27 Days In-depth Exploration Laos and Myanmar Tour

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 come to get you and take you to Bago, a town 44 miles north of Yangon. It takes around 1.5 hours. On the way to Bago, you’ll visit Allied War Cemetery. Upon arrival at Bago, you’ll see:

1. KyeinPun: a place with four big sitting Buddhas made in 1476.
2. KyatKha Wine Monastery
3. Shwe Maw Daw Pagoda: known as “Golden God Temple”, the highest pagoda in Myanmar.

Taste a local lunch at a Burma restaurant, and you’ll continue your Bago tour:

1. Hintha Gone Pagoda: good viewpoint over Bago on the hilltop.
2. ShweThaLyaung reclining Buddha Image
3. Hanthawaddy Palace: the capital of an old Myanmar empire.

When the tour ends, you'll head back to the Yangon hotel for the 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, Lunch

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

After breakfast, your private tour guide and driver will meet you at the lobby of the hotel and escort you to Pindaya, around 1.5 hours.

Pindaya is well-known for its big cave with lots of statues of Buddha, which is on a limestone hill. There are three caves on the hill, but only one is for visitors.

1. Pindaya Cave: 150 meters long and filled with thousands of Buddha images, in all different shapes, and sizes, and made from different materials.
2. Boutaloke Lake: a picturesque spot to relax.
3. Local Handicraft Workshop: making traditional Shan paper and umbrellas.

After the tour, you’ll be escorted to the hotel for the rest.

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

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 1:00-1:30 pm to Mount Popa.

1. Mount Popa: a dormant volcano in central Myanmar and the highest point of the Pegu Range.
2. Popa Taungkalat 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, 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, Lunch

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 am. You’ll be driven 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 enjoying your breakfast, your tour guide will pick you up from your hotel in Mandalay at 7:30 am-8 am. You’ll take a drive to Pyin Oo Lwin, located 40.5 miles northeast of Mandalay, which will take 1.5 hours. Upon arrival at Pyin Oo Lwin, you’ll visit:

1. Peik Chin Myaung Cave: a limestone stalactite cave that dates back 230 million to 310 million years with many Buddhist stupas.
2. Pwe Kauk Waterfalls: 3-step waterfall which is a good spot for picnic and swimming.
3. National Kandawgyi Gardens: a lovely green national park and botanical garden.
4. Pyin Oo Lwin market: fresh fruits, jams, and wines made from the fields.

After the tour, the rest of the day is at your leisure. You could explore this beautiful town with seasonal flowers.

Accommodation: Overnight in Pyin Oo Lwin

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Enjoy your free time in the morning until transfer to the Mandalay after lunch.

Around 17:30, your tour guide will take you to Mandalay Hill to enjoy the stunning sunset. Nearby there are also many remarkable sights like:

1. The Golden Palace Monastery: famous for its exquisite wood carvings.
2. Kuthodaw Pagoda: housing the “Biggest book in the World”.
3. Kyauk Taw Gyi Pagoda: famous for its huge Marble Buddha.

After the tour, you will be escorted to the hotel and rest well.

Accommodation: Overnight in Mandalay

Meals: Breakfast

Enjoy your free time in the morning until transfer to the airport for a flight to Sittwe about 1 hour.

Welcome to Sittwe! Sittwe is the main city in Rakhine State and it's by the sea. People there grow food, catch fish, and make special clothes. It's also the starting point to go to Mrauk U, an old city from a long time ago.

Upon your arrival in Sittwe, your local guide will meet you at the airport and escort you to the hotel.

You can take a walk by the road near the water and see lots of things happening at the docks. After that, you can go to a high viewpoint and see the sunset over the Bay of Bengal.

Accommodation: Overnight in Sittwe

Meals: Breakfast

After enjoying your breakfast, your tour guide will pick you up from your hotel in Sittwe at 7:30 am to visit Sittwe’s fish market. You can see how fishermen load up their fish. Then you’ll be transferred to the jetty and board a boat to Mrauk U. It will take 5 hours to arrive at Mrauk U Jetty.

Welcome to Mrauk U, which was the capital in the 15th century and was super rich. In the afternoon, you’ll visit:

1. Koe-thaung Temple: Temple of 90,000 Buddha Images, is the largest Buddhist temple in Mrauk U.
2. Shitthaung Temple: Mrauk U’s most important temple.
3. Dukkhanthein: dating back to 1571 AD, made by hewn sandstone and layers of bricks over the roof.

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

Accommodation: Overnight in Mrauk U

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After enjoying breakfast, you'll go on a car ride on a bumpy road for about 30 minutes to a village.

Then, you'll go on a boat ride for 2-3 hours along the Lay Mro River to visit villages where the Chin people live.

These folks are famous for their colorful clothes and some women used to have tattoos on their faces. During the visit to these Chin Villages, you can:

1 .Hiking through the Chin villages.
2 .Meeting local Chin people and families.
3 .Watching Chin traditional dances and attending local events.

You'll have a picnic lunch during the day. After seeing a few Chin villages, you'll come back to Mrauk Oo by boat.

Accommodation: Overnight in Mrauk U

Meals: Breakfast

After you eat breakfast, you'll go to Mrauk U Jetty to catch a boat back to Sittwe. The boat leaves at 7 in the morning and gets to Sittwe around noon.

Once you're at Sittwe, you'll go from the jetty to the airport to catch a flight back to Yangon. The flight leaves Sittwe at 3:05 p.m. and reaches Yangon at 4:25 p.m. Upon arrival at Yangon, your tour guide will meet you at the airport and take you to the hotel for rest.

Accommodation: Overnight in Yangon

Meals: Breakfast

This morning, you’ll take a flight to Luang Prabang after enjoying breakfast. It will take about 6 hours and 20 minutes.

Welcome to Luang Prabang, the charming town in northern Laos, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Explore its serene streets, adorned with temples and colonial architecture, and soak in the rich culture at vibrant night markets. Luang Prabang awaits with its unique charm and tranquility!

Upon your arrival in Luang Prabang, your private local tour guide will welcome you in the airport and then escort you to your hotel in Luang Prabang city.

Accommodation: Overnight in Luang Prabang

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, your tour guide will meet you at 8:00 am – 8:30 am to start the day of the Luang Prabang city tour. In the morning, you will visit:

1. Royal Palace Museum: once served as the residence of King Sisavang Vong and was designed in the French Beaux-Arts style with many interesting artifacts of traditional Lao culture.
2. Wat Sene: the oldest temple of Luang Prabang.
3. Wat Xiengthong: its roofs sweep low to the ground and represent classical Laotian architecture.
4. Wat Visoun: the oldest Buddhist temple and the city’s museum of religious arts.
5. Wat Aham: the monastery of the blossoming heart.

After eating a delicious Laotian lunch, you are going on a tour in the afternoon.

1. Arts and Ethnology Center: learning about Laos’ many ethnic cultures.
2. Weaving Villages of Ban Xiengkhong and Ban Xienglek: known for their arts and crafts including saa paper and silk.
3. Weaving Class: Start with a simple explanation of silk, dyeing, and weaving. Tourists will get their own loom and guidance from a weaver to learn how to weave.

After the class, you will return to the city for a visit to Wat Mai, which is one of Luang Prabang’s largest and most richly decorated temples. 

You will finish the afternoon trip by enjoying a refreshing drink at one of Café. Then, you will be escorted to the local night market to discover the local life of Luang Prabang.

After the tour, back to the hotel for a good rest.

Accommodation: Overnight in Luang Prabang

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, your tour guide will meet you at the hotel around 8:00 am – 8:30 am. The day begins with a boat ride up the Mekong River, which gives you a breathtaking view of the tranquil countryside. Along the way, you'll stop and visit:

1. Ban Xanghai village: the place where Laos rice wine and rice whiskey are produced. You'll have the opportunity to try some and learn about the process used to make it.
2. Pak Ou Caves: two linked caves filled with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims.

Lunch will be served near the caves. You'll try a local Laotian dish called "Orlam" which is a soup with vegetables and features a spicy wood that is partially edible. After a short rest, you’ll continue on your half-day tour to the beautiful Khouang Si Waterfall.

1. Bear Rescue Sanctuary: three bear houses were built with a capacity for 25 rescued bears.
2. Khouang Si Waterfall: the most beautiful in Laos. You can cool off with a refreshing swim in the pools or walk along the forest trails.

After the tour, your tour guide will escort you to enjoy a Lao-style spa and get relaxed. Then, you will get back to the hotel for a good rest. 

Accommodation: Overnight in Luang Prabang

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Enjoy your breakfast until your tour guide escorts you to take the flight from Luang Prabang to Pakse, which takes 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Welcome to Pakse, the second most popular city in Laos. Upon arrival at Pakse, you’ll be driven to Tad Fan Waterfall, the largest and most amazing waterfall in Laos.

In the afternoon, you’ll keep going on the tour to visit the Alak, Nge, and Katu villages on the Bolaven Plateau. It’s a great experience to enjoy the breathtaking natural beauty and observe the cultivation of coffee, tea, cardamom, bananas, etc.

After trekking, your tour guide and driver will escort you to the hotel in Bolavan Plateau for the rest.

Accommodation: Overnight in Bolavan Plateau

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, you’ll tour guide will drive you to Si Phan Don, the incredible “4,000 Islands” in Pakse”. It takes about 2 hours and 8 minutes for a direct driving.

Along the trip, you'll visit the Vat Phou Ruins, an ancient temple complex from the 10th century. There's a museum to explore, a big temple to see, and time for a walk around.

After having lunch with Laotian, Vietnamese, and Thai dishes, you’ll take a rest. Then you’ll tour to village of Tomo. It's a small village near the secretive forest temple of Oum Muong, built in the 9th century and dedicated to Rudani, just a short walk away.

Late afternoon you’ll disembark from the boat to walk through Ban Deua Tia, a small Laotian Village where the traditional way of life has not changed in centuries.

After tour, you’ll be escorted to Don Khong, the largest and Northern-most of Si Phan Don. Arrive in hotel, the evening is yours to relax and enjoy.

Accommodation: Overnight in Si Phan Don

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, your tour guide will meet you at the hotel around 8:00 am – 8:30 am. Then you’ll go to the small village of Ban Veuthong, where you board a small boat to meander among the 4,000 Islands to Khong Island. Today, you’ll visit:

1. Old French Railway Bridge: the 100-year-old bridge that links Khone and Det Islands.
2. Xieng Di Village: a small fishing village where you have lunch on the banks of the Mekong.
3. Pha Pheng Waterfall: "The Niagara of the East", close to the Cambodian border, has historical significance.

Then tour to Li Phi Waterfall. Also known as “Somphamit Waterfall”, it is one of the must-visit destination for today’s journey. You can watch the waterfall as the Mekong River flows over rocks, creating a beautiful sight of water, mist, and greenery. Enjoy the peaceful and scenic escape.

After the full-day natural immersion, your tour guide and driver will escort you to the hotel in Si Phan Don for the rest.

 Accommodation: Overnight in Si Phan Don

 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Today, after breakfast, your tour guide will meet you and drive you back to Pakse. And you’ll be directly escort to Pakse International Airport. You’ll take the flight from Pakse to Vientiane, about 1 hour.

Welcome to Vientiane, the largest city and the capital of Laos. You’ll be escorted to the hotel in Vientiane for check-in. The rest of time is for you to explore this calm city.

 Accommodation: Overnight in Vientiane

 Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, your tour guide will meet you at the hotel around 8:00 am – 8:30 am. The day will go through the highlights of Vientiane. You'll stop and visit:

1. Buddha Park: also known as Xieng Khuan, is filled with over 200 Buddhist and Hindu statues.
2. Patuxay Monument: a monument about the war in Vientiane that honors the people who fought for freedom from France.
3. Pha That Luang Stupa: a huge Buddhist stupa covered in gold and constructed in the 3^rd century.

Enjoying a local Laotian lunch, you’ll continue your Vientiane day tour in the afternoon:

1. Wat Si Saket: the oldest surviving temple with thousands of Buddhist images.
2. National Museum: get to know some history of Laos.

After the tour, your tour guide will escort you to the hotel for a good rest. 

Accommodation: Overnight in Vientiane

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, about 8:30 am, your tour guide will drive you Vang Vieng, about 2 hours.

Welcome to Vang Vieng, a popular small town with limestone karsts and caves. You’ll start a half-day adventure kayaking tour. During the trip, smoothly navigate numerous small rapids and admire the breathtaking mountain landscapes lining both banks of the river.

Next, rest from your kayaking trip by exploring Tham Nam Cave. Slide through the amazing 1,640-foot-long cave using a rope to help you. Then you can join fun activities like zip lining and swimming at Blue Lagoon 1.

After the tour ends, your tour guide will escort you to the hotel in Vang Vieng.

Accommodation: Overnight in Vang Vieng

Meals: Breakfast

Wake up early in the morning and enjoy a spectacular view over Vang Vieng town, river, and mountains on a Hot balloon ride around 800 meters high and around 40 minutes in the air.

After the hot balloon ride drive back to the hotel for breakfast. Then you’ll be driven to Vientiane. On the way, you can enjoy the picturesque lush countryside. Besides, you’ll visit:
1. Market of Thalat: where local hill tribes come to trade and shop and the archaeological site of Vang Xang is located.
2. Ban Keun: famous for its salt extraction plant and a village of local Lao rice wine whiskey distillation.

Upon arrival, you’ll be escorted to the hotel in Vientiane for check-in. The rest of time is for you to explore this calm city.

Accommodation: Overnight in Vientiane

Meals: Breakfast

In the morning, after breakfast, your tour guide will escort you to the 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 Indochina region, like Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia, please never hesitate to tell us, we’re tour experts for all of these destinations.

Accommodation: NA

Meals: Breakfast