Duration
6 days / 5 nights
Price Per Person
Interests
Tribal
Destinations
Myanmar

This 6-day itinerary, Exploring the Tattooed Tribes of Chin State, takes you through the ethnic villages of the northwestern region of the country. Visit Yangon, Nyaung Oo, Kyunchaun, Mindat, Kyardo, Kanpetlet, Kyunchaun and Bagan, to gain a whole new cultural perspective. Chat with local tribes and trek across the lush rolling hills as you enjoy your Myanmar adventure.  

This itinerary is an example. It’s designed to inspire you and provide you with thoughtfully curated ideas. You can choose to do this exact itinerary or completely personalize it. All trips are 100% bespoke.

Highlights

  • The Tattooed Chin: The Chin tribes are famed throughout the world for the intricately-tattooed faces of the women. Legend has it that a Burmese king traveled to the region and was so enthralled to the women’s beauty that he kidnapped one to take as a bride, causing the people there to tattoo their daughters.
  • Bagan: The ancient city of Bagan, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is built over more than 38 square miles next to the Irrawaddy River and is one of the most impressive cultural sites in Myanmar.
  • Trekking Chin State: Visitors follow the Chait River and cross to Aye Village half way between Mindat and Mount Victoria.

Day-by-Day

Day 1

Yangon

Arrive in Yangon, the country’s former capital, filled with beautiful colonial-style buildings. Stroll through downtown to see old homes and the gorgeous architecture amidst the busy city life. In the afternoon, enjoy shopping at Scotts Market. Pay a visit to Chauk Htat Gyi to see the massive reclining Buddha. Learn about a culture within a culture as you wander through Yangon’s own Chinatown. Spend the night at a hotel of your choice.

Hotel Options
Why We Love This Hotel

Location: Set in a historic 1920s colonial mansion in the sought-after Embassy Quarter of Yangon

Pool: Large fan-shaped swimming pool framed by lush tropical gardens and a lotus pond

Decor: Rooms and suites are adorned with traditional Burmese teak furniture and hand-woven Southeast Asian fabrics

Bathrooms: En-suite bathrooms have large sunken bathtubs and indulgent toiletries

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Governor's Residence Preferred Hotel
Why We Love This Hotel

A Cultural Stronghold: With its stately, British-inspired architecture, glittering Buddhist pagodas, colorful markets, parks, lakes, and long riverfront, Yangon is a vibrant cityscape that’s ripe for exploration. Rosewood Yangon is an ideal starting point for those looking to tour the nearby markets, art galleries, bars, restaurants and historic sites.

Wellness at Your Fingertips: Sense: the Rosewood Spa, is second-to-none in the city of Yangon when it comes to its menu of massages paired with natural ingredients and several locally-inspired healing treatments. A private hair salon is also on site.

A Refined Sense of Aesthetics: Living spaces and facilities at Rosewood Yangon are well-appointed with touches like lavish furnishings, hardwood floors, and floor-to-ceiling windows. Stimulating contemporary art pieces adorn the walls alongside tasteful glass shelving units.

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Rosewood Yangon Preferred Hotel
Why We Love This Hotel

Location: The Strand is located on the Yangon River in the heart of the shopping and diplomatic district of the city

History: Built in 1901, The Strand is Myanmar's most famous hotel, patronized by prominent 20th century figures.

Service: Butlers work 24/7 to ensure guests have everything they need.

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The Strand Preferred Hotel

Day 2

Mindat

Fly to Bagan and climb into a jeep. Enjoy the scenery as you sit back on the way to Mindat, a little town sitting at nearly 5,000 feet elevation about 4.5 hours away. You will see the heart of the central dry zone and several toddy plantations. Once in Mindat, you’ll spend the night in a welcoming local guest house. 

Hotel Options
About

Mountain Oasis Resort is a wooden ecolodge-type property located in the hills just outside the former British hill settlement of Kanpetlet and close to Natmataung National Park. Its 10 simple wooden bungalows all have double rooms with electricity, but there is no hot water.

This accommodation has been personally vetted by the Remote Lands team and is the best available in the area. More information on this property is available on the “Hotels” tab at the top of the page.

Mindat
Mindat

Day 3

Mindat

Learn about the daily lives of the Mon Chin, Dai Chin and Magan Chin tribes people during your time in Mindat. The women have intricately-tattooed faces and the people still don their colorful, traditional dress. Sit down for a meal at one of the flat stone tables created near the tribe’s houses. Visit Kyardo after a pleasant trek from Mindat. Meet members of the Mon tribe and learn about their ways of life - many of the men still wear only loincloth. See where the tribe makes sacrifices, their stone table cemetery and learn about their burial traditions using small pots. Return to Mindat and retire to your guesthouse.  

Day 4

Aye Village

Take a two-hour trek to the Chait River. Along the way, you’ll pass through the Chin’s mountain cultivation farm. After crossing the river, travel up on foot for four hours to the Aye Village, a small off-the-beaten-path village dotted with little wooden huts. Walk beneath the towering pines before retiring for the night, at either a local house or setting up camp in a tent. 

Hotel Options
About

The far reaches of Myanmar does not have hotels, so for a truly authentic and adventurous experience, either stay in a tented camp or a homestay in a traditional local family home. Although the accommodation is basic, traveling these remote areas make truly memorable experiences.

This accommodation has been personally vetted by the Remote Lands team and is the best available in the area. More information on this property is available on the “Hotels” tab at the top of the page.

Aye Village
Aye Village

Day 5

Bagan

Enjoy a savory breakfast before beginning your journey to Bagan by jeep. Delight in the panoramic view of Chin Hill and Mindat as the sun rises across the sky. After a seven-hour drive through the countryside. Reach Bagan that evening and relax at a local hotel.

Hotel Options
Why We Love This Hotel

Quality: Anavila Bagan is the first five-star resort option in Bagan and a superlative accommodation option in the region, offering stylish and luxurious villa stays, as well as five-star service.

Green Values: The property was built with minimal environmental impact in mind and not a single tree was felled during its construction.

Exclusivity & Privacy: Comprised of just seven villas, the Anavila Bagan is a petite hotel that provides tranquility and refuge for guests looking for a truly private moment to enjoy those sweeping temple-strewn views.

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Anavila Bagan Preferred Hotel
Why We Love This Hotel

Location: The Aureum Palace Hotel is situated in one of Myanmar’s most ancient kingdoms, abundant with old pagodas and crumbling ruins.

Setting: The resort is reminiscent of an ancient oriental settlement with traditional Burmese architecture inspired buildings on 27 acres of beautifully landscaped tropical gardens.

Spa: The hotel’s in-house spa provides a peaceful oasis with treatments ranging from traditional Myanmar and Thai massages to herbal oil massages and foot reflexology.

Food: The hotel boasts Burmese, Shan, Thai and other exotic regional cuisines.

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Aureum Palace Hotel Preferred Hotel

Day 6

Departure

Experience Burmese culture at its finest as you visit the old-world temple of Sulamani and the neverending Dhamanyan-gyi temple famous for its intricate brickworking. Visit a handicraft shop specializing in lacquerware, a unique craftsmanship in the Myinkaba village. That afternoon, transfer to the airport for your return flight to Yangon to begin your trip home. 

Suggested Hotels For Day 1

Governor's Residence
Preferred Hotel

Governor's Residence

Located in a lotus garden not far from the Shwedagon Pagoda is The Governor's Residence. Once a governor's mansion, it has since been converted in to a 49-room hotel, a 30-minute drive from Yangon airport (RGN). Located in the hotel are two restaurants; the Mandalay Restaurant serves Asian and European cuisine and the Mindon Lounge is a comfortable spot to sit indoors overlooking the garden, or outdoors, and enjoy a refreshment. While there is a swimming pool and massage treatments are offered, there is no spa. The Governor’s Residence has a fitness center and WiFi is available anywhere on hotel grounds, in addition to having a business center for Internet and email access.

Rosewood Yangon
Preferred Hotel

Rosewood Yangon

The Rosewood Yangon's historic building on Stand Lane was originally built in 1927 as the New Law Courts, and in partnership with the Yangon Heritage Trust, it has been carefully restored it from the inside out to preserve its Burmese spirit and the grandeur of its past. The property offers 209 spacious rooms and suites with classic décor and high ceilings. There are five distinct dining venues including a residential-style tea lounge and patisserie, a modern Chinese restaurant, a convivial bistro, an intimate bar and cigar lounge, plus a panoramic rooftop bar boasting sweeping views of the city and the Yangon River.  Accommodations at Rosewood Yangon include a variety of room and suite types, all of which are elegantly appointed and feature touches like Juliet balconies, sun terraces, french doors, garden spaces, and more. Recreational options include Sense: A Rosewood Spa, a rooftop infinity pool and a fitness studio.  Meeting and function facilities include a ballroom, bridal suite, function salon, three meeting rooms and an outdoor deck.

The Strand
Preferred Hotel

The Strand

This elegant 32-room colonial palace, built at the height of the British rule in Burma, is reminiscent of the romantic era of Graham Greene and W. Somerset Maugham. It remains an oasis of tranquility in an ever-changing and bustling Rangoon. The Strand was previously part of the Aman group, and is still of Aman caliber in its splendid suites, delicious food and superb service. It is now a part of the GHM Group, which is an Aman affiliate. The hotel offers two dining options, The Strand Café, which features Burmese cuisine, and The Strand Grill, which is said to be one of Yangon’s finest dining venues. A business center is available for Internet and email access with professional secretarial services. The hotel has The Strand Boutique for shopping and The Strand Spa Suite for spa treatments. The hotel is a 30-minute drive from Yangon International Airport (RGN).

Suggested Hotel For Days 2–3

Mountain Oasis Resort

Mountain Oasis Resort

Mountain Oasis Resort is a wooden ecolodge-type property located in the hills just outside the former British hill settlement of Kanpetlet and close to Natmataung National Park. Its 10 simple wooden bungalows all have double rooms with electricity, but there is no hot water. The restaurant serves Burmese, Chinese and European dishes, as well as breakfast.

Suggested Hotel For Day 4

Homestays & Camping

Homestays & Camping

The far reaches of Myanmar does not have hotels, so for a truly authentic and adventurous experience, either stay in a tented camp or a homestay in a traditional local family home. Although the accommodation is basic, traveling these remote areas make truly memorable experiences.

Suggested Hotels For Day 5

Anavila Bagan
Preferred Hotel

Anavila Bagan

Anavila Bagan is a five-star property comprised of seven exclusive villas, designed to reflect Bagan's UNESCO-accredited heritage. Each of the riverside villas and residences are unique in interior and space, with chosen decor showcasing Burmese and wider Asian cultures, and antique pieces set against a contemporary aesthetic. All accommodations include panoramic windows as well as a private veranda and/or roof terrace, which look out over the treetops to the temples and river nearby. Hotel facilities include an outdoor infinity-style saltwater swimming pool with a bar, The Clubhouse restaurant and a traditional Burmese teak house, where guests can see local craftspeople at work and learn about Burmese cooking.
Aureum Palace Hotel
Preferred Hotel

Aureum Palace Hotel

Set back in 27 acres of lush, tropical gardens, The Aureum Palace Hotel is a tranquil retreat in the heart of Bagan. Spacious villas lace the resort’s expansive gardens and are lavishly appointed with hand-crafted teak furnishings, antiques and local artifacts. Dining options are extensive. For traditional Myanmar and Thai cuisine, visit The Shan, or for Italian cuisine and wines, dine at Casa D’Enzo. Casual cocktails and lighter fare are available at the resort’s many outdoor patios and cafes and poolside dining is available throughout the day. The Spa at the Aureum Palace offers aromatherapy treatments and massage by appointment. There is a swimming pool and fitness center, as well as a business center for Internet access.

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