Name: Ms Kriza & Family
Nationality: Philippines
Number of people: 4 pax
Tour: Best of 7 days in Myanmar (Jan 24-30, 2018)
Dear Hedy,
It’s been several days since our Myanmar trip ended but we can’t keep ourselves ablaze with excitement from savoring the beauty that is Myanmar. How do you even start a review when you have a myriad of astonishing thoughts waiting to be unraveled with this narration?
Booking with Go Myanmar Tours
There is no travel agency that lives up to its expectations from TripAdvisor. When we first saw the reviews, we can’t even believe if it’s legitimate or not—with all the positive reviews and happy customers, you will suspect that these were all put up as bait for a lowly traveler.
Because of the rave for great reviews, we inquired, anyway. After a few hours, my wife got HEDY’s reply and that is where everything started. Hedy got everything under control- from customization of the trip, recommendations on how you can maximize your travel experience, budgeting, to even answer basic questions. There was no instance that you feel you are being robbed of your money or even thinking that transactions are a scam because every detail are documented and artifacts are readily available. Hedy masterfully managed to set-up everything and the only thing that you have to do is to get ready with your passports and your travel face on! So after arranging everything, we are set to the adventure…
The Captivating Yangon and Soe Yee, the Exceptional Tour Guide
We arrived at Yangon airport and was instantly met by the smiling Soe Yee. At the onset, we succumb to adjusting, but he made the first 10 minutes of our trip a comfort. We were picked in a stylish van and were assisted by the helpful driver going to the hotel. When we arrived at the hotel, we were surprised that Hedy prepared all the documents for the trip- the plane tickets to Bagan, He-Hu, and Yangon, hotel vouchers, and everything that you need!
On our trip to Yangon, our tour guide, Soe Yee gave us a trip so entertaining and educational we were all laughing and serious at the same time! Soe Yee, being a journalist, has always-ready answer to any political, historical, or cultural questions you might have. Being a person with massive experience in travel and history, he always provides options for the first time Myanmar travelers and tailor fit our interests to the sights where he immersed us. Luckily, we spent the entire day being introduced to the culture of Myanmar while interestingly listening to the satirical quips of our guide, which makes the tour entertaining. If given a choice and budget (lol) we could have taken Soe Yee to all the places that we are going as we considered him our friend and are willing to tour him to Manila when he visits as well. He has shown that Burmese are likened to Filipinos with the way they treat people, sometimes even better. He is even kind enough to have met us in Yangon airport when we are back from our trip in Inle Lake and even with his tight schedule, he managed to take us again to the airport as we bid goodbye to the wonderful place of Myanmar. The Go Myanmar Tours have hired a gem that is Soe Yee—you should never let him go as he is in demand in the entire world!
The Enchanting Bagan and U Tar, the Extraordinaire Guide
Just like Yangon, we were provided with coequal treatment from the Bagan airport. We were welcomed by the respected U Tar and were instantly treated to a historical and cultural immersion. U Tar is an experienced Tour Guide and teacher for interminable years now, and if you’re lucky enough to be his clients when you visit Bagan, you will definitely not only love Myanmar but also will have a considerable understanding of its heritage and culture. U Tar, being the teacher that he is, makes sure that he explains a general knowledge about the places that we are visiting, arming us with the understanding of the past and present. He did not force us to listen and believe, but we openly did because of how he narrates and explain things. He is proactive most of the time because just like Soe Yee, he knows how to offer options and work on the interests presented earlier, being that most of my companions are photographers, we showed us the most beautiful sightings, best art locations, and even let us experience the way of life in Bagan! All the explored scenery is amazing, but U Tar did not only let us see the temples and pagodas of the old empire—he captivated us by how he lives as a Buddhist. U Tar treated us like his family wherein he invited us to partake in a novitiate festivity in Old Bagan wherein hundreds of people gather to celebrate the rite to the passage of the monks and nuns. All the people in the village are happy to welcome us we feel that we all belong in the celebration. U Tar also showed us the beauty of giving in Buddhism, as his advocacy is to help the underprivileged children of Bagan through a simple feeding program. We assisted U Tar in distributing food to the children, and in return, we see the innocent jovial faces saying ‘kyei zu’, appreciating the simple gift offering. We will always consider U Tar as part of our family and hopefully, we get to visit Myanmar again and see Mandalay.
The Enthralling Inle Lake and Win Win, the Lovely and Excellent Guide
Unlike Yangon and Bagan, a receptionist from Go Myanmar Tours met us on our entry to He-Hu airport because of the stricter travel policies of this region. Nevertheless, after going out of the airport entrance, we were instantly met by our witty guide, Win Win. She is the epitome of elegance, beauty and intelligence all rolled into one. Just like the 2 other guides, she is not there to disappoint! As native to the Shan region, she is a hub of knowledge and history, answering all questions in her decent English. Our Inle Lake Tour is different as well because Win Win let us walk on the outskirts of the place, traversing the streets of the rural Nyaung Shwe. Win Win offers a lot of information about the places we’ve been and has shown us the window of Buddhism from the perspective of a true Buddhist. There are just so many memories of this place that we will never forget.
Overall, Go Myanmar Tours have taken tourism to the next level. They did not only plan to show how amazing Myanmar is as a country, but they also let us experience the rich history and culture. This Myanmar vacation is responsible for making us realize how important it is to live with people with utmost respect and mindfulness of others. The three Tour Guides have elevated our sense of belongingness and love for family and others. We will take all the learning and memories with us forever! Thank you Go Myanmar Tours!!!
Love, Kriza, Jojo, Eugene, and Ouanne.