Overland Driving Tour of Myanmar

Today you have passed through India border gate and welcome by our tour guide. Drive to government offices to proceed the documentation for your trip. And then, you will drive to Kalay. Overnight at the hotel in Kalay. 

Driving distance – 135 km (Tamu – Kalay)

Drive through Pontaung-Ponnya mountain ranges to Monywa. Depend on your arrival time, you can go for a visit to Bawdithataung and Thambohdae pagodas. Overnight at the hotel in Monywa.

Driving distance – 350 km (Kalay – Monywa)

Continue your drive to Bagan, ancient archeological zone. You can have half-day sightseeing in Bagan and your guide will lead you the best places to see.

Don’t miss off this chance of watching sunset on one of an elevated point as she magically alters her spectrum of colors in the evening sky. You will get astonished all the way the Sun drags all her glowing light over the horizon along with her subsidence to the west and everyone exclaims. Bagan is not just plainly for the marvelous temples, yes also for her wonderful sunset and sunrise.

Driving distance – 170 km (Monywa – Bagan)

You will see the vigorous morning activities can be seen in this market. You also mingle and follow the crowd in alley through vendor shops one after another. You will see colorful fruits & vegies grown, fishes & meats and other daily use items. Just go as the way local do and buy a local costume called Longyi for Men-wear and Hti-mi for Lady-wear and fashion you as a local.

Most venerable stupa in Bagan for its ancient dome-shaped structure. Unlike the most others pagodas in Bagan, Shwezigon is a stupa with an enshrinement in waist of the stupa with golden glittering under the sunshine. Gubyaukgyi temple and Kyansittha U-min cave are followed in your visits.

As for the way of lives, you can explore how people in Bagan region lives and earns their daily lives. You will be warmly welcome by one of local women in the village and show you around the village and watch lacquerware making, cotton weaving house. In the schooling time, you will see school kids run to their home.

You will be taken to the jetty where your private wooden boat awaits. Sit back, chill out under the roof or open-deck and you will be treated with a fantastic scene along the way your boat rides on Irrawaddy River. Sunset view over the river is quite spectacular and quite unlike as you can watch on the Land. Just chilled out! As the sun sets in the west, you will return to your hotel.

Today, you will proceed to Mandalay passing through Myin-gyan town. As you arrive to Mandalay, you will check in the hotel and go for a tour around Mandalay. Mahamyatmuni stting Buddha which is one of the most revered Statues and completely gold-gilded applied by the male devotees on daily basis. Mandalay is the workshop of the expert craftsmen and you will not omit a visit to some handy workshops such as gold leave making, wood carvings, tapestries and finest silk weaving arts. Visit Kuthodaw Pagoda, frequently dubbed as “The World’s Biggest Book” for its collection of 729 marble slabs inscribed with Buddhist teachings.

It’s off to the Shwenandaw Monastery, the Golden Monastery which is the only durable structure from the Royal Palace of the 19th century. You will not fail to appreciate the floral décor of Burmese wood carved designs.

In the evening, you will drive to enjoy the gorgeous sunset on U Bein bridge which is believed to be the longest teak wooden bridge on the world. Overnight stay at the hotel in Mandalay.

Driving distance – 182 km (Bagan – Mandalay)

Continue your driving to the south of Mandalay, Inle lake is the second largest inland lake in Myanmar. As you arrive to Inle lake, you will drive to your hotel to check in and overnight at the hotel in Inle lake.

Driving distance – 260 km (Mandalay – Inle lake)

In the morning, you will be transferred to the jetty for your boat transfer to enjoy the scenic boat ride along the channel into the lake and you will see the leg-rowing fishermen standing up one edge of their flat canoe holding fishing net and spear to catch the fishes. As you keep enjoying boating, you will see the floating garden fruitfully grown vegies on it.

Reach the Phandawoo Pagoda, famous to be the “Center” of the lake. It contains five sacred plastered with gold leaf images of the Buddha.

Get a stop at the weaving village Inpawkhone, which is known for its silk weavings with lotus stalks across the country. In a cheroot factory, you will learn how the typical Inle Lake’s handmade cigars are produced. If you have enough time this day, you will also learn how traditional fishing boats are timbered.

In the evening, you will return to hotel and overnight at the hotel in Inle lake.

Set your drive off to Loikaw which is famous for long-necked woman or Padaung ladies. On arrival to Loikaw, you proceed to a small town namely Demoso to visit Padaung Ladies. On the way back to Loikaw, you will visit Taung-Kwe Cedi and overnight at the hotel in Loikaw.

Driving distance – 200 km (Inle lake – Loikaw><Demoso)

Today, continue your drive to Taungoo which is used to be a capital of Myanmar in 16th century and aslo known as Kaythumadi Dynasty. Overnight at the hotel in Taungoo. Driving distance – 214 km (Loikaw – Taungoo)

You will continue your drive to Bago or Hanthawaddy dynasty. Bago is former capital of Mon kingdom and you will surely explore the glorious Kanbawzatharddy Royal palace site displaying the throne, palace, remaining ruins burnt, royal regalia and etc. Then you will continue to thousand-year old Shwemawdaw Pagoda and its spire taller even than the magnificent Shwedagon Pagoda. Next to 55meter long Shwe thar lyaung Buddha which is forming as reclining colossal Buddha, and Hin Thar Kone pagoda famous for its Nats figures. In the evening, you will drive to Yangon for hotel check in and overnight stay at the hotel in Bago. Driving distance – 207 km (Taungoo – Bago)

Start off driving to Yangon for 80 km. Today you will leave all your vehicles in your hotel and enjoy sightseeing around Yangon. Used to be a capital of lower Myanmar and ruled by British Government nearly 100 years or so, Yangon enriched hundreds of colonial architectural trove of buildings. You will stroll in downtown and enjoy the atmosphere of British era and lively daily activities of Yangon. Being one of the largest lying Buddha in Myanmar, Chauk Htet Gyi statue received more fame among the visitors due to its proportionate and finest decoration. 108 sole marks or footprints are not be neglected because you can learn the religion and beliefs of a Buddhist. It was a home of Gen.Aung San who sacrificed his life for the nation and who was a father of Today The Lady, Aung San Su Kyi. All B&W recorded pictures were shown against the wall every corner of the house. Genuine furniture and materials of the time were on display in order. No vacation is complete if you missed out Shwedagon Pagoda. You can not help admired in its shape and glowing structure. In the evening, you will return to your hotel and overnight stay. Driving distance –  80 km (Bago – Yangon)

You will continue your driving to the South, Kyaikhto or a town to the famous Golden Rock pagoda. As you arrived, you will proceed to Kinpun base camp of Golden Rock pagoda. Actually the large 7.3meter sized Boulder which is entirely gold-leaf covered and standing precariously on the cliff with 30% of contact area. On the way you will visit the memorable WWII cemetery where is the resting place of  27,000 allied soldiers. Then you will take a stop in vibrant Htaukkyant market. On your arrival to Kin Pun basecamp, you will transit to the open truck and enjoy the exhilarating ride to the top of the mountain. On the peak, you will see the open and fabulous environment quite fresh and walk for 15 minutes and arrive to the Golden Rock pagoda. Enjoy your day on the summit by watching the activities and astonished the existence of the Pagoda. In the evening you will head down back to the basecamp to check in the hotel in Kyaikhto and overnight at the hotel. Driving distance – 210 km (Yangon – Kyaikhto>

Today you will continue your driving to Hpa-an. It will be a short drive for not more than 120 km distance from Kyaikhto. As you entered the town, you will explore the nature-based attractions in Hpaan such as Saddan Cave; a gigantic cave with hundreds of tiny Buddha image on the wall of the cave, Kyaukalat Pagoda; a small pagoda incredibly built on the rock formation & Kawkathaung cave. In the evening, you will drive to hotel to check in and overnight.

Driving distance – 120 km (Kyaikhto – Hpaan)

Today is the last driving in Myanmar and you head down southward to Thailand border town, Maesot via Myawaddy. We are so pleased to offer this adventure overland driving around Myanmar and you have made the most of Myanmar and surely this experience will take the next page of your driving diary.

Driving distance – 130 km (Hpa-an – Myawaddy)