Myanmar
2012 / / // /
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24February – 2March
Compiled by Ooi Chooi Seng
Myanmar Golden Image Travels & Tours CO., Ltd
21/Shwehninsi street, Sanchaung tsp, Yangon, Myanmar
Tel:(95-1) 535944,Fax:(95-1)536470
Email:
Tour confirmation prepared for Sister Bee Leng & Party
International flights : ( Booked by clients )
Arrival : KUL – YGN by AK 850 ( 24 Feb’ 2012 )
Departure : YGN- KUL by AK 851 ( 02 Mar’2012 )
Domestic flights : ( Booked by MGI )
( 25 Feb’ 2012 ) : Yangon- Heho ( Inle Lake ) by YH - 811 ( 11 : 00 - 12 : 10 ) OK
( 29 Feb’ 2012 ) : Heho ( Yangon ) – Yangon by W9 – 122 ( 10 : 55- 12 : 05 ) OK
YH = Yangon Air Way / W9 = Air Bagan ( domestic airlines in Myanmar )
Above prices are subject to be changed slightly .
Hotel Accommodation : ( Booked by MGI )
Hotel Yangon / Yangon ( 24 - 25 Feb’2012 ) Confirmed for 12 Rooms
Address :
91/93, Corner of Pyay Road and Kabar Aye Pagoda Road,
8th Mile Junction, Mayangone Township, Yangon, Myanmar.
Tel: 95 1 667708, 667688 Fax: 95 1 667752
E-mail:
Website:
Hill Top Resort / Kalaw ( 25 – 26 Feb’2012 ) Confirmed for 12 Rooms
Address :
Southern Shan State, Kalaw, Myanmar
Conqueror Resort Hotel ( 26 – 27 Feb’2012 ) Confirmed for 12 Rooms
Address :
Singong quarter , Pindaya, Shan State , Myanmar .
Tel : ++95-81-66106 / 66355
Fax : ++ 95-81-66355
Golden Island Cottage / Inle ( 27- 29 Feb’2012 ) Confirmed for 12 Rooms
Address :
Nanpan Village, Nyaung Shwe Township, Inle Lake.
Southern Shan State, Myanmar
Tel :++ 95- 81- 29390
Hotel Yangon / Yangon ( 29 Feb - 02 Mar ’2012 ) Confirmed for 12 Rooms
Address :
91/93, Corner of Pyay Road and Kabar Aye Pagoda Road,
8th Mile Junction, Mayangone Township, Yangon, Myanmar.
Tel: 95 1 667708, 667688 Fax: 95 1 667752
E-mail:
Website:
English speaking guide :
Ms. Moe Moe Naing ( 0095-9-5164795 )
Land Operator : ( Emergency Contact )
Ms. May Yin ( 0095-95023081 )
Mr. Kyaw Soe Thu ( 0095-973106464 )
Transportation :
45- seater Bus fully aircon with tourist transportation license
Tour and sightseeing :Yangon - Kalaw-Pindaya - Kakku-Taunggyi - Inle Lake-Yangon ( 08 days / 07 nights )
Day 01 : Arrive in Yangon ( D )
Arrive in Yangon International airport , meet and welcome by your guide . Dinner at local restaurant .
Overnight in Yangon .
Day 02 : Yangon – Heho – Kalaw ( B / L / D )
Morning after breakfast , fly to Heho airport . Then drive to Kalaw . This was a popular hill station in the British days and it is still a peaceful and quiet place. At an altitude of 1320 m it is also pleasantly cool and a good place for hiking amid gnarled pines, bamboo groves and rugged mountain scene. Travelling by car along the uphill and winding road over the Shan Plateau, though taking some few hours, is interesting and well-worth taking .Places of interest are Thein Taung Pagoda, Aung Chan Tha Pagoda, Su Taung Pyae Pagoda and the King Church. Overnight in Kalaw .
Day 03 : Kalaw – Pindaya Cave ( B / L / D )
Morning after breakfast , drive to Pindaya . Pindaya is in southern Shan state. It is situated 3880 above sea level . So it has a cool and pleasant weather . It is ideal for the holidays marker during summer . Pindaya has three caves . These are southern cave , Middle cave and northern cave . Southern cave is very famous and very interesting . It is called Shwe Oo Min or Pindaya cave. Overnight in Pindaya .
Day 04 : Pindaya - Kakku –Taunggyi - Inle Lake ( B / L / D )
Morning after breakfast, proceeding t o Kakku relic pagoda, there is recorded that 2548 pagodas are located in the region.Then , continue to Inle Lake . Along the way , enjoy the beautiful landscape composed of the Shan Plateau , the list vegetation and tribal people at work .
On the way to Inle Lake , Go and visit Taunggyi which is the capital city of Shan state .Then drive to Inle Lake . Overnight at hotel in Inle Lake .
Day 05 : Inle Lake full-day sightseeing ( B/ L / D )
Morning after breakfast , enjoy a boat ride on Inle Lake for the whole day . Your sightseeing will start with a visit to Phaungdawoo Pagoda , the main attraction that houses five small Buddha images . Follow by Nga Phe Chaung Monastery ,an attractive wooden monastery built on stilts over the lake at the end of the 1850s and where you can see the popular jumping cats leap through the hoops . Silversmith ateliers and silk or Lotus weaving cottage industries are among the most fascinating attractions in the area . You also have a chance to see “Padaung” or “Long-neck Karen hill tribe”. Your tour would be completed with a visit to local traditional iron work and Shan paper -making industry . Overnight at hotel in Inle Lake .
Day 06 : Inle Lake - Yangon meditation centre visit ( B / L / D )
Morning after breakfast transfer to the Heho airport for flight back to Yangon. Upon arrival , visit meditation centers as per your requirement . ( Mahasi meditation centre , Panditarama Shwe taung gone ,etc ) .
Evening , visit to the magnificent Shwedagon pagoda, landmark of Myanmar and one of the greatest wonders of the world .Overnight at hotel in Yangon .
Day 07 : Yangon orphanages + Pauk Auk meditation centre ( B / L/ D )
In the morning , visit orphanages with nearby centre . ( Metta wadi orphanage , Christian blind school ,etc ) .
Afternoon , drive to Thanlyin ( Syriam ) . The city used to be the Portuguese colonial during the 16th century and famous sea port in the region. Observe the Kyauk Tan Yele pagoda , situated in the middle of the river .Then visit , Pa Auk meditation centre in Thanlyin. Drive back to Yangon .
Overnight at hotel in Yangon.
Day 08 : Yangon Lunch Dana - Shopping - Departure . ( B/ L )
Breakfast at hotel . Enjoy photo stop at Kandawgyi Nature park . It is a popular recreation centre of the capital of Yangon. The area of the Garden is 110 acres, water areas is 150 acres, which makes it a total of 260 acres . After that , continue to World Peace pagoda-built in 1954 in dedication to the Sixth Buddhist Council (1954-56)Mahapasana Guha Caveand Buddha tooth relic temple .
Lunch Dana at Naga Cave monastery . Afternoon, shopping in the Bogyoke market formerly "Scott market", where you can get a wide range of Myanmar handicraft, jewelries, fabrics, lacquer wares and so on ; and China town – vendors sellingfresh fruits , flowers and local delicacies . Transfer to airport for departure flight .
*** END OF SERVICE ***
Price including :
Twin or double sharing hotel accommodation with daily breakfast
All Domestic flights tickets by private air lines
Tour and sightseeing with throughout English speaking guide
All necessary private air con car transfer and transportation as per itinerary
All Entrance and zone fee as mentioned places
Full-board meals as indicated
Private boat fare for Inle Lake excursion
Two bottle drinking waters and cold towels daily
Porter charges at the airports and hotel
All government and service tax
Price excluding :
International flights in / out
Yangon international airport departure tax ( 10 $ pp )
Personal expense ( camera fee, laundry , soft drink , tips etc.. )
Visa Fee
Myanmar also offers a variety of natural beauties and historical artifacts such as dazzling waterfalls, graceful lakes, enchanting caves, sparkling beaches, reverines, and the unique cultures of different ethnic groups in addition to the thousand year old golden pagodas scattered around Burma, especially in Bagan and Mandalay.
The people of Myanmar can be called Burman or Burmese. Burmese people are friendly, pleasant, and charming. According to our clients, one of Myanmar's most appealing perspectives is its people. Burmese people are kind and willing to help. One lovely feature of Burmese people is their hospitality and welcoming heart towards all guests. When they meet foreigners, they do not think how to make money out of them, but how they can be of help if asked. This is how Burma is different from other countries.
"MIN GA LA BA", the lovely traditional greeting way of Myanmar can be used to greet anyone at anytime of the day during your visit. It is the equivalent of "Sawasdee" in Thai. Another Burmese word you may need to know while your visit is KYAY ZU BE, pronounced JayZuBe means "Thank you".
In Myanmar, the Ayarwaddy River flows its way southward from the confluence of two small rivers in Kachin state in northern Myanmar. It is both the lifeblood and soul of Burma. Along the banks stand many ancient capitals of Burmese kings where existing historic monuments reveal their glorious greatness. Bagan, located in the heart of Myanmar consists of thousands of ancient pagodas, is recognized as one of the miraculous wonders of the world. It presents the rich cultural heritage of Burma and makes Burmaone of the archaeological treasure houses in Asia and the world.
The infrastructure in Burma is now more developed currently, so travel to Myanmar is no longer an adventurous journey. Myanmar is one of the safest tour destinations in Asia opening her doors and stretching out her hands welcoming travelers around the world to visit Burma.
Tour Visa
In the past, people travel to Myanmar as FITs had to change USD 200 into FEC at the airport.
E.V.T ( F.I.T Tour ) need to change but E.V.T ( package Tour ) no need to change.
So at that time we recommended and assisted the travellers to get E.V.T ( Package Tour ).
Now things have improved. There is no need to change any more regardless of the visa type.
So we now recommed our clients to get E.V.T (F.I.T Tour ) which is easy and simple to obtainned.
However , travellers may get confused because an exchange counter still exist in yangon airport attracting the travel lers who do not know the latest developement to change USD to Myanmar currancy "Kyat ". This is not compulsory so no need to change if travel lers do not want to change.
The climate of Myanmar is tropical with three main seasons.
( 1 ) The rainy season is from mid-May to mid-October with an average temperature of 25-30 C. Although it rains heavily in Yangon and Inle Lake, traveling in Myanmar during this season is still enjoyable because Mandalay and Bagan lies in dry zones where it barely rains.
( 2 ) The cool season ( Winter ) is from mid-October to mid-February with an average temperature of 20-24 C. This is the best season to visit Burma. Some regions in upper Burma, Kalaw ( South-West of Shan State ) and Kyaing Tong ( Eastern Shan State ), has a temperature that ranges between 5 – 10 C, so travelers may need to bring some warm clothes to tour around this area.
( 3 ) The hot season ( Summer ) is from mid-February to mid-May with an average temperature of 30-35 C. Although it’s a bit hot, our programs are designed to make traveling enjoyable as we avoid the heat by touring about in the mornings and evenings.
Every nationality need visa to come to Myanmar.
Valid Passport with Entry Visa is required for all travelers to Burma. Visa can be obtained at any Myanmar Embassy or Consulate abroad. Visa fee is about US$ 20 in local currency.
The monetary unit is the Kyat ( pronounced chat ), which is divided into 100 pyas. The official exchange rate is about 6 Kyats to US $ 1.
For the convenience of the travelers, Foreign Exchange Certificates ( FECs) are issued by the Central Bank of Myanmar to use during their stay in Myanmar. FECs are acceptable like US dollars by any person in the Union of Myanmar. It is printed on the note as 1 FEC = 1 USD.
There is no more compulsory exchange of USD200 into FEC 200 upon arrival at Yang on airport.
Myanmar cuisine is established around rice or noodles, usually served with a variety of curries between meat and fish, along with a dish of vegetables, salads, soup, and condiments. Myanmar curries tend to be less spicy than those served in Thailand. Meals & drinks at International Hotels are considerably expensive. There are many good local restaurants with almost the same quality of food and hygiene as hotels but at reasonable prices. They serve various dishes of Myanmar, Chinese, European (French and Italian), Thai and Indian cuisine. But roadside small restaurants are not recommended, as it can be risky for health.
There are also a wide variety of local snacks and delicacies. Mouk-hin-kha (thin rice noodles served with fish gravy and onion soup) and Ohn-noh-khauk-swe (noodles served with chicken and coconut gravy) are the most popular in Myanmar. Shan food is another delicacy. Shan style of cooking neither belongs to Myanmar nor Chinese nor Thai cuisine but they taste really good in their own way.
Restaurants and food served towards the travelers are carefully selected for hygiene as well as gastronomic considerations.
Myanmar arts and crafts, mostly hand-made, are lovely souvenirs. Lacquer ware, woodcarvings, tapestries, silverware, brassware, silk and cotton fabrics, and shoulder bags are some of the popular items. For jewelry, there are Burmese rubies, sapphires, jade and pearls available at Myanmar gems shops. All gems and jewelry purchased should be made through the government licensed dealers, who can give a voucher for export.
Bargaining is essential for obtaining reasonable prices. Possible price reductions of up to 70% are not uncommon.
There are no compulsory vaccinations for travel to Myanmar ( Burma ) but it is advisable to take precautions against malaria. Prescription drugs are not widely available in the remote areas of Myanmar so travel ers should bring any required medication with them.
Insect repellents are highly recommended, especially when traveling to remote areas in conjunction with other measures to prevent mosquito bites. The sun can be remarkably hot so a hat and sunscreen is advisable.
It is advisable to purchase travel insurance in your own country. Pls choose a reputable insurance company who has agent in Myanmar. This is very important.
All foreign currencies (above US $ 2000), jewelries, electrical goods, and cameras must be declared to the Burmese Customs at the Airport. Travelers may bring in duty free 200 cigarettes, one quart of wine, and one pint of perfume. Export of Myanmar (Burma) antiques is prohibited. Only gems and jewelries purchased at the licensed dealers, or who can issue an export permit are allowed to be taken out of Myanmar.
Postal service in Myanmar is unreliable. Letters and postcards sent to overseas sometimes do not reach their destinations. Most hotels have IDD lines, but please be aware that the costs are high with average cost of a call to Europe approximate to USD 9 per minute and charged one full minute for any extra seconds. If you want to call home from a hotel, we advise to call and ask them to call you back.
Among the three beaches, Ngapali and Ngwesaung beaches are quiet so your choice should be Chaungtha beach. Its about 5 hours drive from Yangon. Its always very lively and active with its local crowd and different kind of restaurants and beer pubs ( we call beer station in Myanmar ).
a). Myanmar Airport tax
Airport tax for International flight in Myanmar is US $ (or) FEC 10, but there is no air port tax for domestic travel.
b). Burma Standard Time
GMT + 6 1/2 hours
c). Electricity in Myanmar
220 VOLT 50 HZ
A flashlight is helpful when traveling up country where electricity is poor.
BUSINESS HOURS
d). Business hour.
Government offices open from 09:30 to 16:30 on weekdays. Banking hours are from 10:00 to 14:00. Private companies work daily except Sunday and gazette holidays. Shopping centers and super marketsopen daily. But the most famous Bogyoke (Scott) market closes on Monday and gazette holidays. Busy hours at this place are from 10:00 am to 17:00 pm.
e). Tipping in Myanmar
Tipping in Myanmar is depending on how well you think they have been at your service.
f). What to wear?
Light clothing is required all year-round, but a sweater or jacket may be needed when traveling in hilly areas, especially during winter months. If visiting during the rainy season (May - September), an umbrella or raincoat will be required for the days in Inle lake and Yangon. It is required to dress decently within the precincts of religious buildings. Shoes and socks must be removed at pagodas and monasteries so it is advisable to bring a pair of slippers.
g). What to avoid?
Travelers are advised to keep away from touts who may approach them to exchange foreign currency or to sell gems of dubious quality. Travelers are also advised not to drink tap water. Purified bottled water is available everywhere in Myanmar. Taking photograph of military camps and soldiers are to be avoided.
History of Yangon
The history of Yangon is intertwined with the history of the Shwedagon Pagoda. Wherever one may be in Yangon, in the busy town center, in the new towns of the east, in the industrial zone of the west, in the paddy fields of the north, the golden form of the Shwedagon will be seen on the skyline rising above the foliage of the tropical trees, and
The founding story of Shwedagon reaches back to the days of the Enlightenment of Gaudama Buddha when He discovered the cause of universal suffering and the way to its elimination. It was on the 49th day after the Enlightenment when two brothers, Taphussa and Bhallika, merchants from Ukkalapa in the land of Mon people in Lower Myanmar, came before Buddha. A nat (spirit) who had been the mother of the two brothers in a previous existence had guided them to the Buddha. The brothers offered honey cakes. After Buddha had eaten the cakes, the brothers asked for gift. Buddha passed His hand over His head and, obtaining eight Hairs, gave them to the brothers. Buddha, perceiving that the three previous Buddhas had caused their possessions to be enshrined in a pagoda on Singuttara hill in the country of the two brothers, bade them to do likewise with the
The brothers returned home and made landfall at Pagoda Point in the south-west coast of Myanmar. They sent word to king Ukkalapa of their arrival with the sacred Hairs. The King welcomed the Hairs with great ceremony at Asitanzana, north-west of present
The king and the brothers next sought for a man who could tell them the location of Singuttara Hill. No human knew the location but Sakka, King of the nats did, and guided them to the Hill. Singuttara Hill is known by seven names of which one is Trikhumba, meaning 'three pots' and signifying three pot-shaped hills. Tikhumba became Tikun and
When the brothers asked Sakka where the Hairs should be shrined, Sakka could not tell them where the earlier relics were enshrined because they were of such antiquity and he was not that old. However, Sule Nat knew where Kakusandha Buddha's staff was enshrined, Yawhani Nat knew where Konagamana Buddha's water-dipper was enshrined. Hmawbi Nat revealed that he had been assigned to guard the sacred objects. Finally, Gautama Buddha's Hairs were enshrined and stupa consecrated on the full moon day of
Along time after that, there that, there being no one to worship at the Lagun shrine, it fell into ruin and was covered with jungle.Tradition states that 200 years after Buddha's Parinirvana in 543 BC. Sona and Uttara, two monks from Sri Lanka brought King Asoka to the Pagoda. The King had the jungle cleared and the Pagoda repaired. In the fifth century A.D. King Duttabaung paid homage at the Pagoda. In the 11th century, King Anawratha of Bagan offered gold and silver umbrellas and built a pagoda near the town of Twante across the Yangon River. Dalla, which is now a town on the bank opposite Yangon, was then located on the Twante Ridge and was more important than Dagon. Dagon at that time lay in low lying often water-logged land. Sule Pagoda, now in downtown Yangon, stood on a small island in the swamp, to the west down to he Hlaing River and Yangon /River to the south .The Shwedagon (then called Kyak Lagun in Mon)
The discovery of a votive of the Bagan period at Tadagale to the north of Yangon shows that the laterite ridge at the end of which Shwedagon lay was a scene of activity in the Bagan period and the ridge may have provided a road southwards to the Shwedagon Pagoda and Dagon Village beyond.
After the founding of the Shwedagon Pagoda. Alaungpaya's conquest of lower Myanmar is the second most important event in the history of Dagon. May 1775 marks the beginning of the modern town when Alaungpaya, to commemorate his victory, changed
Alaungpaya's Yangon was basically a log fortress, with the river frontage in the south, the site of the present 30th street in the west, a line of about 3300' cutting across the modern Maha Bandola Garden, Pansodan and Bo Aung Gyaw street in the north, and Theinbyu Street in the east. The town lay well to the east of the Sule Pagoda. Its area