IRRAWADDY EXCLUSIVE CRUISE

Day 1: Irrawaddy exclusive cruise: Arrival Yangon (Thursday)

Upon arrival at Yangon International Airport, our staff will be waiting for you inside to assist with all necessary airport formalities including luggage handling. Pass through all authority counters with our staff assistance and arrive at the arrival lounge where your Exotissimo Guide and Ladies with traditional dresses will welcome you with a flower garland

Transfer to the Governor’s Residence, our preferred luxury boutique hotel in town. You will enjoy your first contact with the Capital of Myanmar onboard the “Elephant Coach”, a 1945 vintage Chevrolet public coach reconditioned into a luxury 6 seater van. A welcome drink will be served onboard the coach during your transfer. Brief freshen up at the hotel.

For lunch, we recommend Monsoon restaurant where you will learn about Myanmar Culinary culture and the style of traditional Myanmar Cuisine and then enjoy freshly prepared local cuisine for lunch.
After lunch, we take you to Bogyoke Market (former known as Scott Market). Built by the British in 1926, and known for its colonial architecture and inner cobblestone streets, the market plays host to a variety of local Arts & Craft Shops, Street Vendors and is always crowded with locals and visitors alike. (Closed on full moon day and public holidays). Afternoon High Tea at the legendary Strand Hotel, a former “Raffles properties” during the colonial area.

Following tea we transfer to the World famous, magnificent Shwedagon Pagoda to enjoy the sunset and observe religious customs of the Myanmar people. The 100m high Chedi is covered by more than 40 tons of gold leaf and by night lit up, making it truly magical to see. Dinner at your hotel. (Own Account)
Overnight in Yangon

Day 2:Irrawaddy exclusive cruise: Yangon- Heho – Inle (Friday) by late morning flight – Sightseeing packages (B/-/D)

Transfer to the Airport for your domestic flight to Heho. From Heho a 1-hour scenic drive leads to Nyaung Shwe, the gateway village to Inle Lake where we will stop for a visit to the Shwe Yanpyay Monastery en-route. We recommend enjoying lunch at View Point restaurant in Nyaung Shwe (own account)

After lunch, board a private local motorboat transfer to your hotel for check in. Innthar (Lake Dwellers) are member of Tibeto-Burman ethnic group living around Inle Lake. They speak an archaic dialect of Burmese and believe they are the tribe of Dawei descent. See the leg-rowing fishermen and their floating gardens, built up from strips of water hyacinth and mud and anchored to the bottom with bamboo poles.

After a brief freshen up at your hotel, your time in the Inle Region begins with a sightseeing trip around the lake, including a visit to Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda and the jumping cats monastery where you can view beautiful antique Buddha statues. If time allows we will go for a short walk through one of the villages. Special Traditional Shan Style dinner at hotel.
Overnight on Inle Lake

Day 3: Irrawaddy exclusive cruise: Inle- Indein-Heho-Mandalay by late afternoon flight – Relaxing vacations (B/ L/ D)

Today, we head to the morning market on the lakeside. This market rotates around the villages on and near the lake over a 5 day cycle. A colourful market, it is visited by lake inhabitants and surrounding hill tribes on a daily basis (except on new and full moon days).

From the middle of the lake, continue down a small canal leading to the Paoh village of In Dein. After a walk around the village, passing a local school, take the covered stairway to the beautiful Alaung Sitthou area where ancient stupas are partly covered by vegetation. From here enjoy a magnificent view over the lake.

Private lunch at an Intha House, situated in the village of Nampan and belonging to the descendant of an Intha family. The specially arranged lunch is set up the local way: you will sit on pillows on the floor and eat from low tables decorated to fit the place. Late afternoon, you will transfer to Airport for the domestic flight to Mandalay.

Taking the ancient name of Ratanapunja, the royal capital of the last monarchy of Myanmar, Mandalay enjoys the splendour of a golden age and still has great importance as a cultural center. The city takes its name from the 236-meter high Mandalay hill. The palace was constructed in 1857 and completed in 1861, in Myanmar traditional architectural style.

The majority of monuments including the palace, palace walls, pagodas and monasteries were built soon after. The city was completely damaged in the fierce fighting of World War II, including the royal palace, which has since been reconstructed.  Finish the day with a sunset view over town from Mandalay Hill. Dinner at hotel
Overnight in Mandalay

Day 4:Irrawaddy exclusive cruise: Mandalay Embark RV Paukan 2007 – Adventure tours (B/ L/ D)  

After breakfast, your day begins with a sightseeing tour of Mandalay, Myanmar’s cultural capital starts with the Mahamuni Pagoda, famous for its venerable statue of Buddha covered in gold leaf.

The Mandalay made famous among the International visitor by Rudyard Kipling’s “Mandalay” poem, has also long been known as a center of skilled craftsmanship and in former times supplied the Royal courts with its works. Here we take a tour of the traditional workshops where it is possible to observe these traditional crafts including woodcarving, marble masonry, Kalaga tapestry and gold leaf making.

Transfer to the jetty to embark RV Paukan 2007. Board the Ship at Gawein Jetty (11.30- 12.00 hrs), welcome cocktail and lunch. Sail upstream (ETD 12.30/13.00) and moor overnight at a river village North of Mandalay.
Overnight onboard Note: “Please note the RV Paukan 2007 only departs Mandalay on Sundays”

Day 5: Irrawaddy exclusive cruise: Onboard RV Paukan 2007 (B/ L/ D)

R.V Paukan 2007 service   Visit Sagaing, a hill studded with many Pagodas and Monasteries rich in wood carving and religious art. We travel by coach to the ancient city of Ava, capital of the Burmese Kingdom from 1364 to 1841.

Here we explore the ruins by horse cart visiting the beautiful 200 year’s old Bagaya Kyaung teak Monastery, Nanmyin watchtower (27m high) and the Me Nu Ok Kyaung monastery. Return to the ship and cast off. (ETD 10.30). Stop at Yandabo, a picturesque river village specializing in Pot-Making, where the peace treaty of the First Anglo-Burmese war signed on Feburary 24, 1826. Explore the village stopping at the pot-making workshops to learn about their unique production technique, the school and the monastery.

Continue sailing until late night. Moor overnight at a river village. Overnight onboard

Day 6: Irrawaddy exclusive cruise: Bagan exploration (B/-/-)

After breakfast, disembark RV Paukan 2007
Your VietLong guide will meet you again at Bagan jetty and transfer to your hotel. Bagan is famous for its thousands of ancient stupas and temples in this area make Bagan, one of the most remarkable archaeological sites in Asia. From the 11th till 13th century, when Bagan was the capital of Myanmar, the rulers constructed huge stupas and temples, many of which are still standing today on the banks of the Irrawaddy River.

After brief freshen up at your hotel, we head to Tayokye Pyay for a first overview over the plain of Bagan. Then, continue to the Shwezigon Pagoda and its magnificent golden stupa, followed by Wetkyi-In Gubyaukgyi, a cave temple with exquisite jatakas murals paintings and the elegant Htilominlo Temple noted for its fine plaster carvings and glazed sandstone decorations.

We recommend having lunch at Bagan Viewing Tower restaurant overlooking the panoramic scenery of Bagan. (own account) In the afternoon, visit Ananda, an architectural masterpiece of the early-style temple. Ananda Okkyaung is one of the few surviving brick monasteries from the early Bagan period. End the day with a horse carriage tour among the temples starting at Ananda and passing Thatbyinnyu, the highest temple in Bagan, the massive Dhammayangyi Temple noted for its remarkable brickwork and Sulamani.

We recommend to enjoy the Dinner at hotel (own account)  Overnight in Bagan

Day 7: Irrawaddy exclusive cruise: Bagan (B/-/-)

OPTION: from October to March, early morning hot-air balloon flights over the plain of Bagan and its 3000 sites. An unforgettable and unique experience! + Its price is USD 265/person

Visit the colorful Nyaung Oo Market followed by visit to the countryside village of Minnanthu, the least visited area in Bagan with temples such as Payathonzu, with its unusual architecture and Tantric Buddhism influence, Lemyethna and Nandamannya.

We recommend the Sunset Garden restaurant for lunch on the river bank (own account) In the afternoon, attend “Burmese Tea” in a monastery near Myinkabar village to enjoy a traditional Myanmar snack (in Burmese “Moun”) with tea or coffee and then, take a horse carriage ride and enjoy this traditional mean of transport in Bagan.

We then take a walk through the village and have the opportunity to visit local sites (Gubyaukgi, with some of the oldest mural paintings, Manuha and Nanpaya) as well as look into the production process of lacquer ware, one of the best-known Myanmar handicrafts in one of the local family workshops. Enjoy sunset over the site from one of the open upper terraces in Bagan.
We recommend enjoying the dinner at local restaurant, BBB (own account)  Overnight in Bagan

Day 8:Irrawaddy exclusive cruise: Bagan- Yangon – Culture trips (B/-/D) 

After breakfast, enjoy a leisurely start to the day and late morning transfer to the Airport for your domestic flight to Yangon. Upon arrival transfer to your hotel in a beautifully decorated authentic colonial coach. (Elephant Coach) VietLong present awaits you in room.

Our recommendation is to have lunch at Manis restaurant (own account) After lunch, your sight seeing of Yangon begins with a visit to residence of Gold-ash U Shein who is famous for his traditional medicine practice and faith healing method in Europe. Discuss with him and meeting with local people at his residence.

Then take a short walking tour around the down town before transfering back to your hotel.
If you want to experience the famous Myanmar fortune teller we know the best place to take you there. (Own Account) Special Farewell dinner at Le Planteur fine dining restaurant. Overnight in Yangon  

Day 9:Irrawaddy exclusive cruise: Departure Yangon (B/-/-)

After breakfast, enjoy a leisurely day at your hotel then transfer to Yangon International Airport for your onward flight. (car & guide at your disposal)

*****End of services *****

 Our services include:

• Accommodation on half-twin rooms basis with daily breakfast
• RV Paukan 2007 3 Days/2 Nights cruise package Mandalay-Bagan
• Meals as mentioned in the program (B= breakfast, L= lunch, D= dinner)
• English-speaking guide throughout the trip (from Yangon to Yangon) EXCEPT while on RV Paukan 2007 package
• 3 domestic flights RGN-HEH-MDL & NYU-RGN on Air Mandalay or Yangon Airways or Air Bagan including insurance surcharges + current fuel surcharge
• Private motorized boat in Inle Lake excursions + transfers
• Horse cart tours in Bagan
• All transfers and excursions with “Elephant Coach” in Yangon and the private air-conditioned vehicles for the rest places, While on RTM package, with RTM vehicle  
• Porter fees at airports & hotels
• Entrance fees for the visits mentioned in the program
• Hi Tea at Strand hotel
• Burmese tea in Bagan

Our services do not include:

• International ticket to/from Yangon
• Meals other than mentioned
• Visa on arrival service including visa fee
• Visits not mentioned in the program
• Drinks and personal expenses
• International airport departure tax Yangon (USD 10/pax at present)
• Any other items not mentioned

IMPORTANT NOTES FOR MYANMAR:

1.Please note that credit cards and traveler cheques are not accepted in Myanmar and that visitors must be bring sufficient cash (best in US Dollars, but Euros also increasingly accepted) to change and make any purchases and payments. Please bring new US Dollar bills (“big heads” instead of “small heads”) and with series numbers not starting with CB as these are not accepted in Myanmar due to rumours these series are counterfeit.
2.Furthermore please inform passengers that they should NOT change money at the exchange booth at the airport just after immigration, as the market rate in town is MUCH better.
3.A surcharge might apply for peak season dates (Water Festival 12-18 April, X’Mas, New Year, etc.
4.Travelers to Myanmar are required to have a travel insurance covering the cost of medical evacuation flights.
5.Visas are required by all visitors to Myanmar. A visa must be obtained before entering Myanmar or On Arrival Visa is available at all international airports (Yangon & Mandalay). The visa application form is also available at all international airline linked with Myanmar or on-line. To apply on arrival visa, one must have 2 passport photo (4×6 cm) taken within last 6 months and passport must be valid 6 months after arrival date. For more detail information, please contact sales@vietlongtravel.com
6.The schedules of domestic flights in Myanmar are provided as an indication only. Once a booking is confirmed we can provide more precise timings, but these remain nevertheless subject to change without notice by the airlines until travelling date. It might therefore in some cases be necessary to amend your program and itinerary due to such schedule changes. We thank you for your understanding.