05/07/2013
HERITAGES OF CAMBODIA AND MYANMAR (11 days / 10 nights)
Phnom Penh – Siem Reap – Yagon – Bagen – Mandalay
Day 1: Phnom Penh – Arrival
Upon your arrival in Phnom Penh, transfer to your hotel. In the afternoon, you will visit some of the capital’s most impressive sites including the National Museum, the Silver Pagoda containing the Emerald Buddha statue, the Royal Palace and Wat Phnom, Phnom Penh’s oldest shrine.
Overnight in Phnom Penh.
Day 2: Phnom Penh – Cyclo Riding – NGO – Boat Cruise on the Mekong River
Take a Cyclo tour in the morning through the old colonial streets of Phnom Penh and get a glimpse of urban life in Southeast Asia. Noteworthy Cyclo Centre, a local NGO, has been working with cyclo drivers since 1999 to promote healthy lifestyles. It provides accommodation, English classes, and even courses on quitting smoking. Stop at the Apsara Arts Association to embrace their efforts in providing needy children and orphans access to education and training in dance, music and theatre. Learn how these youngsters emulate traditional theatrical gestures and familiarize themselves with ancient forms of music. In the afternoon, you will visit Wat Than to observe an organization that trains disabled land mines victims in various handicrafts skills. Visit the Russian Market which showcases a vast selection of bargain souvenirs like of clothing, silverware, silk, bags, DVDs, CDs and ceramics. In the late afternoon, take a one-hour boat cruise on the Mekong River and enjoy the scenery of green vegetation, fishing villages, pagodas and a spectacular sunset over the Royal Palace.
Overnight in Phnom Penh. [Breakfast]
Day 3: Phnom Penh – Siem Reap – Angkor Complex
After an early breakfast, transfer to the airport for a flight to Siem Reap. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel for check-in. Afterwards, enter Angkor Thom via the Southern Gate and explore the ancient city. Then proceed to visit the ruins at Bayon, Baphoun, Phimeanakas, the Royal Palace, the Elephant Terrace and the L***r King Terrace. In the afternoon, visit the magnificent Angkor Wat. Explore its extraordinary architecture for an opportunity to experience a spectacular sunset over the monuments. [Breakfast]
Day 4: Siem Reap – Banteay Srei – Banteay Samre – Taphrom – IKTT
After breakfast, visit the graceful 11th century Temple of Shiva – Banteay Srei – and the Banteay Samre Temple. On the way back, swing by the Ta Prohm Temple which is mystically enveloped in the jungle. In the afternoon, travel to the ‘Wisdom from the Forest’ project 35kms north of Siem Reap. Here Institute for Khmer Traditional Textiles (IKTT) focuses on the restoration of the natural environment for producing materials to make traditional textiles and cultivates a vegetable garden to feed 30-40 families working on its 22 hectares. Here you will see all the trees that are needed to produce the natural dyes for silk, as well as the Mulberry trees that are vital in the production of silk. You can see silk worms munching on the Mulberry leaves and forming the all-important cocoons. As you wander around the site you will discover the entire silk process from boiling the cocoons, to pulling out the silk thread, dying the silk and finally weaving it into beautiful designs. You can browse through the workshop where a variety of silk products are displayed and are lovely souvenirs for family and friends.
Overnight in Siem Reap. [Breakfast]
Day 5: Siem Reap – Yangon
Free at leisure until transfer to the airport for departure flight. Upon arrival, transfer to hotel.
Overnight in Yangon. [Breakfast]
Day 6: Yangon
The morning is at leisure. In the afternoon take an orientation of the downtown of Yangon before visit to Chaukhtatkyi Reclining Buddha and Karaweik Royal Barge (a floating barge on the Kandawgyi Royal Lake). The day concludes with a visit to the magnificent Shwedagon Pagoda.
Overnight in Yagon. [Breakfast]
Day 7: Yangon – Bagan
Transfer to for early morning flight to Bagan (80 minutes). On arrival, transfer to hotel for refreshments. Afterwards, start to tour in Bagan including the colourful Nyaung Oo Market, Shwezigon Pagoda, Wetkyi-in Gubyaukkyi (a cave temple with exquisite jatakas mural paintings), the elegant Htilominlo Temple (noted for its plaster carvings) and the Tharaba Gate. Explorations of Bagan continue in the afternoon including visits to Ananda (an architectural masterpiece of early-style temple), Ananda Okkyaung (one of the few surviving brick monasteries from the early Bagan period), Thatbyinnyu Temple (the highest in Bagan, rising to 61 m) and Dhammayangyi Temple (noted for its remarkable brickwork). Enjoy a fantastic sunset view at one of the famous temples.
Overnight in Bagan. [Breakfast]
Day 8: Bagan
After breakfast at the hotel, proceed to Myinkaba village and observe the process of creating traditional lacquer ware, one of the best-known Myanmar handicrafts and a speciality of Bagan. Visit Myinkaba Gubyaukkyi (an early period Pyu-style temple of Hindu influence). Next, stop at the Manuha and Nanpaya temples. In the afternoon, enjoy an excursion to the countryside village of Minnanthu. Visit to some of the most interesting temples in the local area such as Payathonzu, Lemyethnar, Sinbyushin, Nandaminnya and Minnanthu monastery. Enjoy sunset over the Ayeyarwaddy River at Bupaya.
Overnight in Bagan. [Breakfast]
Day 9: Bagan – Mandalay – Amarapura – U Bein bridge
After breakfast at hotel, transfer to the airport for a flight to Mandalay (30 minutes). On arrival, transfer to hotel. On the way visit the Maha Gandayone monastery (home to more than 1000 monks) in Amarapura, U Bein (the world’s longest Teakwood Bridge -1208 meters long) and a traditional silk and cotton weaving workshops. Afternoon sightseeing includes the Mahamuni Pagoda (famous for its venerable statue of Buddha covered with gold leaf), local artisans’ workshops specializing in gold leaf, woodcarving and marble carving. Admire the Shwenandaw Monastery (noted for its exquisite woodcarving) and stop by Atumashi Monastery and Kuthodaw Pagoda with its 729 marble stone slabs of Buddhist scriptures (known as the world’s biggest book). Enjoy the sunset from Mandalay Hill.
Overnight in Mandalay. [Breakfast]
Day 10: Mandalay – Yangon
In the morning transfer to Mandalay Airport for the flight to Yangon. On arrival, transfer to hotel. Take an afternoon shopping excursion to Bogyok Aung San (Scott) Market, the city’s busiest and most lively bazaar. Afterwards visit the Botataung Pagoda, Chinatown and the fruit market.
Overnight in Yagon. [Breakfast]
Day 11: Yangon
Transfer to Yangon Airport for departure.
[Breakfast]
Any further information, feel free to contact us.
