2008 Tour:
Gems of Southeast Asia

Dates: Tuesday December 30 - Friday January 16, 2009. Tour begins in Yangon, Myanmar and ends in Siem Reap, Cambodia. A group flight has been arranged in coordination with these dates but you are welcome to provide your own transportation.

Tour Description

This year's tour is something new from our normal routine.  Rather than touring India, we'll visit some of the most extraordinary sights in Southeast Asia—the UNESCO heritage sights of Bagan, Luang Prabang, and Anchor Wat.

The trip will begin in Yangon, Myanmar (formally Burma). From there, we'll fly to Bagan, a pictureque valley full of hundreds of Buddhist temples from the 11-13th centuries.  From there, we'll take a break from temples and visit relaxing Inle Lake where we'll take a boat ride to visit floating villages. We'll return to Yangon for an overnight stop and visit the magnificent, other-worldly Shwedagon Temple.

On the next day we'll fly to Luang Prabang in Laos, a laid back sight where hundreds of Buddhist monks with their begging bowls parade through the street every morning. From there, we'll take a boat journey up the Mekong River to visit some picturesque waterfalls, caves, and rural villages.

Our final destination includes what is considered to be the eighth wonder of the world: the temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The itinerary allows plenty of time in each destination to visit all sights in a leisurely way.

 

Itinerary
click here to see a gallery of photos of the following destinations

 

SCOTT’S TOURS
Myanmar, Laos & Cambodia
30 Dec 2008 – 16 Jan 2009

 

MYANMAR

30 DEC 08                              YANGON

• Tour begins.
• Group flight arrives from Singpore at 3:45 PM. Transfer to hotel.
• Overnight in Yangon.

 

31 DEC 08                                YANGON – BAGAN            

• After breakfast at the hotel transfer to Yangon Airport for the flight to Bagan.
• On arrival transfer to your hotel for check in.
• Compulsory New Years Dinner at Hotel.
• Overnight in Bagan.
  
  Description: In its glory days, Bagan was a major Buddhist center and a thriving city of at least 300,000 people along the banks of the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) River. The people erected over 10,000 pagodas and monasteries. Today some 2,000 still stand.
  

 

1 JAN 09                                  BAGAN                                                                      

OPTION: from October to March, early morning hot-air balloon flights over the plain of Bagan and its 3000 sites. (+ USD $245 per person)

• Full day to explore the numerous temples in Bagan. You can rent a bike to visit most of the temples or, alternatively, you can hire a donkey cat.
• Overnight in Bagan.

 

2 JAN 09                                 BAGAN                                                                      

• Full day to explore the numerous temples in Bagan.
• Overnight in Bagan.

 

3 JAN 09                                 BAGAN                                                                       

• Full day free at leisure
• Overnight in Bagan.

 

4 JAN 09                     BAGAN  – INLE LAKE                                    

• In the morning transfer to Airport for the flight to Heho.
• From Heho a 1-hour scenic drive leads to Nyaung Shwe, the gateway village to Inle Lake. Stop at the wooden Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery on the way.
• Board a private motorboat to head out onto Inle Lake, one of Myanmar’s most spectacular sights. We'll pass villages built on stilts over the lake, which are mostly inhabited by Intha people, the leg-rowing fishermen of the lake and see the floating gardens built up from strips of water hyacinth and mud and anchored to the bottom with bamboo poles.
• Stops for visits at the Nga Hpe Chaung (jumping cats) Monastery and its Shan Buddhas and Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the lake’s main sanctuary.
• Other visits include the weaving village of Inpawkhone, a cheroot factory where the typical Burmese cigars are made by hand.
• If time allows we go for an improvised walk through one of the villages.
• Overnight on Inle Lake.
  
  Description: Inle Lake can easily match Venice in terms of beauty and being unique and different at the same time. Inle Lake has unique pagodas and villages built on stilts right into the lake. It is home to a harmonious blend of national races: Bamar, Danaw, Danu, Intha, Kayah, Pa-O, Shan, and Taung-yo peoples. Most are involved in fishing for the local carp and other freshwater fish with cone shaped nets. The Inthas are renowned for rowing their flat-bottomed boats from the stern with one leg, so that they can watch for shoals of fish, and avoid the large clumps of water hyacinth and low-lying islands that are scattered about Inle.

 

5 JAN 09                     INLE LAKE                                                    

• After breakfast, we'll head to the colorful morning market on the lake visited by lake inhabitants and surrounding hill tribes.
• From the middle of the lake, we'll continue down a small canal leading to the Paoh village of In Dein. After a walk around the village, passing a local school, we'll take the covered stairway to the beautiful Alaung Sitthou area where ancient stupas are partly covered by vegetation. From here there is a magnificent view over the lake.
• Afternoon back to the lake and relaxation at the hotel
• Overnight on Inle Lake

 

6 JAN 09                     INLE LAKE – YANGON                                           

• After breakfast, we'll board a private boat to transfer to Nyaugn Shwe then take by landtoute to Heho for flight back to Yangon.
• On arrival transfer to your hotel or check in.
• In the afternoon, tour Yangon. Visit Shwedagon Temple and have afternoon tea at Strand Hotel, an exquisitely maintained hotel from the British colonial era. If time, we'll also visit other sites such as Bogyoke Market, Chinatown, and take a walk through streets filled with faded colonial atmosphere and busy everyday life.
• Overnight in Yangon

 

LAOS

7 JAN 09                     YANGON – LUANG PRABANG                                  

• In the morning transfer to Yangon airport and fly to Luang Prabang
• Upon arrival, transferred to your hotel for check-in.
• Overnight in Luang Prabang.
  
  Description: Luang Prabang is a peaceful, provincial town, and is the spiritual capital of Laos. There are many monasteries in there and each morning, thousands of monks walk through the town with their begging bowls.   During the day, you can visit the monasteries and help the young monks with their English.

 

8 JAN 09                     LUANG PRABANG

• Day free to explore the sites and monasteries of Luang Prabang or to hang out at the Luang Prabang Bakery and watch the town pass by in front of you.
• Overnight in Luang Prabang..

 

9 JAN 09                      LUANG PRABANG                                                                  

• Free day to explore Luang Prabang. Get up early to see hundreds of monks parage through town with their begging bowls; visit the various monasteries and talk to young monks; attend chants; hike Mt. Phousi.
• Overnight in Luang Prabang..

 

10 JAN 09                   LUANG PRABANG

• After breakfast, we''ll take a a downstream cruise on the Mekong visiting the waterfalls at Tat Kuang Si, the village of Ban Tat  Paen, and other recommended stops.
• Overnight in Luang Prabang.

 

CAMBODIA

11 JAN 09                   LUANG PRABANG – SIEM REAP

• In the morning transfer to airport for departure flight to Siem Reap
• Arrival at Siem Reap.  Visa formalities. Transfer to your hotel for check-in.
• Overnight in Siem Reap.

Description: Unbeknownst to many, Angkor Wat is only one temple of several in the Siem Reap area. Angkor Wat itself is the the biggest religious temple in the world. It was built by Suryavarman II in early 12th century. Inside the temple, the walls are covered by carvings and bas-reliefs depicting Hindu mythology and the wars Suryavarman II made during his reign. Angkor Wat is also well known for the 2000 Aspara dancers decorating the temple. Click here for a comprehensive guide of the entire region.

 

12 JAN 09                SIEM REAP  

• Early morning, we'll get up in time catch the sunrise over Angkor Wat temple,the biggest religious temple in the world. After breakfast, we'll continue visits some of the highlights of the region: the Bayon at Angkor Thom that is full of four-faced spires; Ta Prohm, a pictureque temple covered by large roots.
• Overnight in Siem Reap.
  

 

13 JAN 09                SIEM REAP  

• Free day to explore the various temple complexes
• Overnight in Siem Reap.

 

14 JAN 09                SIEM REAP  

• After breakfast, depart for an full day excursion. First we'll visit Banteay Srey, made of pink sandstone and one of the smallest temple yet most beautiful of the area. Built in 967 AD by a guru to Jayavarman V, it showcases the most exquisite, deep and complex carvings in all Khmer architecture.
• Then we'll continue to visit Kbal Spien and hike up what is known as The River of 1000 Lingas.
• Finally, we'll visit Beng Mealea which a temple in disrepair and much less manicured than the other temples. It's a fun temple to visit and you can pretend you are Indiana Jones as you climb up ladders and scurry through narrow tunnels.
• On the way back to Siem Reap, if time allows, we'll visit the temple to Banteay Samre. Situated on the eastern edge of the Angkor complex, this temple is very similar to Angkor Wat. The structure with its typical lotus flower shaped tower but has very compact proportions.  This temple was built during the best period of the Khmer architecture and its condition is almost perfect.
• Overnight in Siem Reap.

 

15 JAN 09                SIEM REAP    

• Day free to explore the areas temples or spend a relaxed day in town at one of the various cafes.
• Overnight in Siem Reap.

 

16 JAN 09                SIEM REAP – HOME   

• Singapore Air Group flight leaves Siem Reap at 12:25.
• Tour ends.