Yangon 3 days (Travel to most of the places in one trip)

Travel itinerary – During 18-20 December 2015

Yangon-Hongsawaddy-Kyaiktiyo Pagoda (the Golden Rock)

Day 1: Bangkok - Yangon - Hongsawaddy - Kamboza Thadi Palace (Bayinnaung's palace) - Kyakhat Wine Monastery - Shwe Maw Daw Pagoda- Kimpun Camp - Kyaiktiyo Pagoda (The Golden Rock)

04.30am: Don Mueang Airport, departure hall, Nok Air counter.

06.30am: Take off to Yangon city with Nok Air flight DD4230.

07.15am: Arrive at Yangon International Airport (Myanmar's local time is half an hour slower than Thailand's local time). After finish all the immigration procedure, we get on a coach heading to Hongsawaddy city (Bago) which is approximately 80 kilometers away from Yangon city. After that, we are going to visit Kamboza Thadi Palace (Bayinnaung's Palace) which just had been excavated and renovated in 1990.

From the ruins that have still left on the site could be assumed that this historic site is the palace that belongs to King Bayinnaung. Nowadays, the excavation is still not yet finished, however, we could see how huge of this palace is. After that we will go to offer the food to thousands of monk at Kyakhat Wine Monastery where there are a great number of monks and novices coming here to learn the Tripitaka. You guys could bring stationery or food to donate at this monastery as well.

Next, we will go to worship Shwe Maw Daw Pagoda or Phra That Mutao Pagoda which is the tallest pagoda in Hongsawaddy and it is also a symbol that affirms the prosperity of Hongsawaddy Kingdom in the past. Moreover, inside the pagoda has enshrined hair relics of Lord Buddha as well.

Shwe Maw Daw Pagoda or Mutao Pagoda

Kamboza Thadi Palace (Bayinnaung's Palace)

Kyakhat Wine Monastery

Afternoon: Having lunch at the cuisine (Highlight menu is one large serving of Grilled River Prawn for each person)

After lunch, we will head to Kimpun Camp (foot of Mount Kyaiktiyo). It takes us approximately one hour and a half to two hours to Kimpun Camp. We will stop for some rest and change the car to six wheels truck to go up to Mount Kyaiktiyo instead. From here, it takes approximately 45 minutes – 1 hour to the destination. We would admire the attractive scenery from both sides and feel the cool air that are getting colder and colder while we are going up on the mountain. (I would say that the ascent is quite steep)

Late evening:Having dinner at the cuisine and after that we could go to worship the pagoda at our leisure, we also could practice meditation or praying all night long. For those who would like to worship the pagoda at the outdoor corridor that stretches out to the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda, you should prepare things such as coat, jacket, blanket, scarf or cushion as the floor would be very cold. This pagoda has opened all night but the iron gate that opens for the gentleman will be opened just until 10.00pm only.

Kyaiktiyo Pagoda or the Golden Rock is regarded as one of top five most sacred places of Myanmar. This place is the origin and the inspiration of Year 1991 S.E.A Write Award poet named Mala Kamchan in writing the novel named “Jao Jan Phom Hom: Nirat Phrathat In Khwaen". And tonight we will stay at 3-star hotel or equivalent (Have a decent relaxation in the pleasant weather)

From where the truck is parked, we have to continue walking to our accommodation which is away from Kyaiktiyo Pagoda approximately 500 meters.

During the way to the accommodation, there are lots of things selling along both sides.

Finally, we have reached our accommodation. Tonight we will stay here (3-star hotel), the hotel condition is fine for me. Anyway, I could sleep anywhere at this moment, no matter what. LoL

After finished keeping the stuff, I could hardly wait, thus, I walk up straightly to worship Kyaiktiyo Pagoda right away.

Day 2: Kyaiktiyo Pagoda - Shwethalyaung Reclining Buddha - Kyaikpun Pagoda – Yangon – Shwedagon Pagoda

Well, let's continue our journey. On the second day we go up to the Golden Rock once again to take the picture and watch the way of life of Burmese people during morning time.

After taking some photos in the morning time makes us learnt that Burmese people wake up very early as around the area of Kyaiktiyo Pagoda is full of people, especially Burmese people who believe in making merit, building Buddha Image, donation etc. And now it is time for our breakfast, I am very happy as our breakfast is in a local food style buffet. I do eat a lot and the food is pretty awesome.

After breakfast, we continue taking pictures for a while and then go to pack our stuff preparing to check-out from the hotel. After that, we will take the truck to get off from the mountain and continue catching a car to travel to the downtown (we fight getting on the truck with Burmese local people, it kinds of tough and fun, we feel excited in every seconds while we are sitting on the truck). Then we pack our baggage preparing to head back to Yangon city by traveling on the same way.

Next, we will visit Shwethalyaung Reclining Buddha which is the sacred place of Hongsawaddy city which the importance of the place is second to Shwe Maw Daw Pagoda. The Reclining Buddha image has the length of 181 feet and 50 feet high and was constructed during the reign of King Migadepa in 994 during the flourishing of Mon Kingdom. The Buddha Image has magnificent appearance with the feet place overlap with each other. The unique appearance that differs from the reclining Buddha image in Thailand is that the feet are not placed equal to each other. It is said that this Buddha image is the image of Lord Buddha before entering into Nirvana. Furthermore, there are also many local souvenir shops located at the below area of this sacred place.

Then, we will continue our journey to Kyaikpun Pagoda which was built in 1476. There are four seated Buddha image situated at all 4 directions which consist of Samana Gautama Buddha (Heading the face to north direction), and three Buddhas of the past which are the Gonakom (South), the Kusanto (East) and Mahakasyapa (West). The pagoda was built by four sisters who dedicate themselves to Buddhism. The Buddha images represented their vow of chastity and virginity for the rest of their life.

Afternoon: Having lunch at the cuisine (Menu: Giant Prawn again).

Then take a visit to Kyauk Taw Gyi Pagoda where the largest marble Buddha image in Myanmar is situated.

After that, we will travel to the White Elephant House to witness the royal elephant of Myanmar. Their bodies are all in white color which is precisely according to the characteristics of royal white elephant.

Then we are going to visit and worship Shwedagon Pagoda which is the highlight attraction of Myanmar. The pagoda is regarded as the most sacred pagoda in Myanmar which has a great number of Burmese people and foreigner continuously come to pay respect to the pagoda all day and all night. It is said that the gold that was used to construct and renovate the pagoda is far more than the gold that was kept in Bank of England. Nowadays, Myanmar government has renovated the pagoda making it looks magnificent which suited as the great important pagoda of the nation.

Late evening: Having dinner at the cuisine.

We will stay at 3-star hotel tonight.

Day 3: Thanlyin ( Syriam) – Yele Pagoda - Botataung Pagoda - Kyauk Htat Gyi Reclining Buddha – Baramee Temple – Bangkok

07.00am: Breakfast at the hotel (Buffet style again)

08.00am: Visit Botataung Pagoda, the pagoda was built to enshrine hair relics of Lord Buddha before bringing the relics to enshrine at Shwedagon Pagoda at last. At first, when the hair relics of the Lord Buddha had arrived here, it was respectfully engaged from the boat to be enshrined at this and after that this place was housed Rohani Bo Bo Gyi which is the sacred Nat that is well known by Thai people believing that praying from him, our wish will instantly become truth. Therefore, Thai people called him “Fast Fulfilled Wish God". (“Nat" means the sacred spirit of the dead people who die a violent death such as having accident, murder, die from grief etc. However, Nats become the spiritual dependence of the locals. Therefore, the status of Nats are half-god half-ghost, generally speaking, their status are higher than normal ghost but not higher than god. There is the assumption that the word “Nat" in Myanmar comes from “Nat" in Pali language which means “dependence")

After that, we head to Thanlyin city which is approximately 45 kilometers away from Yangon city . We could witness the beautiful exotic of the city that is used to be Portuguese port city in the ancient time. The city is located by the Yangon River that connects to Irrawaddy River. We will take the boat to visit Yele Pagoda which situated at the island that located in the middle of the river, the pagoda has thousands year of age now and it is the respectful place of Thanlyin local people. At the port area on the island, you could buy the food to feed hundreds of large size catfish that swim around the area; you also could find their fins leap out of the water surface.

Later on, we will go to pay homage to Kyauk Htat Gyi Reclining Buddha (Sweet Eyes Buddha) which is regarded as the most beautiful Buddha image with the spectacular eyelash and under the feet have 108 auspicious figures. The feet of this Buddha image differ from those in Thailand as both feet are not equal to each other.

This picture I take it for fun, it is the lotto of Myanmar. LoL

11.00am: Having lunch at the cuisine, I do like this meal the most as it is the restaurant that we are familiar with and the name of the cuisine is “Shabushi". LoL

After we are done with the meal, we continue our journey to do some local products shopping at “Scott Market" which is built by Scot during the time that Myanmar was still a British colony. You could buy a lot of local souvenirs from here at cheap price such as carvings, Buddha image carving from aromatic wood, Thanaka powder, local embroidered fabric, silverware, jade and many more.

After finished shopping, the last place of this trip we are going to visit is Baramee Temple for worship hair relics of Lord Buddha. These hair relics are believed that they are still alive.

Late evening: Having dinner at the cuisine. (Eat again!!)

And now, it is about time to head back to Yangon Airport.

09.00pm: Take off to Bangkok by Nok Air flight DD4239.

10.55pm: Arrive at Don Mueang Airport safe and sound.

See you guys again in the next trip!!!