Khiri Travel has announced new destinations and
personalized tour options following the opening of the Mae Sot-Myawaddy border
last month. The opening of the border facilitates land travel between Bangkok , central Thailand
and the Kayin and Mon States of Myanmar
and on to Yangon and the rest of Myanmar for the first time in over
a hundred years.
Khiri
Travel has already surveyed attractions and set up facilities and services
along the route. They have created many travel options linking Sukhothai and
Mae Sot in Thailand to the
remote and rarely visited Hpa An and Mawlamyine areas of upper peninsula Myanmar .
Some
highlights of Khiri Travel's new itineraries and travel options include:
Sukhothai
to Yangon (or vice-versa) for four days and three nights, with kayaking, Golden
Rock and insights to 7th century Buddha images in the holy Kaw Goon Cave.
Soft
Adventure Mon and Kayin
States for four days and
three nights. These trips are for higher-end luxury clients and include Bago,
Golden Rock, the colonial city of Mawlamyine, Mon villages (sarong weaving),
monasteries, a Thanlwin (Salween) river cruise, and kayaking in rivers and rice
paddy fields surrounded by dramatic karst scenery.
Adventure
in Mon and Kayin States. These are for adventurous clients and involve train
travel, a visit to the wonderful Seindon Mibaya monastery, Ni Paya (where
Orwell and Kipling lived), kayaking for three to four hours, Golden Rock, and
travel by public bus.
Kayaking rest stop
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"The
opening of the border crossing between Mae Sot and Myawaddy is hugely
significant," said Edwin Briels, General Manager of Khiri Travel Myanmar .
"It allows us to create pre-scheduled or tailor-made excursions in
culturally and geographically fascinating areas that rarely, if ever, receive
international visitors."
For
example, guests take a rarely travelled scenic road to Hpa An, the capital of Kayin State .
Roads are narrow and steep. On even days of the month local vehicles drive up
to Hpa An. On odd days, traffic only goes in the direction of Myawaddy.
"Expect
the unusual on this trip," said Briels, "But also expect to
experience a richness of culture and insights into rural lives far removed from
mainstream travel. Khiri believes that soft adventure, culture, nature and
meaningful contact with local people should be included in every highlights of Myanmar
trip."
Travelers
can exit Myanmar from Yangon . The package trips have guaranteed departure dates
for groups with a minimum of two people. Only Khiri Travel offers kayaking in
the area.
Khiri
Travel starts a join-in bus trip from Yangon to Sukhothai on 1 October 2013 --
a four-day/three-night itinerary with guide, sightseeing and accommodation in
Kyaiktiyo, Hpa An and Sukhothai for USD475 per person.
Prices for
the itineraries in Mon and Kayin
State , including kayaking
range from USD435 per person for a six-day adventure trip up to USD1,015 for a
four-day luxury soft-adventure trip.
Khiri
Travel Myanmar says that all
tourists need to get a valid Myanmar
visa before going to Mae Sot. Myanmar
visas are available in one day at the Myanmar
embassy in Bangkok .
There are no visas on arrival in Myawaddy.
For
bookings or further information contact myanmar@khiri.com.