Location: Yangon
Day 1 - 10 Jun 2018
Yangon International Airport
Content: We reached Yangon International Airport at 9.30 am. It was clean and neat with good air-conditioning. The queue for the visa was not too long hence finished soon. The Yangon formerly known as Rangoon is the largest city in Myanmar. The roads were always busy so that the traffic problem was quite common in the city. The first thing we noticed was the unique dressing style of men and women. We hired a car to the hotel located at a short distance from the airport.
Jasmine Palace
Content: We checked in to the Jasmine Palace which is a 4-star property. The rooms are spacious and well furnished. The hotel was a feature with a gym, swimming pool, and a spa centre. The staffs were very polite and friendly.
Yangon Central Station
Content: The Yangon City Circular train was a slow three-hour journey around Yangon's suburbs. We got an excellent opportunity to meet local passengers and got the taste of train life. Each compartment was packed with people and their farm-produced goods. We saw many vendors selling snacks, fruits, and drinks.
Shwe Dagon Pagoda
Content: The Shwe Dagon Pagoda was our next stop after enjoying the circular train journey. We found Myanmar to be one of the most devout of the Buddhist countries of South East Asia. The Shwe Dagon Pagoda is the most iconic pagoda and one of the most sacred spots in the city. From the entrance, we bought a plastic bag to keep your flip flops. We began to climb up to the main temple. We got an excellent opportunity to experience the dramatic transformation of day to night. The temple complex was filled with many interesting things including a towering statue and various golden Buddha.
Location: Yangon
Day 2 - 11 Jun 2018
Jasmine Palace
Content: After breakfast, the food was good. Then we headed towards our first destination of the day. We booked taxi to explore the day.
Chauk Htat Kyi Pagoda
Content: Chauk Htat Kyi Pagoda is one of the must-see places in Yangon city. The first thing that attracted our eyes was the huge reclining Buddha. The place was very peaceful, and the spiritual environment added its glory. The Buddha statue attracted our eyes with its appearance, wearing a golden robe with a white face and red fingernails which is referred to as ' Sweet-Eyed Buddha'.
Kandawgyi Lake
Content: On the way, we stopped at Kandawgyi Lake which is also known as Great Royal Lake. We walked towards the northern end of the lake that led down to the Boygyoke Pake. We crossed a small bridge to a peninsular area where we could view the lake and a floating restaurant. We enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere and relaxed in the shades of long trees.
Sule Pagoda
Content: We headed towards the heart of Yangon city which is the house for the famous Sule Pagoda. It was built in the style of Mon pagoda architecture. We saw the stair was a cozy and golden altar with many pilgrims. The outside of the altar was a series of small golden shrine surrounding the base of the pagoda. The drinking water and food were available inside the complex which was donated by various devotees. The entire complex shined in golden colour.
Yangon Chinatown
Content: We ended our day in Chinatown. The place offered a huge variety of foodstuffs for cheap rates. It was located just west side of the Sule Pagoda. The streets are packed with both locals as well as travellers. We enjoyed street foods. The BBQ was most common throughout the streets. We finished our dinner and headed back to the hotel.
Location: Bagan
Day 3 - 12 Jun 2018
Old Bagan
Content: Myanmar usually knows for its stunning sights, Bagan lies in the heart of this city. We reached the hotel after a long journey. We got an early morning bus from Yangon. It is better to choose an overnight journey to save time.
Shwesandaw Pagoda
Content: We stopped at Shwesandaw Pagoda. It was the most notable place to see the sunset. We arrived early so that we got enough time to take pictures from the top. Within a short time, the place started to get crowded. We got an amazing view of the sunset.
Bagan View Hotel
Content: We checked in to the Bagan View Hotel. It was located at the heart of the New Bagan. The location was awesome, filled with lively people. It was the perfect point to view the sunrise and sunset of New Bagan from the rooftop of the hotel. We enjoyed a beautiful view of the sunset from the roof and enjoyed our dinner. The rooms were simple with all amenities. We spend the remaining day at the hotel.
Location: Bagan
Day 4 - 13 Jun 2018
Bagan View Hotel
Content: The restaurant offered varieties of dishes for breakfast. They provided fruits along with some slices of bread and spreads. The pancake was very soft and tasty. The food was excellent in taste and presentation. After breakfast, we headed to explore Bagan city. This day was dedicated to temples.
Thatbyinnyu Temple
Content: Our first destination of the day was Thatbyinnyu Temple. It was an iconic landmark with the temple main spire pointed towards the sky. It was the tallest temple with an impressive architectural style. We enjoyed a peaceful time by exploring the structure of the temple.
Shwegu Gyi Phaya
Content: We walked from Thatbyinnyu Temple for a few minutes to reach Shwegu Gyi Phaya. It was a perfect spot to enjoy the view of nature. The calm and smooth atmosphere added glory to the place. We got many snaps on the backdrop of natural beauty.
Ananda Temple
Content: The next destination was the Ananda Temple. It was located just outside of Old Bagan. It was one of the most famous landmarks in Bagan. It has an impressive interior and exterior. The unique feature of the temple was its reflective golden spire. It was the most sacred temple in Bagan. We saw 4-huge standing Buddha statues facing North, South, East, and West. The walls of the temple depicted the journey of Buddha from his birth to death.
Shwesandaw Pagoda
Content: We stopped at Shwesandaw Pagoda. It was the most notable place to see the sunset. We arrived early so that we got enough time to take pictures from the top. Within a short time, the place started to get crowded. We got an amazing view of the sunset.
Bagan View Hotel
Content: We had dinner from the nearby restaurant.The food was good enough. We ordered rice and chicken curry. They provided some side dishes too along with salads. We returned to the hotel and get comfortable sleep.
Location: Mandalay
Day 5 - 14 Jun 2018
Hotel Aurora
Content: We reached Mandalay after 4 hours journey from Bagan. We checked into the Hotel Aurora which was located near to the Zaycho Market. The rooms are very clean and neat. The staffs were very friendly and comfortable. The bed and bathrooms are spacious and comfortable.
Location: Min Kun
Day 5 - 14 Jun 2018
Min Kun
Content: A trip to Mingun is a must thing while in Mandalay. This half-day trip to Mingun was one of the highlights of our trip. We took a boat from the port on the Ayeyarwaddy River to Mingun that took about 1 hour to reach the destination.
Hsinbyume Paya
Content: Our first destination in Mingun was Hsinbyume Paya and the famous Mingun bell. We walked through a narrow path from the port. The way was filled with many local vendors selling foods and other kinds of stuff. We arrived at Hsinbyume Pagoda. It was an impressive white-washed temple and which is the symbol of love. It was built by a prince as a way to show his love for his wife. From the foot, the temple looks like waves. We could freely climb on the top of the pagoda to wander around. After seeing Mingun bell, we headed towards Mingun Paya.
Mingun Paya
Content: We saw other places such as Mingun Paya, Sat Taw Yar Pagoda and Lions of Stone. Mingun Paya is an incomplete stupa in Mingun. It was the most famous spot which looks like a scene from a movie. Another top thing to see in Mingun is the Sat Taw Yar Pagoda, impressive in its architectural style. The last but not least thing we saw was the two big lions of stone. It meant to guard the Mingun Pagoda. We enjoyed half day by exploring Mingun.
Location: Mandalay
Day 5 - 14 Jun 2018
Hotel Aurora
Content: We reached hotel, after dinner from a nearby restaurant. The food was good but not up to our expectations. The options of dishes are less.
Location: Mandalay
Day 6 - 15 Jun 2018
Mahamuni Paya
Content: We set our second day for the city tour. After breakfast, we headed towards Mahamuni Buddha temple. It is one of the most religious sites in Myanmar. The men are only allowed to get near and stick golden leaves on the statue. We saw several old bronze statues, originally found at Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
Kyauk Taw Gyi Phaya
Content: We reached Kyauk Taw Gyi Phaya which is a small Buddhist temple located in a beautiful atmosphere. It is also known as the Great Marble Image. It is famous for the huge Buddha image that was sculpted from a single block of green marble.
Sandamuni Pagoda
Content: We moved to Sandamuni Pagoda, well known for its beautiful golden pagoda. It is well known for its huge Buddha statue made of iron. It was situated on a marble slap with Buddha's teachings. We got snaps on the backdrop of the beautiful architecture.
Kuthodaw Pagoda
Content: This is a beautiful place to take many epic photos. It is located at the foot of Mandalay Hill. It has the significance of holding the record for the "world's biggest book". We walked between the small, white pagodas and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. There are many small beautiful girls selling flowers and small gifts.
Shwenandaw Monastery
Content: It is also known as the Golden Palace Monastery. This building was originally part of the Amarapura palace which served as the part of the king's royal apartments. It was impressive with teak carvings. We took many amazing photos.
Mandalay Hill
Content: Our day ended at Mandalay hill, which was an adventurous part of the trip. We took about 30 minutes to climb up the hill to view the beautiful sunset. We needed to walk on barefoot. One of the major attractions at the top of the hill, was Sutaungpyei Pagoda features a large ornately tiled patio that offers a wonderful view out over Mandalay City to the south. There were many foreign tourists. We enjoyed the entire day by exploring major sites in Mandalay. After dinner we headed back to the hotel.
Hotel Aurora
Content: After dinner from the hotel, we hired a cab to airport. We got early morning flight so that we decided to start earlier from the hotel. The staffs gave warm sendoff.