OVERVIEW
The Chevrolet passenger bus was never intended to be a luxury method of transportation—they’ve been used to ferry commuters in and out of downtown Yangon for decades—but that changed after the owners of Elephant Coach got their lucky hands on one back in 2003. Wanting to recreate the post-colonial look and feel of the original—but with an upgraded chassis, plush seating, a six-cylinder engine and airbrakes—they’ve unintentionally created something that’s better and turns more heads than a McLaren sports car.
Now with a total of three coaches in their fleet—one six seater and two eight seaters—the company is looking to expand its already impressive range of experiences with a selection of privately escorted Yangon night tours.
Pace
Easy-going
TOUR PERIOD
Evening tour
HIGHLIGHTS
- Enjoy a privately chauffeured experience in a restored Chevrolet passenger bus
- Receive VIP treatment from start to finish
- Sneak into the grounds of the Secretariat, a building that’s long been off-limits to the pubic (Heritage by Night)
- Embark upon a heritage-themed pub crawl, with a cocktail provided at each location (Heritage Bar Hopping)
ITINERARY IN DETAIL
There are two options to ‘Elephants at Night’:
Heritage by Night: Starting the evening in style, you will be collected from your hotel in the stunning Elephant Coach, a restored colonial bus, which will be your chariot for the next few hours. Proceed to The Secretariat where you drive directly into the compound – an extremely unique experience – where you will have an exclusive night tour of this historic building. Afterwards, proceed to either the Yangon Excelsior Hotel or the Belmond Governor’s Residence and enjoy a drink at their nostalgic bars. You will be transferred back to your hotel at the end of the night.
Heritage Bar Hopping: Starting the evening in style, you will be collected from your hotel in the stunning Elephant Coach, a restored colonial bus, which will be your chariot for the next few hours for a unique bar-hopping tour of Yangon. Your first stop is the Strand Hotel, the oldest hotel in the country, and now fully restored to be one of Asia’s most iconic. Enjoy a drink at the Sarkies Bar before boarding the coach to Yangon Excelsior. The building is the former Steel Brothers Headquarters that has been transformed into a contemporary boutique hotel. A beverage will be served in the Newsroom Bar. Board the coach again, stopping briefly at Shwedagon Pagoda for a photo opportunity, on route to your final establishment, the Belmond Governor’s Residence. Savour your last drink in their beautiful Kipling bar before being transferred back to your hotel.
INCLUSIONS
- Private use of a six to eight-seater coach
- Night tour of The Secretariat (Heritage by Night only)
- Cocktails at Yangon’s grandest heritage bars
- Discounts for additional drinks at select bars
- Elephant coach host
- Water and fresh towels
EXCLUSIONS
- Accommodation
- Private guide
- Anything not mentioned
Notes
- The suggested start / finish time of both tours is 19:45 / 23.45.
- These tours are unaccompanied, but an Elephant Coach host will be on standby from start to finish.
- For the ‘Heritage by Night’ option, one cocktail is included at either the Governor’s Residence, or the Yangon Excelsior Hotel. A discount will be provided for any additional drinks ordered – 50% off at Governor’s Residence and 20% off at the Yangon Excelsior.
- For the ‘Heritage Bar Hopping’ option, three cocktails are included: one at The Strand, one at Yangon Excelsior, and one at the Governor’s Residence. A discount will be provided for any additional drinks ordered – 50% off at Governor’s Residence and 20% off at The Strand and Yangon Excelsior.
- The Elephant Coach is also available for private hire with flexible touring – please ask your specialist for more information about this.