Myanmar
Day 1: The excitement started even before the trip because of the journey. As with our Indochina trip, the outbound flight is with Singapore Airlines SQ25, arriving at 6:50 a.m. The connecting flight to Yangon is already at 7:55 a.m. So, if the flight is even slightly delayed, by the time the plane reaches the terminal, and then disembarking takes another 15 minutes or so, it's going to be very, very tight. This time, however, we're not using Singapore Airlines' transfer service, since we know where and how fast we have to run. Even so, there's still a slightly uneasy feeling beforehand. Anyway, we're on the plane in Frankfurt, the plane arrives pretty much on time, and after a marathon run through Singapore Airport, we just barely make our connecting flight to Myanmar.
Day 2: We arrive in Yangon in the morning. Before the program begins, we can stretch our legs after the long journey and stroll through the streets. In the afternoon, we embark on an initial orientation tour, gaining a wonderful impression of this vibrant city. A highlight of the trip is the visit to the majestic Shwedagon Pagoda , the most important religious building in Myanmar. The complex is truly breathtaking and is rightly considered one of the most fascinating sights in Southeast Asia. If possible, be sure to experience the atmospheric sunset there as well... it's truly impressive.
Day 3: After yesterday's orientation, today's program includes a city tour of Yangon . With its colonial-era facades, colorful markets, magnificent pagodas, and temples, the city has retained its unique charm. The lively Bogyoke Aung San Market is a great place to start the tour. Here you can stock up on fruit and drinks for the day. We cross the Yangon River by ferry, and you feel transported back to a bygone era: Here in the suburb of Dhala, you can still discover the idyllic charm of old rural life. Despite its proximity to Yangon, the pace of life here is fundamentally different. We take a bicycle rickshaw and cruise leisurely through the village with a driver. Back "in the city," we visit the Botataung Pagoda (Buddha relic), the reclining Buddha of Kyaukhtatgyi , the impressive Sule Pagoda , and St. Mary's Cathedral.
Day 4: We fly early today to the temple city of Bagan . We only learned about Bagan through our interest in Southeast Asia, as it doesn't have the same ring to it as other regions in Asia. However, this ruined city, situated on a vast plain, impresses with its large collection of religious buildings. Our first stop in Bagan is the impressive Shwezigon Pagoda , considered one of the most beautiful in Myanmar. Afterwards, we visit the Gubyaukgyi Temple with its stunning murals. The Ananda Temple is also outstanding, showing clear Mon (ethnic) influences. Among the seemingly endless array of temples, the almost white Thatbinnyu Temple stands out – a great photo opportunity . Another interesting fact about Bagan: in this former center of power (9th century), over 2,000 brick religious buildings still stand today! If possible, you shouldn't miss a truly special experience in Bagan: the sunset . Our guide picked out a temple we could climb, offering a breathtaking view of the temple complex from the top. Even without the setting sun, the view and the surroundings were indescribably beautiful. The sunset was almost magical. The entire sky seemed to be ablaze, bathing the temple tops peeking out from the trees in orange light. A truly magical moment.
Day 5: We have some time this morning. We spontaneously grab a bicycle and simply let ourselves drift through Bagan . The Irrawaddy River plays a major role here, so a boat trip is a must. We take the boat to the Kyauk-Gu-Umin Temple on the riverbank. We experience the sunset on the river.
Day 6: The day begins with a very special "activity." We visit a project run by the tour operator in the village of Taung Ba. A school has been built there, which we also want to support. To avoid disturbing the students during lessons, we hand our gifts to the teachers who aren't currently teaching. As we're about to leave, our bus gets stuck in the sand on the school grounds. Now we have to dig the bus out. The plan to avoid drawing the students' attention has spectacularly failed. All the students are now in the schoolyard, helping out and looking at us strangers with interest. In the end, it's great fun. After our bus driver actually manages to free the stuck bus, we continue towards Mount Popa . The extinct volcano is considered the Mount Olympus of Myanmar's pantheon, dedicated to the spirits from pre-Buddhist times. Now we have to sort out another strange matter. Most travel guides and even Google searches for Mount Popa refer to the 737-meter-high volcanic cone with the Tuyin Taung Pagoda . However, Mount Popa is actually a volcanic cone located nearby. This guide focuses on the ascent of Popa Taung Kalat, which is close to Mount Popa and features a summit shrine . Along the way, there are several excellent photo opportunities of the pagoda perched atop the mountain . Afterwards, we continue on to Mandalay.
Day 7: Today we travel by boat to Mingun . Myanmar's last royal capital lies idyllically on the banks of the Irrawaddy River and evokes memories of a magnificent past. In this romantic setting, King Bodahpaya intended to build the largest pagoda ( Mingun Pagoda ) and the largest brick building in the world in the 18th century, but he was never able to complete the project. In another building, you can admire the largest intact hanging bell in the world, the Mingun Bell . With its height of 3.7 meters, a diameter of 5 meters, and a weight of 90 tons, it is truly monumental. We then continue to the Hsinbyume Pagoda and the impressive Royal Palace complex in Mandalay . In the immediate vicinity of the palace is the Shwenandaw Monastery , built of teakwood – an incredibly impressive structure. A particular highlight is the "world's largest book," or, more officially, the Kuthodaw Pagoda . It consists of 729 stupas in the form of pavilion-like temples, each containing a white marble slab inscribed with Burmese script. The Pali Canon, the life and teachings of Buddha, is laid out on these marble slabs. Because of this extensive inscription, the pagoda is also known as "The World's Largest Book." Be sure to experience the sunset from Mandalay Hill .
Day 8: From Mandalay, we explore the surrounding area today. First, we discover the legendary Mahamuni , which, according to tradition, was created during the lifetime of the historical Buddha. It is the religious center of Mandalay. As the most revered Buddha image in Myanmar, the Mahamuni statue draws thousands of pilgrims to Mandalay every year. Afterward, we visit the artisans' quarter. The gold leaf hammering is particularly fascinating. With skill and sheer muscle power, tiny gold leaf sheets are hammered to an incredibly thin, precise thickness over many hours. A horse -drawn carriage ride through the beautiful landscape of Ava takes us past scattered ruins and sections of the old palace wall, remnants of the once-important royal city. A brief stop at the Maha Aung Mye Bon Zan Monastery is impressive. Equally breathtaking is the Bagaya Kyaung Monastery, built entirely of teak wood. We visit the Umin-Thonze Pagoda in Sagaing and the beautiful Ponnya Shin Pagoda . Both offer stunning views of Myanmar's former capital. A special highlight awaits at the end of the day in Amarapura: the incomparable U Bein Bridge over Taungthaman Lake. It is considered the oldest and longest teakwood bridge in the world.
Day 9: We fly to Heho in the southern Shan State. From there, we travel to the tranquil town of Pindaya , a pilgrimage site beautifully situated on a small lake. Here lies the incredible Shwe Umin Cave with over 8,000 Buddha statues. At the cave entrance, a stunning view of the Pindaya area unfolds. Time flew by faster than expected, and we arrive quite late at our destination for the day, the legendary Inle Lake . We board the longtail boats in the dark and speed across the lake towards our accommodation. If anything had happened to us during the nighttime journey... no one would have ever found us.
Day 10: Today we spend on Inle Lake . After breakfast, we climb back into our narrow longtail boat, enjoy the ride, and observe the typical activity on the lake. We experience quite a lot of hustle and bustle around the Phaung Daw Pagoda (incidentally, the venue for the colorful Phaung Daw Festival every year in September/October). The villages on and around Inle Lake are home to the Intha people , who are known for their skillful one-legged rowing technique . On the lake, we discover impressive examples of the Intha's adaptability to their environment, including floating gardens, stilt villages, and artificial islands. The village of In-dein is definitely worth a visit, as its countless semi-ruined stupas create an impressive and unique scene.
Days 11 to 17: Today our tour ends, but the vacation isn't over yet. Since Myanmar has quite a bit of coastline, we want to end the trip with another beach holiday. So we're flying from Heho to Thandwe to our beach hotel. We're looking forward to a few days of relaxation and reminiscing. Our hotel is located on the well-known Ngapali Beach , which is frequently voted the most beautiful beach in Southeast Asia. It truly is a dream beach. What's particularly special is that the local fishermen walk along the beach with their catch of the day, and anyone who wants to can choose a nice fish, which is then freshly prepared over an open fire in the evening. We've never eaten such good fish, and then standing together around the grill in the fisherman's wooden shack... it doesn't get more authentic than that. The days are passing far too quickly, and it's time to say goodbye to a country where, in our opinion, you can still experience the original Asia, untouched by mass tourism.