Myanmar- Thilawa to Bagan advice?

Taking the Singapore to Mumbai cruise that stops in Thilawa from 5:30 AM on the 21st and departs 4PM on the 23rd. I would love to do the hot air balloon trip over Bagan- has anyone else done this on their own? The Bagan trip the ship offers is a one night stay that departs early from Bagan, so wouldn't work.

No, sorry, that's logistically impossible. There was another recent thread about Burma and the excursion to Bagan and the consensus was that Burma is not really a cruise ship destination because major sites are inland. My advice is fly out early, fly up to Bagan from Singapore and stay a few nights. You may have to transit through Rangoon.

We are on Sojourn now having left Yangon 2 days ago. As we arranged a private tour for our party of 6 and achieved all that we wanted, I am happy to review the details!

Sojourn arrived and cleared Immigration by 9 am. We met our guide for a visit to Shwedagon Pagoda and then our transfer to the airport for a 14:30 flight to Bagan. We stayed at the Thiripyitsaya Sanctuary Hotel for 2 nights. The next day we had a most enjoyable balloon trip by Oriental Ballooning, followed by guided tours of several temples and pagodas and then a horse cart ride. We left Bagan the next day on an 8:30 flight back to Yangon which allowed our guide to take us to Scotts Market, the railroad station and Independence Square before returning to the ship for our 16:30 sail away.

The travel agent is Tour Mandalay, contact is Thura, and you can google him.

He is very responsive with 50% paid in advance to his designated bank account and the rest to the guide who first picked us up at the ship. Great service!

So, as you can see, this is the smart way to have a comprehensive 2 night program with balloon ride in Bagan.

Happy sailing!

We are on Sojourn now having left Yangon 2 days ago. As we arranged a private tour for our party of 6 and achieved all that we wanted, I am happy to review the details!

 

 

 

Sojourn arrived and cleared Immigration by 9 am. We met our guide for a visit to Shwedagon Pagoda and then our transfer to the airport for a 14:30 flight to Bagan. We stayed at the Thiripyitsaya Sanctuary Hotel for 2 nights. The next day we had a most enjoyable balloon trip by Oriental Ballooning, followed by guided tours of several temples and pagodas and then a horse cart ride. We left Bagan the next day on an 8:30 flight back to Yangon which allowed our guide to take us to Scotts Market, the railroad station and Independence Square before returning to the ship for our 16:30 sail away.

 

 

 

The travel agent is Tour Mandalay, contact is Thura, and you can google him.

 

He is very responsive with 50% paid in advance to his designated bank account and the rest to the guide who first picked us up at the ship. Great service!

 

 

 

So, as you can see, this is the smart way to have a comprehensive 2 night program with balloon ride in Bagan.

 

 

 

Happy sailing!

May I enquire as to cost?

One thousand thanks Markham! Exactly what I was hoping for. Will contact them today.

Markham- We have just booked our cruise for March 15- we never know when we will have time to travel- so have done zero research. Are there any other trips/tours you have done or planned on this trip that you recommend?

Thanks again

We paid about $1100 per person incl 2 nights hotel, flights and the balloon trip.

We ate 2 delicious dinners at the hotel and had lunch at Queen Restaurant in Bagan at our expense. As you have seen, the timings of everything was perfect i.e. no ridiculously early flight times and the Yangon guide in particular managed our expectation re transport times in overwhelmed Yangon.

Great value!

http://www.tourmandalay.travel

http://www.facebook.com/tourmandalay

thura@tourmandalay.travel

Happy sailing!