Take in the morning atmosphere at a local market that is far off the tourist trail. Get a ‘behind-the-scenes’ experience at a nunnery in Sagaing to see what everyday life is like for the nuns there. Visit two more ancient royal capitals, Ava and Amarapura, to end the day.
Mandalay: Local Station Bazaar & Three Ancient Cities
From
$62.00
Who would love this tour?
Couple, Friends, Senior, Solo, Family
Duration
12 hrs
Departure
6:30 am
Pickup Place
Hotel in Mandalay
Tour End
6:30 pm
Highlights
Highlight
- Explore a local morning market uniquely set up on train tracks
- Learn about the daily life of nuns at one of Sagaing Hill’s many religious centres
- Discover the unique wooden architecture of Ava and Amarapura
Extension Tours you would love:
We preferred to provide the extraordinary 4 days experiential trips together with historical sight seen of Mandalay and around that are on offer to every day individually but in a responsible way to respect the cultural traditions of our destinations and aim to improve the quality of life for our visitors and the local people.
Destinations in this tour
Ava(Innwa)
Mandalay
Itinerary
Morning:
Morning life and village
Early this morning at 06:30 you will be picked up from your hotel by our guide and private car for a taste of local life at Thaye Zay, a vibrant market located to the north of Mandalay’s former Royal Palace. You won’t come across many tourists here but you will see plenty of fruits, vegetables and other food products from surrounding villages being sold on and beside the train tracks. Whenever a train is heard approaching all the local vendors quickly gather all their items to let the train pass by!
Leave the sights and smells of the market for those of a local tea shop; a place of business, politics and socializing. Enjoy delicious snacks and tea or coffee as you ‘people watch’ and listen to conversations in Burmese.
Next, we will return to the car and drive towards Sagaing, located 20km south-west of Mandalay. On the way there stop at a riverside village to learn about the local community’s daily agricultural lifestyle, and to visit wood carving and bronze casting workshops. Then, cross a bridge over the Irrawaddy River to arrive in Sagaing, widely regarded as the religious centre of Myanmar and home to more than 3,000 monks. This former royal capital’s nuns, on the other hand, are less talked about and today you will have the opportunity to observe the daily life of Buddhist nuns at That Kya Di Tha Nunnery. We will arrive by 10:30 to spend some time with them before they sit down for lunch at 11:00. Following this unique cultural insight head to Swan Oo Ponnya Shin Pagoda which offers beautiful views of the surrounding nature, and U Min Thounzeh Pagoda, a cave temple with 45 Buddha images arranged in a curved format, an ideal spot to take a group photo.
Afternoon:
Ava-Amarapura
Having worked up an appetite continues to Ava by a combination of car and small boat. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant there, after which a horse cart will be waiting to take you around the capital city from the 14th to the 18th century. This traditional form of transportation allows you to directly support the horse cart owners who have been dealing with decreasing income over recent years.
In Ava explore Bargayar Monastery with its beautiful teak wood structure and stunning carvings. Then your horse cart driver will lead you to Yadana Semi Pagoda, before the final stop at MahaAungmyae Bonzan Monastery, an imposing brick monastery dating back to the 19th century.
Later in the afternoon, visit Amarapura, the royal capital from 1783 until 1859. Highlights here include a visit to a traditional silk-weaving workshop and the world’s longest teak footbridge – U Bein Bridge, which crosses the shallow Taungthaman Lake. This is a fantastic place to take beautiful photos and enjoy a leisurely stroll along the bridge as the sun sets before transferring back to your hotel.
Optional activity: For a truly memorable sunset take a short boat ride on Taungthaman Lake with a local boat driver (15000 Kyats per boat – maximum 2 passengers.
include & exclude
What is included in this tour?
Items that are included in the cost of tour price.
- Hotel pick up and drop off
- Local breakfast at the tea shop
- Professional Tour guide service
- Transport by private air-con vehicle
- Ferry boat and horse ride at Ava
What is not included in this tour?
Items that are not included in the cost of tour price.
- Archaeological Zone fees/Entrance fees for Ava area, U Bein bridge, and Sagaing
- Lunch
- Camera fees at the pagodas
- Personal expenses
FAQ
What is the cancellation policy for this tour?
This tour can be cancelled up to 2 days (48 hrs) before the travel start date for a 90% refund and if you cancel less than 2 days before the travel start date or no-show there are no refunds. The Government Tax (5%) is non-refundable.
Does entrance fees include in the price?
Usually, the Combo tickets (Zone fees/ Entrance fees) for this tour are not included in our price in case you already bought a Combo ticket before your tour. If so, we recommend you to bring your Combo ticket with you at all times during your visit (or) our guide will assist you to buy this.
Can I book this tour last minute?
We say yes, and but it is subject to the availability. We have set up the booking cut off time in 2 days and if you want to book less than 2 days please contact us via email (office@myanmarupperland.com). Then we can get back to you with the information to help you book the tour.
What do I need to bring with me to do this tour?
We suggest you carry slipper and something to protect from the sun and the dust. Shorts or sleeveless tops and shoes are not allowed to enter the place of Pagodas and Religious area.
I am a solo traveller, can I book this tour?
We operate this tour in privately as we, MUL considered to the privacy of the travellers and not sharing with other travellers. But solo traveller can still book for this tour if you choose 2 pax in the booking. In a certain condition, you may also request for the (solo) price by email.
Is a vegetarian option available for this tour?
Yes, Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required.