Cultural Connections – Around the World by Luxury Private Jet – LAOS and MYANMAR (Burma)

OCTOBER 17 – 19  VIENTIANE, LAOS & YANGON – BAGAN, MYANMAR

Our crew welcomed us on board in traditional Vietnamese dress, just as they did when leaving Japan.

Leaving Hanoi and en route to Yangon, Myanmar (formerly Burma) is where a private jet can excel.  We were able to ‘pop in’ to Vientiane, capital of Laos.

We spent a few hours enjoying some of the temple sites and monuments of Vientiane, a rather charming small city along the banks of the mighty Mekong River.

Following our tour, we enjoyed a most delicious Lao luncheon (an extensive tapas-style selection of their best and tastiest foods at a superb restaurant with local entertainment).  We were efficiently aboard our jet and airborne for Yangon…arriving in the late afternoon.  On our transfer from the airport to our luxury boutique hotel, Governor’s Residence (a property of Orient Express Hotels), we were able to get a first glimpse of the largest pagoda temple of this area – renowned Shwedagon Pagoda .  This is a towering golden pagoda of unbelievable size, notably a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The following morning, in small guided groups, we all spent time marvelling amid this temple-pagoda complex.  It is indeed a most fantastic and awesome experience…and our excellent local guides brought its 2500 years of history to life for us, specifically noting that herein lies the main relics of Buddha.  The towering ‘stupa’ of this pagoda contains no less than 11 tons of gold plate with a massive diamond atop its conical.  It is almost beyond belief.  Being a sacred place we all walked barefoot on the marble platform.  The rest of the day was spent amid smaller but equally exquisite temples – all shrines of Buddha, as well as a visit to Myanmar’s impressive National Museum.  Our luncheon was again a “wow” experience at the renowned ‘Le Planteur’ Restaurant.

Our next day in Myanmar was a short private charter aircraft flight north to Bagan…the valley of 1000 temples.  This incredible ‘world wonder’ lies along the great Ayerwaddy River (pro. Irrewaddy).  It is in fact a temple complex covering over 60 sq. miles with more than 2,300 temples of various shapes and sizes, a most unique spectacle to see & behold.  In Bagan, we visited several of the more spectacular temples as well as a local lacqeur factory to see how this fine artform is created.  Our lunch this day was overlooking the massive Ayerwaddy River…wider than the Nile and former lifeline of Myanmar connecting ancient imperial capital Mandalay (in the north) with Bagan and down through to Yangon.

It was a dramatic and awe inspiring day for us all…and rather too soon late in the afternoon we were boarding our private charter flight back to Yangon and our plush ‘home’ at Governor’s Residence.  Here again we enjoyed a gala event for our group…taking over the second floor Mindon Lounge overlooking manicured tropical gardens, the lagoon pool, and enticing our group to a superb feast of local delicious delicacies accompanied by unique Myanmar entertainment and music.

Click here to view more photos in the Laos & Myanmar photo gallery.

Follow our Private Jet journey to our next destination,  Udaipur & Agra, India.