Signature Journeys & Classic Tours 2019

Extraordinary Myanmar

15 days from €3249

18 JULY - 1 AUGUST VISITING: YANGON, BAGAN, POPA, MANDALAY, AMRAPURA, AVA, SAGAING, MINGUN, INLE, INDEIN VILLAGE

PREMIUM TOUR

DAY 1 - MALTA – MYANMAR

three-storey former New Law Courts, build in 1931 with an imposing colonnade of lonic columns. Next stop is the 1916 Custom House, a large building with an elegant white tower and double-faced clock above the entrance. Walk past the red brick General Post office to the luxurious Strand Hotel build in 1901 by the Sarkies brothers, Armenian hoteliers. A walk along the lively streets reveals scenes of daily life with stalls selling a variety of snacks, fruits and dry goods and local residents gathering for cups of tea or rushing off to catch a bus back home. Meals: Breakfast and Lunch Transfer to airport for your flight to Bagan. Upon arrival you will start with a sightseeing tour of Bagan’s most important temples and pagodas ranging from the temples with the earliest wall paintings to the prototype pagada that influenced the designs of later Buddhist monuments. Tour highlights include the colourful Nyaung Oo Market, and Shwezigon Pagoda – built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century as a religious shrine, then go to Ananda Temple – King Kyansittha’s masterpiece and the crowning achievement of the early style temple of architecture and next is Thatbyinnyu Temple the highest building on the Bagan plain. Later visit Htilominlo Temple the largest temple of Bagan noted for its fine plaster carvings and glazed sandstone decorations. In the afternoon observe the process of traditional lacquer ware, one of Myanmar’s best known handicrafts and a specialty of Bagan. Then visit Manuha Temple, Myingabar Gubyaugyi Temple an early period Pyu-style temple of Hindu influence with some of the oldest mutual paintings in Bagan and Dhamanyangyi Temple noted for its remarkable brickwork. In the evening, you will enjoy Bagan’s famous sunset on Sunset Hill. Check in at your 5* Aureum Palace hotel. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Depart to Mt.Popa, an extinct volcano which is known as “Home of the Spirits” on the way observe the life of rural area such as producing the palm sweets. Climb up 777 steps to reach the top of Mt. Popa cliff temple and enjoy the landscapes and the panoramic view of extinct volcano and the plain. On the way you can observe toddy farm and ways of making DAY 5 - YANGON – BAGAN DAY 6 - BAGAN – POPA

Toddy Candy. Later drive back to Bagan, take a bicycle to visit the rests of the famous pagoda. Finally you again will enjoy Bagan’s famous sunset. Meals: Breakfast and Lunch DAY 7 - BAGAN – MANDALAY – AVA - AMARAPURA Transfer to Nyaung Oo airport for your flight to Mandalay, the commercial centre and cultural tourism site that was established in 1857 by King Mindon. Proceed for a sightseeing tour of Ava (Inwa) visiting Maha Aungmye Bonzan Monastery, the hand-made workshop industry producing lacquer alms for Monks and a final visit to the ancient city of Amarapura. Later sightseeing tour of Mahagundayone Monastery to get to know the daily life of the monks observing Buddha scriptures. After enjoy the famous sunset of U Bein Wooden Bridge (1.2km long) across Taung Tha Man Lake. Drive to Mandalay and check in at your 5* Mercure Mandaley hill resort. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Proceed to Sagaing and visit Kaung Mu Daw Pagoda which is the copy of Mahaceti Pagoda in Siri Lanka and Sagaing Hill the center of Meditation. Afternoon visit of Mahamuni Buddha Image, Zegyo Market and some of Mandalay’s cottage industries, such as weaving and tapestry making, Burmese candy making, Bamboo fan making near EindawYar Pagoda, Atumahsi Monastery, Shwenandaw Monastery (Golden Palace Monastery) and Kuthodaw (MahaLawkamarazein Pagoda) which is famous as the world largest book of many stone slabs on which is inscribed the whole Buddhist Literature. Enjoy the panoramic view DAY 8 - MANDALAY - SAGAING

Meet your tour manager at Malta International Airport for your flight to Yangon.

DAY 2 - YANGON

Arrival in Yangon, the capital of the Yangon Region of Myanmar, also known as Burma. Yangon served as the capital of Myanmar until 2006 and it boasts the largest number of colonial era buildings in Southeast Asia and has a unique colonial-era urban core that is remarkably intact. Transfer to your 5* Sedona hotel for check in and dinner at local restaurant. Meals: Dinner Depart for a sightseeing tour where the highlights will include Kabar Aye Pagoda (The World Peace Pagoda), Maha Pasana Cave (the great cave for Buddhist synod), and the Sule Pagoda(landmark of Yangon). Later visit Chauk Htat Gyi the six storied in meaning but actually the huge reclining Buddha Image. In the evening, visit the Shwedagon Pagoda, famous worldwide for its golden stupa is the ‘ Heart ’ of Buddhism Myanmar. The Pagoda is believed to be 2,500 years old and the central stupa in surrounded by dozens of intricately Escape the buzz of the big city with an excursion to Dala, located on the southern bank of the Yangon River across from downtown Yangon. Board the local ferry boat for a short ride across the River. In just 15 minutes, the city’s high rises disappear in the distance and the leafy palm trees of Dala appear. Travel slowly along quiet streets, through neighborhoods and stop to visit colorful markets. Then proceed to Buddhist monastery to see the daily life of the Buddhist monks. Then visit to Chu Chu, a Myanmar expression for the sound plastic makes when rubbed which started in 2014 to recycled plastics. Return to the jetty where you will take the ferry back to Yangon. An afternoon walking tour will start from Yangon City Hall, located at the heart of the colonial-era city build in 1936. Proceed to the High Court, a 1911 brick building designed by the architect John Ransome and then continue to Strand Road, home to the DAY 3 - YANGON decorated buildings and statues. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner DAY 4 - YANGON – DALA

SIGNATURE JOURNEYS & CLASSIC TOURS

of the city from Mandalay Hill. Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

DAY 09 - MANDALAY – MINGUN

Transfer to the jetty to take a boat trip to Mingun. Visit Mingun Unfinished Pagoda, Mingun Bell, one of the world largest hanging bronze bells and Myatheindan Pagoda. After

the tour sail back to Mandalay. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

All bookings are subject to our general information, booking conditions and information. Fuel surcharge may apply. Prices may vary without notice. For a full list of terms & conditions visit www.rocsgrp.com/travel/ terms. For a more detailed description, full details of facilities and supplements, please refer to our website. E&OE.

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