EXPLORE MYANMAR & VIETNAM 11 DAYS

This morning we take a short flight north to Heho. The last capital of the third Myanmar Empire, Mandalay is situated in the center of the country. It is the largest city after Yangon and is both a bustling commercial center and a repository of ancient culture. With the remains of the old Royal City, sacred monasteries and numerous other places of interest, Mandalay is a showcase for Myanmar art and architecture and is known as the country’s cultural capital. It is also noted for woodcarvings, silverware, tapestries, silk cloth, and other traditional craft products.

Sightseeing today will include the spiritually important Mahamuni Pagoda, which houses one the most famous seated Buddha images in all of Myanmar. Continue to the Shwenandaw Kyaung (Golden Palace Monastery), an imposing teak monastery-temple that was originally built within the palace complex but subsequently dismantled and rebuilt some years later.

After lunch in a local restaurant, continue to Kuthodaw Pagoda which is said to house the world’s largest book on account of the 729 marble slabs that are inscribed with Buddhist scriptures. Finish the day with a drive to the top of Mandalay Hill for sunset and a panoramic view of the city.

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Breakfast at your hotel. We start to visit Mahagandayon Monastery where more than 1,000 young Buddhist monks live and study. The population is so high because most young men of Myanmar are expected to spend some time serving as a monk, and we’ll get a close look at this way of life. Nearby is the scenic teak pedestrian bridge of U Bein. The high, narrow walkway extends more than half a mile across Taungthaman Lake. It’s an amazing scene with fishermen on the water below, saffron-robed monks and local residents biking home from work scenic and human panorama that may well be one of your defining moments in Myanmar.

This evening, we will take a flight from Mandalay to Bagan. Known as the city of four million pagodas, Bagan is one of the richest archaeological sites in Asia and with over 2000 pagodas, temples and monasteries to explore, there is certainly plenty to keep one occupied. But there is more to this enchanting destination; rural village life, interesting markets and artisan workshops to name but a few. The temples at Bagan can only be described as amazing and enchanting, a place still largely unaffected by the 21st century where nobody leaves disappointed.

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For a unique perspective, join us near dawn for an optional hot-air balloon ride over the templed plain. Floating over Bagan is a truly breathtaking way to grasp the magnificence of this impressive civilization.

The near epic scale of Bagan deserves a full day for exploration. In the distance, a mountain crest forms a backdrop. But the sharpest peaks in view are the innumerable spires that pierce the tree-covered plain. The first buildings were erected in the 11th century, and today you’ll discover a dizzying range of architectural styles and degrees of ruin that make every moment unique.

It’s hard to describe the spiritual aura of this place. There are no shops or other development. In these early days of Myanmar’s re-emergence, it’s serene, peaceful and un-touristed. Simple paths meander through this landscape that’s like nothing you’ve ever experienced. On our guided visit we’ll explore several of the most prominent structures including Gubyaukgyi, a 13th century temple with fine frescoes…Htilo Minlo, a vaulted cave temple covered with rare glazed sandstone tiles…and Ananda temple, sometimes called the “Westminster Abbey of Burma.”

Bagan is also known for its profusion of lacquer artisans and other craftspeople. We’ll take a break in the afternoon to stop at a workshop and learn about the process – from the gathering of the tree sap that’s used as varnish to the hand-etching of the intricate traditional designs.

Finally, as dusk nears, we witness Bagan at its spectacular best as we ascend the spire of a pagoda for an awe-inspiring view at sunset.

There’s wonderful continuity here in Bagan , as we’ll see when we get a look at real village life in the small settlement of Phwar Saw. En route, we’ll wander amid the amazing array of fresh fruits and vegetables at Nyaung Oo Market.

After lunch in a local restaurant, hop aboard a pony cart for a trot in areas of Bagan that cars can’t reach. Far to the north, the Irrawaddy River arises from tributaries that flow from the Himalayas. Rudyard Kipling called this river “The Road to Mandalay.” Since it was first used for trade in the 6th century, the Irrawaddy has been central to Burmese life, and we’ll get our own unique perspective when we take a leisurely cruise with a front row seat for the showy sunset.

Today we will depart Bagan with a flight to Yangon. From Yangon, you will fly to Hanoi where you are welcome by our guide and driver. Transfer to your hotel for check in with welcome drink.

Free your time at leisure and overnight in Hanoi.

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Vietnam's capital is an old-fashioned city with sidewalk cafes and pavement barbers. There are wide boulevards, lined with trees and filled with bicycles. Great mansions give way to crowded alleyways like Silk Street and Fried Fish Street. Our guided visit also includes a stroll in the city’s lovely French Quarter to get a real feel for Vietnam’s colonial past.

After lunch, continue to the Temple of Literature. Founded in 1076, Van Mieu, the Temple of Literature, serves as a pleasant respite from the bustle of Hanoi’s street scene. Emperor Ly Thanh Tong built it to honor academicians and men of literary accomplishment, and it served as Vietnam’s first university, educating the sons of mandarins. Its five courtyards, the temple itself, and its 82 stelaes represent Vietnamese architecture at its finest.

After another amazing breakfast, we depart the hotel and head into the countryside. Northern Vietnam is home to the country's most colorful and revered pagodas and temples. (A Buddhist vocabulary note: a temple is a place to worship the dead; a pagoda is a place to worship the Lord Buddha.). We’ll have a chance to roam through Tay Phuong Pagoda, famous for its vast display of finely carved wooden statues of 18th-century monks. From here, we start a scenic walk among rice fields and through bamboo groves to a local village. We have a standing invitation to the small local school where we’ll interact with the children bedecked in their blue and white uniforms and their teacher. It’s another authentic insight into daily life that has hardly changed in centuries and where foreign visitors are rare exceptions.

We return to Hanoi for lunch, followed by a water puppet performance. The art of water puppetry began a thousand years ago, possibly in the flooded rice fields. Puppeteers today stand in waist-high water and manipulate their charges in such a way that you can’t help but be swept up in the legend being told. Music accompanies the action (be sure to listen for the haunting sounds of the dan bau, an instrument made from a dried watermelon rind).

Leaving Hanoi behind, we depart the hotel and head for one of our all-time favorite travel experiences – Halong Bay. The bay is considered Vietnam’s eighth wonder of the world and it’s easy to see why. Three thousand spectacular chalk and limestone outcroppings, cliffs, arches, and coves form a dragon’s tail of islands across the bay. Traditional sailing junks and local fishing boats glide by selling their latest catch. In time for lunch, we board our luxury junk boat. Our cruise on the emerald green waters of the bay offers us the chance to visit and explore many islands and caves.

We will visit a traditional floating village. On deck, you can join in a cooking demonstration and discover the secrets of spring rolls. As we sail into a pearl farm cove, you can take a swim or go kayaking. Then return to the junk for evening activities from fishing to board games to spa services.

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Greet the day with a morning Tai Chi exercise with an opportunity to view the sunrise over the bay. After breakfast, visit beautiful limestone grotto. Back on the boat take a final glimpse of Halong Bay while cruising back to the pier. Upon disembarkation, you will be met and driven back to Hanoi.

Free your time at leisure. Enjoy your farewell dinner at Wild Rice restaurant.

This morning is at leisure for you to enjoy the hotel. You will then be transported to Noi Bai airport for your departure flight.