Mmm…Mmm…Myanmar
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Highlights:
Experience the diverse flavors of Myanmar by sampling food from different ethnic groups around the country. Explore Myanmar’s exotic cuisine in between visits to iconic sites and enjoy a variety of culinary adventurers from cooking classes to street food.
Slurp noodles at a local tea shop, venture into a family kitchen and taste the best Myanmar has to offer. As expected, private guides and superlative accommodations throughout enhance the experience.
Experience the diverse flavors of Myanmar by sampling food from different ethnic groups around the country. Explore Myanmar’s exotic cuisine in between visits to iconic sites and enjoy a variety of culinary adventurers from cooking classes to street food.
Slurp noodles at a local tea shop, venture into a family kitchen and taste the best Myanmar has to offer. As expected, private guides and superlative accommodations throughout enhance the experience.
SKU:
Explore: Myanmar
Customizable Itinerary - 10 Days (from $5,268 per person)
Days 1 & 2: USA- Myanmar
Today you begin your journey to Myanmar which will take you across the International Date Line which ‘loses’ you a day but ‘finds’ you on the return flight. You will be flying into Yangon.
Day 3: Arrival in Yangon
Arrive in Yangon and one of our guides will transfer you to your hotel. Under its previous name of Rangoon, the city was the capital of British Burma and still retains that colonial feel. In the early evening after you've had a chance to relax and freshen up, you will be picked up by your guide in individual trishaws which you will use to see the sights and get between dining venues. Start at Lucky 7 Teashop where you can get an introduction to Burmese tea. The tradition of drinking strong tea with condensed milk and sugar was brought to Burma by the British more than a century ago. Given its sweetness, most local tea shops offer free green tea as a chased to reduce the sweetness. The tea shop is also popular for serving a variety of traditional snacks and noodles, all of which can be sampled. Leave the tea shop and head to 999 Shan Noodles where you can sample their famous noodles from the Shan State. Next stop - Little India, which dates back to the days when there were more Indians in Rangoon than Burmese, many working in civil service. Stop for some snacks and then complete your food odyssey in Chinatown, known for its bustling night market on 19th street. After sampling a variety of street foods, your guide will take you back to your hotel.
Dinner
Day 4: Yangon to Bagan
In the morning you will be transferred for the brief flight to Bagan which was the capital of Myanmar from the 11th through the 13th Century. Its collection of thousands of ancient stupas and temples make it one of the most remarkable archeological sites in Asia. Your guide will give you a private tour of the most unique sites. Lunch will be served at a local village where you will be greeted by your hosts and treated to authentic local cuisine in a traditional home. After lunch, some more sightseeing concludes with a view of the sunset from the upper terrace of one of the temples. This evening you will dine at Nanda Restaurant which serves Burmese cuisine in the traditional daung-lan style.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Experiencing Bagan
If you happen to be traveling in Myanmar from late October to late March, the air currents allow you the chance to enjoy an early morning balloon flight over Bagan’s temple-studded plains. We highly recommend it. After breakfast at the hotel you visit Nyaung Oo Market offering a wide variety of herbs and vegetables used in Burmese cooking. Spend time exploring stalls where fresh fruits, vegetables and meats are sold. Your guide will explain the various ingredients and help pick out the plumpest chicken, freshest fish and finest vegetables. You then transfer to a local restaurant to meet the chef who will conduct the cooking class. You will assist the chef prepare ingredients using traditional techniques such as mortar and pestle to create several Burmese favorites which you then enjoy as lunch. Soon after you will drive out of town to visit a family of Toddy Palm Climbers and observe how they collect juice from the toddy fruit to process into molasses, alcohol and other items. Return to Bagan to visit a lacquerware house and witness the skills of artists who draw decorative figures and intricate patterns by hand. As the day comes to an end, enjoy a boat ride on the Irrawaddy River.
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 6: “On the Road to Mandalay”
Despite the iconic British song, you will fly to Mandalay, Myanmar’s cultural capital. Upon arrival you will be met by your guide and start your day with a visit to Mahamuni Pagoda famous for its statue of Buddha with gold leaf. Mandalay has long been known as a centre of skilled craftsmanship. In days gone by the city supplied the royal courts with all their goods, using skills such as marble masonry, Kalaga tapestry and gold leaf making. For lunch, stop at a popular tea house that serves two of the city’s most famous dishes: Mandalay Monte di and Khotaung Monte di. Teahouses in Mandalay are always full of local people socializing and doing business. Enjoy the lunch and the ambiance. Continue sightseeing and finish at the top of Mandalay Hill for panoramic views of the city and the Irrawaddy River at sunset. In the evening, speed things up and enjoy Mandalay nights with marionettes, crispy ducks and frosty Myanmar beer. Riding pillion on a local motorbike, enjoy the nighttime scenery, friendly locals and cool breezes as your driver zooms around Mandalay’s frenetic streets. Stopping along the way at markets, restaurants and bars - a great way to experience the best food, drinks and nightlife Mandalay has to offer. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Heho…and Away We Go
After breakfast you will be picked up for a transfer to the airport and a flight to Heho. From Heho it is a one hour scenic drive to Nyaung Shwe, the gateway to Inle Lake. Your guide will take you to the market where produce is delivered and sold. Continue by trishaw to the lively canal which is a hive of activity as boats come from the lake come to unload tomatoes and other vegetables for distribution to markets around the country. Hop back on the trishaw and make a stop at ‘Tomato House’ where they are sorted and priced for sale. Lunch is served at View Point which specializes in creative Shan tapas. Proceed to Red Mountain Estate Vineyards and Winery which is located at the northeastern part of Inle Lake. Enjoy magnificent views of Inle Lake and stilted villages while tasting the local wines and observing the Old World grape varieties grown at the estate. Continue to the jetty and board a private motorboat for a cruise on Inle Lake and pass villages built on stilts over the lake by the Intha people. Observe the leg-rowing fishermen and see their floating gardens built up from strips of water hyacinth and mud, then anchored to the bottom with bamboo poles. Return to land and your hotel where the evening is left open.
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 8: Cooking and Cigars
After breakfast, start your day with a visit to the daily market then proceed to Inthar Heritage House which serves as a restaurant, vocational training centre, organic garden and even a home for Burmese cats. Follow the host and chef to the classroom, put on your apron and, after a short briefing, forage through three different organic gardens picking fresh vegetables and herbs to be used in cooking. Typical dishes include mint fish soup, long bean salad, fried spring onion and Burmese chicken and potato curry. Once the dishes are prepared, adjourn to the dining room to enjoy. After lunch visit the village of Inpawkhone to observe the traditional silk weaving of the Inthar people. Then visit a cheroot factory where local Burmese cigars are rolled by hand.
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 9: Return to Yangon
In the morning you will be transferred to the airport for a flight to Yangon. You will be met by your guide and taken to the hotel to drop off your luggage. You then proceed to Insein Train station to catch the Circular Train. This slow train offers a unique opportunity to observe the lively and colorful life of rural Burmese People. Disembark at Hledan Market and transfer to Thiri Mingalar, a sprawling wholesale market just outside central Yangon where produce is collected and distributed to smaller markets throughout the city. Enjoy lunch at Khaing-Khaing Kyaw Restaurant before enjoying an afternoon at leisure. Later in the afternoon you visit Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the most revered Buddhist temples in Myanmar. Follow the guide around this massive complex and learn why the temple is so revered. Enjoy breathtaking views of the golden stupa from this vantage point. Continue to Kandawgyi Park which is bustling in the evening filled with locals who come to enjoy the fresh air and dine at one of the park’s many restaurants. After a stroll around the park there is an option of staying for dinner at one of the Thai, Burmese or Chinese restaurants in the area or taking a short drive to Le Planteur or perhaps The Strand Grill, two of the top restaurants in Yangon.
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 10: Return to USA
Today is a free day to explore on your own or do some last minute souvenir shopping. You will be transferred to the airport for the return flight gaining back the day lost.
Breakfast
Today you begin your journey to Myanmar which will take you across the International Date Line which ‘loses’ you a day but ‘finds’ you on the return flight. You will be flying into Yangon.
Day 3: Arrival in Yangon
Arrive in Yangon and one of our guides will transfer you to your hotel. Under its previous name of Rangoon, the city was the capital of British Burma and still retains that colonial feel. In the early evening after you've had a chance to relax and freshen up, you will be picked up by your guide in individual trishaws which you will use to see the sights and get between dining venues. Start at Lucky 7 Teashop where you can get an introduction to Burmese tea. The tradition of drinking strong tea with condensed milk and sugar was brought to Burma by the British more than a century ago. Given its sweetness, most local tea shops offer free green tea as a chased to reduce the sweetness. The tea shop is also popular for serving a variety of traditional snacks and noodles, all of which can be sampled. Leave the tea shop and head to 999 Shan Noodles where you can sample their famous noodles from the Shan State. Next stop - Little India, which dates back to the days when there were more Indians in Rangoon than Burmese, many working in civil service. Stop for some snacks and then complete your food odyssey in Chinatown, known for its bustling night market on 19th street. After sampling a variety of street foods, your guide will take you back to your hotel.
Dinner
Day 4: Yangon to Bagan
In the morning you will be transferred for the brief flight to Bagan which was the capital of Myanmar from the 11th through the 13th Century. Its collection of thousands of ancient stupas and temples make it one of the most remarkable archeological sites in Asia. Your guide will give you a private tour of the most unique sites. Lunch will be served at a local village where you will be greeted by your hosts and treated to authentic local cuisine in a traditional home. After lunch, some more sightseeing concludes with a view of the sunset from the upper terrace of one of the temples. This evening you will dine at Nanda Restaurant which serves Burmese cuisine in the traditional daung-lan style.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Experiencing Bagan
If you happen to be traveling in Myanmar from late October to late March, the air currents allow you the chance to enjoy an early morning balloon flight over Bagan’s temple-studded plains. We highly recommend it. After breakfast at the hotel you visit Nyaung Oo Market offering a wide variety of herbs and vegetables used in Burmese cooking. Spend time exploring stalls where fresh fruits, vegetables and meats are sold. Your guide will explain the various ingredients and help pick out the plumpest chicken, freshest fish and finest vegetables. You then transfer to a local restaurant to meet the chef who will conduct the cooking class. You will assist the chef prepare ingredients using traditional techniques such as mortar and pestle to create several Burmese favorites which you then enjoy as lunch. Soon after you will drive out of town to visit a family of Toddy Palm Climbers and observe how they collect juice from the toddy fruit to process into molasses, alcohol and other items. Return to Bagan to visit a lacquerware house and witness the skills of artists who draw decorative figures and intricate patterns by hand. As the day comes to an end, enjoy a boat ride on the Irrawaddy River.
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 6: “On the Road to Mandalay”
Despite the iconic British song, you will fly to Mandalay, Myanmar’s cultural capital. Upon arrival you will be met by your guide and start your day with a visit to Mahamuni Pagoda famous for its statue of Buddha with gold leaf. Mandalay has long been known as a centre of skilled craftsmanship. In days gone by the city supplied the royal courts with all their goods, using skills such as marble masonry, Kalaga tapestry and gold leaf making. For lunch, stop at a popular tea house that serves two of the city’s most famous dishes: Mandalay Monte di and Khotaung Monte di. Teahouses in Mandalay are always full of local people socializing and doing business. Enjoy the lunch and the ambiance. Continue sightseeing and finish at the top of Mandalay Hill for panoramic views of the city and the Irrawaddy River at sunset. In the evening, speed things up and enjoy Mandalay nights with marionettes, crispy ducks and frosty Myanmar beer. Riding pillion on a local motorbike, enjoy the nighttime scenery, friendly locals and cool breezes as your driver zooms around Mandalay’s frenetic streets. Stopping along the way at markets, restaurants and bars - a great way to experience the best food, drinks and nightlife Mandalay has to offer. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Heho…and Away We Go
After breakfast you will be picked up for a transfer to the airport and a flight to Heho. From Heho it is a one hour scenic drive to Nyaung Shwe, the gateway to Inle Lake. Your guide will take you to the market where produce is delivered and sold. Continue by trishaw to the lively canal which is a hive of activity as boats come from the lake come to unload tomatoes and other vegetables for distribution to markets around the country. Hop back on the trishaw and make a stop at ‘Tomato House’ where they are sorted and priced for sale. Lunch is served at View Point which specializes in creative Shan tapas. Proceed to Red Mountain Estate Vineyards and Winery which is located at the northeastern part of Inle Lake. Enjoy magnificent views of Inle Lake and stilted villages while tasting the local wines and observing the Old World grape varieties grown at the estate. Continue to the jetty and board a private motorboat for a cruise on Inle Lake and pass villages built on stilts over the lake by the Intha people. Observe the leg-rowing fishermen and see their floating gardens built up from strips of water hyacinth and mud, then anchored to the bottom with bamboo poles. Return to land and your hotel where the evening is left open.
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 8: Cooking and Cigars
After breakfast, start your day with a visit to the daily market then proceed to Inthar Heritage House which serves as a restaurant, vocational training centre, organic garden and even a home for Burmese cats. Follow the host and chef to the classroom, put on your apron and, after a short briefing, forage through three different organic gardens picking fresh vegetables and herbs to be used in cooking. Typical dishes include mint fish soup, long bean salad, fried spring onion and Burmese chicken and potato curry. Once the dishes are prepared, adjourn to the dining room to enjoy. After lunch visit the village of Inpawkhone to observe the traditional silk weaving of the Inthar people. Then visit a cheroot factory where local Burmese cigars are rolled by hand.
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 9: Return to Yangon
In the morning you will be transferred to the airport for a flight to Yangon. You will be met by your guide and taken to the hotel to drop off your luggage. You then proceed to Insein Train station to catch the Circular Train. This slow train offers a unique opportunity to observe the lively and colorful life of rural Burmese People. Disembark at Hledan Market and transfer to Thiri Mingalar, a sprawling wholesale market just outside central Yangon where produce is collected and distributed to smaller markets throughout the city. Enjoy lunch at Khaing-Khaing Kyaw Restaurant before enjoying an afternoon at leisure. Later in the afternoon you visit Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the most revered Buddhist temples in Myanmar. Follow the guide around this massive complex and learn why the temple is so revered. Enjoy breathtaking views of the golden stupa from this vantage point. Continue to Kandawgyi Park which is bustling in the evening filled with locals who come to enjoy the fresh air and dine at one of the park’s many restaurants. After a stroll around the park there is an option of staying for dinner at one of the Thai, Burmese or Chinese restaurants in the area or taking a short drive to Le Planteur or perhaps The Strand Grill, two of the top restaurants in Yangon.
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 10: Return to USA
Today is a free day to explore on your own or do some last minute souvenir shopping. You will be transferred to the airport for the return flight gaining back the day lost.
Breakfast
