Discovery Myanmar

<p>On arrival at the Yangon airport, you will be welcomed your tour guide, Transfer to your hotel for check in and a chance to freshen up and relax. Settle into the hotel and meet for a group orientation and lunch break.</p><p>In the afternoon. Then we'll head right out to Little India town, where Yangon's Indian shopkeepers compete and collaborate with their Burmese counterparts to sell the most amazing mix of items — old, obsolete, broken, second-hand and sometimes even new! — right off the pavement. (If you have a few missing letters on your 20-year-old laptop's keyboard, or need an ancient old Bakelite lamp-switch, you'll find replacements here!) As the sun drops, our thoughts inevitably turn to one of the wonders of the religious world: Shwedagon, the famed Golden Pagoda. Photographing Shwedagon is anything you want it to be. There are challenging but still interesting to observe and shoot different religious activities of all Buddhist people. Free shooting around the pagoda platform will be done till sun is completely down. Then have a dinner and overnight stay in Yangon.</p>

<p>Today We are to wake up very early in Yangon but for now Yangon must wait: we'll be back later to explore its remaining highlights.</p><p>After early wake up , take away the breakfast box and transfer to the Yangon airport for your flight to Bagan, ( Flying hour from Yangon to Bagan is approximately 1hrs and 15 minutes ) upon arrival to Bagan, we are directly to proceed to Mindat (Southern Chin State ) (160 Km, 6-7 hours) by 4 x 4 jeep. Mindat which is located in the western part of Myanmar, accessible by road from Bagan, one of the most famous ecotourism sites in Myanmar, . A visit to Chin region ia an opportunities to observe their strange traditional custom and chin women with tattoos on their faces. Mindut are popular destinations in the southern part of chin state visited by tourists for its picturesque beautiful scenery and fine weather. Hunting is still practice and one can see various head bones of animals proudly hanged at walls of their houses. Their primitive weapon is the bow and arrow. In chin this weapon is universal, being used both in fighting and hunting such larger animals. On the way to Mindat Our delicious lunch will be at one of simple local restaurant in the small town called Paut then drive straight to Minday. Upon arrival at Mindat in the evening, check-in at a small & simple hotel. Enjoy dinner at a small local restaurant and overnight stay in Mindat</p>

<p>After wake up , pack all our camera equipments and get all necessary stuffs ready and then drive straight to local restaurant where we will have breakfast . After breakfast, Today’s our mission lies in Mindat . With the help of local experienced chin guide, we are to explore Chin villages around Mindat where you will see three different kind of tattooed women , They are called Munn tribe , Makham tribe and Daing tribe . Each tribe has their distinguished tattooed design. </p><p>Off course, We are going to explore the chin villages , but not all villages , only special places where we can see the chin women with the best tattooed design on their face . and after morning excursion and shooting is done , take a lunch break at good and simple local restaurant . then a little break to recharge your battery and to rejuvenate your enthusiasm for afternoon shooting .</p><p>Afternoon sightseeing include a visit to Pan Auk Village , start half day trekking to Pan Aut Chin Village. We will see different tattooed faces of the other Chin women and their way of life. It is one of the big villages of about 40 villager. In our sightseeing in the village, it will include old shaman’s house, wooden memorial poles of their nat festivals, old stone tombs at their cemetery and Chin traditional huts under decorated by many skulls, horns and bones of the different animals. Where we will do light trek around village to observe the village life of Munn Chin Tribe . Then back to Mindat and dinner is arranged at simple and good local restaurant in Mindat . overnight stay in Mindat.</p>

<p>After simple breakfast in the village , we are to continue shooting the some tribes before they leave for farming – We are planned to do shooting in the village until 10:00 am – after that we are leaving the village and proceed to CHEE CHAUNG BRIDGE where our vehicles will be waiting and then heading back to town for refreshing and then enjoy the quick lunch .</p><p>After that we are driving back to Bagan – The arrival time to Bagan depend on the departure time from Mindat – Upon arrival to Bagan, transfer to hotel and overnight stay in Bagan.</p>

<p>Early in the morning, well before dawn, head off for Sunrise shots from Shwesandaw pagoda, Of course this is a grand indulgence! — but Bagan is one of the visual wonders of the world, up there alongside Angkor in Cambodia and Borobodur in Indonesia. And Bagan is simply vast, nearly 70 square kilometres in extent, and if the weather smiles on us there is simply no better way of photographing its mind-boggling scale or capturing its dreamlike mood .then back to hotel for breakfast</p><p>After breakfast, we will directly proceed to local Nyaung Oo Market in search of the wonderful moments of daily life and interactions between people. After that a visit to Shwezigon pagoda a 1,000-year-old Buddhist stupa whose glittering golden bell-shape dome became a model for pagodas throughout Burma ( Where the great chance for shooting at long corridor with the shadow of concrete pillars ) . Before lunch indoor photo shots with local people in one of the Buddhist temple .</p><p>Then take a lunch break at good local restaurant and then take a little break at hotel for refreshing and relaxing before afternoon sightseeing.</p><p>Afternoon sightseeing begin hanging around the Sularmuni Temple and shooting the farm animals coming back in group on the dusty road near the Sularmuni Temple, then sunset shots from the best corner of Bagan and overnight stay in Bagan.</p>

<p>This morning, Optional sunrise shot and early morning sunrise shots from ground level before dawn . after breakfast we'll explore Bagan and its environs from ground level. Grand discoveries and opportunities await! Especially we are to visit to typical local village namely West Pwar Saw village to capture meaningful portraits of local old woman with very distinguished face, hanging around the behind the scene of the village, explore the traditional lacquer ware workshop and capture the slices of rural life then we are shooting the staged shots with local girl making the lacquer ware besides the temples of Bagan.Then lunch break and relax and rejuvenate energy and enthusiasm for afternoon shooting.</p><p>In the evening, we're off to one of our special Bagan spots to shoot silhouettes shots of local people with special arrangement till sunset . and overnight stay in Bagan.</p>

<p>This morning, a short air-taxi hop whisks us from Bagan to Mandalay. What's here? Myanmar's second-largest city, a population of one million souls, and the busy economic hub of the top half of Burma. Mandalay has its share of famous sights, but we will focus on the most photogenic, the ones likely to give us the most interesting insights and images. Upon arrival at Mandalay, We'll start with a visit to one of the impressive nunnery in Sagaing where we are making the most iconic photos of young Buddhist nuns praying, meditating with special arrangement . after that we are drive straight up to Sagaing hill ,on the way we are to drop in U Hmin Thone Zae Pagoda and then drive straight up to Sagaing Hill to enjoy the scenic view of its environ. Then drive straight back to restaurant for lunch .</p><p>After lunch , we are driving back to the street of stone-sculptors, where men attack blocks of white marble with drills and angle-grinders. From the clouds of marble-dust emerge Buddha likenesses in all shapes and sizes to address Burma's seemingly insatiable appetite for these religious icons .Mandalay's Mahamuni Pagoda, with its ancient Buddha statue, draws us next. The statue is traditionally held to be one of the only five likenesses of the Buddha in existence and the pagoda is therefore especially revered. Simply walking down the main hallway approaching the central pagoda is an experience! — Past fortune-tellers and stalls selling religious knick-knacks, in the footsteps . after that directly proceed to U Bein Bridge, at 1.2km the world’s longest teak footbridge. It's a hugely photogenic structure. It stretches across Thaungthaman Lake it comes alive in every sense as Dust approaches.. you’ll have captured dozens of great images: after making the classic shots near by the wooden bridge. Then drive back to Mandalay and check in at hotel in Mandalay and enjoy the dinner at hotel and Overnight stay in Mandalay.</p>

<p>After breakfast at hotel , we are to check out hotel and drive straight to Mandalay International Airport ( 48 km away – approximately 1 hr drive ) to fly to Heho for a visit to Inle lake , upon arrival to Heho, directly drive straight to Shweyan Pyan Wooden Monastery, famous for Oval shaped window, still having a chance for clients who is sill enthusiastic to make the perfect shots of Buddhist monks there. Then directly proceed to Nyaung Shwe which is major gateway to Inle lake and lunch break at local restaurant In Nyaung Shwe. After lunch , transfer to jetty in Nyaung Shwe and then take a boat ride to hotel for check in and have a short break.</p><p>Afternoon sightseeing start visiting to traditional hand weaving workshop in Inn Paw Khone Village known as the weaving village of Inle lake – Free shooting would be done in the weaving factory till you are happy with you photos – Lotus Fabric ( Unique product of Inle lake as well as Myanmar ) , Silk and cottons fabric are mainly woven traditionally and manually in the factories of the village ), after that we are to float around the typical floating village called Pauk Par Village to have a chance of shooting unique way of life and life styles of People and we are to visit one of local house in the village to connect you with the local family for chatting and shooting .then hanging around the fishermen for shooting fishermen fishing naturally before sun is down . then drive back to hotel and have a dinner at hotel . overnight stay in Inle lake .</p>

<p>Today early wake up is a must-do again for making a sunrise shots with organized fishermen at the best shooting ground nearby your hotel. After sunrise shots, head back to Hotel for breakfast and then directly proceed to five day market called Taung Toe Market Day situated in western lakeshore, 30 minutes drive from hotel ). Taung Toe Market is very authentic and not too touristic you will surely see the tribal people in their traditional clothes selling and buying the seasonal products . then drive straight to restaurant for early lunch and back to hotel for short break to recharge your battery and energy .</p><p>Afternoon shooting is supposed to start around 14 : 30 pm to go and shoot school boats . Leave hotel around 14:30 pm and proceed to one of the huge local school in the lake . we should be at the best shooting ground nearby school to wait for the school boats coming out of the school by rowing a little kid’s feet or leg in their school uniform . This kind of scene would be very authentic and supposed to be the natural scene of Lakedweller of Inle lake. and then directly drive straight to Ywa Ma village to capture the meaningful portrait of Padaung Women with brass neck rings on their neck. ( Shooting the meaningful portrait of Padaung women would be privately and separately organized.) then wander around the biggest floating Garden Areas of Inle lake to see the people rowing the boat with their legs, coming out of floating garden and returning to their hotel . Drive back to hotel before the dust and free and relaxed till dinner time at hotel . Overnight stay in Inle Lake.</p>

<p>This morning early wake up and have a breakfast then transfer to boat stand in Nyaung Shwe and proceed to Heho airport to catch the flight to Yangon. Upon arrival to Yangon Airport. You will be directly transferred to local restaurant for lunch break . Then check in hotel to enjoy your room till afternoon sightseeing.</p><p>Afternoon sightseeing starts with a visit to downtown area to walk around for street photography and to experience the unique colonial buildings. then we are to head off to Sin Ohae Dan Harbour to experience the local passenger boats , local people loading and unloading the local products and enjoy the sunset by riverside . Then drive back to hotel and overnight stay in Yangon.</p>