Family Holiday in Myanmar

Upon arrival at Yangon International Airport, guests will be welcome by their guide and transferred to the hotel. Yangon, formerly known as Rangoon, is a relatively quiet and charming city. Its impressive colonial and spiritual heritage makes it one of the most fascinating cities in Southeast Asia.

After freshening up at the hotel, head to Kandawgyi Park in central Yangon. With its large lake, views of the Shwedagon Pagoda, replica royal barge and shady walking paths, this park is popular with local families and a great place to relax and enjoy lunch (depending on arrival time; on client’s account). Explore and play in the park or relax by the waterside and enjoy the views.

At around 15.00 head into downtown Yangon and cool off with an ice cream at Shwe Pa Zun, a popular sweet shop which sells an array of homemade treats. The sweets are delicious and it is a great place to meet friendly local families.

From here, take a short drive to the boat jetty for a sunset cruise on the Yangon River. Guests can enjoy snacks as they cruise along the water, past the cityscape and villages on the opposite side of the river. Kids can feed the seagulls while their parents can relax with a beer or local rum sour (free flow!) and enjoy the scenery.

Disembark at around 18.00 and transfer back toward the city center. Around Sule Pagoda Road, switch from the car to a local trishaw for a ride along Strand Road to Monsoon Restaurant for a welcome dinner.

Today starts with a transfer to Shwedagon Pagoda. Kids will love visiting the pagoda as there are many fun activities and interesting things to learn. They can make wishes by tossing coins into bowls, make an offering at their ‘animal’ post and see the unusual ‘neon’ Buddhas in the prayer hall.

After visiting the pagoda, head down the eastern stairs to the “Monks’ Market” where everything from monk robes to alms bowls are sold. It is a colorful spectacle that kids will love.

Next make a stop at Mahawizaya Temple where kids can have a chance to feed the fish. Feeding temple fish is a way local Buddhists make merit, but great fun for kids who can see the giant fish swim to the surface for a bite of food. 

From here the car will transfer guests to the fabulous Bogyoke Market in downtown Yangon. Also known as Scott Market, the building is filled with stalls selling local handicrafts such as marionettes, lacquer-ware and jewelry. To get their family into the local spirit, guests can purchase a traditional ‘longyi’ (the sarong-like skirt worn by men and women) for everyone and try ‘thanaka’ (the local yellow paste used as sun cream). Take a family photo - a perfect snap-shop memory of the day in Yangon.

This afternoon transfer to the Yangon Airport for the flight to Heho, in the heart of the Shan State. From Heho it is a one-hour drive to Nyaung Shwe, where a local motorboat will be waiting to transfer guests onto the lakel.

Today a private boat and guide will take guests on a sightseeing tour of Inle Lake.

The boat passes villages built on stilts over the lake, inhabited by the local Intha people. Observe the leg-rowing fishermen and see their floating gardens built up from strips of water hyacinth and mud and anchored to the bottom with bamboo poles.

Start with a visit to Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the lake’s main sanctuary which contains five sacred Buddha images covered in gold leaf. Explore the local crafts of Inle Lake with a stop at the weaving village of Inpawkhone and a ‘cheroot’ factory, where the typical Burmese cigars are made by hand.

Lunch at local restaurant.

This afternoon guests continue their exploration of the lake, traveling down a small canal leading to the Pa-oh village of Indein. Explore the area on foot, strolling around the village, and wander through the beautiful Alaung Sitthou area. Alaung Sitthou is filled with picturesque ancient stupas and has magnificent views of the lake below.

On the way back to the hotel, stop at Inthar Heritage House. This traditional house is a great place to learn about the culture of the lake’s residents and also serves as a small breeding ground for Burmese cats.

This morning after breakfast, guests will set off for a visit to the lake’s morning market. The market rotates its location on a five-day basis and attracts vendors from around the lake and its surrounding hills. Walking among the stalls guests will see local produce, handicrafts and possibly vendors dressed in their traditional hilltribe costumes.

Then continue by boat to Kaung Dhine village on the eastern shores of Inle Lake. This area is known for its delicious soy bean crackers, tofu and other treats. Walking around the village, guests can observe all steps of the process of creating these local items and taste the treats. It’s a fascinating experience for both kids and adults.

Continue to Nyaung Shwe where the car will be waiting to transfer guests to Heho Airport. Depending on the flight time there may be time to explore this small, quiet village and its many temples and nunneries. There are several restaurants here, including an Italian restaurant serving superb pizzas.

A short flight takes guests to Nyaung U. The transfer to the hotel in Bagan will take 10-20 minutes and the evening is at leisure to relax.

The family holiday continues with a day out in Bagan, visiting some of the 2000 pagodas as well as exploring local workshops and villages.

After breakfast, visit the Nyaung U Market which sells local toys and other handicrafts that kids may enjoy. Take a local trishaw to a nearby village to observe the making of ‘poneyay gyi’ (a local pea paste) and plum jam.

Then spend a couple hours exploring a variety of temples that kids will enjoy, starting at Shwezigon Pagoda, one of the city’s most important which features unique nat statutes and the glittering golden stupa. Then, using flashlights, explore Kyan Sitthar Cave temple, walking through the tunnel-like corridors and viewing the fading paintings on the ceiling.

The next visit is to Ananda, with its mysterious smiling Buddhas, and Shwegugyi, which offers spectacular views from its upper terrace.

Take a break for lunch (own account). Then, for animal lovers, a short stop is made at Lawkanandar Sanctuary which is home to a family of unique star tortoises.

Then take a break back at the hotel to go for a swim and escape the midday heat.

At around 16.00, guests head to the local boat jetty for a sunset cruise. The boat sails out to sandbank in the middle of the Irrawaddy where a table and chairs are set up. Enjoy snacks and a drink on this private island. Kids will have a chance to play ‘chinlone’, a local sports game, or build sand castles, while the adults relax and enjoy the views.

Return to the shores just after sunset and transfer back to the hotel.

Today begins with a horse cart ride through some of the temple area, for a final glimpse of the temples before departing. In the morning there are fewer horse carts so the roads are less dusty and can be explored at a leisurely pace.

Next, guests drive to Mt Popa, leaving the temples behind and heading through the dry flatlands, and stopping at a small village en route where locals make a variety of treats from the juice of the palm tree. Watch as the farmers climb the tall toddy trees and tap the fruit, returning to land to boil the liquid into wine and sweet molasses. Kids can also help grind rice and corn, guiding the oxen as they pull the stone grinder.

A local family will set up lunch in the shade of the toddy palms.

Continue the drive to Popa and check into Popa Mountain Resort. Surrounded by forests and with a swimming pool, this is a great place for the family to relax and enjoy the natural beauty of Myanmar.

Enjoy a leisurely morning at the resort before heading down to Mt Popa itself to visit this famous nat shrine. Join the local pilgrims on the walk to the top. Kids will love seeing the crazy statues along the way as well as the dozens of monkeys who live on the mountain. From the top there are superb views of the plains of Bagan and distant hills.

Drive back to Bagan this afternoon and to the Nyaung U Airport for the flight to Yangon.

Upon arriving in Yangon, guests transfer to the hotel for an evening at leisure.

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to Yangon International airport for the onward flight. Or if guests wish, they can extend their stay in Yangon with a choice of family-friendly excursions or a beach break.