MYANMAR DISCOVERY SWINGS

“Wow! Are we really here?” Yes, you really are. And when you find yourselves atop the 1,000 year old Shwesandaw Pagoda watching the sun set the horizon ablaze and the 4,000 ancient temples turn to silhouette, you’ll know you have seen something beyond the reach of a scribe’s superlative, let alone a Myanmar travel agency!

Although the high road to Mandalay may suffer a few minutes of turbulence, it’s far preferable to the hours of potholes on the Bob Hope/Bing Crosby Highway. You will get a ‘best of’ experience that will include Amarapura and the achingly picturesque scene of Buddhist monks and nuns crossing U Bein’s Bridge at sunset. Your reward for riding the whirlwind is a refreshing visit to the former British Hill Station of Pyin Oo Lwin, where it’s still possible to run across a rare Burmese with blue eyes.

For sample itinerary click the Game Plan tab above. For more destination details, see Burma Destinations.

Sample Itinerary:

Day 1: Yangon to Bagan – Half Day Carriage Tour – Temple Top Sunset – Overnight Bagan

Day 2: Bagan – Hot Air Balloon – Fly to Mandalay – City Tour – Sunset Bridge – Overnight Mandalay

Day 3: Drive to Pyin Oo Lwin – City Tour by Carriage – Botanical Gardens – Overnight Pyin Oo Lwin

Day 4: Return to Mandalay – Fly to Yangon for Departure

Ngapali is easily the most developed of Myanmar’s thousands of beaches, which says more about those thousands of empty beaches than it does Ngapali. It’s got a wide white sand beach with requisite swaying coconut palms and crystalline waters. Part of its charm is that it’s still very much a working beach for small fisherman, coconut farmers, and of course, massage therapists. It is not uncommon to see a bullock cart tugging along the waterline, or for that matter a massage therapist getting a lift home in one. Accommodation ranges from upper budget to luxury beachfront bungalows that are both home grown and world class. Needless to say the seafood is outrageously good, as the top seafood chefs in Burma are all here!

Now that things have opened up, when will more beaches be developed? More islands? Answer: No one seems to know! The leadership seems keen not to make the same mistakes as neighboring Thailand did by allowing unfettered growth and the problems associated. They also want to look good in the eyes ASEAN and the world by naming vast areas in the Myaik Archipelago as a national marine sanctuary, not to be exploited.

For sample itinerary click the Game Plan tab above. For more destination details, see Burma Destinations.

Sample Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrive Yangon & Fly to Heho – Afternoon Floating Pagodas Tour – Sunset Cocktails – Overnight on Lake Inlay

Day 2: Colorful Indein Market – Mysterious Ruins of Nyuang Oak – Amazing Ethnic Arts & Crafts – Tranquil Canoe through Floating Villages – Evening Spa & Romantic Dinner

Day 3: Fly to Ngpali – Afternoon on the Beach & Sunset Cocktails – Incredible Seafood Dinner – Overnight Ngpali Beach

Day 4: Full Day Beach Relaxer – Massage & Sun – Explore Charming Ngpali Village – A Different Style Incredible Seafood Dinner – Overnight Ngpali Beach

Day 5: Breakfast on the Beach – Flight To Yangon & Departure