Through Friendly Planet Travel, a leading tour operator known for high-quality, affordable vacation packages to exotic destinations worldwide, travelers can explore one of the world’s most untainted destinations and discover the mystery and culture of Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) on a 13-day Mystical Myanmar tour. Travelers will experience Myanmar by taking in its lush beauty and devout Buddhist spirituality firsthand, for $2,799. This includes airfare, deluxe and first-class accommodations, some meals, fully escorted tours, and more.
Asia is a continent known for its rich culture, impressive modernization, and appeal to tourists. But Myanmar, a destination unlike any other, has been practically left outside of the economic and political transformations of neighboring countries until this past year. Now, for the first time in over two decades, changes within the country signal better times ahead.
Mystical Myanmar includes round-trip airfare from Los Angeles; all intra-Myanmar flights and ground transportation; accommodations in deluxe and superior first-class hotels; a daily breakfast buffet, seven lunches, and five dinners; and comprehensive sightseeing with an English-speaking tour guide.
The mystical tour begins in Myanmar’s capital city of Yangon before traveling to Bagan, one of Asia’s richest archaeological sites famous for well-preserved Pagodas, including Shwezigon, Gubyaukgyi, Htilo Minlo, and the Ananda Temple. The tour continues through Bagan, where travelers will visit the bustling Nyaung Oo market and meet the locals in the small Phwar Saw Village. A pony cart ride through Bagan and a sunset cruise along the Ayeyarwady River ends the tour of Bagan. Travelers will then embark on a trip to Mandalay, the last capital of the third Myanmar Empire, where they will explore the Mahamuni Pagoda, home to the most sacred statue of Buddha in Myanmar. Lastly, they’ll head to the famous intricate woodcarvings in Shwe Kyaung, the Golden Palace Monastery.
From there, travelers will enjoy a morning boat excursion to Mingun, known for its Buddhist shrines, monasteries, and meditation centers. Then they’ll explore one of the most famous buildings in the world, the unfinished Pagoda, started in 1790 by King Bodawpaya. They’ll continue to the ancient village of Ava, famous for picturesque ruins and villages. The group will then cross the Sagaing Hills, one of the only bridges that span the mighty Ayeyarwady River into Sagaing, the living center of Buddhist faith in Myanmar. After a short flight to Heho, travelers will experience a private boat ride to Shan State on Inle Lake, a vast, picturesque lake surrounded by hazy-blue mountains. It’s famous for its native lake-dwellers, called Inthas, who row their boats with one leg.
After a relaxing day by Inle Lake, travelers will return to Nyaung Shwe by boat and head to Heho for the return flight to Yangon. Travelers will spend their remaining days in Myanmar leisurely exploring Yangon, seeing the magnificent Pagoda covered in hundreds of gold plates, and taking advantage of authentic Chinese cuisine.
“Myanmar is one of the most up-and-coming travel destinations in all of Asia, and we are thrilled to be one of the few tour operators offering a trip there,” says Peggy Goldman, President of Friendly Planet Travel. “In a land of timeless beauty, isolated for so many years, this Myanmar is a must for travelers looking for an exotic, truly authentic destination.
Friendly Planet’s 13-day Mystical Myanmar tour is available for $2,799 on the departure date of May 12.
Friendly Planet Travel, www.FriendlyPlanetTravel.com