VI08 Heritages of Cambodia and Myanmar ( 11 days / 10 nights )
Phnom Penh – Siem Reap – Yangon – Bagan – Mandalay - Yangon
Day 1 Phnom Penh – Arrival – City tour & 1-hour Foot or Khmer Traditional Massage
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. End the day with an hour foot massage or a traditional Khmer massage at the spa, which can be just what the doctor ordered. Massage for health and relaxation is a time-honoured tradition throughout Southeast Asia with Cambodia offering its own distinctive traditions in massage therapy.
Overnight in Phnom Penh.
Day 2 Phnom Penh – Toul Sleng Museum – Killing Field – NGO – Home hosted dinner with local family
In the morning, visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the notorious Khmer Rouge Killing Fields. The exhibits at these sites are graphic, and may not be suitable for all visitors. On the way back, stop and witness the PSE (Pour Un Sourire d’Enfant), which provides support for underprivileged children living in Cambodia. Thousands of kids living in and around the streets of the Stung Meanchey dump in Phnom Penh have been provided with food, health care, accommodation and education through this program. Lunch (not included) at Le Lotus Blanc, the center’s training restaurant, where you can support the training of these children by being their guest before starting a short sight-seeing tour to experience and understand PSE’s programs and how they contribute to society and interact with teachers and students in the centre. NOTICE: The NGO is open for visits Monday through Friday and Saturday in the morning only. In the evening, visit the house of a local family for a home-cooked dinner. Enjoy the meal hosted in a cosy dining room to understand the important role that food at home plays in Cambodia.
Overnight in Phnom Penh. [Breakfast, Dinner]
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 Leper 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
After breakfast, you are driven to visit the graceful 11th century Temple of Shiva – Banteay Srei – and the Banteay Samre Temple. On the return trip, pay a visit to Ta Prohm Temple which is mystically enveloped by the jungle.
In the afternoon, travel on the countryside and visit a Silk Farm at Pourk where visitors can see the process of silk making from start-to-finish. Afterwards, visit Artisans d’Angkor, an organization focusing on training unschooled rural youth in traditional handicraft skills. Ancient techniques are still practiced here such as wood and stone carving, lacquering, gilding and silk painting.
Overnight in Siem Reap. [Breakfast]
Day 5 Siem Reap – Yangon
Free 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 Yangon [Breakfast]
Day 7 Yangon – Bagan
Transfer to the airport for early morning flight to Bagan. On arrival, 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 interesting temples if time permits, 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. On the way to the city, visit the Maha Gandayone monastery (home to more than 1000 monks) in Amarapura and the Mahamuni Pagoda (famous for its venerable statue of Buddha covered with gold leaf). Afternoon sightseeing includes the Shwenandaw Monastery (noted for its exquisite woodcarving) and the Kuthodaw Pagoda with its 729 marble stone slabs of Buddhist scriptures (known as the world’s biggest book). Enjoy the sunset by the U Bein Bridge (the world’s longest Teakwood Bridge -1208 meters long) or on the Mandalay Hill with a panoramic view of the city. During your stay in Mandalay, visit the local artisans’ workshops specializing in bronze casting, gold leaf, wood and marble carving.
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 Yangon [Breakfast]
Day 11 Yangon
Transfer to Yangon Airport for departure.
[Breakfast]
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