8 Days Glimpse Tour of Thailand Myanmar and Laos

After breakfast, your tour guide will meet you at the hotel around 8:00 am – 8:30 am. The day begins with a boat ride up the Mekong River, which gives you a breathtaking view of the tranquil countryside. Along the way, you'll stop and visit:

1. Ban Xanghai village: the place where Laos rice wine and rice whiskey are produced. You'll have the opportunity to try some and learn about the process used to make it.
2. Pak Ou Caves: two linked caves filled with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims.

Lunch will be served near the caves. You'll try a local Laotian dish called "Orlam" which is a soup with vegetables and features a spicy wood that is partially edible. After a short rest, you’ll continue on your half-day tour to the beautiful Kuang(Khouang) Si Waterfall.

1. Bear Rescue Sanctuary: three bear houses were built with a capacity for 25 rescued bears.
2. Khouang Si Waterfall: the most beautiful in Laos. You can cool off with a refreshing swim in the pools or walk along the forest trails.

After the tour, you will get back to the hotel for a good rest. 

This morning you will need to get up very early to visit an alms ritual unique to Laos, departure from the hotel at 5:00 am. You will accept the blessing of monks to whom you give the alms.

Around 6:00 am, you could enjoy the sunrise at Mount Phousi. It is a quiet, peaceful, and mesmerizing morning. Go back to the hotel for breakfast, and have a rest until your tour guide escorts you to the Luang Prabang airport. You’ll take a flight to Bangkok, about 90 minutes.

Welcome to Bangkok! Upon arrival, our tour guide and driver will welcome you at the airport. You will be escorted to the hotel and check-in. The rest of the day is free for you.

Enjoy your breakfast in Bangkok and prepare to enjoy a full day’s Bangkok city’s exploration. In the morning, you will visit:

1. Wat Phra Kawe & the Grand Palace: a complex of buildings at the heart of Bangkok, which has been the official residence of the Kings of Siam.
2. Ride like a Local by tuk-tuk to Wat Pho temple

Then, have a nice local lunch after the long morning tour, and have a short break.

In the afternoon, explore the city’s renowned klongs(canals) by boat and cruise the Chao Phraya River. Also, visit the following two sites:

1. Wat Arun: one of the most visited temples in all of Thailand
2. Royal Barge Museum: many exhibitions on Thai history, royalty, and Buddhism.

After the tour, you will be escorted to a spa center to enjoy one-hour traditional Thailand massage to relax your senses. Then go back to your hotel to have a good rest.

Enjoy your free time in the morning until transfer to the airport for an onward flight to Mandalay about 1 hour and 50 minutes.

Welcome to Mandalay! Upon your arrival in Mandalay, your local guide will meet you at the airport and escort you to the hotel.

After having a local lunch, you will explore the historic sites around Mandalay for a half-day tour. In Mingun, you’ll visit:

1. Mingun Bell: the world's largest uncracked bell.
2. Pathodawgyi Pagoda: the world's largest pile of bricks.
3. Myatheindan Pagoda: It's white and looks like the mythical Buddhist Mountain called Mount Meru.

After the tour, you will be escorted to the hotel, enjoy your free time, and have a good rest.

Today, after breakfast, your tour guide will drive to Sagaing, the ancient capital of the Shan and Myanmar Kingdoms. Uncountable white-and-gold stupas are highlights of Sagaing. Sagaing Hill is widely regarded as the religious center of Myanmar. You’ll visit Soon Oo Pon Nya Shin Pagoda on the tranquil Sagaing Hill.

Crossing a bridge over the Irrawaddy River, you’ll take a horse cart to explore the ruins of the old royal capital.

1. 27m tall leaning tower.
2. Maha Aungmye Bonzan Monastery: built of brick in traditional style with elaborated stucco ornamentations that look like carvings.
3. Bargaya Monastery: a splendid teak wood monastery with wood carving.

After the tour, you’ll be transferred by private van to Bagan. The total distance is 112 miles and will take about 3 hours. Upon arrival, you will be escorted to your hotel for check-in.

If time is available, you can choose to enjoy a fun horse cart ride to a little village called Taung Phi for a view of a teak monastery. Keep riding in the horse cart around temples and winding roads, while the sun moves toward the horizon, making interesting shadows from the temples on the ground. You’ll visit Shesandaw Pagoda and watch one of the best sunsets in Southeast Asia.

Today, you need to get up early at 5:00 am to experience a beautiful hot air balloon flight over Bagan’s temples. 

Drifting over a panorama of a thousand ancient pagodas, silent in the shadow of low-slung mountains and against the banks of the mighty Irrawaddy River, you will have a wonderful overhead perspective of Bagan. It's a fantastic and interactive experience.

The entire experience will last about 2.5 hours. On landing, our fully trained Myanmar ground crew will pack the balloon whilst passengers enjoy a glass or two of celebratory champagne. You’ll receive a flight certificate signed by the pilot.

After enjoying a delicious breakfast, you have free time on your own until your tour guide picks you up at 1:00-1:30 pm to Mount Popa.

1.Mount Popa: a dormant volcano in central Myanmar and the highest point of the Pegu Range.
2.Popa Taungkalat Monastery: a special monastery high up on a big rocky hill, offering beautiful views of the fields nearby and Mount Popa.
3.Nat Shrine: mannequin-like figures representing the 37 Nats, dedicated to animist spirits.

Note: you need to climb 777 steps to get to Popa Taungkalat Monastery, if you don’t want to do that, you can choose to visit the sandalwood forest and medical herb garden with plenty of flora and fauna.

After touring Mount Popa, a stop will be made at a palm tree plantation on the way back to the hotel in Bagan. Villagers earn money from these palm trees. It's a nice break where you can watch them work with palm trees.

In the morning, after breakfast, your tour guide will escort you to Mandalay.

Tour service ends here.

Hope you enjoyed a great trip with us and we look forward to seeing you next time.