Day 1: Depart the U.S.
Depart the U.S. on your Singapore Airlines flight today bound for Yangon.
Day 2: En Route
Cross the International Date Line and lose one day.
Day 3: Arrive Yangon (Myanmar)
Arrive Yangon, the charming capital city of Myanmar (formerly Burma); meeting and transfer to your hotel in Myanmar. Remainder of the day is at leisure.
Day 4: Yangon/Mandalay
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Mandalay, former capital and home to the most important Buddhist monasteries in the country. Sightseeing includes Mandalay Fort, the Kuthodaw and Kyauktawgyi Pagodas, Sandamani Paya, and many other magnificent monasteries. (B,L)
Day 5: Mandalay
Drive to the ancient city of Inwa; visit the teakwood Bagaya Kyaung Monastery and Sagaing, the meditation center of the country, home to over 3000 monks. Visit the town and the Kaunghmudaw Paya, the most important temple in the area. Drive on to Amarapura, the \'City of Immortality.\' Visit the palace ruins and the Pahtodawgyi Pagoda before your return to Mandalay. (B,L)
Day 6: Mandalay/Bagan
Depart Mandalay by flight to Bagan. Here, you\'ll see the spectacular view of golden domes of over 5,000 pagodas. Bagan is the largest architectural site
in Asia; most of the red and white pagodas were built in the 11th and 12th centuries when Bagan was on the brink of becoming one of the world\'s largest centers of civilization. The tour takes you to the most important pagodas and markets of Bagan. (B,L)
Day 7: Bagan
Today, a full day excursion to Mount Popa and Salay. Mt. Popa rises from the flat surroundings of the Myingyan Plain, and is considered one of the most important worship centers in the country. In the afternoon, proceed to Salay; visit the Payathonzu shrines complex, Thadanayaunggyi Kyaung Monastery and the Youqson Kyaung Monastery. (B,L)
Day 8: Bagan/Yangon
Return to Yangon by flight; transfer to the hotel. Sightseeing today includes the Sule and Botataung Pagoda, and the National Museum. Just before dusk, travel to the famous Shwedagon Pagoda and experience the magnificent sunset, a highlight of any visit in Yangon. (B,L)
Day 9: Yangon/Siem Reap (Cambodia)
Transfer to the airport for your flight via Bangkok to Siem Reap. Upon arrival meeting and transfer to hotel. The balance of the day is at leisure. (B)
Day 10: Siem Reap - Angkor Wat
Today you will discover Angkor Wat - a truly extraordinary masterpiece. This sprawling city, built in 802 A.D, was home, at the height of the Khmer Empire, to more than one million people. Sightseeing today also includes the elaborate temples of Angkor Thom and the Bayon. (B,L)
Day 11: Siem Reap/Hanoi
Today, continue your specially guided tour of Angkor Wat and the Angkor conservation area, including the Temple of Ta Prohm, Banteay Srei and many other unforgettable sites. Also visit Artisans D\'Angkor, where young Cambodians are trained in traditional crafts. Depart on your onward flight to lovely Hanoi, Vietnam\'s capital. Upon arrival, meeting and transfer to your hotel. Remainder of the day is at leisure. (B,L)
Day 12: Hanoi
Today\'s sightseeing in Hanoi where architecture, wide boulevards, cuisine and local culture still bear evidence of French colonialism. Tour includes Ho Chi Minh\'s House and Mausoleum, the One Pillar Pagoda, West Lake and the Quan Than Pagoda. Also enjoy a cyclo tour of the colorful markets of the Old Quarter, the unique Temple of Literature and the beautiful Hanoi Opera House. Evening: After dinner, attend a performance of the unique Water Puppet Show. (B,L,D)
Day 13: Hanoi
Morning excursion to the Master\'s Pagoda-Chua Thay Pagoda, also known as Heavenly Blessing, which is dedicated to Thich Ca Buddha. Continue tour to the Tay Phuong Pagoda, consisting of three parallel single-level structures built on a hillock said to resemble a buffalo. Seventy-six figures carved from jackfruit wood, many from the 18th century, are the pagoda\'s most celebrated features. In the afternoon return to Hanoi to enjoy the balance of the day at leisure. (B,L)
Day 14: Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City
Depart Hanoi by air to bustling Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). After a stop at the Notre Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office, City Hall and the War Remnants Museum, continue to the lively Ben Thanh Market. Then on to the scenic Cholon, Ho Chi Minh\'s Chinatown district. (B)
Day 15: Ho Chi Minh City
Today, you\'ll see remnants from the Vietnam War. Drive to the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels, a vast underground network that once stretched from the South Vietnamese capital to the Cambodian border. Continue to Tay Ninh for a visit to the amazing Great Temple of the Caodai faith. Return to Ho Chi Minh City in late afternoon. (B,L)
Day 16: Ho Chi Minh City/Mekong Delta/ Ho Chi Minh City
Full day excursion takes you to Vietnam\'s \'breadbasket\' - the Mekong Delta. This rich land mass produces enough rice to feed the entire country. This is the tropical part of Vietnam and you\'ll see the terrain change from rice fields and orchards to lush palm trees and dense rain forests. Visit the Vinh Trang pagoda and enjoy a river cruise to Dragon Island and Phoenix Island before returning to Ho Chi Minh City. (B,L)
Day 17: Ho Chi Minh City/U.S.
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight back to the United States. (B) |
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