Myanmar Tour 2016
We flew via Hanoi to Yangon brand new International Airport. We were met by our guide outside, bearing the "Travel Counsellors" sign, always a welcome sight. Our car was waiting for the 25 minute drive to the city.
We checked in at the Reno Hotel, which was comfortable and absolutely immaculately presented. It almost felt the room had been freshly decorated for our arrival. We settled in to wait for our 5am call for the flight the following morning, where our real journey through Myanmar would begin.
It seemed like organised chaos at the airport with new flight information screens installed, which didn’t show any real worthy information, so it was left for ground staff to walk around holding signs with flight numbers written on them, to look for wayward passengers. Our flight was called, the labels on our clothes duly inspected, and we boarded the one hour flight to Bagan.
We arrived (again to our waiting sign and guide) around 8 am, and immediately started our tour of Bagan with a visit to a local market. With over 2000 stupas in the area of Bagan, we were so pleased we had a knowledgeable guide who knew exactly where to take us. We saw so many people doing their own thing, bypassing past these amazing buildings without so much as a second glance. A real shame of missed opportunities and experiences. We checked in to the hotel for the afternoon.
Later we were collected and driven to our private barge to sail down the Irrawaddy River on our sunset cruise. We boarded to be welcomed with a rum cocktail, and hors d'oeuvres which made a very nice way to spend a few hours on the river for the sunset. All the while our guide giving an unobtrusive commentary.
The following day, we headed off for a further days exploring the area that is Old Bagan, visiting and learning of the history of Buddhism in the area, fascinating. The day ended by climbing, one of the largest Pagodas in Bagan to watch the sunset. A perfect end to a great day.
Early starts are the norm touring Myanmar as we were collected at 06:30am for the flight to Mandalay, a modern city, with traffic and noise, and more than its fair share of monasteries. We began our visit with a tour of one, where contrary to usual practice, the monks are fed in house, and do not wander the streets for donation. We watched as they lined up to collect food donated by local people, who will also come to serve, and eat with the monks. We ended the day climbing Mandalay Hill, again to watch the sunset.
Our second day in Mandalay began with a drive over the river to the old capitals. We first visited a nunnery, where the nuns also lined up to be served food donated by locals, we then had a short boat ride over the river for lunch at a riverside restaurant.
We also visited a monastery which was both a school and an orphanage. It was great to see the boys playing football together, using bricks and jumpers as goal posts, arguments raging as to whether the ball would have gone in or not, after going over a jumper.
To end the day, we along with what seemed to be most of the population of Mandalay, walked the impressive U Bein Bridge, so side rails, and is said to be the longest teakwood bridge worldwide. We enjoyed this very special atmosphere as the late afternoon sun casts long shadows and illuminates the local people heading home. As a stunning day comes to an end head back to Mandalay for the night.
Another early start to fly off to Heho, and Inle Lake. On arrival we were driven to the dockside where our boat and driver waited to take us through the Venice like canals to the open water of the lake. This to us was the highlight of our stay. We had managed to time our visit to coincide with the ramada procession of Buddha relics, down the lake through some of the villages.
Our guide asked us if we'd like watch the procession, and at 06:00 the following morning, our boat driver had collected us from the lake hotel, and staked out our claim for a place in the water for when the huge procession passed by. It was both moving and impressive to witness the huge armada of barges, bearing the Buddha relics, and will be something to remember for the rest of our lives. A great experience.
We then visited a local market, where our guide explained the date was very similar to our own Christmas Eve, where people would be out buying food, and gifts, for the visit of their friends and relatives It was great to walk through the thronging busy market, stop at one of the many coffee shops as the village went about its business. After we sailed back to the hotel for the afternoon, we had a Myanmar massage, a relaxing way to spend our last afternoon.
Following morning our boat driver was waiting, and drove us back across the almost deserted lake to the shore and our car waiting to take us to the airport and Yangon.
Again organised chaos was waiting for us on arrival, along with their very unusual way of baggage handling. i.e. get it off the plane, and watch the free-for-all ensue. The only element of control was having to match up your baggage receipts with the actual tags. It seemed to work.
Again our sign-bedecked guide was waiting for us. We made our way back to the Reno Hotel, checked in and head out for some lunch and an afternoon sightseeing. Our guide took us to the main sights of Yangon, and the Shwedagon Temple. Crowded with locals determined to celebrate the festivities. Even asking taking photographs of us, our guide explained that many people make this pilgrimage from their remote villages, and we could have been the first westerners they had ever seen.
We ended our day on a walking tour, just ambling around the streets. Our guide was very interested in our lives and we told him we were from Newcastle, and before long we were climbing some stairs to visit the Rangoon Café, created by a Burmese Doctor who previously worked in Newcastle, such was his attention to detail.
The day and ultimately the whole tour ended with a dinner at Le Plantation restaurant a short drive from the Reno Hotel.
I can’t praise enough the organisation of our ground partners in Myanmar, they looked after us so well, and I know I can trust them with the expectations and hopes of my clients. I’d also recommend anyone wishing to visit Myanmar to use guides to fully appreciate and understand the local culture and attractions.
If you’d like to know more, and even plan a trip to visit this fascinating country before it becomes too popular, give me a call.