December 6, 2013
-
December 19, 2013
With traditions unchanged from time immemorial, a rich Buddhist culture, and diverse ethnic groups, Myanmar (Burma) presents a journey of deep discovery and reward. Traveling via Bangkok, begin in Yangon, Myanmar’s largest and most interesting city. Tour the downtown area including revered Shwedagon Pagoda, a wonder of the religious world and Kipling’s 2,500-year-old “golden mystery.” Call on Kalaywa Tawa Monastery to learn from the monks about the fundamental role of Buddhism in Burmese culture. Fly to Bagan, “city of four million pagodas” and one of the richest archaeological sites in all of Asia. Visit several important shrines and dine in the home of a local Burmese family. Encounter everyday Burmese life up close at bustling Nyaung Oo fruit and vegetable market and on an excursion to Phwar Saw Village. In Mandalay, visit the former royal capital of Amarapura, with its iconic pedestrian U Bein Bridge. Enjoy a panoramic view from atop Mandalay Hill. Spend a night at the peaceful hill station of Kalaw, home to several of Myanmar’s many ethnic peoples. Travel to beautiful Inle Lake, whose shore and islands host 17 villages on stilts inhabited mostly by native Intha people. Enjoy lunch with a local Intha family in their floating home. Encounter various ethnic minorities at the Five-Day Market, where hill tribespeople come from all over the Lake Region to trade their wares. Enjoy a farewell dinner before returning to the U.S. again via Bangkok. Or, explore the magnificent temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia on a 3-day/2-night post-tour extension.
