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Best Of Mekong Tour
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Code: |
IDCN44 |
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Routes: |
Bangkok - Yangon - Bagan
- Heho - Pindaya - Inle Lake - Taunggyi
- Kyaing Tong - Tachileik - Mae Sai -
Golden Triangle - Chiang Saen - Chiang
Khong - Huay Xai - Pak Beng - Luang
Prabang |
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Duration: |
16 Days |
Detail Itinerary
Places
Covered in Thailand:
Siam Niramit Theatre-restaurant, Patpong, Canals
of Thonburi, Temple of the Dawn (Wat Aroon), the
Grand Palace & Emerald Buddha Temple (Wat Phra
Kaew), Reclining Buddha Temple (Wat Pho), "Chao
Phraya Princess" Dinner-cruise, Golden Buddha
Image, Opium Museum.
Places Covered in
Myanmar: Chaukhtatgyi
Reclining Buddha Image, Sule Pagoda, Botataung
Pagoda, Shwedagon Pagoda, Bogyoke Market, China
Town, Shwesandaw Pagoda, Nyaung Oo Market,
Kyansittha Umin, Htilominlo Temple, Dhamamyangyi
Temple, Myinkaba Gubyaukgyi Temple, Manuha
Temple, Shwezigon Pagoda, Ananda Temple,
Thatbyinnyu Temple, Lacquerware Cottage
Industry, Bupaya, Pindaya Lake & Caves,
Traditional Shan Papaer & Umbrella Making
Villages, Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, Inpawkhon
Village, Ngaphekyaung Monastery, Hotspring, Akha
Centre Village, The Pottery Village of Yan Gon,
One-Tree Hill (Thittapin Taung), Pin Tauk
Waterfall, Wan Kan Village, Wan Lau Village.
Places Covered in
Laos: Royal Palace
National Museum, Wat Visoun, Wat Mai, Wat Sene,
Wat Xieng Thong, Phousi Hill, Main Street Thanon
Sisavangvong, Hmong Night Market, Pak Ou Buddha
Caves, Ban Sang Hai Village, Kuangsi Waterfall,
Hmong Village.
Day 01: Bangkok -
Arrival (Dinner)
Upon arrival at Bangkok airport, meet and
transfer to city hotel. The location of your
hotel is excellent with lots of restaurants,
shops, money-exchange/ATM booths, Thai health
massage places, police-box to ensure your safety
among the many tourists and touts, and the most
famous night entertainment enclave of Patpong
100 metres away along the same road. You will
lack nothing in this area.
Meet in the hotel lobby at 6.30pm. This evening,
see a spectacular extravaganza show and have
dinner at “Siam Niramit, 6.30-9.30pm. You will
be filled with wonder and gained insight into
Thai history and culture.
Overnight at Tawana Ramada Hotel (4-star) or
Montien Hotel, Surawong Road, Bangkok.
Day 02: Bangkok - Tour (Breakfast/ Dinner)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Pick up at 9am for the Canal Tour by boat to see
Thai traditional riparian life as it was lived
200 years ago; then visit Wat Aroon (Temple of
the Dawn), the Emerald Buddha Temple and the
Grand Palace, including famous Wat Pho
(Reclining Buddha Temple) where is located the
225-year-old monastic school of traditional Thai
massage and Rattanakosin stupas.
Return to hotel and be free for the afternoon
until dinner-time.
Pick-up at the hotel lobby at 7pm for a
dinner-cruise on the “Chao Phraya Princess”.
The Patpong night market opposite your hotel is
still in full-swing upon your return from this
dinner-cruise.
Overnight at Tawana Ramada Hotel or Montien
Hotel, Bangkok.
Day 03: Bangkok - Yangon (Breakfast/ Dinner)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Free until time to transfer to Bangkok airport
for your flight to Yangon.
Arrive at Yangon International Airport, meet and
transfer to hotel. After check-in at the hotel,
go for an orientation tour of Yangon city
including visits to the Chaukhtatgyi Reclining
Buddha Temple - a colossal Buddha image in
repose; the Sule Pagoda in the heart of the city
surrounded by various colonial style buildings;
Botataung Pagoda which is the landmark of
Yangon's riverfront; and we end the temple visit
at the world famous stupa of Shwedagon Pagoda
that is over 2500 years old. We drop in at the
sprawling Bogyoke Market - used to be called
Scott Market - the main arts & crafts souvenir
shopping center. Take a stroll in Chinatown
before going for dinner with cultural show at
the Karaweik "floating" restaurant built in the
style of the royal barge used by Myanmar's olden
day kings.
Overnight at Kandawgyi Palace Hotel or Traders
Hotel, Yangon.
Day 04: Yangon - Bagan (Breakfast/Dinner)
Breakfast in hotel. Transfer to Yangon airport
for the domestic flight to ancient Bagan with
more than 5,000 temple ruins spread over a vast
plain beside the Ayeyarwaddy River. Its
archaeological wonder cannot be
over-appreciated. Arrive at Nyaung Oo airport,
meet and transfer to hotel in old Bagan, Burma's
ancient city and living treasure house of
Buddhist architecture. As the sun dips below the
distant hills, watch the sunset across the
Ayeyarwaddy River from Shwesandaw Pagoda. Dinner
with puppet show at a famous restaurant.
Overnight at Tharabar Gate or Sakura
Thiripyitsaya Hotel, in old Bagan.
Day 05: Bagan (Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner)
Breakfast at the hotel. Full-day sightseeing of
ancient Bagan, starting with the Nyaung Oo
market and visiting Kyansittha Umin - a cave
temple used also by the Mongol invaders;
Htilominlo Temple - the largest temple of Bagan;
Dhamanyangyi Temple; Myinkaba Gubyaukgyi Temple
- known for its wall painting depicting scenes
from the Jataka; Manuha Temple built by the
captive Mon king to reflect his displeasure at
being held prisoner by King Anawratha of Bagan.
Lunch in a restaurant and continue to the
Shwezigon Pagoda built by King Anawrahta in the
early 11th century as a religious shrine; the
splendid Ananda Temple - King Kyansittha’s
masterpiece and the crowning achievement of the
early style of temple architecture; Thatbyinnyu
Temple - the highest building on the Bagan
plain. Evening visit of the lacquerware cottage
industry at the Bupaya monastery situated beside
the river to see this ancient craft. Dinner in a
local restaurant.
Overnight at Tharabar Gate or Sakura
Thiripyitsaya Hotel in old Bagan.
Day 06: Bagan - Heho - Inle Lake (Breakfast/
Dinner)
Breakfast at the hotel. Free until time to
transfer to Nyaung Oo airport for the flight to
Heho. Your local guide will meet you upon
arrival and take you on a scenic trip through
the Shan hills to Pindaya.
Afternoon sightseeing highlights will include
the scenic lake and Pindaya caves - unique for
the thousands of Buddha images placed there by
pilgrims over many centuries. See traditional
Shan paper and umbrella making villages to know
the crafts of olden-day Myanmar.. Drive to Inle
Lake and check into hotel.
Dinner in a local restaurant.
Overnight at Inle Resort Hotel or Lake View
Resort, Inle Lake.
Day 07: Inle Lake (Breakfast/Lunch)
Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast we
cruise on the Inle Lake by boat to include
sights of the famous Intha leg-rowers, typical
floating gardens, local methods of fishing &
village life. A visit is made to Phaung Daw Oo
Pagoda, the holiest of Buddhist shrines on the
Lake. Lunch in a local restaurant. Continue to
the weaving village of Inpawkhon and
Ngaphekyaung Monastery - well known for its
jumping cats trained by resident monks. You are
surrounded all the time by the lovely scenery of
lake and mountains.
Overnight at Inle Resort Hotel or Lake View
Resort, Inle Lake.
Day 08: Inle Lake - Free Day (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. Free day to enjoy your
lovely surroundings visiting other attractions
or revisiting what interests you.
Overnight at Inle Resort Hotel or Lake View
Resort, Inle Lake.
Day 09: Inle - Heho - Kyaing Tong (Breakfast/
Dinner)
Breakfast at the resort. Leave lnle Lake for
Heho airport by road to board the flight to
Kyaing Tong in the eastern Shan State. Meet at
Kyaing Tong airport and transfer to hotel.
Sightseeing of Kyaing Tong, a small trading town
famous for its pristine hill tribe villages like
Enn, Akha, Akhe, Palaung, Lahu, Lisu, Lwe and
Shans living in the surrounding mountains. Visit
a hotspring especially beneficial for the skin
and a pleasure during the cold months, the Akha
centre village, the pottery village of Yan Gon,
One-Tree Hill (Thittapin Taung) where stands the
250-year-old angsana tree planted by King
Alaungpaya, the founder of Myanmar's third
dynasty, and drive once round the town's large
lake. Dinner at the Golden Banyan restaurant.
Overnight at Princess or Private Hotel, Kyaing
Tong.
Day 10: Kyaing Tong (Breakfast/Lunch)
Breakfast at the hotel.
This morning we explore the hill tribe villages
by car and on foot to the Pin Tauk area to see
Akha and Enn tribal villages. Rest a while at
Pin Tauk Waterfall. Lunch at Mountain View
restaurant. After lunch, visit Wan Kan village
to see rice-wine making in the traditional way
and hand-making of saa-paper products at Wan Lau
village. We return to Kyaing Tong for dinner in
a restaurant.
Overnight at Princess or Private Hotel, Kyaing
Tong.
Day 11: Kyaing Tong - Tachileik - Chiang Rai
(Breakfast/ Dinner)
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning visit the
central market before departing Kyaing Tong by
road to Tachileik, a drive of about 3 hours
through the southern Shan hills to the Thai
border. You will experience a journey you have
never came across in the other parts of Myanmar.
We stop for 15 minutes at Phayak the mid-way
town and should arrive at Tachileik by about
1pm. This border town is unlike any you have
seen in Myanmar. Goods from China and Thailand
spill out of the shops and selling at prices
lower than in their home countries. Avoid the
street vendors trying to interest you in dubious
quality cigarettes and spirits. There are two
large and several small duty-free shops where
you can buy genuine goods. We will spend an hour
here before proceeding to the bridge for
immigration formalities. Our transport will be
waiting for us in Mae Sai on the Thai end of the
bridge to take us to the Golden Triangle where
the borders of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet
on the Mekong River. A huge golden Buddha image
was erected recently gazing serenely at the low
hills of Laos. A small Opium Museum gives us a
glimpse of the opium trade in the Golden
Triangle during the first half of the 20th
century. From here we proceed to historic Chiang
Saen founded by King Saen Phu, the nephew of
King Mengrai who founded both Chiang Rai and
Chiang Mai. By late afternoon we arrive in
Chiang Rai.
Check into our hotel and freshen up to go to
dinner at Cabbages & Condoms restaurant.
We take an after-dinner stroll in the small
Night Market before returning to our hotel.
Overnight at Wiang Inn Hotel (in downtown) or
Rimkok Resort on the Kok River, Chiang Rai.
Day 12: Chiang Rai - Chiang Khong - Luang
Prabang (Breakfast/Lunch)
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Chiang Khong
on the Mekong River for our entry into Laos at
Huay Xai checkpoint. (Visa-on-arrival can be
obtained for a payment of US$30 and 2 photos.)
We take the speedboat to the world heritage site
of Luang Prabang cruising down the Mekong River.
Lunch will be at the half-way town of Pak Beng
which we reach in 3 hours. After lunch stroll
awhile in Pak Beng before boarding our speedboat
to Luang Prabang reaching it in another 3 hours.
Upon arrival in Luang Prabang, be met and
transferred to your hotel.
Overnight at Phousi Hotel (for high season) or
Maison Souvannaphoum (boutique hotel for low
season), Luang Prabang.
Day 13: Luang Prabang - City Tour
(Breakfast/Dinner)
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning city tour to
include the former royal palace now a museum,
Wat Visoun, Wat Mai, Wat Sene and Wat Xieng
Thong. Then climb the 329 steps up Phousi Hill
for a panoramic view of the city and the Nam
Khan River. Dinner of set French meal at
L'Elephant Blanc restaurant. Stroll in the main
street, Thanon Sisavangvong, for its picturesque
Hmong night market before returning to the
hotel.
Overnight at Phousi Hotel (for high season) or
Maison Souvannaphoum (boutique hotel for low
season), Luang Prabang.
Day 14: Luang Prabang - Pak Ou Caves &
Kuangsi Falls (Breakfast/Dinner)
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning boat cruise up
the Mekong River to the confluence of the Mekong
and Pak Ou rivers to visit the Pak Ou caves
where for hundreds of years devotees have been
placing Buddha images, carvings of elephants,
etc. in these caves as an act of devotion. See
rice wine distillation at Ban Sang Hai. It was a
pottery village but now imports its jars to
contain its famous rice wine. Return to Luang
Prabang. Afternoon trip to the Kuangsi Falls and
visit a Hmong village along the way well known
for its embroidery work to see traditional
weaving at handlooms under their houses and to
know a bit about their way of living. Dinner of
Lao food at Pakhuay Mixai restaurant.
Overnight at Phousi Hotel (for high season) or
Maison Souvannaphoum (boutique hotel for low
season), Luang Prabang.
Day 15: Luang Prabang - Free Day (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. Free day to explore this
wonderful town on your own at leisure.
Experience the herbal sauna (US$1 per entry) and
its professional health massage (US$2-3) per
hour at the Red Cross building in Wisunalat Road
opposite the Watermelon Temple. Visit some
temples you did not have time for and chat with
the young monks eager to practise their English.
Sip coffee in a sidewalk cafe. Watch the river
scene. There are lots to see and do.
Overnight at Phousi Hotel (for high season) or
Maison Souvannaphoum (boutique hotel for low
season), Luang Prabang.
Day 16: Luang Prabang - Departure (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. Free until time to
transfer to the airport for your departure
flight. On the way we will visit the morning
market for a last look at the people's daily
living before bidding goodbye to the "Land of a
Million Elephants".
End of Tour & Services |
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