This spectacular itinerary will take you from Chiang Mai, Thailand, former capital of the ancient Lanna Kingdom via the Mae Sot/Myawaddy border to Burma.

You will drive through striking mountain scenery in Kayin State, before reaching Taungoo. Swinging east through the Shan mountains to Inle Lake, you will witness the famous leg-rowing technique of the lake’s fishermen. From rural Pindaya you will enter the plains of the Mandalay Division, the pilgrimage site of Mount Popa and the magical temple-strewn landscape of Bagan.

Join a “hidden temple safari” on your way to Magwe on remote country roads on the west bank of the Irrawaddy – the police might follow you, as not many foreigners have been seen here! After Pyay, an important trading centre during the Bagan era you’ll finish your drive though the Rakhine mountains and then unwind on the beach at Ngapali, looking out at the Bay of Bengal, where long, tranquil stretches of white sandy beaches and azure waters await.