Southern Myanmar exploration

Welcome to Myanmar!
Upon arrival, our professional Tour guide will pickup and and transfer us to the hotel in city centre to checkin. Yangon, or Rangoon, is a charming but active city. Its incredible ancient heritages and warm-hearted, intellectual people make it one of the most attractive cities in Southeast Asia. This afternoon we'll visit Sule Pagoda, a 2,200-year-old Buddhist temple surrounded by historical colonial buildings and local traders' houses. Walk from here to Mahabandoola Park and visit the Independent Monument. Continue our tour by car, passing the City Hall, Little India and Little China quarters that speak about the sufficient cultures of the city, and stop at Strand hotel on the same-named Strand Street, opposite the Yangon Jetty. [If time available, we'll have some coffee at Strand historic hotel, where George Owen used to live]. Later visit Bogyoke Market with wide selections of Myanmar handicrafts. End the day at Shwedagon Pagoda, a marvellous wonder amongst Buddhist religious works in the world. Built 2,600 years ago, and enshrined with relics of Buddha, the pagoda is a place where we meet devoted Buddhists in praying and meditating, also a great symbol of the city with breathtaking view of golden stupas and carvings, highlighted in any light, from sunrise to sunset. Dinner with local, tasty foods of Myanmar. Overnight in Yangon.

After breakfast and checkout hotel, our guide and car will pickup us and take a land tour to Kyaikhtiyo, aka the Golden Rock. On the way, we’ll stop in Htaukkyan township to visit the Allied War Cemetery. This peaceful area is the resting place of more than 27,000 Allied Soldiers, who had died during the World War II in Myanmar. Arrive at Kyaikhtiyo base camp (appx. in 05hrs), we will climb uphill in an exciting open-air truck about half hour, before stopping at the top of the hill. After a short walk, we will reach the Golden Rock temple. A huge boulder covered by gold leaf and delicately balanced on the edge of a cliff, ''Golden Rock temple" is one of Myanmar's main pilgrimage sites, esp. during the big festivals and anniversaries. After visiting, we will get down a little bit and checkin hotel near the Rock for stay. Overnight at the Golden Rock.

Wake up early if you wish to catch the brilliant sunrise at the Golden Rock before returning to the hotel for breakfast. After check out, we return to the base camp by open-air truck and travel to Thaton - the 1st capital of the Mon Empire, 72km away. This is the land of legends, though not much ancient vestiges left by now. In 1057 AD, King Anawrahta of Bagan had conquered Thaton because King Manuha of Thaton had refused to send him the holy Buddhist scriptures “Tripitaka”. After this incident the 1st united empire had been set by King Anawrahta. Go on to visit Shwe Zayan Paya (pagoda), built during the Mon Era, before we continue via Mottama (62km away) and cross the ferry to Mawlamyine, the former capital of Mon State. Mottama (Martaban) is situated now at the rivermouth of Thanlwin River and used to be a very important seaport in 16th century. On the opposite side across the river is Mawlamyine or Moulmein, nowadays is the 4th biggest city of Myanmar. On arrival Mawlamyine, check in hotel and relax. Overnight in Mawlamyine.  

After breakfast, we transfer to Mudon (30km away) with stopover to visit the newly built world’s biggest Reclining Buddha statue (160m long). Continue to the coastal resort Kyaikkami, visit Yele Paya which is famus for the Buddha status brought from Sri Lanka. Drive on to Setse Beach at the Gulf of Martaban before returning to Mawlawyine. Overnight in Mawlamyine.

After breakfast, we transfer to Thanbyuzayat. The Commonwealth War Cemetery during WWII Thanbyuzayat used to be the Western terminus of the Thailand-Burma Railway linking up with the pre-war coastal railway between Ye and Yangon. Thanbyuzayat was also the site of a Japanese Prisoner of war camp for the prisoners who worked at the construction of the railway, and over 3,000 Allied servicemen have been buried here in the Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery. Today a clock tower stands at the central road junction with roads headed north to Mawlamyine, south to Ye, and west to Kyaikkami and Setse. Drive back to Mawlamyine by the end of the afternoon. Overnight in Mawlamyine.

After breakfast and check out hotel, we drive to Hpa An (about 50km away), the chieftown of Kayin State, visiting downtown area and the market and the Thamanyat monastery. Check in hotel after the visit and relax for the rest of the day. Overnight in Hpa An.

After breakfast and check out hotel, we drive back to Yangon. On the way, we stop to visit Bago, an ancient city about 80km from Yangon. Bago, also known as Pegu, was the capital of the Mon Kingdom in the 15th century and is a town steeped in legend. We visit the 55-metre long reclining Shwethalyaung Buddha, the four seated Buddha at Kyaikpun and the old palace of Kambozathadi. The Mon-style Shwemawdaw Pagoda is the most outstanding religious monument in Bago. This golden temple stands at 114 meters tall, higher than Yangon’s Shwedagon Pagoda, and can be seen from around 10 kilometers outside of the city. While in Bago we also take time to visit the city’s local sites, including the town market and a Mon neighborhood where the locals once produced woven textiles. After the visits, continue our drive to Yangon. On arrival, check in the hotel and relax for the rest of the day. Overnight in Yangon.

After breakfast and check out hotel, transfer to the airport for our departure flight. Standard hotel check-out time is 12h00 (late check-out upon availability).