14-Day Myanmar and Laos Adventure Tour

Welcome to Myanmar, the Land of Golden Pagodas. Upon arrival in Yangon, a friendly local guide will greet you at the airport and take you to your hotel for check-in. The remainder of the day is yours to explore the bustling of Yangon which, while no longer the capital, remains Myanmar’s most vibrant and commercially-important city.

After breakfast at your hotel, your once-in-a-lifetime tour of Myanmar begins with its most important Buddhist temple, the Shwedagon Paya. Myanmar isn’t called the Land of Golden Pagodas without good reason, and Shwedagon is inarguably its most impressive. The 325ft stupa adorned with over 25 metric tonnes of gold leaf dominates Yangon’s skyline and can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. Soak up the contemplative atmosphere on the main terrace as Burmese monks in saffron robes stroll by collecting morning alms.

Next, you will move on to the more lively Sule Pagoda, installed as the new centre of town during the period of British occupation. The area around Sule is the city’s most vibrant, a blend of East meets West where you can take in Colonial British architecture, a towering Buddhist stupa, Chinese vendors, and a muslim mosque - all without the turn of a head. Unwind with a pre-lunch stroll through the picturesque Mahabandoola Park.After lunch, try your hand at bargaining for fine silks at the colourful Bogyoke Market, and navigate through the cracked walls and creeping vines of Yangon’s thriving Chinatown district.

After breakfast in your hotel, your once-in-a-lifetime tour of Myanmar begins with a morning around Sule Pagoda, the city’s vibrant epicentre. A blend of East meets West, take in a towering gold Buddhist pagoda, colonial British architecture, Chinese vendors and a Muslim mosque, all without the turn of a head. Unwind with a pre-lunch stroll through the picturesque Mahabandoola Park.After lunch, your driver will take you to the airport for your flight to Bagan. Upon arrival, you’ll be met by a local tour guide who will drive you to your riverside hotel to briefly rest before taking to the waters of the Ayeyarwady River for a private boat cruise as the sun sets over distant Mt. Popa.

After breakfast at your hotel, you’ll be met by a friendly English-speaking cycling guide. The backcountry roads that weave between the myriad of ancient gilded stupas make for an awe-inspiring setting for a bike ride. As well as taking in the highlights at towering Ananda, golden Shwezigon and mysterious Dhammayangyi, you’ll see several hidden gems, some of which can be scaled to get a different view of the Bagan plain. Aside from temples, you’ll also get a taste for the lives of local residents as we pass through fields, farms, and bamboo villages. We’ll round of the morning with traditional snacks, and of course a spot of sweet Myanmar tea. We’ll then drive you back to your hotel to escape the midday heat, recommencing the tour in the afternoon.

After lunch we take a horse-drawn cart ride into the countryside to see gorgeous Sulumani Temple. As one of the latest constructed temples (built in 1181) on the plain, the more sophisticated design allows for its hallways to be flooded with light. We also stop by its smaller twin situated near by for a panoramic view of Sulamani and the other temples dotted across thte plains. We finish off the afternoon by scaling the grand Shwesandaw Pagoda to watch the sun set behind a myriad of ancient stupas silhouetted against the burning orange sky.The evening is yours to relax at your riverside resort.

Start the morning with a champagne breakfast at the Oriental Ballooning launch pad before taking to the skies in a hot air balloon for an unforgettable experience as the sun rises above the misty temple-studded plains. After your awe-inspiring flight, retreat briefly to your hotel for breakfast and a rest before we drive you to the airport for your short flight to Heho. Upon arrival, you’ll be met by a private driver to complete the journey to spectacular Inle Lake. After check-in at your lakeside resort, the evening is yours to relax in the unique tranquility of this veritable waterworld.

After breakfast at your lake hotel, you’ll board a traditional motorised longboat for a glimpse of one of the most extraordinary places on Earth. The calm waters of Inle are the life-blood for the many ethnic minority communities you can see still living in the stilt-houses in the lake’s shallow waters. Peacefully observe the  the distinctive leg-rowing of the graceful Intha fishermen; marvel at a labyrinth of vegetable plantations floating on the lake’s surface; see long-necked Palaung women, paper mills and silver smiths. Relax as the layered Shan Hills are reflected in the glassy waters as the sun sets, before returning to your resort for a glass or two of wine by the lake.

After a serene morning by the lake, your guide will ferry you back to dry land and drive you to the airport in Heho to catch your flight to Myanmar’s cultural capital, Mandalay. Upon arrival, your tour begins with an insight into the lives of the saffron-robed monks that call this nation home. A private car will drive you the short distance to the tree-shaded Maha Ganayon Kyaung Monastery at Amarapura, the ‘City of Immortality.’ Amarapura was Myanmar’s penultimate royal capital, entirely separate from Mandalay, but is now a leafy suburb connected to the city. Take a meditative stroll around the expansive monastery grounds and chat with local monks before heading for the gilded pagodas that top the hills of Sagaing, stopping at a silk-weaving workshop En Route. Explore the crescent-shaped colonnade of 45 Buddha images at Umin Thounzeh, before ascending to Pon Nya Shin Temple to take in breathtaking views over the Ayeyarwady River and innumerable white and gold stupas that cap the highest peaks.

Next you’ll head for Inwa (The Kingdom of Ava), another historic royal capital, where after a spot of lunch you’ll explore the remarkably backwater ruins by horse-drawn cart. Round off the day at the iconic U Bein Bridge, the world’s longest teak-wood bridge, where private boat will take you to the perfect spot on the lake from which to appreciate the sun setting behind the stilted bridge of silhouetted monks.This evening is yours to explore the wonders of Mandalay.

This morning is your last in Mandalay. After breakfast, your guide will take you to the airport for your onward flight to Laos, having seen the very best of the ancient kingdom of Myanmar.This morning can be spent at your leisure, until your tour guide collects you and takes you to the airport for your flight to Vientiane, a charming backwater capital of smiling locals and steaming noodle stalls. Upon arrival, you will be met at the airport and taken to your hotel for check-in. The remainder of the day is yours to soak in the city’s rich delights.

After breakfast at your hotel, your journey of discovery starts with a fantastic city tour, beginning with the fascinating National Museum, where you’ll have a chance to gain a foundation understanding of Lao history that will help you get the best of the sights you’ll see later on the trip. After the museum, it’s on to Wat Sisaket, the oldest wat (temple) in Vientiane serving as home to a host of gorgeous murals and a beautifully ornate ceiling. The final stop of the morning is Wat Prakeo, housing some of the country’s finest sculptures.

After lunch, you’ll be driven the short journey northeast of the city to Pha That Luang, the most important national monument in Laos. This beautiful golden temple sits at the centre of a high-walled  cloister with tiny windows and is said to enclose a piece of Buddha’s breastbone. After the Lao national icon, you’ll call in on a more recent monument, erected after Laos claimed independence from France, as you make your way back to the city. You’ll round off the day with a trip to Wat Si Muang, famed for its supernatural powers. The rest of the day is yours to relax, perhaps taking a sunset stroll along the Mekong before retiring to your hotel.    

In the morning you will be driven to Vang Vieng, a sleepy riverside town nestled between towering limestone karsts. En route, you’ll stop at the beautiful salt farms of Ban Bor village, and take in a local lunch amid the beautiful mountain scenery. After lunch, enjoy a gentle boat cruise on the Nam Ngum Lake, arriving in Vang Vieng by late afternoon. Once in Vang Vieng, the rest of the day is yours explore the charming rural town.

After breakfast at your hotel, you’ll start the day with a tour of the lively, bustling local market before moving on to explore the incredible Tham Chang Caves and the refreshing rockpools dotted around the area. Enjoy a quick swim with gorgeous jungle backdrops. Once you’ve soaked it all in in, you’ll be driven along the edge of the Nam Ngum lake to Luang Prabang, a sleepy blend of red-roofed Buddhist temples and French-colonial architecture nestled in the lofty green mountains. After check-in at your hotel, the remainder of the day is yours to marvel in the mystique of this former mountain kingdom, perhaps exploring the local night market.

This morning, your journey of discovery begins with a serene cruise down the Mekong, idling past scenes of rural riverside life and spectacular mountain scenery until you reach the Pak Ou Caves. Nestled among the limestone cliffs where the Mekong and and Nam OU rivers meet, the caves are split into two: one called Tham Ting; and the other Tham Theung. Both are filled with thousands of Buddha images and statues which have been deposited here over the centuries.

A short distance away from Pak Ou Caves, we visit the village of Ban Xang Hai, which has for centuries made the clay jars which are used to ferment Lao wine. Nowadays, the village also specialises in producing a wide range of ‘Lao Lao’ whisky and ‘Lau Hai’ wine. Be sure to try just a little before we head back down to Luang Prabang in the late afternoon.

After your trip to the caves, enjoy private tour of the city, calling in at Wat Xiengthong, Luang Prabang’s stunning Golden City Temple, Wat Aham, with its depictions of Buddha’s life painted on the walls, and the Royal Palace Museum, where you’ll have the chance to learn more about Lao history and culture. In the evening, you’re free to relax, or do a little exploring on your own.  

You’ll start the day by observing the early-morning alms ritual of the saffron-robed monks that call this city home, perhaps even receiving a blessing. After breakfast at your hotel, you will head to explore more of Laos’ natural beauty at the stunning Khouang Si Waterfalls. After lunch in a local restaurant, you’ll have the opportunity to visit a variety of Lao Minority Group villages, learning about their unique traditions and cultures, experiencing a totally different way of life. Spend the evening relaxing in your hotel, or venture out on your own.

Today is yours to relax until it’s time to head for airport for your ongoing flight, leaving this beautiful country with many wonderful memories and stories to share with your loved ones back home.