Rondreis Myanmar | Reis door het zuiden

Welcome to Myanmar! Let the journey begin!

Upon arrival at Yangon International Airport: welcome by our local tour guide and transfer to Best Western Chinatown Hotel. Rest of the day free to spend at your leisure.

Early morning we travel to Bago (approx. 1.5 hours).

In Bago, visit Kyaik Pun Pagoda, with its giant Four Seated Buddha shrine, and the city’s interesting market, selling various types of vegetables, flowers and other goods. Then travel on to Kyaikhtiyo (approx. 3ó hours). In Kyaikhtiyo Township, switch from car to a special open‐top truck for your trip up to the mountain station (approx. 1 hour).

From here, it’s just a short walk (approx. 10 minutes) to the Golden Rock. At the shrine, you will see a small stupa tower on top of a massive granite boulder known as the Golden Rock. Covered in golden leaves, it is balanced precariously on the edge of a cliff and is said to be “held in place by a single strand of Buddha’s hair”. In the late afternoon, enjoy the activities around the shrine before returning to Mountain Top Hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast, travel to Thaton. Once the capital of the flourishing Mon Kingdom of Suvarnabhumi in the 3rd Century BC, the town has lost much of its former grandeur and importance.

What remains are traces of the city walls and pagodas of interest, such as Shwe Sar Yan Pagoda, believed to date back to the 5th Century BC and enshrining four Buddha teeth, and Thagyapaya Pagoda. Nearby are the ruined fortifications of Taikkala, a site at Ayetthema Village regarded as the actual city of Suvarnabhumi. From here, continue to the Bayin Nyi Cave, housing several Buddha images and the picturesque monastery, situated behind two water reservoirs.

Then drive on to Kawgun Village and visit the Kawgun Cave, a natural limestone cave measuring 200 ft high and 300 ft long. The rock surface is profusely decorated with different kinds of clay Buddha images and votive tablets. It is a rare cave in Lower Myanmar. Based on the style of the Buddha images, it can be dated back to the 15th Century AD and the Hanthawaddy period.

Upon arrival in Hpa‐an, transfer to Zwekabin Hotel for check‐in and overnight stay.

Hpa‐an, the capital of Kayin State, lies at the foot of the prominent Zwekabin Mountain. You will have the opportunity to wander through the town’s narrow streets and visit its lively market.

Next, visit Sadan Cave (approx. 34 km outside Hpa‐an), one of the most impressive caves in Myanmar. For approx. 15 minutes, you will walk through the narrowing and widening parts of the cave, passing ceiling openings, until you reach the exit, which leads on to a beautiful pond covered in hibiscus flowers. Here, boats will await you, ready to take you to the other side through an opening beneath the rocks. From here, stroll through the fields and rocky landscape, taking about 20 minutes to return to the cave entrance.

The tour will then proceed on to Eindu, a small city with a weaving cottage industry.

Next, travel on to Lumbini Park, with its 2,980 Buddha statues located at the foot of Zwekabin Mountain. In the late afternoon, watch the sunset at Kyauk Ka Lat, also known as ‘James Bond Rock’, due to its unusual shape. The setting is idyllic and the views stunning.

After breakfast, transfer to the jetty for your private boat trip along the Thanlwin River to Mawlamyine (approx. 5 hours), passing endless rice fields, with bizarre isolated rocks along the way.

In the afternoon, make your way up to Kyaik Thanlan Pagoda, which offers splendid panoramic views, visit Mahamuni Pagoda, constructed in typical Mon style, and U Zina Pagoda at the southern tip of the mountain range, with its four life‐size statues depicting the legendary major events in Buddha’s life.

After breakfast, visit the city centre and central market specialising in dry goods, the new market with its plethora of fresh fruit, vegetables and meats and the Kin Ywa Orphanage and Monastic Education School. The home is located in Mawlamyine’s poorest district, a district inhabited by various ethnic groups, especially Mon, but also families of Indian descent, i.e. Hindus and Muslims. The home and its abbot have a special significance.

In the afternoon, take a boat to Bilu Island (approx. 45 minutes). The people here make their living from rice farming and fishing. You can also see the ancient production of colourful rubber bands, wooden pens or walking sticks in several small family‐run farms. In the late afternoon, return to Mawlamyine.

After breakfast, leave for Thanbyuzayat, around 34 km from Mawlamyaing and the starting point of the Death Railway connecting Myanmar (Thanbyuzayat Station) and Thailand (Ban Pong Station) with the bridge over the River Kwai and constructed by the Japanese during WWII.

Work on the Death Railway was started in May 1943 and the line was officially opened on 25th October 1943. More than 20,000 prisoners of war died during its construction. The recently opened Railway Museum is well worth a visit. 16 km before Ye, stop off to visit the Banana Mountain from where you can overlook the whole Ye Valley.

After arrival in Ye, transfer to your hotel for check‐in. A local brick factory on the outskirts of the town proves an interesting visit to see how bricks are made (seasonal). The local workers will be delighted to show you their hard labour and are always happy to be photographed. Time permitting, you may also get to enjoy a magnificent sunset from the Ye railway bridge.

After breakfast on the terrace overlooking the holy lake in Ye, you will embark on your journey over a stunning mountain range that divides Tanintharyi Division and Mon State.

The route winds upwards and affords a spectacular landscape. Before you reach Dawei, stop off at Nabule Beach, where the Burmese Government is planning to construct the biggest deep sea port in South‐East Asia. You will find a nice stretch of empty beach all to yourself here, as how the project is to be financed as yet remains unclear. Feel free to go for a swim! Please note that there are absolutely no facilities here.

After arrival, check in to your hotel for refreshments.

Dawei is the capital of Tanintharyi Division in the south of Myanmar, formerly known as Tavoy. Dawei was one of the first cities in which the English settled after the 1st Anglo‐ Burmese in 1826. The town therefore boasts a long history and picturesque buildings from the Colonial times.

After breakfast, go off and explore the town to get an idea of everyday life in Dawei and see its famous sights. A family‐owned cashew nut business with its ever‐smiling workers will show you just how much work goes into peeling one nut. You will find the answer to how people can make their living in Dawei on the route to San Maria Beach. Most farming nowadays is rubber plantation farming. You can learn how the white rubber sheets are made at one of the countless plantations. In addition to rubber trees, there is another big industry here: dried fish. You can find out how long fish have to lie out in the sun at one of the fishing villages. Beetle nut trees can also be found all over Tanintharyi Division. Beetle nuts are even exported from here to India.

Lunch is taken in front of Myaw Yit Pagoda, connected to the mainland by a bridge. Afterwards, you will have time for a swim or a simple stroll along San Maria Beach. Don’t be surprised if you are the only one here, as this beach remains unspoilt by mass tourism.

On the way back, you can stop off at hot springs to wash off all the salt. It has been said that the 60 C hot waters have healing powers. In the late afternoon, you will reach the well‐known Maung Ma Gan Beach. Enjoy the relaxed atmosphere on this uncrowded beach with a sundowner and delicious seafood dinner.

Return to your hotel after experiencing a fabulous sunset.

After breakfast, travel to Myeik. This 230 km of road has been closed to foreigners for a long time. In the past, even locals needed a permit to use the road; plane and ferry boat were the only mode of transport.

Just a few miles from Dawei, stop off at Shin Mok Hti Pagoda, which can be dated back to 1438 and which houses original pieces of the Bodhi Tree. Your journey will take you through tiny villages. Stop off every now and then to discover the daily lives of the rural community. Before you arrive in Myeik, you will take the old ferry crossing, which provides for a great photo opportunity. Lunch along the way in a clean local restaurant.

Upon arrival in Myeik, transfer to your hotel for check‐in. Rest of the day free to spend at your leisure.

After breakfast, explore Myeik, one of the biggest fishing towns in Myanmar, and learn more about its fascinating history. Back in the early 17th Century, the East Indian Trading Company used to unload its ships at the ports of Myeik. Most of the goods were transported inland, and from there up to Tanintharyi and on to the old capital of Siam Ayutthaya. “Beik”, as the locals call their hometown, produces everything that is needed for the fishing industry.

Have you ever wondered where all the seafood comes from? You will visit a soft‐shell crab and lobster farm to get an insight into the fishing industry. After a stroll through the old Colonial quarter, visit the Royal Pearl trading shop, which has been owned by the same family for over 150 years. You will also have a chance to learn about the pearl industry and how difficult it is to cultivate pearls.

Enjoy a late afternoon visit to Thein Daw Gyi Pagoda and a fabulous sunset over the Mergui Archipelago.

After breakfast, embark on your tour of discovery of the Mergui Archipelago. The boat leaves from Seik Nge Jetty (main jetty) in Myeik. Observe the daily life of the local fishermen during a short visit to one of the villages along the way.

After an around 2‐hour cruise along crystal clear waters, you will reach an inhabited beach, with the possibility to go snorkelling. Now it’s time to kick back and relax! Go for a snorkel in the clear waters or simply lie back and relax in the shade on the beach or float in the ocean, or just play on the beach.

A packed lunch will be served on the beach together with fresh fruit and cold drinks. Make the most of your time on the beach to forget all about the outside world.

You will return to Myeik in the afternoon.

Free time to spend at your leisure until transfer to the airport for your return flight to Yangon. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel for check‐in. In the afternoon, visit Chaukhtatgyi Pagoda (a huge reclining Buddha), Karaweik Hall, a Royal floating barge on the Royal Lake for a photo stop and late in the afternoon, Shwedagon Pagoda, described by Somerset Maugham as: “The Shwedagon rose superb, glistening with its gold, like a sudden hope in the dark night of the soul of which the mystics write, glistening against the fog and smoke of the thriving city.” This massive bell‐shaped stupa rises nearly 100 metres above its hill‐top surroundings. Wander through this magnificent structure and its courtyards, stupas, bells, temples and Buddha images and see religious and secular visitors from all over the globe. Shwedagon has become the symbol of Myanmar. Enjoy the fabulous sunset over the pagoda.

After breakfast visit the Sule Pagoda, dating back over 2000 years, the Mahabandoola Park with it’s Independence Monument and walk around the downtown area and the sprawling Bogyoke Market.

Wide streets, orderly town planning and neglected public buildings revive visions of British rule, while busy streets scenes and shimmering pagodas, bursting through a leafy canopy, hint at the rich local culture.

Afternoon free at your own leisure, till transfer to Yangon International Airport for your departure flight.