Whirlwind : Bagan & The Road to Mandalay

“Wow! Are we really here on our long awaited Myanmar travel holiday?” 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 agents!

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 Itinerary tab above. For more destination details, see Burma Destinations.

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