16 Days Northern Thailand and Myanmar Tour with Golden Triangle

Welcome to Yangon!

Our tour guide and driver will welcome you at the airport upon arrival. You will be escorted to the hotel and check-in. The rest of the day is at your leisure for recovery.

Note: If your arrival time is early, and you prefer to explore the city instead of taking a nap, please kindly tell our travel consultant, and we’ll recommend one of our suggested activities like enjoying a food tour at night or having a half-day bike tour, or city walking tour. 

 Accommodation: Overnight in Yangon

 Meals: NA

After morning breakfast, your tour guide will pick you up at 8:30 am to Yangon Railway Station. Taking the local circular train journey to the outskirts of town (20-30 minutes ride).

1. Circular train journey: observing the lively and colorful life of the rural Burmese people.
2. Kyi Myin Daing Market: a variety of street vendors sell colorful wares, where you can explore the market and meet friendly locals.

Go back to the downtown area of Yangon to enjoy Myanmar cuisine. You’ll continue your tour in the afternoon. You’ll explore:

1. Old City Hall: a well-balanced blend of Western and Burmese architectural styles, listed on the Yangon City Heritage List.
2. Botahtaung Pagoda: features golden decorations inside and houses a sacred hair of Gautama Buddha.
3. Bogyoke Market: sells many Burmese traditional handicrafts including stone, wood, bronze carvings, and much more.
4. Kandawgyi Park: famous Karaweik, a concrete replica of a Burmese royal barge built in 1972, near Chaukhtetgyi Reclining Buddha Image.
5. Shwedagon Pagoda: an important Buddist icon, which has been described as one of the wonders of the world, plays a very important role in old Burmese history.

Enjoy the sunset over the Shwedagon pagoda, and then you’ll get back to the hotel for a good rest.

 Accommodation: Overnight in Yangon

 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After enjoying breakfast at the hotel, your tour guide will escort you to Yangon airport and take a flight to Heho Airport, which will take 1 hour. Your tour guide and driver will meet you at the airport and head to the hotel in Inle Lake. Inle Lake is the second-largest lake in Myanmar. 

The rest of the time is on your arrangement. You could visit Phaungdawoo Pagoda and Paya, Inthein Village, and Yan Aung Nan Aung Hsu Taung Pye Paya.

 Accommodation: Overnight in Inle Lake

 Meals: Breakfast

In the morning, after breakfast, you’ll start the Inle Lake full-day tour. Firstly, go to visit the lake’s morning market. This market is visited by lake inhabitants and surrounding hill tribes to sell and trade wares.

Then you’ll continue down a small canal leading to Indein in the middle of the lake, populated by ethnic Padaung (“long neck women”).

Walking through a covered alley lined on both sides with a thousand pagodas and a long-covered staircase, you’ll have a chance to discover the magnificent complex of Alaung Sithu in beautiful scenery of ancient stupas, which are buried in vegetation with a panoramic view of the Inle Lake.

After enjoying a local Burma lunch, you’ll continue to visit Khaung Daing Village in the afternoon. Khaung Daing Villiage is a native village near the northwestern of Inle Lake. There are some Shan-style temples to visit.

When the tour ends, you’ll be escorted to the hotel in Inle Lake. The rest of the day is at leisure.

 Accommodation: Overnight in Inle Lake

 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, after breakfast, your tour guide will escort you to Bagan, enjoying the scenery on the way. The whole drive takes around 7 hours.

In the late afternoon, you’ll arrive at Bagan and then enjoy a fun horse cart ride to a little village called Taung Phi for a view of a teak monastery.

Keep riding in the horse cart around temples and winding roads, while the sun moves toward the horizon, making interesting shadows from the temples on the ground. You’ll visit Shesandaw Pagoda and watch one of the best sunsets in Southeast Asia.

 Accommodation: Overnight in Bagan

 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Today, you need to get up early at 5:00 am to experience a beautiful hot air balloon flight over Bagan’s temples.

Drifting over a panorama of a thousand ancient pagodas, silent in the shadow of low-slung mountains and against the banks of the mighty Irrawaddy River, you will have a wonderful overhead perspective of Bagan. It's a fantastic and interactive experience.

The entire experience will last about 2.5 hours. On landing, our fully trained Myanmar ground crew will pack the balloon whilst passengers enjoy a glass or two of celebratory champagne. You’ll receive a flight certificate signed by the pilot.

After enjoying a delicious breakfast, you have free time on your own until your tour guide picks you up at 1:00 pm-1:30 pm to Mount Popa.

1. Mount Popa: a dormant volcano in central Myanmar and the highest point of the Pegu Range.
2. Popa Taung kalat Monastery: a special monastery high up on a big rocky hill, offering beautiful views of the fields nearby and Mount Popa.
3. Nat Shrine: mannequin-like figures representing the 37 Nats, which is dedicated to animist spirits.

Note: You need to climb 777 steps to get to Popa Taungkalat Monastery. If you don’t want to do that, you can choose to visit the sandalwood forest and medical herb garden with plenty of flora and fauna.

After touring Mount Popa, a stop will be made at a palm tree plantation on the way back to the hotel in Bagan. Villagers earn money from these palm trees. It's a nice break where you can watch them work with palm trees.

 Accommodation: Overnight in Bagan

 Meals: Breakfast

In the morning, after breakfast, your tour guide will escort you to start a half-day Bagan tour. You’ll visit:

1. Thousands of Buddhist pagodas: over 4000 Buddhist temples and Pagodas sprinkled all across the town.
2. Nyaung Oo Market: locals buy and sell products.
3. Shwezigon Pagoda: the largest pagoda in Bagan painted with real gold.

After enjoying lunch, you’ll be transferred by private van to Mandalay. The total distance is 112 miles and will take about 3 hours. Upon arrival, you will be escorted to your hotel for check-in.

Welcome to Mandalay! Upon your arrival in Mandalay, your local guide will meet you at the airport and escort you to the hotel for the rest.

 Accommodation: Overnight in Mandalay

 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After enjoying your breakfast, your tour guide will pick you up from your hotel in Mandalay at 7:30 am-8:00 am. You’ll take a drive to Mingun, located 11 km up the Ayeyarwady River on the west bank from Mandalay. From here, you will explore the historic sites around Mandalay. In Mingun, you’ll visit:

1. Mingun Bell: the world's largest uncracked bell.
2. Pathodawgyi Pagoda: the world's largest pile of bricks.
3. Myatheindan Pagoda: It's white and looks like the mythical Buddhist Mountain called Mount Meru.

You’ll then continue to Sagaing, the ancient capital of the Shan and Myanmar Kingdoms. Uncountable white-and-gold stupas are highlights of Sagaing. Sagaing Hill is widely regarded as the religious center of Myanmar. You’ll visit Soon Oo Pon Nya Shin Pagoda on the tranquil Sagaing Hill.

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant in Sagaing. Crossing a bridge over the Irrawaddy River, you’ll take a horse cart to explore the ruins of the old royal capital.

1. 27m tall leaning tower.
2. Maha Aungmye Bonzan Monastery: built of brick in traditional style with elaborated stucco ornamentations that look like carvings.
3. Bargaya Monastery: a splendid teak wood monastery with wood carving.

Your last destination today is the Amarapura, the royal capital of Myanmar twice. In Amarapura, you’ll visit:

1. Mahargandaryon Monastery: the largest teaching monastery in Myanmar.
2. U Bein Bridge: exploring the local way of life and enjoying the sunset.
3. Weaving Workshop: weaving is the main business of Amarapura people.

After the tour, you will be escorted to the hotel, enjoy your free time, and have a good rest.

 Accommodation: Overnight in Mandalay

 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, you’ll be escorted to the airport and then take a flight to Bangkok for about 2 hours.

Welcome to Bangkok!

Upon arrival, our tour guide and driver will welcome you at the airport. You will be escorted to the hotel and check-in. The rest of the day is at your leisure for recovery.

 Accommodation: Overnight in Bangkok

 Meals: Breakfast

Enjoy your breakfast in Bangkok and prepare to enjoy a full day’s Bangkok city’s exploration. In the morning, you will visit:

1. Wat Phra Kawe & the Grand Palace: a complex of buildings at the heart of Bangkok, has been the official residence of the Kings of Siam.
2. Ride like a Local by tuk-tuk to Wat Pho temple

Then, have a nice local lunch after the long morning tour, and have a short break.

In the afternoon, explore the city’s renowned klongs(canals) by boat and cruise the Chao Phraya River. Also, visit the following two sites:

1. Wat Arun: one of the most visited temples in all of Thailand
2. Royal Barge Museum: many exhibitions on Thai history, royalty, and Buddhism.

After the tour, you will be escorted to the hotel, enjoy your free time, and have a good rest.

 Accommodation: Overnight in Bangkok

 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, enjoy your time and wait for our tour guide to pick you up to the airport, taking a flight to Chiang Rai, about 75 minutes.

Welcome to Chiang Rai! Upon arrival, our tour guide and driver will welcome you at the airport. After lunch at a local restaurant, your Chiang Rai tour starts. In the afternoon, you’ll visit:

1. Wat Rong Suea Ten (Blue Temple): recognizable for its brilliant shade of rich sapphire.
1. Baan Dam (Black House): a special art museum with both old-style Thai buildings and new, unusual designs.

After the tour, your tour guide will escort you to the hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is yours.

 Accommodation: Overnight in Chiang Rai

 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

The Golden Triangle is a mysterious region for most of Indochina tourists. Today you will enjoy a full-day excursion to the heart of the Golden Triangle region.

After breakfast, your tour guide will meet you around 8:00 am and take you to the Long Neck Karen village. The Long Neck Hill tribe people are relocated from the Thai and Myanmar border.

And then, you will go to Mt. Doi Mae Salong to visit the Chinese village on the top of the mountain.

Lunch will be at a local restaurant. After a short break, you will continue the trip to the highest peak on the Thai-Myanmar border in the afternoon:

1. Doi Tung: provides an opportunity to view many different Lahu and Akha villages as well as terraced farming areas and see from a distance the Princess Mother's frigid flower Garden.
2. Doi Tung Temple: built in A.D.1493, located at the peak. Its scenery reminds one of Switzerland, and features many unique images and temple architecture overlooking the entire northern rice field plain.
3. Opium Museum: learn more about the region’s opium trade.

After the tour, return to the hotel and rest of the day free at leisure.

 Accommodation: Overnight in Chiang Rai

 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, after breakfast, you will enjoy your free time until your tour guide picks you up for a drive to Chiang Mai. It takes around 3 hours.

Welcome to Chiang Mai, located in the north of Thailand, it is famous for its historical temples, picturesque mountains, cool weather, and scenic views. After check-in, you could have the rest of the day.

 Accommodation: Overnight in Chiang Mai

 Meals: Breakfast

Today, you will be picked up by our guide at 7:30 am – 8:00 am, to enjoy a full-day visit to Elephant Nature Park, which is a natural home and sanctuary for elephants, buffalos, and other rescued animals. Watch the saved elephants in two different places where they live together with their friends. You can learn about their stories. Besides, you could get a cool view of the small groups of elephants from SkyWalk.

1. 'Hands Off' Project: This is where elephants freely roam together, and you can see them from the SkyWalk, which is a special viewing spot.
2. Watch the Herd: Take a walk in the park to see the elephants in their groups. You'll also learn their stories and what they need.
3. See Them Socialize: Watch the elephants hang out together, play in the mud, or roll in the sand after they've had a bath in the river.
4. Visit Rescued Animals: You can visit the Dog Project and Cat Kingdom to learn about the saved dogs and cats. Besides, you can meet other saved animals in the park.

Enjoy a tasty buffet with vegan food from Asia and the West. At 3:30 pm, it's time to say bye to the elephants. Then, we'll drive you to Pai for about 3 hours.

 Accommodation: Overnight in Pai

 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Today, enjoy your breakfast and meet your tour guide at 8:00 am. You can immerse yourself in the peaceful surroundings of mountains, fields, and streams on a day trip to Pai! During the tour, you’ll stop at the following spots:

1. Memorial Bridge: it’s a historical wooden bridge, part of the route from Chiang Mai to Burma.
2. Pai Canyon: get a great view of natural sights.
3. Santichon Village: experience Chinese Yunnan culture.
4. Wat Phratat Mae Yen: enjoy a complete and impressive perspective of Pai, from homes to rice paddies.

Around 11:30 am, the tour ends. The rest of the time is on your arrangement to relax in this small county.

 Accommodation: Overnight in Pai

 Meals: Breakfast

Enjoy your breakfast and free time in the morning until your tour guide picks you up to Chiang Mai Airport.

Tour service ends here.

Hope you enjoyed a great trip with us and we look forward to seeing you next time.

Note: If you’re planning to continue exploring the Indochina region, like Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos, please never hesitate to tell us, we’re tour experts for all of these destinations.

 Accommodation:  NA

 Meals: Breakfast