When to go??The best time to travel.?A good time to travel, but there may be some factors to be aware of.~Travel is possible, but this is not the best time of year.?Travel is not recommended.The ideal time to visit is during the dry season,which falls between November and April. Certain regions can be very wet during oursummer months, but due to the size of thecountry it is possible to avoid these areas and still plan a worthwhile tour. The plains of Paganand Mandalay are very hot during our summerbut the sunshine is interrupted by short, heavyshowers. The hills can be cold through the UKwinter months.Time difference:GMT+6.5 hoursFlight time from UK:14.5 hours (to Rangoon via Bangkok)PricesWe offer trips to cater for a wide range ofbudgets. You can find up-to-date guideline prices for your trip to Burma on our website,alternatively please call our specialists to discussyour plans.82Tailoring your tripThe itineraries shown are designed to give you aflavour of what is possible, and are routes thatwork particularly well. We can use these as abasis to plan your trip or can design a completelydifferent itinerary to suit your tastes and interests.Please call one of our Burma specialists to startplanning your itinerary.Telephone: 01993 838 105Getting aroundRangoon is usually your entry and exit point byair. There are overland border crossings fromThailand and southwest China, but these borderscan on occasion be closed by the authorities.Burma is a deceptively large country and fewroads are of good quality, so flights are usually thequickest way to cover larger distances. Whereflying is not an option we use private vehicles orriver journeys. The train network is fairlyextensive but is not comfortable and rarelyconvenient.FestivalsIt is well worth planning your visit to coincidewith one of the many festivals that take placethroughout the year, such as the Ananda Pagodafestival in Pagan during January or the Thingyan'Water' Festival, usually held for a five day periodduring April. On the eve of the Buddhist NewYear, young and old up and down the countrywash away the bad deeds of the previous yearwith water in preparation for the next. There arealso some specific festivals in the Inle Lake area,see page 79.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec??????~~~~~?????Classic BurmaThis is a comprehensive tour of Burma's mainhighlights, starting in the former capital of Rangoonbefore flying upcountry to view the magnificenttemples of Pagan. Then cruise to Mandalay, takingin villages and scenes of typical life along the way.Next stop is Inle Lake for a few days, exploring thestilted villages and tributaries of the lake beforefinishing with a few days relaxing on the beach.Day 1Fly from the UK to Rangoon, via Bangkok.Day 2Arrive in Rangoon. Transfer to your hotel.Day 3Full day to explore Rangoon,including a visit to the Shwedagon Pagoda.Day 4Fly to Pagan to visit the temples. Day 5Explore Pagan at leisure.Days 6-7Enjoy a two-night leisurely cruisealong the Irrawaddy.Day 8Arrive in Mandalay and explore theancient capitals.Day 9Visit Mandalay's pagodas and cottage industries.Day 10Transfer to the airport ready for yourmorning flight to Heho, where youwill be met and taken to the stunningInle Lake.Day 11Take a guided boat trip to see themain highlights of the lake.Days 12-16Fly to Ngapali for a few days ofrelaxation on the beach.Day 17Fly to Rangoon and then to the UK,via Bangkok.Day 18Early morning arrival in the UK.Stay longerIf you have more time you could trek between Inle Lake and Kalaw, spending the night in amonastery en route. RangoonNgapaliPaganMandalayInle LakeBURMAFreshly cooked food stall, Mrauk UMonk at the Shwenandaw Kyaung, Mandalay

Suggested itinerariesBurma DiscoveredThis tour combines the classic, must see sights ofBurma including the Shwedagon Pagoda and thestunning Inle Lake with several more adventurousactivities that take you off the beaten track. Trek to the indigenous tribes around Kengtung in ShanState and take an interesting overland journeyfrom Mandalay to Pagan via Monywa.Day 1Fly from the UK to Bangkok.Day 2Connect with your flight to ChiangRai in northern Thailand.Day 3At leisure to explore the temples and markets of Chiang Rai.Day 4Transfer to Mae Sai and the Burmeseborder. Continue to Kengtung, acharming laid-back town.Day 5Start your trek throughrice paddiesand to villages home to the Ann andAkha tribes.Day 6Day trip to Loimwe, a formercolonial hill station.Day 7Fly to Heho and transfer to Inle Lake,here you have the afternoon to relax.Day 8Enjoy a boat trip on Inle Lake.Day 9Visit the Tha Khauk Pagoda complex.Day 10Fly to Mandalay and explore thefascinating wooden pagoda.Day 11Visit the ancient cities of Ava and Amarapura.Day 12Head for the quaint town ofMonywa, stopping en route at theSagaing hills.Day 13Drive south to Pakokku, a tradingtown on the banks of the IrrawaddyRiver. Here you board a boat andjourney downstream to Pagan.Days 14-15Explore the temples of Pagan withyour guide.Day 16Fly to Rangoon and explore thisintriguing city, culminating with a visitto the shimmering ShwedagonPagoda at sunset.Day 17Transfer to the airport and fly to theUK via Bangkok.Day 18Arrival back in the UK.www.audleytravel.com/burma ?01993 838 105 ?Burma83The Burma RoadThis itinerary tours Burma's finest sights and thenfollows the World War II supply route deep intoChina, exploring the ethnically diverse region ofYunnan province. Travelling by road and rail, thisitinerary covers remote and little visited regions.Day 1Fly fromthe UK to Bangkok.Day 2Connect with a flight to Rangoon.Day 3Fly to Pagan to explore the temples.Day 4Hire a bike and cycle to some of theoutlying temples in Pagan.Day 5Take the local ferry to Mandalay.Day 6Explore the highlights of Mandalay. Day 7Drive to the colonial hill station of Maymyo.Day 8Travel by train to Hsipaw over thefamous Goteik viaduct. Hsipaw is setamongst beautiful countryside, and isa great place for some trekking.Day 9Continue the train journey to Lashio.Day 10Spend the day in Lashio. Visit thecolourful market, where tribal peoplefrom the surrounding area gather.Day 11Cross the Chinese border and driveto Tengchong.Day 12Take a trip to explore the TengchongVolcano Park.Day 13Drive to Dali. In the afternoon you can visit Erhai Lake and theThree Pagodas.Day 14Travel through the mountains toLijiang, home of the matriarchal Naxi people.Day 15Excursion to visit the Black DragonPond and Lijang Ancient Town.Day 16Visit the spectacular Tiger LeapingGorge and discover traditionalDongba culture at Black DragonPond Park.Day 17Fly to Kunming and then on to theUK via Bangkok.Day 18Early morning arrival into the UK.Burma ExploredThis itinerary would suit someone returning toBurma for a second or third visit. Those who areprepared to stay in simple yet comfortableaccommodation will be rewarded with an insightinto the life of the Burmese people. Travelling byroad, river and air, this itinerary combines Buddhistculture at the Golden Rock with colonial history inMoulmein, typical Burmese life in Sittwe and theancient temples of Mrauk U.Day 1Fly from the UK to Burma, via Kuala Lumpur.Day 2Arrive in Rangoon.Day 3Full day city tour including a visit tothe Shwedagon Pagoda.Day 4Drive to the Golden Rock, one of Burma's most important Buddhist sites.Day 5Continue to Moulmein, a charmingcolonial-era port.Day 6Explore Moulmein.Day 7Full day drive to Rangoon.Day 8Fly to Sittwe, the capital of Rakhinestate. This busy port town has aBurmese-Muslim population.Day 9Travel by boat to Mrauk U. This is abeautiful journey of around 50 milesup the Kaladan river.Day 10Explore the remains of the capitals of three kingdoms.Day 11Visit Wethali, a nearby ancient cityand the original site of the famousMahu Muni Buddha, now situated in Mandalay.Day 12Return to Sittwe and fly to Rangoonfor your last night in the city.Day 13Fly to Kuala Lumpur and then on to the UK.Day 14Early morning arrival in the UK.RangoonMrauk USittweGoldenRockMoulmeinBURMARangoonPaganBURMAMandalayMaymyoHsipawLashioTengchongLijiangDaliKunmingCHINALAOSTHAILANDRangoonBURMABangkokPakokkuMonwyaMandalayInle LakeMae SaiKengtungChiang RaiTHAILAND