It's finally here...... 15 days Exploring the Mysterious MYANMAR!! £2,495
Details
I can't believe it's finally here!! We've spoken about this trip for nearly two years, tried putting together the final and perfect itinerary with three different suppliers, changed the dates (even years) several times..... but now it's here!
Travel Together is extremely excited to announce that we're going to the country that most of you will know as Burma, but nowadays is called ...... Myanmar.
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We've used an operator who hold ethics, value and family values at the heart of the trips they offer, the small but internationally serving, Stubborn Mule Travel
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After so much time and without the definite interest required to launch the trip, it's given us a lot of opportunities to explore lots of options, but as a strong advocate of responsible travel too, we felt it a very easy decision to book and finally offer what has possibly been the most anticipated trip for years, finally to the members.
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Myanmar
'Following the lifting of Western sanctions, Burma - also known as Myanmar - has become a magnet for tourists. It has some wondrous sights: a thousand temples scattered across the countryside in Bagan; the leg-rowers and floating gardens of Inle Lake, and majestic rivers - the Ayeyarwady and the Chindwin - navigable into the furthest reaches of the country. But the big draw is the chance to see a country where the 21st-century world has barely intruded. This is changing but there is still a strong sense of the old Orient here. It's a place where Buddhism is still a way of life.'
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This will be our itinerary whilst in this mysterious yet compelling country.
Day 1 - 3rd February - Departure Day
We'll be meeting at Costa Coffee before we all head over to the Singapore Airlines desk to check in together as a group before we go through security. Once through, you'll be free to have a wander, but please keep an eye on the gate number and time of opening. We'll be departing on the SQ305 flight at 09.15.
(N.B, We'll have almost 2 hours connection time at Singapore airport, so please all make sure you're well aware of where you need to be should you wander off for a bite)
Day 2 - 4th February - Singapore - Yangon
We leave Singapore at 07.55 on the SQ998 flight which arrives in Yangon at 09.20
We'll then be met at the airport by our Stubborn Mule representative who will take us directly to our hotel. We have early check in included (normally 14.00) so rather than going straight out, we'll have 2-3 hours to just relax, have a kip, unpack, freshen up and recover from the journey.
We'll start the itinerary today by just seeing a couple of things in the afternoon. Starting with the famous Bogyoke Market, which is a sprawling 75 year old market renowned for its handicrafts and local goods.
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Everyone will be agog at the hustle and bustle in Yangon, with pavements crammed with stalls, newspaper sellers spreading out their papers on the pavement, old women sitting on low stools cooking vegetable pakoras in steaming woks to serve to passers-by and noisy tea shops that are open to the elements, serving up hot sweet ‘chai’ to locals perched on plastic stools.
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Then from here we'll go and see what is undoubtedly the predominant attraction in Yangon, the magnificent Shwedagon Pagoda, the centre of Buddhism in Burma. This is a beautiful building and there will be many pilgrims there making offering of flowers and incense – a great place for a spot of people watching.
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Accommodation: Best Western Green Hill (or similar)
http://www.greenhillhotelyangon.com/
Day 3 - 5th February - A full day of sightseeing in Yangon (breakfast)
After breakfast we'll go out to spend the whole day exploring Yangon. The tour will include the Sule pagoda in the centre of the city
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Then we'll go to see Indiatown and Chinatown and other colonial buildings in the centre of Yangon.
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We'll also visit the Chaukhtatgyi Reclining Buddha and Karaweik Hall, in a scenic position overlooking a lake.
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Overnight in the Best Western Green Hill
Day 4 - 6th February - Yangon – Mandalay (Breakfast)
This morning after breakfast we'll transfer to Yangon airport for a flight to Mandalay. The flight departs at 07.00, arriving at 08.25
When we arrive we'll head to the ancient capital of Amarapura, home to the Mahagandayon monastery which houses more than 1,000 monks.
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After visiting the monastery we can visit the impressive U-Bein Bridge, more than 200 years old and 2 km long, constructed entirely from teak.
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There is also a silk weaving cottage industry here that we will stop at. In the afternoon we'll explore Mandalay, including a visit to the Golden Palace and the Mahamuni Image, as well as Kuthodaw Pagoda (whose 729 marble slabs of Buddhist scripture have earned it the title of the ‘world’s biggest book’) and the Shwenandaw Monastery.
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We'll be able to watch the sunset from Mandalay Hill, with wonderful views over the pagodas and the huge Irrawaddy River.
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Overnight at the Yadanarbon Dynasty Hotel (or similar)
http://yadanarpondynastyhotel.com/
Day 5 - 7th February - Mandalay (Breakfast)
After breakfast we'll head to the banks of the Irrawaddy to board a small boat to sail upriver to the ancient site of Mingun. The boat journey is lovely, with many different wooden boats and bamboo rafts heading up and down river, carrying produce and goods.
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We'll have the chance to look around the Mingun Pagoda and see the enormous bell. Later we'll take a short transfer to Ava, the ancient capital of Mandalay and hugely picturesque. Here we'll will jump on a horse drawn cart to explore the ruins.
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Overnight at the Yadanarbon Dynasty Hotel
Day 6 - 8th Feb - Mandalay – Pyin Oo Lwin (Breakfast)
After breakfast we'll journey into the hills above Mandalay to the British colonial hill station of Pyin Oo Lwin (previously called Maymyo).
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We'll spend the rest of the day exploring, including a horse cart ride to the beautiful Botanical gardens (based on Kew Gardens), the Pwe Kauk waterfalls and a large cave.
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Overnight at the Aureum Palace Hotel (or similar)
http://aureumpyinoolwin.htoohospitality.com/
Day 7 - 9th Feb - Pyin Oo Lwin – Goitek Viaduct – Mandalay (Breakfast)
Today we'll be boarding a train for a wonderfully scenic (and bouncy!) journey on the old train track into the hills and across the impressive Goitek Viaduct, which crosses a deep gorge. The train departs at 08.22, arriving at 12.25.
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Overnight at the Yadanarbon Dynasty Hotel
Day 8 - 10th Feb - Mandalay – Bagan (Breakfast)
After breakfast we'll drive through beautiful scenery to Bagan. Along the way we'll stop at Sagaing, a small riverside town that is home to hundreds of monasteries, more than 500 stupas and at least 6,000 monks and nuns.
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It is a peaceful place and best appreciated from the top of Sagaing Hill, on which is the largest concentration of temples and which offers wonderful panoramic views over the plains and monasteries below.
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Overnight in the Bagan Thande Hotel (or similar)
http://www.thandehotel.com/bagan/
Day 9 - 11th Feb - Bagan (Breakfast)
After breakfast we'll visit the Nyaung Oo Market, which is fascinating. The market is full of local people shopping for fish, vegetables, rattan baskets, cotton goods, household wares etc, as well as the odd ‘antique’.
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Later we'll continue to explore the temples of Bagan. This is a huge plain that is dotted with temples as far as the eye can see, dating back more than a thousand years. Whilst some of the temples are well preserved and maintained, others are in a state of disrepair but this is perhaps part of the charm.
We can spend many happy hours clambering up the hidden stair-cases of the more remote temples, admiring the views from the top and finding exquisite old carvings and frescoes adorning many of the walls. This is a truly incredible sight and a real highlight of your visit to Burma. The tour will be partly by vehicle and partly by horse drawn cart. We'll watch the sunset from one of the temples.
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Overnight in the Bagan Thande Hotel
Day 10 - 12th Feb - Bagan - Mt Popa – Kalaw (Breakfast)
Today we head to Mount Popa, a scenic journey through toddy palm countryside. The mountain itself is the core of an extinct volcano and rises very sharply from the surrounding area; it is said to be the sacred home of the nats (or spirits), and it is a long climb up the 730 steps to the animist shrine at the top. However the views from the top are wonderful and it is fun to share the route with local pilgrims.
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Later we'll head up on to the Shan Plateauto Kalaw, a picturesque British hill station. (The total journey to Kalaw takes around 6 hours)
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There will be plenty of opportunities to stop along the way for a drink and to stretch the legs and although it is quite a long drive, it is a great opportunity for a glimpse of rural life.
Overnight at the Dream Mountain Resort (or similar)
http://dreammountainresort.com/
Day 11 - 13th Feb - Kalaw Hike – Inle Lake (Breakfast, Lunch)
Today we'll take a full day hike in the beautiful landscape around Kalaw. The hike starts around 08.30 as we head west out of the town, following a path along a stream past pine clad mountains, tea plantations and orange orchards.
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After a couple of hours we'll reach Ywar thit Village where we can visit the local monastic school that is run by native Palaung monks. Continue on to a second Palaung minority village and stop for lunch in a beautiful spot with commanding views over the hills.
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We'll then continue on, arriving back in Kalaw at around 5.00 pm.
(The total route is 18 km. Anyone who does not want to participate can remain in Kalaw where there are plenty of places to visit). Once you arrive back in Kalaw you will meet your tour vehicle and drive to Inle Lake.
Overnight at the Golden Island Cottages (or similar)
Day 12 - 14th Feb - Inle Lake (Breakfast)
After breakfast we'll board a long tail boat (a small wooden boat powered by an outboard motor that can nose through the channels at the edge of the lake) and head out onto the lake.
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Along the way we'll visit a number of picturesque monasteries situated on islands in the centre of the lake. We'll also see floating villages, many of which have developed an intriguing way of growing fruit and vegetables, suspended on the surface of the water. There will be time to visit a local craft shop where you can see handicrafts being made – highly recommended is the blacksmiths, where they still forge iron in the traditional way – and we'll also visit the lovely Indein pagodas on the edge of the lake shore.
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Overnight at the Golden Island Cottages
Day 13 - 15th February - Inle Lake – Yangon – Kyaiktiyo (Breakfast)
This morning after breakfast we'll take a morning flight to Yangon. This departs at 09.25, arriving at 10.35. We then drive to the Golden Rock (which takes around 4.5 hours). This is one of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Burma, a giant golden boulder perched precipitously on a strand of Buddha’s hair on a hill top.
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According to legend it is this strand of hair that prevents the rock from falling down the hill. A visit to the rock is a very spiritual experience, with streams of pilgrims making their way to the top of the hill to the temple at the summit, stopping along the way to chant, light votive candles and meditate. This afternoon we'll join the pilgrims for a bumpy ascent up to the top of the mountain and will spend the night in a simple hotel. (This is about a 45 minute walk away)
Overnight at the Mountain Top Hotel (OR) Golden Rock Hotel
http://www.mountaintop-hotel.com/ OR http://www.goldenrock-hotel.com/
Day 14 - 16th February - Kyaiktiyo – Bago (Breakfast)
This morning after breakfast we'll rise early to take the (45 minute walk) to enjoy the sunrise over the mountain. Later we'll continue to Bago, and visit the Shwe Thar Lyaung Pagoda, home to a colossal reclining Buddha that was lost to the jungle for many years.
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We'll also be able to visit a number of other pagodas as well as a traditional Mon Village where we can see a traditional cheroot factory.
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Overnight in the Famous Hotel (or similar)
http://www.famoushotelbago.com/
Day 15 - 17th February - Bago – Yangon (Breakfast)
This morning after breakfast we'll continue with more sightseeing of Bago, visiting Shwemawdaw Pagoda, first built in the 10th century but destroyed and rebuilt many times after a series of earthquakes.
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En route back to Yangon we'll stop in Kyaikpun where there are four impressive Buddhist statues.
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Overnight at the Best Western Green Hill (or similar)
Day 16 - 18th February - Yangon (Breakfast)
After breakfast we'll have the morning free to relax at the hotel. Check out is at 10.00 (there'll be a luggage room to leave your stuff whilst enjoying your last day in Myanmar). After lunch (not included) we'll be transferred to the airport for our flight home.
Once we've checked in and gone through security, you'll have a couple of hours to do some last minute shopping in the duty free or just chill and enjoy a cold drink. We'll be taking the SQ5019 flight departing at 17.35.
After a short connection in Singapore we'll be taking the SQ322 flight departing at 23.45 which arrives back in to Heathrow on the 19th February at 05.55.
I'm sure as we all take that car/train journey back home, our minds will reminisce as we recall the images, the sites, the experiences and the people we met in this enchanting and fascinating country.
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The total cost for this amazing once impossible adventure is £2,495 based on sharing a twin room.
N.B You MUST also provide your contact number and email address when you RSVP. I need this information to obtain passport details etc.
You will need to pay a NON REFUNDABLE deposit of £195 to secure your place on the trip via PayPal when you RSVP
The 2nd payment of £700 will be due NO LATER than July 31st
The 3rd payment of £800 will be due NO LATER than Sept 30th
The final balance of £800 will be due by NO LATER than Nov 30th
All payments are your responsibility and must be paid into the following bank account before the dates given above
Travel Together Lloyd's Account:
Account: 62479960
Sort: 30-97-78
What IS included in the price:
• Return international flights from UK to Yangon with Singapore airlines
• 23 kg luggage allowance
• Domestic flight from Yangon to Mandalay
• Domestic flight from Heho to Yangon
• All accommodation as per the itinerary based on sharing a twin room
• Breakfast each morning
• 1 lunch
• All entrance fees as per the itinerary
• All activities as per the itinerary
• All airport transfers throughout the tour
• All land transport as per the itinerary with local English speaking guide
What is NOT included in the price:
• Visa. This costs 50 USD and you can apply online here https://evisa.moip.gov.mm/index.aspx
• Personal spending money
• Any entrance fees for activities in your spare time that are NOT in the itinerary
• Any meals not included in the itinerary
• Travel Insurance. You are responsible for your OWN travel insurance
Flights:
Outbound - 3rd Feb 2018
Depart Heathrow T2 at 09.15 and arrive in Singapore at 06.10 +1 on flight SQ305
Depart Singapore at 07.55 and arrive in Yangon at 09.20 on flight SQ998
Inbound - 18th Feb 2018
Depart Yangon at 17.35 and arrive in Singapore at 22.10 on flight SQ5019
Depart Singapore at 23.45 and arrive in Heathrow T2 at 05.55 +1 on flight SQ322
Health
It is advisable to contact your local GP regarding any vaccinations you may need.
N.B: Also, please read the itinerary carefully and fully before you RSVP and make sure that you are fit and healthy enough, as there will be some trekking at some stages of this tour. You may be able to opt out of these, but you must notify us when you RSVP.
So here it is, finally, the now infamous Myanmar trip, it's here!! All that's needed now is a great fun group of people who long to go and explore just as much as we've longed to put this together.......... who's coming to Burma? :-)
Andy & the team
'Join as a solo, experience as a group'