Ceylon Express International :: Classic Myanmar

Phaung Daw Oo Festival & Leg Rower Races - Myanmar

Phaung Daw Oo Festival & Leg Rower Races
“It will be unlike any land you know” - Rudyard Kipling
15- 29 October 2005 (15 Days)

International Flights
Itinerary
Hotel List
Quotation

International Flights

Singapore Airlines #1 in the World!
15 Oct (Sat)-LA- Singapore-SQ 11 departs at 1:10pm, arrive at 1:30am on 17 Oct
* Check in at Changi Airport Transit hotel for layover (6 hrs)
17 Oct (Mon)-Singapore - Yangon-SQ 5016 departs at 10:25am, arrive at 11:50am
28 Oct (Fri) Yangon - Singapore- SQ 5017 departs at 4:45pm, arrive at 9.05pm
*Overnight in Singapore* hotel/transfers only
29 Oct (Sat) -Singapore-LA-SQ30 departs at 5.10pm; arrive at 8.30pm (same day)
**Flight schedules are subject to change by the Airline**

Itinerary

Day 1	Arrival in Yangon
17-Oct-05	Meeting assistance and transfer to your hotel. Afternoon free. Dinner and show at Karaweik Hall. Overnight in Traders Hotel

Day 2	Yangon (Breakfast / Dinner) Sightseeing Yangon
18-Oct-05	Yangon lies in the fertile delta of southern Myanmar, on the wide Yangon River. The city is filled with tree-shaded boulevards, while shimmering stupas float above the treetops. The city became the capital only in 1885, when the British completed the conquest of Upper Myanmar and Mandalay's brief period as capital of the last Burmese kingdom ended. SHWEDAGON PAGODA: the highlight of any visit to Yangon, this pagoda dates back about 2500 years and was built to house eight sacred hairs of the Buddha. Its original shape has changed beyond all recognition over the centuries. Its bell-shaped superstructure, resting on a terraced base, is covered in about 60 tons of gold-leaf, which is continuously being replaced. BOTATAUNG PAGODA: this paya was named after the 1000 military leaders who escorted relics of the Buddha brought from India over 2000 years ago. This ancient monument was completely destroyed during WWII. It was then rebuilt in a very similar style to its predecessor, but the zedi is hollow and one can walk through it. NGADATKYI PAYA: located in the Ashay Tawya monastery, this paya contains the huge seated "five-story" Buddha image. NATIONAL MUSEUM: a museum with several interesting exhibits, especially the 8 meter high Sihasana Lion Throne, used by King Thibaw Min, the last Burmese king, and returned to Burma in 1908 by Lord Mountbatten. The main floor contains jewelry, old black and white photos of Mandalay Palace and Yangon, royal relics, Hintha opium weights and inscribed tablets. BUDDHIST ART MUSEUM: housed in a 1952 Art Deco-style building. The dominant lotus window depicts all the attitudes of the Buddha. The museum's contents were collected by the archaeology department: begging bowls, palm leaf scriptures and 18th-20th century wooden Buddha images. MAHA WIZAYA PAGODA: built by General Ne Win in the 1980s. The pagoda is hollow with a ceiling depicting Burmese constellations and a permanent display of pagoda styles through the ages. SULE PAGODA: this 48 meter high golden dome was used by the British as the nucleus of their grid pattern for the city when it was rebuilt in the 1880s. The pagoda's peculiarity is its octagonal-shaped stupa, which retains its shape as it tapers to the spire. Transfer to/from restaurant. Overnight in Traders Hotel

Day 3	Yangon - Heho - Inle Lake (Breakfast / Dinner)
19-Oct-05	Transfer - Flight from Yangon to Heho - By vehicle from Heho to Inle Lake - Journey east on Highway 4 to Shwenyaung and then due south on Highway 43 towards Inle Lake. Transfer by boat. Boat trip on the Inle Lake incl. Ywama and Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda. Inle lake, located in Shan State is beautiful, with very calm waters dotted with patches of floating vegetation and busy fishing canoes. High hills rim the lake on all sides. The lakes shore and islands bear 17 villages on stilts, mostly inhabited by the Intha people. Overnight in Inle Princess Resort

Day 4	Inle Lake (Breakfast / Dinner) - Visit Phaung Daw Oo Festival on the Inle Lake
20-Oct-05	Four Buddha images are ceremoniously tugged clockwise around the lake on the royal barge by leg-rowing boats. They return home on the third waning day. Leg rowing competitions are held throughout the event. Overnight in Inle Princess Resort

Day 5	Inle Lake - Pindaya (Breakfast / Dinner) - By vehicle from the Inle Lake to Pindaya
21-Oct-05	Journey north to Shwenyaung and continue west on highway 4 past Heho to Aungban. From Aungban continue north on route 41 to Pyindaya. Visit Pindaya Caves PINDAYA CAVES: these caves are ensconced in a limestone ridge overlooking the lake. Inside the cavern there are more than 8000 Buddha images - made from alabaster, teak, marble, brick, lacquer and cement - and are arranged in such a way as to form a labyrinth throughout the various cave chambers. SHWE U MIN PAYA: this is a cluster of low stupas just below the ridge near the Pindaya Caves. Beginning on the full moon of Tabaung (February/March), Pindaya hosts a colorful pagoda festival at Shwe U Min. Overnight in Conqueror Hotel

Day 6	Pindaya - Heho - Bagan (Breakfast / Dinner) - By vehicle from Pindaya to Heho
22-Oct-05	Journey south past Pwehla on Highway 41 and then due east at Aungban on Highway 4. Flight from Heho to Bagan - Transfer Overnight in Thiripyitsaya Sakura Hotel

Day 7	Bagan (Breakfast / Dinner) - Sightseeing Bagan
23-Oct-05	Bagan is a spectacular plain stretching away from the Ayeyarwaddy River, dotted with thousands of 800-year old temple ruins. Although human habitation at Bagan dates back almost to the beginning of the Christian era, Bagan only entered its golden period with the conquest of Thaton in 1057 AD. SHWEZIGON PAYA: King Anawrahta started the construction of the Schwezigon Pagoda to enshrine some relicts of Buddha. The construction was finished by his successor, King Kyansittha between 1086 and1090. Originally the Shwezigon Pagoda marked the northern end of the city of Bagan. The stupa's graceful bell shape became a prototype for virtually all later stupas over Myanmar. GUBYAUKHYI TEMPLE at Wetkyi-Inn: This Temple was built in the early 13th Century and repaired in 1468. The great colorful painting about the previous life of Buddha and the distinguished architecture make this temple an interesting site for a visit. This temple is not to be confounded with the Gubyaukgyi Temple in Myinkabe. ANANDA PAHTO: one of the finest, largest, best preserved and most revered of the Bagan temples. Thought to have been built around 1105 by King Kyanzittha, this perfectly proportioned temple heralds the stylistic end of the Early Bagan period and the beginning of the Middle period. GUBYAUKGYI TEMPLE at Myinkaba: Built in 1113 by Kyanzittha's son Rajakumar, this temple is famous for its well-preserved Stuccos from the 12th century on the outside walls. The magnificent paintings date from the original construction of the temple and are considered to be the oldest original paintings in Bagan. MANUHA TEMPLE: The Manuha Temple was built in 1059 by King Manuha, the King of Thaton, who was brought captive to Bagan by King Anawrahta. It enshrines the unusual combination of 3 seated and one reclining image Buddha. It is said that this temple was built by Manuha to express his displeasure about his captivity in Bagan. SHWESANDAW PAYA: In 1057 King Anawrahta built this Pagoda following his conquest of Thaton. This is the first monument in Bagan, which features stairways leading up from the square bottom terraces to the round base of the Stupa. This Pagoda is ideal to watch Bagan's magnificent sunsets. Transfer to/from restaurant Overnight in Thiripyitsaya Sakura Hotel

Day 8	Bagan - Mandalay (Breakfast / Dinner)- Transfer - Flight from Bagan to Mandalay - Transfer
24-Oct-05	Sightseeing Mandalay Mandalay was the last capital of Myanmar before the British took over so it still has great importance as a cultural center and historically it's the most Burmese of the country's large cities. Mandalay's Buddhist monasteries are among the most important in the country about 60% of all the monks in Myanmar reside in the Mandalay area. The city takes its name from Mandalay Hill, the 236m-high bluff that rises just to the north-east of Mandalay Fort and its royal palace. KYAUKTAWGYI PAGODA: built between 1853 and 1878 and chiefly interesting for the huge seated image of the Buddha carved from a single block of marble. The marble block from the mines of nearby Sagyin was so colossal that it required 10,000 men laboring for 13 days to transport it from a canal to the current site. SANDAMANI PAYA: a cluster of slender whitewashed stupas built on the site of King Mindon's temporary palace used while the new Mandalay Palace was under construction. The Paya enshrines an iron image of the Buddha cast in 1802 by Bodawpaya and transported here from Amarapura in 1874 MAHAMUNI PAYA: originally built by King Bodawpaya in 1784 when a road paved with bricks was constructed from his palace to the paya's eastern gate. The centerpiece of the shrine is the highly venerated Mahamuni image that was transported to Myanmar from Mrauk U in Rakhaing in 1784. KUTHODAW PAYA: the central stupa here was modeled on the Shwezigon Paya at Nyaung U near Bagan. Building commenced in 1857, at the same time as the royal palace. The paya has been dubbed 'the world's biggest book', for standing around the central stupa are 729 marble slabs on which are inscribed the entire Tripitaka. Excursion to Amarapura and Sagaing SAGAING: located on the right bank of the Ayeyarwady River, it is widely regarded as the religious center of Myanmar. It is popularly known as 'Little Pagan' as the Sagaing ridge is crowded with around 600 pagodas and monasteries in which there are more than 3000 monks. There are also around 100 meditation centers in the area. THABYEDAN FORT: fort built by the Burmese as their final resistance against the British forces in the third Anglo-Burmese war in 1886. KAUNGHMUDAW PAYA: this is Sagaing's most important temple. It was built by King Thalun in 1636 and styled after a Ceylonese (Sri Lankan) pagoda in commemoration of the re-establishment of Ava as the royal capital. TUPAYON PAYA: constructed by King Narapati of Inwa in 1444, Tupayon is of an unusual style for Myanmar: it consists of three circular stories each encircled by arched niches. AUNGMYELAWKA PAYA: situated on the river front, this zedi was erected by Bodawpaya in 1783 on the site of his home before he became king. It is built of sandstone and based on Shwezigon Pagoda. DATPAUNGZU PAYA: although it is a comparatively recent pagoda, it houses many relics from other older temples that were demolished when the railway was built through Sagaing. HSINMYASHIN PAYA: built in 1429 and known as the Pagoda of Many Elephants because of the elephant statues stationed at each entrance. AMARAPURA: the name means City of Immortality, but its period as capital was brief. It was founded by Bodawpaya as his new capital in 1783, not long after he ascended the throne, on the advice of court astrologers. His grandson and successor, Bagyidaw, moved back to Ava in 1823. The four pagodas that marked the four corners of the city walls still remain, as well as the watch tower and treasury building. PAHTODAWGYI: built by King Bagyidaw in 1820, this well preserved pagoda stood outside the old city walls. The lower terraces have marble slabs illustrating jatakas (scenes from the Buddha's life). BAGAYA KYAUNG: built when Bodawpaya moved the capital to Amarapura, it was destroyed by fire in 1821. It was rebuilt several times and it is no longer a monastery, but houses a museum and library, of interest for its collection of palm-leaf manuscripts. PALACE RUINS: little remains of the palace except for two masonry buildings - the treasury building and the old watch tower. King Bagyidaw and King Bodawpaya were both burnt here on the site of their 'tombs' and their ashes placed in velvet bags and thrown into the Ayeyarwady River. U BEIN'S BRIDGE: the shallow Taungthaman Lake is crossed by a long and rickety teak bridge, curved to withstand the wind and waves. During the dry season, the bridge crosses mostly dry land. Transfer to/from restaurant Overnight in Sedona Hotel

Day 9	Mandalay (Breakfast / Dinner) - Excursion to Mingun by vehicle and boat
25-Oct-05	Mingun is located a short distance upriver from Mandalay on the opposite bank of the Ayeyarwady River. It is a pleasant trip and gives one a glimpse of river life fishing villages, bullock carts, corn fields, market boats and laundering MINGUN PAYA: thousands of slaves and prisoners of war labored to build the massive stupa, beginning in 1790. Work halted in 1819 when Bodawpaya died, leaving a brick base about a third of its intended height. The earthquake of 1938 damaged the stupa but there is still a lot to see. PONDAW PAYA: 5 meter high working model of Mingun Paya. It gives a clear picture of just what Bodawpaya intended to achieve with Mingun Paya. MINGUN BELL: in 1808 Bodawpaya had a gigantic bell cast to go with the gigantic zedi. Weighing 90 tons, it is claimed to be the largest bell in the world. HSINBYUME PAYA: built by King Bagyidaw in 1816, three years before he succeeded Bodawpaya as king, this stupa was constructed in memory of his senior wife, the Hsinbyume princess. SETTAWYA PAYA: located close to the river bank and upstream from the Pondaw Paya, this hollow, vaulted shrine has a footprint of the Buddha that was brought to Mingun by King Bodawpaya. Excursion to Monywa MONYWA: situated on the eastern bank of the Chindwin River, Monywa is now the second biggest town in Upper Myanmar and serves as a major trade center for agricultural produce from the surrounding Chindwin Valley, especially beans, pulses and palm sugar. THANBODDHAY PAYA: built between 1939 and 1952 by Moehnyin Sayadaw, the solid section of the monument is said to enclose 7350 relics and other holy materials. TWIN DAUNG: the hill stands only 200 meters above the surrounding plain, but features a 50 meter deep round lake known as Myitta Kan, whose water level reportedly rises and falls with the Chindwin. LEDI KYAUNG: a monastery at the north-eastern edge of town constructed in 1886 by order of renowned Pali scholar Ledi Sayadaw. Similar in concept to Kuthodaw Paya in Mandalay, the kyaung features 806 stone slabs inscribed with Buddhist scriptures. SHWE GU NI PAYA: one of the most important pilgrimage spots in Upper Myanmar, dating from the 14th century, the main zedi of Shwe Gu Ni Paya rises 33 meters and is famous for its 'wish-fulfilling' powers. KYAUKKA: a village which has been a center for the crafting of lacquer ware since the Konbaung era. Consisting of simple bamboo frames finished in black, silver or gold, the lacquerware shows more links to the pre-Chiang Mai styles that existed before the Bagan artisans began using a wider palette, finer materials, more layers of lacquer and incising techniques. Transfer to/from restaurant. Overnight in Sedona Hotel

Day 10	Mandalay - cabin / onboard (Breakfast / Lunch)
26-Oct-05	Transfer - Cruise on board the RV Pandaw 1947 on the Irrawaddy River from Mandalay to Bagan - Overnight in cabin / onboard RV Pandaw 1947

Day 11	Bagan - Yangon (Breakfast / Dinner)
27-Oct-05	Arrival on board the RV Pandaw1947 in Bagan - Transfer, Flight from Bagan to Yangon - Transfer to/from restaurant. Overnight in Traders Hotel

Day 12	Yangon - Singapore (Breakfast)
28-Oct-05	Transfer to airport for flight to Singapore leaving at 4.45pm arriving in Singapore at 9.05pm. Transfer to your hotel in Singapore (room only basis, no meals).

Day 13	Singapore – Los Angeles
29-Oct-05	Morning free to explore Singapore on your own. Get on the ‘Hop-on, Hop-off’ bus to visit areas of interest (Free). In the afternoon transfer to Singapore airport for your flight home, departing at 5.10pm and arriving in LA at 8.30pm

END OF TOUR/OUR SERVICES
Note: All airline schedules are subject to change and the itinerary may be adjusted due to these changes.

Hotel List

City	Hotel	Category	Room Type
Yangon	Traders Hotel	4-5*	Deluxe
Inle Lake Inle	Princess Resort	3-4*	Lake View Chalet
Pindaya	Conqueror Hotel	2*	Superior
Bagan	Thiripyitsaya Sakura Hotel	4*	Superior
Mandalay	Sedona Hotel	5*	Run of House
cabin / onboard	RV Pandaw 1947		Main Deck
All hotel ratings are according to the local accreditation authority.

Quotation

Rate Per Person, Sharing Twin – Land/Air From Los Angeles

	1) Group Tour Rate	$ 3,450.00
	2) FIT – 2 Persons Traveling Together	$ 3,595.00
	3) Single Room Supplement	$ 595.00

Included Services:

English-speaking guide.
meals according to itinerary
flight ticket(s) as mentioned in the itinerary
Flight from Yangon to Heho
Flight from Heho to Bagan
Flight from Bagan to Mandalay
Flight from Bagan to Yangon

***Not included in the quote are surcharges levied by the airlines due to the increasing cost of fuel. Any applicable surcharges in effect at the time of invoicing will be listed as a separate item on the final invoice.

Boat tickets according to itinerary
Ground transportation in private A/C vehicles (complimentary cold towels and drinking water)
Sightseeing incl admissions fees according to itinerary.
Accommodation in hotel as mentioned above or equivalent.

We look forward to welcome you on another special CEYLON EXPRESS INTERNATIONAL tour!

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