DAY 01: YANGON
Arrive in Yangon and make your own way to the Panorama Hotel. Meeting of group with Yangon Tour Leader at 6pm in hotel lobby for talks and giving you information about what you can do in Yangon. You will receive from him your copy of the day-to-day programme in a complete itinerary. He will help to check your passport for any necessary onward visas; check your travel insurance document which is a prerequisite for your travels with Budget Mekong Tour; then go to a restaurant for dinner together at your own expense. Walk about awhile in downtown Yangon with your T/L to get familiar with the "nightlife" of the people.
Overnight at Panorama Hotel (Tel.95-1-253077 - 10 lines), Pansodan Street, Yangon.

DAY 02: YANGON (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. Meet your T/L at breakfast time for talks. He will be with you in case you need his help.  If you want to do some sightseeing he will take you but you pay for the transport and the entrance fees – Sule Pagoda, downtown Yangon, the Strand jetty, Bogyoke Market, Chauktawgyi Paya, Botataung Pagoda and the best of them all the Shwedagon Pagoda.
At 6 pm meeting of group in hotel lobby for talks giving you information about Bagan and the next few days' programme. Go to a restaurant together at your own expense.
Overnight at Panorama Hotel, Yangon.

DAY 03: YANGON - BAGAN ( Breakfast )
Breakfast at the hotel. At 8am T/L will transfer you to Bagan by road, (about 8 hours ).
On the way you can see strange sights and be in touch with rural Burmese lifestyle. You will find the people very friendly and courteous. Arriving at about 4pm, you will pay US$10 for your entry pass into the Bagan Archaeological Zone. Your T/L will help you check-in and talk to you giving you information. Go to a restaurant together with T/L at your own expense.
Overnight at Mya Thi Da Guesthouse, New Bagan, Bagan.

DAY 04:           BAGAN – TOUR OF BAGAN    (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Meet your T/L at breakfast for talks.  Tour of the ancient city on horse-cart or on bicycles, visiting all the important and interesting monuments like Htilominlo, Gawdawpalin Pahto, Ananda Pahto and Ananda Kyaung, Shwesandaw Paya, Kyanzittha Umin, Shwezigon and Bupaya where the sunset view over the Ayeyarwaddy River is magnificent.
Go with your T/L to the Nanda restaurant for dinner at your own expense, and see a puppet show at this restaurant.
Overnight at Mya Thi Da Guesthouse, New Bagan, Bagan.

DAY 05:           BAGAN - MANDALAY SIGHTSEEING TOUR  (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning departure at 8am with your T/L to Mandalay by road about 5 hours. Arrive in Mandalay at about 1pm, T/L will check you into hotel, and will be around to give you assistance. Have a walking tour with your T/L to see a few monasteries few tourists visit – Shwekyimyint Paya built in 1167 whose Buddha image is original as consecrated by Prince Minshinzaw; the Zeigyo market, a sprawling place crammed with local products; Setkyathiha Paya with its impressive bronze sitting Buddha cast by King Bagyidaw; Eindawya Paya, a beautiful well-proportioned stupa shimmering in gold leaf; and Shwe In Bin Kyaung of exquisitely carved ornamentation.
Meet T/L in hotel lobby at 7pm for talks and go to dinner with him at your own expense. See a night market at the intersections of 84th and 28th streets or 79th and 29th streets before returning to your hotel.
Overnight at Unity Hotel (Tel.95-2-28860), 27th & 82nd Corner, Mandalay.

DAY 06:           MANDALAY – FREE DAY   (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. Meet your T/L at breakfast.  With the information given you by your T/L you are free to choose the monuments you wish to see – Mandalay Fort in the palace ground built by King Mindon;  the Mandalay Museum exhibiting the royal regalia and precious palm-leaf manuscripts;  Kyauktawgyi Paya housing a fine seated Buddha carved from a single block of marble which took 10,000 men and 13 days to transport to the site; Kuthodaw Paya containing the entire Buddhist scripture carved on 729 marble slabs housed in as many white-washed stupas; Atumashi Kyaung of traditional Burmese monastic design but gutted by fire; nearby Shwenandaw Kyang famous for its intricate carvings and where King Mindon died in; Mandalay Hill for a sunset view of the Ayeyarwaddy River and the low hills of Sagaing.
Meeting of T/L with group at 7pm in the hotel lobby for talks, and go to a restaurant for dinner at your own expense.  You might like to see a marionette show at the Mandalay Marionettes & Culture Show theatre near the Sedona Hotel at the corner of 26th and 27th streets (1,000 Kyat for the ticket).
Overnight at Unity Hotel, Mandalay

DAY 07: MANDALAY - NYAUNGSHWE- INLE LAKE (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. Depart with your T/L at 8am by road to Nyaungshwe about 6 hours and boat to your hotel on the Inle Lake about 40 minutes. Arrive at hotel to check-in by your T/L, and be at leisure.
Meet the T/L in the hotel lobby at 6pm for talks and go for an evening meal in a restaurant together.
Overnight at Aquaris Guesthouse, Inle Lake.

DAY 08: INLE LAKE (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. Meet T/L at breakfast for talks, and he will be around to give you any help you may require.
(Optional tour of the sights around the Inle Lake and to Kakku recently opened to visitors,  a mass grouping of over 2,000 stupas about 4m high laid out in neat rows in the area populated by the Pa-O ethnic group.)
Overnight at Aquaris Guesthouse, Inle Lake.

DAY 09: INLE LAKE - HEHO - TACHILEK- CHIANG RAI (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. At 8am T/L will transfer you to Naungshwe by boat, about 40 minutes, and then transfer to Heho airport by road, about 1 hour. At Heho airport wait until time to fly to Tachileik in the eastern Shan State (unaccompanied). Arriving in Tachileik airport, your Thai T/L will meet you to transfer you to the Myanmar-Thai border by road and bring you across to Mae Sai and from there to your hotel in Chiang Rai (about 1 hour). Arriving at the hotel in Chiang Rai your T/L will help you check-in.
Overnight at The North Hotel, 612/100/101 Sirikorn Market, T. Wiang, A. Muang, Chiang Rai

DAY 10: CHIANG RAI – BOAT CRUISE & SIGHTSEEING TOUR (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel.  Meet your T/L for talks in the hotel lobby and go for a tour up the river to visit some hill tribe villages.  Walk to the boat jetty to board a long-tail boat to cruise up the Kok River visiting a Karen village where you can ride an elephant by paying a small charge and a Lahu hill tribe village.  Go with T/L to downtown Chiang Rai for a walkabout to get familiarized with this small town.  Visit Wat Phra Kaew and Wat Phra Singh, the two major temples and monastic school, see the huge day market and browse about at the Night Market.
Overnight at The North Hotel, Chiang Rai

DAY 11:           CHIANG RAI - CHIANG MAI SIGHTSEEING TOUR  (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. At 8 am transfer to Chiang Mai about 3 hours driving through very scenic mountains, valleys, across streams and through provincial towns and villages. Arriving in Chiang Mai, your T/L will help you to check-in at the hotel. Sightseeing of Chiang Mai old and new parts, the crumbling walls and bastions of the old city surrounded by a square moat, trendy Huay Kaew Road, the modern Chiang Mai University and up the mountain road to Doi Suthep monastery that a white elephant chose to house a Buddha relic. Walk up the naga staircase to the golden chedi surrounded by bronze bells that the locals ring for good luck. Visit the small museum showcasing Lanna style of Buddha images, votive tablets and amulets. Return to Chiang Mai in the late afternoon and engage in a “Monk Chat” under some tamarind trees in Wat Chedi Luang. This evening you are free to stroll in the very interesting Night Bazaar in Changklan Road, a very lively marketplace for your enjoyment.
Overnight at Ratanakosin hotel (Tel. 66-53-234800), 190 Ratanakosin Road, Chiang Mai

DAY 12: CHAING MAI (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. Meet your T/L for talks in the breakfast room.
(Go on an optional tour – to the Maetaman Elephant Camp for elephant riding and bamboo rafting.)  
Meeting of T/L with group at 6pm in the hotel lobby for talks and go to a restaurant for dinner together at your own expense.
Overnight at Ratanakosin Hotel, Chiang Mai.

DAY 13: CHIANG MAI (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. Meet your T/L for talks in the breakfast room.
(Go on an optional tour – on a “Flight of the Gibbon” for 3 hours of thrill among the tree tops, and visit the time-bound village of Mae Kompong and waterfall.)
At 7pm go to a restaurant for dinner together with your T/L at your own expense.
Overnight at Ratanakosin Hotel, Chiang Mai.

DAY 14: CHIANG MAI - LAMPANG- SUKHOTHAI (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. At 8am transfer to Lampang about 2 hours south of Chiang Mai.
Lampang is famous for its elephant training and conservation centre and the venerable Phrathat Luang Lampang. From Lampang to Sukhothai is about 4 hours. Arriving in Sukhothai your T/L will help you to check-in at the hotel. Meeting of T/L and group at 6pm in the hotel lobby for talks and giving information to group, then he will take you to a restaurant for dinner at your own expense.
Overnight at Thai Village House (Tel. 66-55- 697249), 214 Moo 3, old Sukhothai

DAY 15: SUKHOTHAI (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. Meet T/L at breakfast for talks about old Sukhothai.
(Optional tour to the Sukhothai Historical Park and the Si Satchanalai Historical Park.)
Meeting of T/L with group at 7pm in the hotel lobby for talks, and have dinner in the hotel restaurant at your own expense.
Overnight at Thai Village House, old Sukhothai

DAY 16: SUKHOTHAI - PHITSUNULOK - AYUTTHAYA (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. At about 10am (time to be ascertained), your T/L will transfer you to the Phitsanulok Railway Station to board DRC train #12 to Ayutthaya, departing at 15.08pm. Arrive at Ayutthaya railway station about 18.52 pm your T/L will transfer you to your hotel and help you check-in.
Meeting of T/L and group at 7pm in the hotel lobby for talks and giving information to group. Dinner can be in this hotel's restaurant or an outside restaurant at your own expense.
Overnight at Ayutthaya Thanee hotel (Tel. 66-35-23 2776), 4/89 Moo 8, Tambol Huaror, Ayutthaya

DAY 17: AYUTTHAYA- KANCHANABURI (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. Meet your T/L at breakfast. (Optional tour in the morning of the Ayutthaya Historical Park.)
Meet in the hotel lobby at 1pm to transfer to Kanchanaburi by road, about 4 hours. Arriving in Kanchanaburi your T/L will help you to check-in at the hotel.
Meeting of T/L and group at 7pm in the hotel lobby for talks and giving information to group, then he will take you to a restaurant for dinner at your own expense.
Overnight at River Kwai Hotel (Tel. 66- 34-51 1565), 284/15-16 Saengchuto Road, Muang, Kanchanaburi.

DAY 18 : KANCHANABURI (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. Meet T/L at breakfast for talks.
(Optional tour.)
Meeting of T/L with group at 7pm in the hotel lobby for talks, and go to a restaurant for dinner together at your own expense.
Overnight at River Kwai Hotel, Kanchanaburi

DAY 19: KANCHANABURI- BANGKOK (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. Meet your T/L at breakfast for talks. (Optional tour.)
Meet in the hotel lobby at 2pm to transfer to Bangkok by road, about 3 hours.
Meet the T/L in the hotel lobby while checking in to get information from him about what you can do in Bangkok.
Overnight at Sawasdee Khaosan Inn (Tel. 66-2-6294798), 18 Chakapong Road, Banglampoo, Bangkok.

DAY 20: BANGKOK - TOUR INCLUDED (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. Meet your T/L in the hotel lobby at 8.30am for a tour to the Grand Palace, Emerald Buddha Temple (Wat Phra Kaew), Reclining Buddha Temple (Wat Po), take the local ferry across the river to visit the Temple of the Dawn (Wat Aroon) and the National Museum before returning to your hotel. (Entrance fees and boat fare included in this tour.) This evening, enjoy Khaosan with hundreds of other tourists on your own.
Overnight at Sawasdee Khaosan Inn, Bangkok.

DAY 21: BANGKOK (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. Meet your T/L at breakfast time for more information.
(Optional tour.)  Free at leisure.
Overnight at Sawasdee Khaosan Inn, Bangkok.

DAY 22: BANGKOK - ON NIGHT TRAIN TO PENANG (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. Meet your T/L at breakfast for talks. (Optional tour.)
Meet your T/L in the hotel lobby at 1pm and transfer to the Hualumphong Railway station to board Train #35 to Butterworth (Penang), departing at 2.45 pm, accompanied by your T/L. On the train your seat can be turned into a bunk. If you want it early, call the attendant - each carriage has one attendant - to make up your bunk for you.
Overnight on train in 2nd Class air-conditioned berth.

DAY 23: PENANG (Breakfast)
At about 6.30am the train will pull into Hat Yai railway station and remain there for about 20 minutes only.  Enough time for you to buy coffee, rolls, sticky rice and the delicious fried chicken on the platform. Arrive at the Padang Besar railway station on the Thai-Malaysian border at about 8am (Thai time). Disembark with your bags to have your passport stamped for exit at the Thai immigration, and then move along to the Malaysian immigration on the same floor for stamping your passport for entry into Malaysia, and move along for cursory Customs inspection at the Malaysian side of the platform. After these immigration formalities re-board the train for the last stage of the journey to Butterworth, arriving at about 1pm. Your Malaysian T/L will meet you at the Butterworth railway station with the signboard BMT Group and take you across to Penang Island in a private transport, and to your hotel, assisting the group to check-in. Do an orientation walk with your T/L of the hotel vicinity to get to know the area. T/L will introduce you to some Penang hawker's food, if you like.
Overnight at Hotel Mingood (Tel.604-2299922), 164 Argyll Road, Penang.

DAY 24:           PENANG - TOUR (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. Meet your T/L in the hotel lobby at 8.30am to go on a tour of the island, visiting the beaches of Batu Ferringhi and Teluk Bahang, the fruit orchards and durian plantation, nutmeg groves of which Penang was famous during the British colonial days, see the old Snake Temple with vipers coiling in the rafters and nooks and corners, a view of Penang Bridge and see Fort Cornwallis that Captain Francis Light built in the 1790s; take in the Khoo Kongsi clan house to marvel at the very intricate carvings by artisans imported from China at the turn of the 20th century. Stroll awhile in Penang’s “Little India” filled with household goods from India, saris, spices and heady incense. Before returning to your hotel your T/L will take you to a food centre for another taste of the local hawkers’ food of which Penang is justly proud of.
(Optional tour in the afternoon to the Kek Lok Si Temple near Penang Hill.)
Overnight at Hotel Mingood, Penang.

DAY 25:           PENANG - CAMERON HIGHLANDS TOUR  (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. Your T/L will transfer you from your hotel at 8am to Cameron Highlands, Malaysia’s premier mountain holiday playground, a drive of about 4 hours, passing tin-mining towns like Taiping and Ipoh, and up the mountain road into the cool of the highlands famous for fruits, vegetables and tea. Along the way, stop at an aboriginal settlement to see how these Orang Asli live. Try your hand at using a blowpipe with which these folks use to hunt small game. You will pass a popular waterfall and a huge reservoir at Ringlet before arriving in the main town of the highlands.
T/L checks group into the hotel in Tanah Rata township. T/L will take group for a driving tour of the highlands up to Brinchang where Gunung Brinchang sits at over 2,000 metres above sea level. Upon returning to Tanah Rata go to a restaurant for dinner (pax's own account). The town sleeps early but it is nice to stroll along the rows of shophouses.
Overnight at Kang Travellers Hotel (Tel.60-5-4915823), 38 Jalan Besar, Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands.

DAY 26: CAMERON HIGHLANDS (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. Meet your T/L at breakfast.
(Optional tour.)
Meeting of T/L with group at 6pm in the hotel lobby for talks and go to a restaurant for dinner together at your own expense.
Overnight at Kang Travellers Hotel, Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands.

DAY 27: CAMERON HIGHLANDS - KUALA LUMPUR (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning departure at 8am to Kuala Lumpur with your T/L.
Check into hotel.  (Optional tour in the afternoon.)
Meet T/L for talks at 7pm and get information about Kuala Lumpur, and have dinner together if you like.
Overnight at Winsin (Chinatown) Hotel (Tel.60-3-20315011), 1-3 Jalan Petaling, Kuala Lumpur.

DAY 28: KUALA LUMPUR (Breakfast)
Meet T/L for talks and information during breakfast time.
(Optional tour.)
T/L meets with group at 7pm in the hotel lobby for more talks and information, and be introduced to a restaurant for your own dinner.
Overnight at Winsin (Chinatown) Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

DAY 29:           KUALA LUMPUR – MALACCA TOUR
Morning departure at 8.30am to the historic town of Malacca, passing Malay villages, fruit orchards, oil palm and rubber estates, a drive of about 2 hours. Check into hotel with T/L assisting. Go on a tour of Malacca with your T/L, visiting the old baba-nonya enclave, the Cheng Hoon Teng Chinese Temple, Hindu Temple and Muslim mosque located side by side in a row in former Heeren Street, see the Malacca Museum housed in the 17th century Dutch Stadhuys, walk through the A Famosa fortress gateway built by the Portuguese when they captured Malacca from Sultan Mahmud in 1511 and which the Dutch rebuilt in 1641 when they took Malacca from the Portuguese up St Paul’s Hill where the tomb of St Francis Xavier was before the body was removed to Goa.  See the reconstructed flagship of conquistador Alfonso d’Albuquerque which led the Portuguese fleet to conquer Malacca. Be free to stroll about in town before returning to your hotel. Your T/L can introduce you to typical Malacca nonya food, if you like to sample this unique cuisine.
Overnight at Hotel Hallmark (Tel: 60-6-2813409), 68, Jalan Portugis, (Off Jalan Kubu), Melaka.

DAY 30: MELAKA (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. Meet your T/L at breakfast for talks.
(Optional tour.)
Meeting of T/L with group at 7pm in the hotel lobby for talks and go to a restaurant for dinner together at your own expense.
Overnight at Hotel Hallmark, Melaka.

DAY 31: MELAKA - SINGAPORE (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning departure at 8.30am with your T/L to Singapore, a drive of about 4 hours. Your T/L will help you check in at the hotel, give you information about Singapore and how to get to your next destination before saying goodbye to you.
Overnight at Ambassador Hotel , Singapore.

DAY 32: SINGAPORE - DEPARTURE (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel. Check out of hotel by noon.

End of Programme