Thailand & Myanmar Overland - Absolute Asia Tours

On arrival in Thailand, you'll be met by your private guide, who will accompany you to your hotel.

It's time to plunge into Bangkok's bustle - the city is kept in perpetual motion by a buzzing public network whose modes of transport span from ancient to ultramodern. You'll step straight into the flow today on a tour of highlights, some well known, others further off the track. Begin your journey in one of the city's famous tuk-tuks, before switching to a public ‘bus boat’ through the city’s canals. Disembark to explore the historic house of Jim Thompson, a mysterious American silk merchant, before catching the ‘sky train’ (or jumping in a taxi) to your hotel, where the rest of your day will be at leisure.

Depart Bangkok by train to Kanchanaburi. The journey takes just a couple of hours and whilst only 3rd class carriages are available, it’s a pleasant journey making a handful of short stops at towns, and passing amongst the farm region to the north of the city; rice paddies as far as the eye can see! Upon arrival in Kanchanaburi, you will be met and transferred to your hotel where the remainder of your day is at leisure.

Make a morning visit to the bridge over the Khwae Yai (part of the Mae Klong River), which was built by Allied POWs under Japanese direction during World War II. Continue to the POW Memorial Cemetery and spend time in the Railway Museum, before boarding a train for the short journey through Kwai Noi Gorge, with its breathtaking views of the river, and on to Nam Tok Station. This afternoon you'll visit Hellfire Pass, a railway cutting on what became infamous as ‘Death Railway’. The pass was constructed by World War II POWs from Australia, Britain, the Netherlands and other nations, along with paid Indian workers who came voluntarily. All of them worked in particularly hazardous conditions, and this section of the railway ultimately claimed a very high number of lives. Walk through a section of the pass and spend time at the particularly good onsite museum, before heading back to Kanchanaburi.

Morning departure from Kanchanaburi, driving east as far as the Thai - Myanmar border. Having said goodbye to your Thai guide (and met your new Burmese guide) continue by road towards the town of Dawei. Due to the town's location at the head of the Dawai River estuary, Dawei has been under consideration for some major international port development for a number of years, although to date these plans haven't gone further than the drawing board! Until recently, infrastructure, especially roads linking the city to elsewhere in the country, have been poor. This situation has recently improved, although the drive to Yangon is still a chunky 14 hours!

Enjoy a full day touring some of Dawei's highlights. Your guide will be very happy to tailor the tour to suit your preferences, however we'd recommend starting the day with an early visit to the fish market, perhaps the hub of the city’s most important economical contributor, where you can observe how the previous nights catch is bartered for and then, in some instances, packed to be transported elsewhere in the country. Other places of interest include the colourful Central Market, the city's Colonial quarter, and the Lawka Marasein Pagoda, which is the most important of the city’s pagodas

Morning departure for Mawlamyine, breaking the journey at a number of places of interest along the way. It's a long journey (and honestly not the smoothest of roads), however the highlight for many - along with passing through regions of Myanmar that few tourists (or Burmese for that matter) have visited - is a chance to explore Thanbyuzayat, the western terminus of the Burma-Siam ‘Death Railway’, whose construction claimed the lives of thousands of Allied prisoners and Asian labourers. Here there is a moving war cemetery containing 3771 graves which offers an insight into this harrowing part of Burmese history.

Spend your day exploring in and around this historic port. Observe the city's Colonial architecture; take a trishaw to the daily market to sample the region's delicious tropical fruit; wonder at the ancient wall paintings inside the Kha-Yon Caves and tour the Sein Don monastery accompanied by a resident monk. For the grand finale, watch the sun set from the monastery’s pagoda, which has unparalleled views across town.

The early morning start is soon justified by one of the more scenic river journeys Myanmar has to offer, as you take to the water for the 4 - 5 hour stretch of the Thanlyin River, cruising between Mawlamyine and Hpa An. This is the perfect opportunity to sit back and soak up the slow paced rural sights of limestone karts rising out of vibrant green paddy fields and sugar cane plantations. 

Late afternoon you will be met by your guide for a visit to Kyauk Kalap Pagoda, (pronounced chalk-galap). This tiny temple is perched precariously atop a limestone pinnacle, on a small island in the middle of a lake and is a great spot from which to watch sunset over the surrounding countryside and Mount Zwegabin.

We suggest a substantial breakfast today to give you energy for a day of trekking! Your morning challenge will be to summit Mount Zwekabin: standing 725 metres high, on the outskirts of Hpa An, it is one of the most sacred mountains in the country. Over 1,000 Buddha images are carved into the rock at the foot of the mountain and from here it takes around two hours to hike the steep stairway to the top. It’s a strenuous climb but the unobstructed views from the top are worth the effort and here you’ll find a small monastery and a pagoda that allegedly contains a strand of Buddha’s hair. 

In the afternoon, visit Saddar Cave. Pass through the large natural chamber that houses carved Buddha statues and trek along an underground passage through the mountain. Emerge on the other side of the cave to reveal a beautiful scene of tree clad hills and a lake. From here board a traditional wooden canoe and you will be paddled leisurely around the outside of the mountain, back to the cave entrance.

Depart Hpa An for Kyaikhtiyo, better known as Golden Rock. The final leg of the journey will be to Kinpun, where you board a local truck (shared) for the steep journey up the mountain. There is an option, for those feeling active, to disembark the truck at Yathaetaung, around 1.5km from the summit, and undertake the steep 40-minute hike to the top. Your hotel is located just below the summit, before the pagoda entrance. Having checked in, head out to see the gilded pagoda and soak up the panoramic views of the Mon State mountains before dinner.

It's worth rising early to witness the sun rise over the rock before departing for Yangon. A stop will be made en-route in Bago to stretch your legs and visit the impressive 55 metre long reclining Buddha at Shwetharlyaung, and the much revered Shwemawdaw Pagoda. Before arriving into Yangon in the late afternoon it's also possible to stop at the Allied War Cemetery near Htaukkyant, the final resting place of some 27,000 allied troops who lost their lives in Burma during World War II.

Explore the lively India Town market before hopping aboard the ‘circular railway’ commuter train as it weaves its way through waking neighbourhoods. Disembark at Hledan to visit the huge reclining Buddha at nearby Chaukhtatgyi Paya and, after lunch, go downtown to the ancient Sule Pagoda, where you can see fortune-tellers in the small rooms surrounding this highly significant site. Continue to Mahabandoola Park and Burma’s Independence Monument, then walk along the river bank, past the Custom House, the British Embassy, the General Post Office and evocative The Strand Hotel, once home to the likes of Orwell, Kipling and Somerset Maugham. Mingle with the locals over a cup of sweet chai in a traditional tea shop, before visiting Myanmar’s most iconic site: the majestic Shwedagon Pagoda. Try local flavours at the surrounding makeshift food markets, and see the pagoda magically illuminated as night falls

Transfer to the airport for your onward flight.