The Golden Land of Burma… A Luxury Tour
12 days from £6,690 for 2024 per person
The Golden Land of Burma is one of Ampersand's Top 10 Winter Sun Trips.
This is our ideal trip to Burma, the 'Golden Land' using our favourite hotels in each destination and providing a balance of experiences ensuring you don't get 'templed out'. The itinerary starts in the former capital of Yangon with its crumbling colonial architecture and the shimmering Shwedagon Pagoda before flying upcountry to the banks of Burma's second largest lake, Inle. It is home to pagodas and monasteries and more than 200 small villages, many of which are floating on stilts on the lake. The Intha, the local people, are famous for developing the eccentric method of rowing with one leg.
After Inle, visit Mandalay, once home to the staggering Royal Moated Palace complex and the gateway to Burma's ancient capitals like Inwa & Mingun. Cruise down the Irrawaddy River to Bagan for 1 night on the RV Paukan experiencing a slower pace of life. Upon disembarkation view the magnificent temples of Bagan, scattered over the 26 square mile site along the river banks or the Irrawaddy. A sunrise balloon ride over the temples can be organised upon request.
Finish the journey with 3 nights on beautiful Ngapali Beach, a 3km stretch of white sand and clear turquoise waters, at Sandoway Resort. We offer this itinerary using our favourite room categories, available on request.
This luxury holiday is purely a suggested itinerary; it can be booked as it is or used as a starting point for creating your perfect tailor-made tour of Burma. If you would like to see similar trips, take a look at our collection of Honeymoons and Family Holidays, as well as our Active, Trekking, Beach and Boating itineraries.
Itinerary details
12 days from £6,690 for 2024 per person
- Day 1 - Belmond Governor's Residence - Yangon (Rangoon)
Arrive in Yangon in the afternoon, transfer to hotel. - Day 2 - Belmond Governor's Residence - Yangon (Rangoon)
Visit the National Museum & Scott's Market in the morning. Watch the sunset over Shwedagon Pagoda. - Day 3 - Inle Princess Resort - Inle Lake
Morning flight to Heho, transfer to Inle Lake via Red Mountain vineyard. - Day 4 - Inle Princess Resort
Full day exploring the lake by boat. - Day 5 - Mandalay Hill Resort - Mandalay
Fly to Mandalay in the morning. See the sights and craftsmen of Mandalay before watching the sunset behind U Bein bridge. - Day 6 - Mandalay Hill Resort - Mandalay
Full day private sightseeing to Mingun and Inwa. - Day 7 - RV Paukan - Bagan
Cruise from Mandalay to Bagan overnight on the RV Paukan. - Day 8 - Thiripyitsaya Sanctuary Resort - Bagan
Optional sunrise balloon ride. Spend the rest of the morning visiting templs & pagodas. Afternoon at leisure. - Day 9 - Sandoway Resort - Ngapali Beach
Transfer to the airport for your flight to the beach. Afternoon at leisure. - Day 10 - Sandoway Resort - Ngapali Beach
Day at leisure. - Day 11 - Sandoway Resort - Ngapali Beach
Day at leisure. - Day 12 - In transit.
Morning flight to Yangon. Day at leisure in the city before flying home through Bangkok.
Once I visited the giant golden Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon during the Water Festival and it was surrounded by hundreds and thousands of worshippers paying their respects. The air was heavy with the scent of flowers and incense, and the shuffling crowds flowed as one around the pagoda. It was wonderful to see families of all sizes, spanning several generations, spending time and praying together.
James Jayasundera, MD of Ampersand Travel