Meinmahla Kyun; home of wild crocodiles - 4 Days

At 7:30 am, guide will pick up from the hotel in Yangon. We’ll then take a ferry to Dala to catch a shared-taxi Ming Phyo Mauk leaving at 8:30am for Bogalay Town. On the way, we can learn people life at the villages and in Delta region. Arrival Bogalay town, check in to forestry department office to collect permission to Meinmahla Kyun. (Note: 12 sets of passport copies needed reporting to separate departments in the region). Lunch is served at Daw Pu’s Restaurant with various kinds of Delta foods. Local guide will get enough foods, water, fruits and drinks for 4 days. Afternoon, we’ll leave Bogalay Jetty for Thaung Chaung Camp of Wildlife Sanctuary (2,5 hours boat trip).

Kyun Nyo Gyi and U Shin Gyi: Kyun means Island and it’s a huge brown island where, while on an expedition to find food, U Shin Gyi and fellow lumberjacks landed on this island. U Shin Gyi was a harpist and his harp-playing enticed two female nat sisters, who did not allow the boat to depart the island until they were appeased. After sacrificing his life by drowning to propitiate the spirits, he became a nat. He is commonly depicted next to a tiger and crocodile. Every year in March a festival is held for U Shin Gyi. Boat trip to Meinmahla Kyun, we’ll be passing this Kyun Nyo Gyi.

Upon arrival, check in to FREDA Ecolodge at Byone Mway Island and take rest before starting a boat tour along the canal for mangrove trees, crocodile watching and sunset ride. Enjoy welcome dinner and drinks by the time we get back to the camp.

Overnight at FREDA Ecolodge.

After early morning breakfast, we’ll take a boat ride to visit to river channels and mangrove forest and do bird watching and crocodile spotting. Along the boat ride, we can make a few stops at different camp houses for a drink with locals from the camps. After morning tour, around lunch time we’ll go back to Freda Ecolodge to have a home cooked lunch. We can organize a cooking class section where you can participate in preparing foods and learn Burmese foods cooking. Relaxing for one hour or so before we make crocodile spotting trip to different river channels of the wildlife sanctuary area. Enjoy sunset on the river and travel back to the main camp for a shower and dinner. Spend the night time with exciting crocodile watching again and stars watching if the weather is fine.

Overnight at FREDA Ecolodge.

Wake up very early morning and take the boat ride to “Ga Do Ga Ni ” which is a huge fishermen village (looks like a town and take 2 hours to drive from FREDA. We’ll look around in the local market. Simple breakfast is at the market. You’ll be in touch with villagers and listen stories of their deadly experiences with Cyclone Nargis in 2008. Later, we’ll go shopping to buy some fishes and prawns for home cooked lunch in a host family at the village. After lunch, drive to other river channels for bird watching, if we’re fortunate, we can see Ayeyarwaddy Dolphins near Mi Chaung Gaung Poke camp (more chance to see Dolphin on Nov-Feb).

Sunset over the rooftop! Sunset here is very colorful and stunning if the weather is fine on the day. Nice breeze coming from the sea and it’s so relaxing and fantastic moment to watch beautiful sunset from the boat rooftop. Enjoy the moment!! It’s romantic for all to explore this Meinmahla Kyun Wildlife Sanctuary.

Have dinner at FREDA and make our last trip of night out crocodile spotting again and stars watching under the fine weather. Depend on tide situation, we’ll decide to go or not for the wild crocodiles spotting again at night. (Wildlife is wildlife and hope you understand sometimes bad luck and we may not spot these crocodiles.)

Overnight at FREDA Ecolodge.

Morning after breakfast, a boat transfer to Ngapote Thin Tarn village for the morning walk. Visit to village monastery and school and we’ll organize a contribution of cash and kinds for the welfares of the village. A few villages lying at the river bank and we can pick up different village for our contribution, sharing knowledge and learning the culture and ways of life of the people. Wai La Min public boat is an optional to take at 8:30am. Aung Sakyar Pagoda is a landmark here and we can enjoy panoramic view of the Bogalay town. Lunch will have at Daw Pu restaurant before we’re taking a shared taxi at 1:30 pm back to Yangon.