Full day Bago tour from Yangon: Shwemawdaw Pagoda and monks' alms

See how monks live and stand before one of Myanmar's oldest pagodas

A full-day tour from Yangon to Bago, 84 kilometers away, with a private guide and air-conditioned vehicle. You visit Kya Khat Wine Monastery to watch over 400 monks accept their daily meal in silence, explore the thousand-year-old Shwemawdaw Pagoda with its towering spire, see the enormous reclining Buddha at Shwethalyaung, and learn about the royal history at Kanbawzathadi Golden Palace. Hotel pickup and lunch at a local restaurant are included. The tour runs 11 hours and departs at 7:30 a.m.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Taukkyan War Cemetery20m
2. Bago1h · entry included

Full day tour from Yangon to Bago

• Pick up at hotel in Yangon
• Drive to Bago through rural landscape
• Visit Htaukkyant War Cemetery
• Visit Shwemawdaw Pagoda and Hinthargone Pagoda
• Observe monks' meal at Kya Khat Wine Monastery
• Have lunch at local restaurant
• Visit Kanbawzathadi Golden Palace
• Visit reclining Shwethalyaung Buddha and local market
• Visit Maharzedi Pagoda
• Return to Yangon and transfer to hotel

The experience

You're picked up at your hotel in Yangon at 7:30 a.m. and driven through rural paddy fields and small villages on the two-hour route to Bago. On the way, you stop at Htaukkyan War Cemetery, a beautifully landscaped site holding the graves of more than 27,000 allied soldiers from World War II. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission maintains it, and the stop gives context to the region's layered history before you reach Bago itself, an ancient port founded in 825 by two Mon princes.

Once in Bago, the tour centers on religious sites and royal history. At Kya Khat Wine Monastery, you arrive around 10:40 a.m. to watch the monks' alms ceremony at 11:00 a.m. Over 400 monks line up in silence to receive their last meal of the day from donors. Visitors observe only. Speaking and interfering are not allowed. You then visit Shwemawdaw Pagoda, over a thousand years old, where the spire is even taller than Yangon's famous Shwedagon. Nearby, Hinthargone Pagoda holds a Nat Shrine, where you can see how local worshippers honor the Nats, spirits central to Myanmar's spiritual life. Lunch follows at a local restaurant.

The afternoon takes you to Kanbawzathadi Golden Palace, a reconstruction of the 16th-century royal palace with 76 apartments and halls, then to Shwethalyaung: a reclining Buddha image 55 meters long and 15 meters high, one of the country's most revered objects. You also visit the local market and Maharzedi Pagoda with its bell-shaped stupa before returning to Yangon. The guide speaks English throughout, and the vehicle is air-conditioned. A snow towel and purified water are provided.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Yangon.
• private sightseeing with an English-speaking guide and air-conditioned vehicle.
• lunch at a local restaurant.
• zone fees in Bago.
• snow towel and purified drinking water.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:30

Book up to1d before

AgesUp to age 80

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Real Treasure Travels Tours

Is this one for you?The tour departs early at 7:30 a.m. and runs 11 hours, so you need a full day free and should be comfortable with an early start and several hours of driving. The monks' alms ceremony happens at a set time, so the fixed schedule is what lets you witness this daily ritual and visit all the major sites (Shwemawdaw Pagoda, the reclining Buddha, and the royal palace) in one trip.

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Top questions

What is the Kya Khat Wine Monastery alms ceremony like?

Over 400 monks line up in complete silence at 11:00 a.m. to receive their last meal of the day from donors. Visitors must observe only (speaking and interfering are not permitted), so you witness the monks' exact daily routine without disruption.

How old is the Shwemawdaw Pagoda and how does it compare to other pagodas in Myanmar?

Shwemawdaw Pagoda is over a thousand years old. It was repaired after an earthquake in the 1930s and now has an impressive spire that is even taller than the spire of Yangon's Shwedagon Pagoda, making it one of the country's most distinctive landmarks.

What is the Shwethalyaung Buddha image?

Shwethalyaung is an enormous reclining Buddha image measuring 55 meters long and 15 meters high, located in Bago. It is one of the country's most revered objects and a major stop on the tour.

How long is the drive from Yangon to Bago?

The drive is approximately 2 hours covering 84 kilometers, passing through rural paddy fields and small villages. You depart at 7:30 a.m. from your hotel and the full tour lasts 11 hours.

What should I wear when visiting the religious sites?

Wear clothes that cover your shoulders and knees when visiting pagodas and monasteries. You will need to remove your shoes and socks before entering pagoda areas, so wear footwear you can take off easily.