EDUCATIONAL and CULTURAL TOURS

T (08) 8223 1272 ● F (08) 8232 3690 ● E tours@wea-sa.com.au 223 Angas Street, Adelaide SA 5000

TTA 183

E&OE

Day 13 Friday 7 October Day 11 Wednesday 5 October Mt Popa: Today you visit the extraordinarily beautiful region of Mt Popa, the ‘flowery mountain’. This is the sacred site of the Mahagiri ‘Nats’, or spirits in Buddhist Myanmar. Buddhists come from near and far to worship the Nats here. The stunningly picturesque Popa Taung Kalat Monastery sits a top a pedestal amid an oasis of green. You visit the Taung Shrine and some spectacular temples laden with gold, silver and decorative lights and mirrors. You return to Bagan in the evening. Overnight Bagan Breakfast ■ lunch ■ dinner

Day 12 Thursday 6 October Bagan-Yangon: This morning you fly from Bagan to Yangon. After settling into your hotel, you set off to visit the Botadaung Pagoda near the Yangon River. It was named after the thousands of military leaders who brought relics of the Buddha from India to Yangon over two thousand years ago. The Pagoda dates from this period and is elaborately decorated. Next you visit the Sule Pagoda, in central Yangon with its 46 metre spire. It is said that the centre stupa contains a hair of the Buddha and its name translates as “the stupa where a Sacred Hair Relic is enshrined”. From here you are able to stroll around Chinatown where you have lunch and explore the markets. In the evening you dine in a typical Burmese Restaurant. Overnight in Yangon Breakfast ■ lunch ■ dinner

Yangon: A full day of sightseeing in Yangon which will include the spectacular religious monument, the Shwedagon Pagoda with its 98 meter high golden dome which is covered in 60 tons of pure gold. It is over 2,500 years old. You also visit the Chauk Htut Gyi Pagoda to admire the famous early 1900’s reclining Buddha which is reputedly the world’s longest. As Burma is known for its precious gems, especially rubies and emeralds, you also tour the Gem Museum. At the completion of the tour you will be able to explore the Scott Market, which has a huge display of Burmese handicrafts available at excellent prices. Overnight Yangon Breakfast ■ lunch ■ dinner

Day 15 Sunday 9 October You arrive early morning at Adelaide International Airport.

TOUR INCLUDES: Adelaide to Adelaide flights ■ Internal flights ■ Fully escorted ■ Local guides ■ 1 nt Kuala Lumpur ■ 3 nts Yangon ■ 2 nts Inle Lake ■ 3 nts Mandalay ■ 4 nts Bagan ■ Entrance fees ■ Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner on tour ■ Cruise on Inle Lake ■ Ayeyarwaddy River Cruise ■ Puppet Theatre ■ Cultural shows ■ Pre-tour class ■ Pre & Post tour get togethers ■ Comprehensive study notes and tour pack

Pictures-Yowatzup: antwerpenR: Kyle Lesley: Gusjer: worak: Ramayana Thanh Long: Jeffreyw

Day 14 Saturday 8 October Yangon to Kuala Lumpur and Adelaide: After breakfast you transfer to Yangon airport for your return flight to Kuala Lumpur. Here you connect with an overnight flight to Adelaide. Meals in flight

...enriching lives through cultural exchange

25th September - 9th October 2011

M ystical Myanmar is a treasure trove of royal civilisations over two thousand years old, English colonial centres like Mandalay in the northern hills, tropical coastlines and snow capped peaks. You will love the diversity of sightseeing, the

warmth and friendliness of the people, the wealth and beauty of the ancient palaces, city walls, terraces, white washed stupas and glittering golden pagodas. You discover fascinating Yangon (Rangoon), dominated by the huge gold plated Shwedagon Paya and entrancing Bagan, a city destroyed by Kublai Khan in 1287 and never rebuilt, and home to the remains of 2,000 temples and pagodas that date from the 11th to 13th centuries. In the north, you stay on an island in the middle of Lake Inle, providing you with an unforgettable, almost royal experience as you sit in large wooden seats, in typical local boats, shaded by large umbrellas. Most of all you will enjoy the people of Myanmar who have retained their traditional values and customs. They are devoutly religious with great respect for family life. This vibrant culture covers 135 tribal groups and where ever you go people will warmly welcome you to their land. Today this nation is known as Myanmar, but the anglicised version is still Burma. Many people in this developing nation rely heavily on Western tourists visiting. Tour Leader: Dr Suzanne Brugger is a graduate of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London where she taught in the 1960s. Her studies included Islamic Law and the art, archaeology and history of the Islamic world. She has lectured at Flinders University and has led many previous WEA educational tours including Uzbekistan, China, Iran, and Myanmar.

15 days $3870 twin share + taxes Single Supplement $490+ taxes ● Balance due 13th July 2011

YANGON ■ INLE LAKE ■MANDALAY ■ SHWE INN TAIN AMARAPURA ■BAGAN TEMPLES ■ MOUNT POPA

Day 1 Sunday 25 September ADELAIDE: Depart Adelaide International Airport for your flight to Kuala Lumpur. Overnight Kuala Lumpur Meals in flight

Day 3 Tuesday 27 September

Day 2 Monday 26 September Arrive Yangon: This morning you fly to Yangon (formerly Rangoon). After checking into your hotel you set off for lunch in a local restaurant. This is followed by a leisurely tour around Yangon which has been the capital of Burma since1885 when the last Burmese Kingdom ended. You stop to appreciate the many beautiful colonial buildings and also to visit the Naga hand made glass factory. In the evening your dinner at the Royal Karaweik restaurant enables you to sample some delicious, local Burmese dishes and a colourful traditional cultural show. Overnight Yangon Breakfast ■ lunch ■ dinner

Heho and Inle Lake: This morning you fly to Heho and drive out to your hotel on Inle Lake. The lake is shallow and serene and beautifully surrounded by high plateaus and the Shan Mountains. You check into your hotel by boat and have time to rest before explore this fascinating area. The Intha people who have built their homes on stilts consequently reside in the lake. You visit their villages of Nanpam and Yawma by boat this afternoon where you see intriguing gardens built up on the lake’s surface. The villages are also famed for their handicrafts and local weaving. A visit to the Nga Hpe Chaung monastery or the monastery of the Jumping Cat where monks have trained their cats to jump through hoops is also included on your tour. Overnight on Inle Lake Breakfast ■ lunch ■ dinner

Day 4 Wednesday 28 September

Inle Lake: Today is a glorious and memorable day as you boat around Inle Lake in umbrella shaded wooden craft, visiting local villages and Pagoda sites. One stop is at the Shwe Inn Tain village of the Palaung people some of whom still wear many bronze rings around their elongated necks. For those who rise very early there is the opening ceremony of the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival at dawn. Overnight on Inle Lake Breakfast ■ lunch ■ dinner

Day 5 Thursday 29 September Inle Lake to Mandalay: This morning you transfer from Inle to Heho and fly north to Mandalay where you transfer to your hotel before setting out to sightsee. You have lunch in a local restaurant then visit the Mahamuni Pagoda, built by King Bodawpaya in 1784 but destroyed by fire and rebuilt recently. It houses a four-metre image of Mahamuni, a gold leaf covered Buddha, and six bronze Khmer figures from Angkor Cambodia. The Kuthodaw Pagoda, known as the repository of the

Day 10 Tuesday 4 October

Day 9 Monday 3 October

Day 8 Sunday 2 October

Day 7 Saturday 1 October

world’s largest book, which consists of 729 marble slabs engraved with Buddhist scriptures is visited, followed by the Shwe Nan Daw Kyaung or Golden Palace Monastery, a superb example of a traditional wooden building. Before returning to Mandalay you visit Mandalay Hill for panoramic views over the area. Your stay in Mandalay is for four nights and dinner tonight is at the Golden Duck Restaurant. Overnight Mandalay Breakfast ■ lunch ■ dinner

Day 6 Friday 30 September Mandalay: After breakfast you cruise on the Ayeyarwaddy (formerly the Irrawaddy) River to Mingun to see the huge unfinished Pagoda of Mingun, which was begun by King Bogawpaya in 1790 and remained unfinished when he died in 1819. You also see the world's third largest bell and the largest ringing bell, dating from 1808. You return by boat to Mandalay and visit Mandalay Palace. Overnight Mandalay Breakfast ■ lunch ■ dinner

Mandalay: Today you begin by touring the old Royal Capital of Amarapura. Here you find the Mahagandanyon Monastery, where more than one thousand monks live and study. Your day also includes the Kaungmudaw Pagoda which is an unusual, massive white structure and a visit to a siversmith’s workshop. At day’s end you have a splendid panorama from Sagaing Hill, which affords views of the plains dotted with many pagodas and view the setting sun from the U Bein Bridge, the longest teak span bridge in the world. Overnight Mandalay Breakfast ■ lunch ■ dinner

Bagan: You have an early morning start for your 300-kilometre full day cruise down the Ayeyarwaddy River to Bagan in a private boat. This is a wonderful, relaxing time in which to observe village life of the Burmese along the banks. Along the way we will sightsee at the village of Yantapo where the first war agreement with the English was signed. Lunch is served on board. You arrive in mystical Bagan in the late afternoon. Bagan is known as Burma’s greatest wonder, an ancient deserted city which is home to over 2,000 temples and pagodas. After checking in to your hotel you head out to the Shwesandaw Pagoda for a view of the amazing sunset across the plain. Overnight Bagan Breakfast ■ lunch ■ dinner

Bagan: Sightseeing today starts in the early morning, then you return to the hotel for the warmest part of the day and return to the sites and pagodas again in the afternoon. Your morning visits include the Ananda Temple, built 1105 by King Kyanzitta and famous for its four huge standing Buddha images and 12th C Thatbyinnyunt Temple which is noted for its fine stucco carvings. You also visit the lacquer ware shops of Minkaba village and the Myazedi Pagoda famous for its inscriptions and huge sitting and reclining Buddhas built by King Manaha in 1059. After the lunch break we visit the Byubaukgyi Temple which is under the protection of UNESCO as a World Heritage site. It is noted for its ancient mural paintings. In the evening you watch the sun set over the thousands of temples of the Bagan landscape, a truly mesmerising sight. Dinner tonight at your hotel in Bagan will include a superb cultural performance. Overnight Bagan Breakfast ■ lunch ■ dinner

Bagan: This morning you visit the local Nyaung Oo market. Many of the pagodas of this area date from the 1200’s and early 1300’s and are noted for their glazed jataka tiles, terraces, sheer size, and not least of all, for their stunning images of Buddha. Our visits include the Shwzegon Pagoda, the Gyubaukgyi Temple with its beautiful paintings and the Htilominlo Temple known for its stucco carvings. During the lunch break you see a lovely puppet dancing performance in the Wetgyi Inn village. You then explore the largest pagoda in the area, the Dhammayangyi, erected in the 12th C by King Kalagya Min. The pagoda resembles a pyramid and has impressive mortar-less brickwork. Sulamuni Pagoda, noted for its stunning views out across the stupas which dot the landscape is also included. As the sun sets it turns the stone work of the pagodas a beautiful golden yellow. Overnight Bagan Breakfast ■ lunch ■ dinner