Myanmar Culture & Culinary Exploration

Upon arrival at Yangon International Airport, Sonasia’s guide & driver will pick you up and transfer directly to the hotel in Yangon.

After settling into your hotel, your guide will take you to get a taste for Burmese food.

Visit some of the city’s best fresh markets for a first glimpse at the local trade, then go to some places where people make noodles, sample tasty treats. Next up, sip a cuppa with the locals in a tea shop and enjoy a traditional curry lunch.

After that, visit the famous Chauk Htat Kyi Pagoda, home to a 70-meter long reclining Buddha. The pagoda is noted for traditional symbols at the feet of the statue where many locals gathering to pay homage and pray.

From the pagoda, proceed to Karaweik Hall royal floating barge to save some nice photos in the most beautiful photo stop of Yangon.

In the late afternoon, highlight your trip to Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the most wonderful Buddhist pagodas in the world noted for its glittering gold stupa. Wander around the pagoda’s land and observe local pilgrims and monks offering their devotions and enjoy the amazing sunset view at Shwedagon pagoda.

Rise before dawn this morning and transfer to the airport to take a flight to Bagan. On arrival, visit Nyaung Oo Market – a busy local market and gain an insight into the bustling market atmosphere in Bagan.

After that, spend the whole day exploring the man-made masterpieces of the amazing town by a visit to a diverse selection of the most important pagodas and temples.

In the afternoon, learn more about the local culture with a visit to two workshops producing Bagan’s most famous products: lacquer ware and wood crafts. Take your time to watch the skilled craftsmen use techniques passed down through generations to create beautiful items.

Before sunset, we transfer to the sunset hill to capture one of the most majestic sunsets in the world. Sit back relax and be mesmerized by the magical beauty of Bagan as you watch the sun slowly set behind the magnificent pagodas.
 

After breakfast, this morning, transfer to the ‘Acacia’ cooking class in Wet Kyi Inn village. Today we will join the cooking class in a local house inside the village near local houses, near the school and the pagoda compound. Along the way, your private drive gives you a window to different kinds of trees such as Guava, mango, Jake, Banana, Papaya, etc. On arrival to the class, visit the Nyaung U market and buy necessary things for today’s menu. Then learn to cook an authentic Burmese meal and have lunch together with the locals and other clients.

After finishing the class, drive to the local village where people make a range of products using the juice of the palm tree including sweet molasses and wine. Here see the farmers as they climb the trees to collect the juice.

You will also have an opportunity to learn about the making of Bagan’s most famous food, ‘Pone Yay Gyi’ at a local shop.

In the late afternoon transfer to jetty to embark on a private wooden riverboat. Sitting under the shade or on the open-deck and enjoy the fabulous views as the boat cruises down the Irrawaddy River to Shwezigon Pagoda. A private boat tour on the river during sunset time will hopefully show you a magnificent sunset of the day. Relax and enjoy the view.

This morning, transfer to the airport for your flight to Mandalay – the cultural capital of Myanmar. 
On arrival, take a break from sightseeing to discover another uniquely Burmese culinary treat: le phet thoke – a local salad made from fermented tea leaves.

Today, you will have lunch at a popular tea house in Mandalay serves two of the city’s most famous dishes: Mandalay monte and khotaung monte. Enjoy this typical atmosphere of Mandalay while filling up on a delicious traditional lunch.

In the afternoon, discover the treasure of Mandalay. Start your trip at Kuthodaw Pagoda with its 729 marble stone slabs containing Buddhist scriptures (known as the world’s biggest book). From there proceed to Shwenandaw Monastery, noted for its exquisite woodcarving.

Finally, fulfill your city tour at Mandalay Hill – the highest point in the city, for spectacular panoramic views during sunset -an amazing photo opportunity.

After breakfast, say goodbye to Mandalay and we fly to Heho, the gateway to Inle Lake. Meet your guide and drive to NyaungShwe and transfer to your hotel for check-in. Then enjoy a full-day tour by private boat with local boatmen in Inle lake.

Your first visit is Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the holiest religious site in southern Shan State. Be fascinated by the local handicrafts, silk weaving, wooden handlooms as well as the traditional blacksmith methods along the way. You will also have the chance to discover the Shan and Intha villages on the banks of the river. Pass the endless floating gardens, houses, monasteries built on stilts on the lake to head to Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery - the largest wooden monastery in Inle Lake.

Finally, visit Nampan village to see local cheroot factory (where the Burmese cigars are made) and canoe carving.

This morning delivers you a great opportunity as your guide will take you to the special cooking class at a local house to learn how to make Shan cuisine.

Wake up early to visit one of the markets in the morning with the shopping list which we’ve prepared written in English for Myanmar.

After that, transfer to one of the villagers’ houses where our chefs and servers are ready to wait for a cooking class. You will be welcomed with Shan Tea and the family of the house. Then, start cooking in the kitchen with the help of our chefs and learn how to prepare traditional dishes. After that, enjoy your meal with the family. 

Then you will visit some workshop and Red Mountain Estate Vineyards & Winery to taste Myanmar wine and enjoy the majestic sunset before transfer back to your hotel.

Start the day with a visit to the local market which rotates locations every five days. This is where you will see hill tribe people dressed in colorful, traditional outfits — as they barter for goods and produce.

Leave the market, we will continue our sightseeing in Inle Lake, maneuvering by boat though long, scenic channels. Visit the enchanting village of Indein, with its complex of ancient shrines and stupas and walk though exotic colonnades of stairways and shop stalls. Here you will visit the “long neck” tribal women, and weaving and craft villages perched on stilts.

After that, return to your hotel. Along the way, you’ll see the lake’s unique “leg rowers” – the Intha people row standing up with one leg wrapped around an oar.
Transfer to the airport for flight to Yangon. Upon arrival, greeted by your guide then transfer to hotel

Before the heat of the day picks up, pass the hotel breakfast and we’ll take you to the downtown spots where locals kick start their day with mohinga or soft peas scooped up with freshly baked nan bread.

Breakfast is a beautiful time of the day to discover some of the best food on the street side in the morning hours. Stroll down with your guide to the historical streets where we’ll go through two different market places while dropping in at an old-school tea-shop to try locally grown tea and snacks.

Take in all the sights and tastes all the must-try local dishes surrounding the Sule Pagoda, The Secretariat building, beautiful Bogalayzay St. and beyond. Spend the rest of the day to explore the city’s stunning sites brimming with local vendors and fuel yourself for the rest of your day’s sightseeing. demo

Day at leisure until transfer to the airport for departure flight.