chi Tunnels. An immense network of connecting underground tunnels used during the war, you’ll explore the complex and see the ingenious traps, bomb holes, and narrow tunnels between underground bunkers.
Then you’ll come back to Ho Chi Minh City to visit the Reunification Palace, which was the home to the President of South Vietnam during the War, and the place of the end of the war during the fall of Saigon.
Then you’ll go on to see the Notre Dame Cathedral constructed by French colonists during their settlement. Across the road is the Old Saigon Post Office, a neoclassical architectural building which is considered one of the main tourist attractions in the city.
The next stop is Cholon, the Chinatown of Saigon, a thickly settled district rife with tea-houses and pagodas, and the famous Binh Tay Market.
To finish the tour, you’ll visit the Emperor Jade Pagoda, also known as the Tortoise Pagoda. This figurine-filled site of worship is considered by many to be Saigon’s finest.
After the tour, return to your hotel for relaxing.
Accommodation: Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon
Day 11: Saigon | Mekong Delta Discovery: Vinh Long
Meals: Breakfast Discover the Mekong River, essential to life in the heart of Vietnam.
After you’ve finished breakfast at the hotel, we will take you to Vinh Long where you’ll embark on a boat cruise to the vibrant Cai Be floating market. Be prepared to see fresh spices, mints, and local fruits. If you’re adventurous, you can take one of the many colorful fruits in season.
The next stop is the Hoa Binh Phuoc islet, full of local homes where the families produce tiles and ceramics. You’ll visit the rice-paper kiln and coconut candy kiln where you can walk around and observe daily country life. You can have the opportunity to taste fresh made coconut candy which has a soft and chewy consistency.
When the tour is finished, you’ll return to Ho Chi Minh.
Selling on Boat – 20 Days Burma Vietnam Highlights Tour
Accommodation: Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon
Day 12: Saigon – Danang | Leisure | Flight to Danang
Internal Flight:Included Meals: Breakfast Morning is at your leisure to relax or have own exploration in the city.
Board an afternoon flight to Danang. Upon arrival, our guide will greet you at the airport and transfer you to your resort next to the beach for check-in.
Accommodation: Fusion Maia Danang
Day 13: Hoi An – Danang | 4th Century Cham Ruins and Hoi An Ancient Port Town
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch In the morning, you’ll transfer to the My Son Holy Land. Tucked in the mountains up winding roads with serene views, lay the 4th century My Son Holy Land Ruins. The surrounding mountains are strictly forbidden from living or development. The ruins lay in a beautiful surrounding mountainous landscape. You’ll enter the temples while your tour guide gives you the history and stories of the Cham and the site.
In the afternoon, you’ll continue to visit Hoi An Ancient Town. This town features the 16th-century Hoi An port town in it’s preserved state. You’ll start the day visiting the Museum of Trade Ceramics. This museum houses art and pottery dating from the 1,500s to the 1,700s.
Then you’ll briefly visit the Chua Ong Pagoda, a temple from the 17th century which features China’s influence in the region. You’ll continue through the Ancient Town as the streets take on a magic of their own with old lanterns, French-style houses, intricately carved wooden doors and more. You’ll take a stroll through the Old Tam Ky House to see it’s imperial styles meshed with French overtures. Continue on to stroll along the river and see traditional boats and locals on bicycles passing by. You’ll then approach the Japanese Covered Bridge. This bridge has connected the Chinese and Japanese sides of town over the waterway for centuries. The old wooden structure has shown amazing resilience for more than 400 years.
At dusk, enjoy walking along the riverside as colorful lanterns light up the town. After you’ve finished the tour, you will return back to your hotel.
Accommodation: Fusion Maia Danang
Day 14: Danang | Relax on the Beach
Meals: Breakfast Today is at your leisure to relax on the beaches of Danang.
Hoi An Fishing Boat – 20 Days Burma Vietnam Highlights Tour
Accommodation: Fusion Maia Danang
Day 15: Danang – Hanoi | At Leisure | Flight to Hanoi
Meals: Breakfast Morning is at your leisure to relax on the beaches of Danang. In the afternoon, take a flight to Hanoi. Upon arrival, our guide will greet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel for check-in.
After check-in, enjoy a stroll on your own around Hoan Kiem Lake outside your hotel. Feel free to also pick up a souvenir at the night markets or at one of the many trinket shops in the alleys and small roads of this historic part of town.
Accommodation: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
Day 16: Hanoi | Best of Hanoi
Meals: Breakfast See the highlights of Hanoi during your full day city tour, enjoy the visit to cultural, historical and iconic landmarks.
In the morning, you’ll be escorted to see some of the most significant places in Hanoi.
You’ll begin by seeing the Tran Quoc Pagoda. This 1,400-year-old temple features ten tiers surrounded by gardens and which also hosts a bodhi tree grown from a cutting of the original bodhi tree under which Buddha sat. Next, you’ll pass by the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, a large memorial where the charismatic Vietnamese leader read the Declaration of Independence in 1945. Not far from here is the One Pillar Pagoda. This millenia-old structure was built on a large stone column in the middle of a pond to resemble a temple seen in the Emperor’s dream.
Then you’ll learn about the highlight of this tour – The Temple of Literature. The ancient university was erected almost a millenium ago and has hosted many of the most prominent scholars through Vietnamese history. The site features many gardens, pools, buildings, courtyards, and ancient trees where the best and brightest of Vietnam studied under the guidance of Confucius teachings.
In the afternoon, you’ll go on to see the Museum of Ethnology to learn about the different ethnicities in Vietnam.
Historical Hoan Kiem Lake
Next, you’ll take a stroll around the Hoan Kiem Lake where you can see the Tortoise Tower sitting on the water. You’ll also be able to visit the Ngoc Son Temple, which rests on the lake with a narrow bridge for access.
Then you’ll enjoy a half hour cyclo tour through the Old Quarter in Hanoi. The cyclo is a historic mode of transportation in the cities of Vietnam where a cyclist escorts you while you sit in a seat affixed to the front with a canopy over top. In the Hanoi Old Quarter, you’ll enjoy streets full of life with genuine shops and cafes frequented by locals.
The tour finishes with a Water Puppet Show performed by the world-renowned Thang Long Opera House. This performance features a talent unique to Vietnam. You’ll watch as water puppets perform the folklore legends of Vietnam while live ethnic music sets the mood.
Accommodation: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
Day 17: Hanoi – Halong Bay | Voyage Halong Bay with Cruise by Orchid
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner In the morning, your guide and driver will transfer you to Halong Bay. Upon arrival, enjoy refreshments at Private Lounge until boarding. Then board Orchid Cruise.
Sunrise at Halong Bay – 20 Days Burma Vietnam Highlights Tour
Receive a safety briefing and check in your cabins. The boat sets adrift for Da Chong islet, home to an old French lighthouse. Enjoy a sumptuous feast in the panoramic dining hall while en route to the isles of Con Vit and Gia Luan. The bay opens up to you with stunning green karsts towering above the water. This area receives very few cruise ships as it has just been newly opened up. Continue to Ba Trai Dao beach of Lan Ha Bay. A paradise with perfect beaches and natural beauty. Stop at one of the beaches for swimming or kayaking during the afternoon.
As dusk approaches, welcome the sunset with a local specialty – “Ba Kich”(a liquor made from Noni fruit). Back on board, you’ll join a cooking demonstration to learn a few Vietnamese culinary secrets. Enjoy your creation! Then time for supper in the dining hall. Delicious Vietnamese cuisine and seafood in a romantic setting. After dinner, you may enjoy watching the stars from the sundeck, watching a movie in the restaurant, or give night squid fishing a try with the staff(subject to seasonal availability).
Accommodation: Orchid Cruise
Day 18: Halong Bay – Ninh Binh | Halong Bay Sunrise | Bai Dinh Temple
Meals: Breakfast Rise early for one of the top best sunrises in the world. Then head to the sundeck for an invigorating Tai Chi session amongst a picture-perfect backdrop of karsts, sea, and nature. Enjoy a breakfast in the dining hall before taking a journey to explore the area around Sang Tai sea cave via canoes.
Return back to the pier for check out and then transfer to Ninh Binh.
Check in at the resort with stunning views all around.
Time to stretch your legs! Go with our guide to visit Bai Dinh Temple, the largest temple in Vietnam. This Buddhist temple was built into the mountain with 3 terraces and faces the river. Explore the many halls, rooms, carvings, and statues during the late afternoon. Our guide will then take you to the best place for watching the sunset over this untouched part of Vietnam. Shortly afterward, you’ll witness the 13-tier pagoda – Chau Bai Dinh – be lit up for the evening: a true spectacle to behold! Return to the resort for overnight and leisure.
Accommodation: Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh
Day 19: Hanoi | Wonders of Ninh Binh
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch After breakfast, enjoy some time at the resort to relax and take in the stunning views. Check out late morning and then you’ll go to visit Hoa Lu, the ancient capital. In 968, Dinh Bo Linh declared himself as the King. Since then Hoa Lu existed as the capital for only 41 years. In 1010, King Ly Thai To moved the capital from Hoa Lu to Thang Long – present-day Hanoi. Hoa Lu became the old citadel. In Hoa Lu there are now two temples dedicated to two Vietnamese kings, which have been built on the grounds of the old royal palace. The visit offers a chance to learn more about the feudal dynasties and historical periods in Vietnamese history.
Next, you’ll take an amazing boat trip through Trang An Grottoes. A gathering of 31 valleys and 50 cross-water caves are home to 600 kinds of flora and over 200 kinds of fauna many of which are listed in the Red Book of Vietnam. Rowing through the Trang An Grottoes is a peaceful trip of serenity. The highland air is a respite from modern living and the sounds are only that of birds and the oars stirring the clear water. Towering overhead is magnificent forested mountains upon which you might catch a glimpse of grazing white-bearded goats.
Accommodation: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
Day 20: Hanoi | 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!
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Saigon - Mekong Delta - Hoi An Ancient Port Town - Halong Bay Cruise - Bangkok Capital - Chiang Mai - Home-hosted Cooking Class - Phuket Beaches - Sea Cave Kayaking
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One of our Travel Experts will reach out to you and assist you with an itinerary and quote. Also, feel free to leave your phone number and we will give you a quick call just to say hello and clarify any questions we have about your inquiry.
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