This fascinating Mandalay gift experience is more culturally immersive than most sightseeing tours, combining heritage visits with encounters with local people and monks, and rides on public transportation. The day begins with a short journey south to Sagaing, otherwise known as nirvana for pagoda-spotters. This important religious center is dotted with dozens of ancient monasteries and towers, with monks wandering the streets. It’s perfect for those who want to catch an Instagrammable moment, but also a vital introduction to Myanmar’s religious foundations. You’ll learn about Buddhism and the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment, before a visit to the Mya Set Kyar Monastery to see the incredible giant Buddha statue, and witness the monks’ lunchtime parade and rituals.
Moving on to Inwa on the other side of the river, one of Myanmar’s ancient capitals, you’ll travel by public ferry and then horsedrawn cart, pausing at a riverside restaurant to sample some typical Myanmar cuisine. Inwa also has many spectacular monasteries and pagoda complexes, most of which are now elegantly crumbling away as the former royal city is reclaimed by nature. Your guide will lead you through rice paddies and fields of banana trees as you explore. Finally, a visit to another former capital, Amarapura, known for its silk and cotton-weaving industries. The Ubein bridge is over 1 kilometre long, and said to be the longest wooden bridge in the world - it’s certainly among the most photographed sites in Myanmar.
