THE ROAD INTO BURMA FROM THAILAND INTO MYANMAR 25 FEBRUARY TO 20 MARCH 2017

THE ROAD INTO BURMA Modern Burma offers us a series of contradictions and makes a fascinating country to visit. We will enter the country close to the route of the ‘Burma Railway’, the name given to the railway access from Thailand constructed under the Japanese during the Second World War by prisonners of war, with terrible loss of life. We will visit some of the war graves, as well as the bridge over the River Kwai. In Moulmein we will see the stupa celebrated in Kipling’s poem The Road to Mandalay. In Yangon, former Rangoon, and colonial capital, a number of interesting early 20th century buildings have survived which make for a good city walk. In Bagan, a landscape filled with stupas amongst the acacia trees is one of the most extraordinary sights imaginable: during the medieval period it’s been calculated that a new stupa was erected every few weeks. The transition, in recent years, from military dictatorship to democracy has had us all rivetted: we have witnessed the extraordinary tenacity of Aung San Suu Kyi as she has gone from political prisoner, Nobel prize winner, to elected politician. Our journey through the country continues to the very peaceful lake at Inle. Here our hotel is raised on stilts over the lake water. We will travel to Mandalay, whose heart is formed by a huge moated palace. In the hills above the city is the colonial summer capital at Pyin Oo Lwin, complete with clocktower, botanical gardens and half timbered houses. From here we’ll take the train over the Gokteik Viaduct, which was one of the highest trestle viaducts in the world when it was built in 1900.

HIGHLIGHTS Leave Bangkok by train Bridge over the River Kwai Hellfire Pass Moulmein Yangon’s old colonial buildings

Bagan: a stupa-filled landscape Inle lake Mandalay and U Bein’s teak bridge The train over the Gokteik Viaduct Led by Rufus Reade

JOURNEY DETAILS Location Thailand and Myanmar Dates 25 February to 20 March 2017 Duration 22 days. Max 7 travellers Price £4349 Single room supplement £1050 Deposit £420 Tour Code RR 02/17 What’s included All accommodation in 3 star hotels and best available guesthouses, all meals unless stated (no lunch & dinner in Inle on one day), all land transport by train by internal flights within Burma, and by road as described in the itinerary, entry to all the sites mentioned, and all tips. The tour is escorted by Rufus Reade. What’s not included: International flights, Personal travel insurance, drinks, laundry, phonecalls, and your visa(s). The tour is organised by Rufus Reade Tours, 40 Pilrig Street, Edinburgh EH6 5AL [email protected] Tel 0131 554 1078

The Itinerary February 25 Fly from London to Bangkok. February 26 Arrival into Bangkok. Transfer to our hotel, Ramada Plaza Menam (with lovely river frontage), where rooms have been held overnight. Breakfast and a free morning before we go out for to learn more about the Art and Culture of Bangkok’s Klongs (a snack lunch box): this half-day cultural tour in a private long-tail boat takes us along Bangkok’s ancient canals, past shops, houses, temples and residences in a range of architectural styles. Early supper before returning to our hotel. February 27 After breakfast we’ll catch the Skytrain before getting onto the public boat, (often used by Bangkok commuters) to see Wat Pho and the Grand Palace. After lunch we will boat along the Saen Saeb canal. One of our visits will be to Jim Thompson’s House Museum, which showcases the history of the famous and mysterious American silk merchant. Dinner at Yaowarat, Bangkok’s Chinatown: we’ll walk through this district and taste the cooking from 7 famous eateries, ranging from street food vendors to renowned Thai-Chinese diners. Overnight in Bangkok.

February 28 We’ll catch the stopping train from Thonburi Train station to Kanchanaburi (due to arrive at 10:50). After lunch we’ll transfer to our hotel, U Inchantree Kanchanaburi. We plan a late afternoon walk to see the Pak Preak community, lined with charming shop houses built during the reign of King Rama V (died 1910). March 1 After breakfast we will visit Hellfire Pass, a particularly difficult stretch of the Burma Railway to build. Lunch at a local restaurant near the bridge over the River Kwai. After lunch, we can visit one of the Memorial Museums, and the POW Memorial Cemetery. Dinner at hotel. Overnight in Royal River Kwai, Kanchanaburi. March 2 We will leave Kanchanaburi to drive for about an hour to the Thai/Burma border. After crossing the border we’ll continue by road to Dawei (about 4 to 5 hours) along the newest of the border crossing roads. Dawei was one of the first cities settled in by the British after the first Anglo-Burma wars. In the evening we will visit Paya Gyi museum Shwe Taung Sar Pagoda. First of two nights in Dawei at the Golden Guest House.

March 3 We will spend the day seeing local industries (rubber, drying fish, processing cashews and beetle nuts). Overnight in the Golden Guest House, Dawei. March 4 After breakfast we will drives towards Moulmein/Mawlamyine. We will stop in Thanbyuzayet where there is a well-kept Allied War Memorial Cemetery. Overnight in the Strand Hotel, Mawlamyine. March 5 City tour of Mawlamyine, which will include the bustling colourful central market, Zeigyi and other city buildings. After lunch we can head to the eastern mountains to visit Kyaik Thanlan Pagoda, the city’s landmark. Perhaps this is where Rudyard Kipling was inspired to write his famous poem, The Road to Mandalay. Overnight in Mawlemyine. March 6 It’s a 4 hour drive to Kyaikhtiyo. We’ll need at this point to transfer into an opentopped truck for the 45 min-

ute final ascent to get to within striking distance of the Golden Rock: this huge boulder, covered by gold leaf, is delicately balanced on the edge of a cliff. The Golden Rock is one of Myanmar’s main pilgrimage sites. The pagoda here is said to hold a hair of the Buddha. Overnight near Golden Rock at the Mountain Top Hotel. March 7 We’ll need to go down the hill in the same fashion as we came up in an open-topped truck, before we begin the drive to Yangon. En route we’ll stop at at Bago, which was the capital of the Mon Kingdom in the 15th century. The Mon-style Shwemawdaw Pagoda is the most outstanding religious monument in Bago. Bago is also a centre for local textiles. Just before reaching Yangon we will stop in Htaukkyan to visit the Allied War Cemetery. This beautifully landscaped, peaceful area

is the final resting place for more than 27,000 Allied soldiers who died fighting in WWII. During our time in Yangon we will stay in the Hotel Grand United. March 8 Our city heritage tour will include the Secretariat, the former headquarters of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company, the Armenian Church and Gandhi Hall. We’ll pause for lunch at the House of Memories Restaurant, where delicious Burmese cuisine is served in an historic colonial home. Afterwards we’ll visit Aung San Old House, the former residence of General Aung San, father of Aung San Suu Kyi. The home now houses memorabilia of the former independence leader. We can continue to see the house of the former U.N. Secretary General, U Thant. In the late afternoon/ early evening it will be lovely to visit the Shwedagon Pagoda the

most revered Buddhist temple in Myanmar. We’ll return to our hotel for dinner.

One evening we can enjoy dinner at Nanda Restaurant with a Puppet Show.

March 9 After breakfast we’ll transfer to the airport for our flight to Bagan (Nyaung Oo). From the 11th to 13th centuries, when Bagan was the capital of Myanmar, the rulers constructed thousands of huge stupas and temples many of which are still standing. Three nights in the Aye Yar River View Resort which sits beside the Irrawaddy River, Bagan.

March 12 After breakfast, transfer to Bagan Airport for our flight to Heho: we’ll drive to Kakku see the 5200 individual stupas, some of which are 20 metres high. The stupas may date to the 11th-13th century, the same period when Bagan was thriving. We are now in the Pa-O tribal area: our guide will introduce us to their villages and customs. Three nights on Inle Lake at the Shwe Inn Tha ‘Floating’ Resort (actually houses on stilts above the lake water).

March 10 & 11 During our time in Bagan we will see some of the major sites as well as giving you time to relax, and to explore independently. There may even be an opportunity to book a hot air balloon ride (about $300 per person) over this exquisite landscape. We have also arranged an oxcart ride so that you can get off-road and trundle through the temple sites, passing the fields where farmers may be working. There will be opportunities to shop, and you may enjoy learning about the craft of lacquer making. Seeing this landscape from one of the higher terraces of one of the temples at sunset (possibly also at sunrise) is one of the pleasures of being here. There will be an opportunity to cruise on the Irrawaddy River.

March 13 A vegetable market visits different locations around the lake on a five day cycle, and if we are lucky our visit won’t coincide with one of the days when it is closed! An early visit to the market is a really worthwhile opportunity to see the local tribes (Pa-Oh, Inthar and Shan) coming to buy and sell. The most important temple on the lake is the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda with 5 sacred Buddha images. Near the temple is the boat house with the two gold covered temple barges. At Inpawkhone we’ll see traditional silk weaving. Our vists during the day will include

Inndein with its remarkable area of memorials stupas. These were once covered in fine stucco work which is sadly beginning to fall off. We’ll return to our hotel for dinner. March 14 A free day, when you might enjoy the hotel pool. Independent meal arrangements today so you can take charge of your lunch and dinner at the hotel restaurant. March 15 We’ll leave the hotel very early by boat and transfer to our transport for the airport so as to fly to

Mandalay. Mandalay is today a craft aware city where we can see gold being beaten, embroidery, wood carvings, and bronze casting. After lunch at Ko’s Kitchen, we will see some of the other sites of the city including the temple at the top of Mandalay Hill (scene of very destructive fighting as the Japanese army withdrew in WWII). It’s a good place to see the last light of the day. First of two nights in the Sedona Hotel.

March 17 We’ll drive into the hills to the Raj-period summer capital at Maymyo, now called Pyin Oo Lwin. We will enjoy a drive through the town, some of whose houses look as though they have been transplanted from Surrey. There will be a chance to stroll through the town, as well as walk in the Botanical Gardens. We’ll have dinner at the Club Terrace. We’ll have just one night in Hotel Royal Reward Resort.

March 16 We’ll board a boat which takes us upstream to Mingun, which will gives us a glimpse of life on the Irrawaddy River. Our destination boasts the largest cast bell in the world, and the enormous stupa base for a religious building which was never completed, but arguably the best thing about this morning trip is to see Burmese locals, nuns and monks on pilgrimage. Stalls sell a range of souvenirs where most people are tempted to make purchases! We’ll have a simple lunch on the boat as we return to Mandalay before we vsit the former capital at Amarapura. Highlights here include Sagaing Hil covered with pagodas, and the lovely teak bridge built almost entirely of teak by U Bein. Return to Mandalay for dinner and our second night.

March 18 An early start will ensure that we are well in time for the train at the local railway station: the timing can be a little erratic, but it is wonderful to see the locals preparing to load the train with baskets and vegetables. The train is not a luxurious affair: the seats can be hard, and the windows are not reliably glazed, but the view of the countryside is great fun, and the ten minutes spent crossing

the Gokteik gorge is very memorable. As the train inches its way over there are great views of this trestle viaduct. Once we have crossed the gorge we will leave the train for a return drive to Pyin Oo Lwin for lunch, and then carry on back to Mandalay where we’ll check into the Sedona Hotel. March 19 We’ll check out of our hotel and drive to the airport for our flight to Bangkok. Late night check-in for our flight to London March 20 Arrival in London.