W E A S Y D N E Y In conjunction with HERITAGE DESTINATIONS I N S I D E B U R M A T h e E s s e n t i a l E x p e r i e n c e T h u 1 9 O c t o b e r - M o n 0 6 N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 7 This is Burma, and it will be quite unlike any land you know about. Kipling s words echo as true today as when they were written. Primitive and untamed, Burma (Myanmar) is perhaps the most enigmatic nation of South East Asia. Part of the reason is due to the terrain: ringed by rugged mountains on three borders and the Bay of Bengal to the south, Myanmar s physical setting is a key influence in its climate; but it also kept it politically and culturally apart from the rest of the world, introverted and caught up in its own strange and exotic destinies. This isolation and the relative absence of foreign influence offers contemporary travellers an unparalleled glimpse of traditional life in South East Asia: even today in Myanmar there are many provinces where few concessions to contemporary western living are present. Myanmar s built environment includes exquisite sites full of interest - caves, temples, pagodas, gardens, museums, monuments and picturesque districts and when not exploring these, you will be introduced to the curiosities of local tribal and Buddhist cultures and, of course, the delights of some of the most exciting, colourful and fragrant markets in Asia. WEA Sydney offer interesting and worthwhile travel experiences. Our Myanmar itinerary has been carefully designed by a specialist team supervised by our leader Dr Bob Hudson to encompass an impressive number of historical and cultural Burmese sites. Our program differs from conventional Myanmar itineraries and includes extended stays in Mrauk U, capital of the lost ancient kingdom of Arakan (now Rakhine State) and Bagan, rivalling Angkor Wat as Southeast Asia s richest archaeological precinct. Experiences in Yangon, Inle Lake, Mandalay and a private cruise on the Ayeyarwady are also included. We cover a lot of ground, but we do so in a leisurely manner that will leave you free time for personal exploration, shopping or for visiting additional places of interest along the way. We journey through breathtakingly beautiful and infinitely varied landscapes as we explore the many strands of the country s cultural tapestry. The Burmese remain a tribal and predominantly rural people and their relationship to the dynasties who have emerged and ruled them can only be understood by reference to the countryside. Insular and intriguing, Burma is one of the oldest, richest cultures in the world, mysterious, beautiful and addictive. You are going to see incredible things, enjoy unforgettable travel experiences, and meet many warm, friendly people. Please consider joining us in on WEA Sydney s international travel program Inside Burma: The Essential Experience. P R O G R A M L E A D E R Dr Bob Hudson has been involved in archaeological research in Myanmar (Burma) for more than 15 years. He is an adviser to UNESCO and the Myanmar Ministry of Culture for the current Bagan World Heritage Bid. He is a Visiting Professor at the Pyay Field School Of Archaeology, University Of Culture, Myanmar, where he teaches Myanmar students who are undergoing a graduate diploma in archaeology. He is an associate of the Archaeology Department, University of Sydney. Following the completion of a late-in-life PhD, Bob was awarded a fellowship by the Australian Research Council. One of several of his ongoing projects, radiocarbon dating Myanmar s ancient sites, is supported by the Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering. In earlier careers Bob was a radio broadcaster (2JJ and ABC 2BL), an actor (Rocky Horror Show), a singer/songwriter (Newcastle Song) and a Hollywood screenwriter. The degree to which he is prone to reminisce about these occupations is in direct proportion to how well the cocktail hour is going. Bob has been taking small groups on educational/cultural visits to Myanmar for over 15 years. He offers insights into the culture and history of the country that can only come from someone with his kind of close involvement.
sunset approaches, the Shwedagon offers the traveller a spectacular show of lights and shadows. Most meals are included on our trip but, as this is a free morning, your lunch today is up to you Bob or our guide can recommend tested, good-standard local eateries near the hotel. Welcome dinner at our hotel. (B D) Day#3 Sat 21 Oct 2017 Yangon Breakfast at our hotel precedes a walk through some more of Yangon s major highlights, all in the heart of the city: serene Sule Pagoda; and the classic colonial buildings of the old business centre, which are gradually being restored. We lunch at a local restaurant. Dinner this evening is at our hotel. (B L D) Day#4 Sun 22 Oct 2017 Yangon Sittwe We breakfast at our hotel before transferring to the airport for our late morning flight to Western Myanmar and Sittwe, the port city of Rakhine State. Until its capture by the Burmese in the late 1700s, Rakhine (formerly called Arakan) was an independent kingdom with a distinctive language and culture. The Mrauk-U dynasty, which lasted 352 years and succeeded two earlier kingdoms, was potent and powerful, feared by its neighbours in the Indian subcontinent and Central Myanmar; all three kingdoms blended elements of Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism with Hinduism and Islam. After lunch at a local restaurant we settle into the Shwe Thazin Hotel. In the afternoon we explore Sittwe. Dinner is at our hotel or at a local restaurant depending on seasonal catering arrangements (B L D) Itinerary Day#1 Thu 19 Oct 2017 Sydney Yangon Our Thai Airways International flight TG476 departs Sydney mid morning and arrives in Bangkok early afternoon. Here we conveniently connect with TG305 and arrive in Yangon early evening. We are met and transferred to Sule Shangri-La Hotel, our longstanding Yangon base. (Meals in flight) Day#2 Fri 20 Oct 2017 Yangon After a morning walk to introduce you to the local area, including Bogyoke Market (sometimes known by its British name Scott Market) 300 metres from our hotel and with over 2000 shops containing the largest selection of Burmese handicrafts in the country. We proceed in the early afternoon to Chaukhtatgyi Pagoda housing a massive reclining Buddha. Following this will be a highlight of our journey to Burma - Shwedagon Pagoda. Kipling called it a golden mystery a beautiful winking wonder. Considered by many as the world s most impressive Buddhist shrine, a visit here is a magical travel experience, one of those atmospheric places in the world that you feel as much as see. The entire precinct is a Buddhist fantasyland: dazzling golden spires; enigmatic Buddha images; cheerful nats; extraordinary temples of imaginative design; and all the mystery and magic of South East Asia. Dominating the spectacle is the magnificent golden pagoda soaring over 100 metres into the blue sky. Burmese royalty over the last five centuries has donated tons of gold and thousands of gemstones and today the pagoda is entirely sheathed in gold leaf and studded with bricks of solid gold. The tip is set with thousands of diamonds, rubies and sapphires and topped by a gigantic 76 carat diamond. Saffron robed monks and devotees constantly circle in a clockwise direction and, as Day#5 Mon 23 Oct 2017 Sittwe - Mrauk-U After breakfast we embark on a long riverboat cruise upstream on the mighty Kaladan River and some narrow tributaries to Mrauk- U. The riverboat is equipped with a western toilet (just in case you were wondering). En route we plan a lunchtime visit to Ponnagyun Island, the site of a great 16 th century naval battle between the Arakanese and the Portuguese. On arrival we check into the Vesali Hotel. (B L D) Day#6 Tue 24 Oct 2017 Mrauk-U Today, subject to time constraints and road conditions, we begin our exploration of the spectacular pagodas, temples and sacred buildings of old Mrauk-U. Visits during our stay here may include the Shittaung Temple (the most well known, containing over 80,000 Buddha images and sculptures), Pizi Taung, a hilltop ruin with its Buddha images still open to the sky, and the Htaukkan Thein Temple with its vaulted passages lined with Buddhas. We will also visit the newlydiscovered Back to Back Buddhas east of the city- one of many sights on our tour you are unlikely to find in the guidebooks. Lunch is at a favourite local restaurant; dinner is at our hotel. (B L D)
Day#7 Wed 25 Oct 2017 Mrauk-U After breakfast at our hotel we continue, over very challenging road conditions, more exploration in and around Mrauk-U. We travel 10 kilometres to Vesali, including a walk through a section of Vesali village that is not accessible by coach, then proceed a further 22 kilometres to the site of the ancient capital, Dhanyawadi. Here in the old city we find the Mahamuni temple, the original location of Mandalay s famous Mahamuni Buddha (which we visit later in our program), with its magnificent collection of First Millennium AD sculpture Lunch is at a local restaurant. Our afternoon agenda includes visits to the Bandoola monastery and the old city gate. Dinner is at our hotel. (B L D) Day#8 Thu 26 Oct 2017 Mrauk-U Today we visit the old royal palace site, the nearby small and charming museum, and the recently excavated Kothaung temple. Road conditions permitting, we will also visit the old Portuguese trading post. Lunch is at a local restaurant; dinner is at our hotel. (B L D) Day#9 Fri 27 Oct 2017 Mrauk-U Sittwe - Yangon Early breakfast at our hotel. Back on board our riverboat, we return downstream to Sittwe, watching fascinating local scenes on and beside the Kaladan River as the new day comes to life. We have brunch aboard our riverboat before our arrival in Sittwe. We transfer to the airport for an early afternoon flight to Yangon. Dinner and overnight at the Shangri-la Hotel. (B L D) spectacular sunset view. We stay in the comfortable Hotel Shwe Pyi Thar. (B L D) Day#11 Sun 29 Oct 2017 Mandalay After breakfast we visit Amarapura, 12 kilometres south of Mandalay. Here we see the renowned U Bein teak bridge, on Lake Taungthaman, a seasonal body of water that dries up in winter leaving fertile land for cultivation. Highlights include glimpses of Mandalay s traditional silk-weaving industry; gold leaf making, marble carving and bronze making. We also visit the superb Mahamuni Pagoda which contains the venerated Mahamuni image, taken from the Mahamuni Temple in Dhanyawadi (which we visited on Day#7). Like Shwedagon, there is an aura here that is very apparent. Dinner and overnight at our accommodation. (B L D) Day#12 Mon 30 Oct 2017 Mandalay - Bagan One of Asia s great brown rivers awaits us. After breakfast we transfer to the jetty for a memorable day cruise in our private riverboat on the mighty Ayeyarwady River from Mandalay to Nyaung U, the riverbank landing near Bagan. The scenery and river life is fascinating. Lunch is served on board. We arrive at Nyaung U in the evening and transfer to the Hotel at Tharabar Gate Our evening arrival time depends on seasonal river conditions. Dinner is at our hotel. (B L D) Day#13 Tue 31 Oct 2017 Bagan Day#10 Sat 28 Oct 2017 Yangon - Mandalay After breakfast we will transfer to the airport for an early flight to Mandalay. Mandalay was the last capital before British Raj control and consequently retains importance as a cultural and religious centre, a place that many regard as the heartbeat of Myanmar. Our day begins with a highlight: a visit to the recently uncovered Tamut Shwegugyi, a late Bagan period pagoda that was buried for centuries under another building. After lunch and an early afternoon break, we visit Shwenandaw Monastery, noted for its exquisite wood construction and carvings; and Kuthodaw Pagoda, known as the World s Biggest Book for its massive stone slabs of Buddhist scriptures situated around a central stupa. We proceed to Mandalay Hill (the natural focus and vantage point) for a panorama of the city and a It would be difficult to find a traveller unimpressed by the magnificent ruins of this 12 th century empire. With some 5000 stupas and temples strewn across the dusty plains of central Burma, Bagan stands as one of the world s premier archaeological destinations. Many experienced travellers are of the opinion that this is the most impressive sight of Myanmar, if not South East Asia. A must-see for any visitor to Burma. During our stay in Bagan visits are scheduled to a variety of important structures which - time permitting - may include Shwezigon Pagoda, a prototype of later Myanmar stupas; Wetkyi-in Gubyaukkyi Temple with fine mural paintings of Jataka scenes; Manuha Temple with its gigantic Buddha images; Nanpaya, an earlier shrine with fine stone carvings; and Ananda Temple, superbly restored with four 9.5 metre standing Buddhas facing outward from its centre. We lunch at a local restaurant and in the afternoon our exploration continues, including a visit to a lacquerware factory. Dinner this evening is at a local restaurant. A puppet show may be involved. (B L D)
Day#14 Wed 01 Nov 2017 Bagan After breakfast, we drive 50 kilometres to Mount Popa, the Mount Olympus of Myanmar and the spectacular abode of nats (spirits). On top of a volcanic core at the edge of the mountain is a picturesque assembly of monasteries, stupas and shrines in a variety of styles. Following lunch in Popa village, we return to Bagan in the afternoon and perhaps explore as many temples en route as time permits. We dine this evening at a local restaurant. (B L D) Day#15 Thu 02 Nov 2017 Bagan Our exploration of Bagan s unique environment continues, guided as usual by Bob s familiarity with the area and opportunities that may present themselves. Cultural show this evening at a nearby open air restaurant. (B L D) Day#16 Fri 03 Nov 2017 Bagan Inle Lake Day#17 Sat 04 Nov 2017 Inle Lake This morning we embark on a boat excursion to the Inle Lake village of Indein, an important centre for the Pa-o people, one of Shan State s main tribal groups. Over 1000 decaying temples make this one of the most picturesque ruins in Myanmar. After lunch at a local restaurant (if enough cat fanciers are in our group this will be Heritage House, which has a Burmese cat breeding programthe human food is good too) we continue our Inle exploration. We cruise down a nearby channel to Phaung Daw Oo Paya, the holiest religious site in southern Shan State. Within this huge pagoda are five ancient and revered Buddha images, transformed into amorphous gold blobs by centuries of gold leaf applications by devotees. Visits to lakeside workshops - silver, cheroot, lotus cloth, cotton and silk occupy the rest of the afternoon. Of course, there will be opportunities to purchase the work of these skilled local artisans. Dinner this evening at our hotel. (B L D) Day#18 Sun 05 Nov 2017 Inle Lake - Yangon After breakfast at our hotel, we transfer to Heho airport for a morning flight to Rangoon. On arrival we transfer to the Shangri- La Hotel and settle in before lunch at a local restaurant. Afternoon is unscheduled, perhaps enjoy a drink at the glorious colonial Strand Hotel, the Raffles of Yangon. Farewell dinner tonight at our hotel. (B L D) Day#19 Mon 06 Nov 2017 Yangon - Bangkok Breakfast. We transfer to Yangon Mingaladon airport for our Thai Airways afternoon flight TG302 to Bangkok. Our flight TG475 to Sydney departs early evening. (B meals in flight) Day#20 Tue 07 Nov 2017 Sydney arrival scheduled for 7:40 am. Arrive Sydney Shan State and Inle Lake are next on our itinerary. Our morning flight takes us from Bagan to Heho. We are met on arrival and transferred by coach (about 45 minutes) to the small town of Nyaungshwe, the main service centre of the Inle Lake area, where we check into View Point Lodge. Lunch is at a local restaurant. High hills surround this beautiful 22km long, 11km wide waterway. Dinner tonight is at our hotel. (B L D)
GENERAL INFORMATION AND SPECIAL BOOKING CONDITIONS Cost pp twinshare without international group airfare $7200.00 Single room supplement (contact us if you are willing to share) $1800.00 Cost pp twinshare including international group airfare $7995.00 If a difference occurs between these cancellation conditions and those imposed by our suppliers, then the conditions of the supplier shall apply. There is no refund before or after travel has commenced or for any unused portion of the tour, either in regard to the standard group arrangements or separate independent arrangements. TOUR PRICE INCLUDES: Economy class air travel with Thai Airways from Sydney to Yangon and return (ie if you choose the group airfare option) Economy class air travel within Myanmar All applicable passenger and airport taxes 18 nights twin-share accommodation in comfortable hotels with private facilities as listed in the itinerary or of a similar standard If you are a single traveller and definitely require your own room, then the single room supplement is payable. If you are willing to share we offer a cost effective option for single travellers: if another willing to share single traveller of the same gender joins the tour, you will twinshare with them. If no other willing to share single same gender traveller joins the tour then you will have the sole use of a room at no extra payment. Meals as shown in the itinerary: B signifies breakfast; L signifies lunch; D signifies dinner All transfers, entrance fees and sightseeing as per the itinerary All applicable tipping for group arrangements with the exception of our Myanmar national guide. Services of program leader Dr Bob Hudson plus our professional English speaking Myanmar national guide. Comprehensive Program Handbook NOT INCLUDED: Travel Insurance Transfers if you are arranging your own flights Items of personal nature (telephone, laundry, drinks, etc) Visa Fees I M INTERESTED...HOW DO I BOOK Complete, sign and return the enclosed Heritage Destinations Booking Form along with your deposit of $500 per person. Contact us first to confirm space. DEPOSIT AND FINAL PAYMENT: The deposit is accepted as a first instalment of the tour cost and will be fully refunded if the arrangements cannot be confirmed or the tour is cancelled by WEA Sydney. Final payment for the tour needs to be received at least 60 days prior to tour departure. We will send you a tax invoice before this date. AMENDMENTS: If you would like Heritage Destinations to assist you with any add-on travel arrangements pre or post tour, please advise us at least 30 days prior to your departure. Any changes to travel arrangements within 30 days may incur an amendment fee plus any charges imposed by our suppliers. CANCELLATION AND REFUNDS: Should you decide to cancel your booking up to 60 days prior to departure, your deposit is fully refunded less an administration fee of $50.00 per person. Because of the tour cancellation charges imposed by our various suppliers, the following cancellation charges apply: Over 60 days $50 administration fee 59-30 days 25% of tour cost Within 30 days 100% of tour cost FORCED CANCELLATION: In the event that passenger numbers do not reach the minimum number of tour participants (approximately 10 excluding the tour leader) required for the tour, it may be necessary to either surcharge or cancel the tour. If such an event does occur, you will be notified at least 60 days prior to the tour departure. TRAVEL INSURANCE: Comprehensive travel insurance is compulsory. Ensure your policy is appropriate for your entire travel arrangements as well as providing for emergency medical evacuation cancellation charges detailed on this page. PASSPORT AND VISAS: Australian passport holders require a visa for a stay in Myanmar for up to 28 days. This is issued in Australia before your departure and the visa cost is $35.00. Your passport must be valid for six months beyond the end of your journey. It should have two clear pages for each country to be visited to allow for entry and exit stamps en-route or for any visas applicable for other countries in your journey. We provide you with Myanmar visa application forms, instructions and support documentation. PRICES: The tour price has been calculated on the basis of Australian dollar exchange rates and tariffs valid in mid January 2017 and is subject to change up until your final payment has been invoiced. Once your final invoice has been issued and payment subsequently received, no surcharges will apply. Should you decide to cancel your tour on the basis of a change of price, normal cancellation charges will apply. FINAL DOCUMENTATION: All documentation will be ready approximately four weeks prior to your tour departure. If you are leaving Australia earlier, please advise us so we can prepare all your final documentation before your departure. PERSONAL FITNESS LEVEL: Participants should be prepared for easy to moderate walking on uneven pavements and paths and sometimes extended standing at indoor and outdoor sites. On occasions, steep stair climbing will be required at some sites, but usually is not compulsory. Contact Heritage Destinations for discussion if required. FOOD IN MYANMAR: Local food in Myanmar may contain seafood extract, nuts and other items (including meat, fish and crustaceans) to which some people may be allergic or not wish to consume. These ingredients may not be visible or detectable by tour and restaurant staff. If you have serious dietary issues, all assistance and support will be given, but you are ultimately responsible. So please carefully consider how you will manage your condition. We draw your attention to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website www.dfat.gov.au which contains relevant information regarding travel to Myanmar. For further information contact Ray Boniface Global Links Pty Ltd trading as H E R I T A G E D E S T I N A T I O N S PO Box U237 University of Wollongong NSW 2500 Australia p: +61 2 4228 3887 m: 0409 927129 e: heritagedest@bigpond.com ABN 21 071 079 859