Myanmar River Cruise
7 nights aboard Pandaw II/1 night in Yangon/ 1 night in Mandalay

Introduction

Cruise in style in Myanmar on a Pandaw Riverboat.  This journey sails from outside Yangon up the country to Mandalay taking in some of the best sights in the country.  Enjoy time in Bagan and several riverside stops not often seen by the majority of tourists coming to Myanmar.

Brief itinerary

Day 1: Yangon arrival (D)

Day 2: Yangon to Prome (embark) and the Ancient Pyu (B/L/D)

Day 3: Thayetmyo Fronteir Post (B/L/D)

Day 4: Minhla Forts and Magwe (B/L/D)

Day 5: Sale Monasteries (B/L/D)

Day 6: Pagan (B/L/D)

Day 7: Pagan Monuments (B/L/D)

Day 8: Yandabo (B/L/D)

Day 9: Mandalay (disembark) – Amarapura - Mandalay (B/L/D)

Day 10: Mandalay departure (B)

Cruise schedule: There are 7 departure dates from Nov 1^st, 2010 to Mar 1^st, 2012. Email us for more details

Day to day itinerary

Day 1: Yangon arrival (D)

Arrive at Yangon Airport. Welcome by our local guide and transfer to your hotel. In the afternoon, sightseeing of Yangon starts with Sule Pagoda, dating back over 2000 years. It is also a good place to make the pictures of City Hall and other colonial buildings with busy streets. From City Hall, walk to General Post office. On the way you will pass Pansodan Street with Old Colonial Buildings. You will also notice beautiful building of Port Authority, which is the head office building of Irrawaddy Flotilla Company in their golden colonial days. Wide streets, orderly town planning and neglected public buildings revive visions of British rule; while busy streets scenes and shimmering pagodas, bursting through a leafy canopy, hint at the rich local culture. Skyscrapers and glaring neon billboards have yet to overtake the capital. After that, drive to Mawtin Jetty to try a short Burmese style rickshaw ride. Overnight in Yangon.

Day 2: Yangon to Prome (embark) and the Ancient Pyu (B/L/D)

Meet at the Chatrium Hotel in Yangon and transfer by coach to Prome for 8 days on Pandaw Cruise . We visit the 5th-8th century archaeological site of Thiri-ya-kittiya, former centre of the Pyu civilization with a fascinating museum of early Buddhist artifacts and sculpture at Hmawza. This is a picturesque site and we cross jungle and countryside to visit monumental Pyu stupas and the excavations of the former palace-city in this walled early centre of Buddhism.

Day 3: Thayetmyo Fronteir Post (B/L/D)

A pleasant colonial town once guarded the border between Royal Burmah and British Burmah following the 2nd Anglo Burmese War of 1855, many of the buildings including the covered market date from this period. Thayet also boasts the oldest golf course in Burma (1885) said by the locals to be reciprocally clubbed with the Royal & Ancient St Andrews (however when we mentioned this in an early brochure we received a curt note from the R&A Secretary denying any such association). Outside the town is an extensive war cemetery where Turkish prisoners of war were laid to rest. Captured in Iraq, the Turks were transported to labour camps in Burma where they died in their hundreds of malaria. In the town itself we visit the market, see the colonial houses and ride out by horse cart to see the countryside and golf links.

Day 4: Minhla Forts and Magwe (B/L/D)

In Minhla and Gwechaung we visit the two Italian built forts constructed to keep the British at bay from Royal Burmah. These were captured by the British in the 3rd Anglo Burmese War. The fight for the Minhla redoubt was the only serious action in the war and the death of a young subaltern inspired Kipling to write a poem. Gwechaung, the more impressive of the forts was captured from the rear before the Burnese could turn the guns around.

We climb the Gwechaung hill for the view. In the afternoon we cruise on to Magwe where we climb the river bank and wend our way through a labyrinth of passages and paths to reach the magnificent Myat-thalon Pagoda.

Day 5: Sale Monasteries (B/L/D)

Here we visit a number of teak monasteries including the Yout-saun-kyaung with its spectacular wood carvings; we also explore an area of splendid colonial-style houses; moor at the Tan-chi-taung mountain and ascend on foot or by WWII jeep for the spectacular sunset over Pagan.

Day 6: Pagan (B/L/D)

In the morning, moor at the Tan-Chi-Taung mountain and ascend by WWII jeep. Afternoon, we tour a selection of the 3,000 listed monuments at this World Heritage Site, Pagan.

Pagan is one of the richest archeological sites in the world and the highlight of every tour through Myanmar. In between 11th and 13th century the kings of Pagan dynasty ruled the country and ordered thousands of pagodas and temples to be built. There are about 20 temples and pagodas to be seen here with some beautiful ornamentic design.

Day 7: Pagan Monuments (B/L/D)

Further exploration by coach of the monuments, follow by a lacquerware workshop and visiting the local markets. Sail in the noon to upstream and evening walk in Oh Ne Kyaung village to see the local life in this typical riverside community.

Day 8: Yandabo (B/L/D)

This very small rural village specialises in pot making. Here we visit the Pandaw School built with donations from past Pandaw passengers and see potteries, the main industry for this village.

Day 9: Mandalay (disembark) – Amarapura - Mandalay (B/L/D)

You disembark at Mandalay at 10:00. You then drive to Amarapura the "City of Immortals". Amarapura was the capital of upper Burma until 1850. As was the custom, most of the important wooden palaces and monasteries were taken down and transported to the new capital in Mandalay. On the way, visit Bagayar monastery, in which variety of Buddha images from 16th to 20th century are displayed. You can also visit to a library, where they stored the old palm leaf books on which Buddha scriptures were written. Then also visit to a house of hand weaving looms, where, they produce silk and cotton textiles. Amarapura’s silk has a very unique pattern, sometimes; some patterns even take 3 months to finish a longyi. Then have a leisure walk at U Bein teak wood bridge, which is over 150 years old.  Start your Mandalay sightseeing with Mahamuni pagoda originally built by King Bodawpaya in 1784, hosting the revered Mahamuni image, cast in the 1st Century and now covered in thick gold leaves and visits arts and crafts center (bronze casting; stone carving, gold leaf beating).   Then proceed visit to gold leave makers to see how they are beaten for many hours to flatten very thin gold leaves.   Continue to visit the Shwenandaw Monastery, noted for its exquisite wood carvings, Atumashi Monastery, the "Incomparable Monastery", the Kuthodaw Pagoda, known as the world's Biggest Book for its stone slabs of Buddhist scriptures and in the evening drive up to Mandalay Hill, a vantage-point for panoramic view of the city. Overnight in Mandalay.

Day 10: Mandalay departure (B)

Free at your own leisure until time for airport transfer for your departure flight

River Conditions Warning!

The rivers you will sail on are subject to seasonal rises and falls of water level, in some places as much as 30 metres. Water levels can change dramatically overnight and a sudden rise can impede our progress upstream considerably and even prevent us from passing under certain bridges. A sudden fall can result in our being unable to get into certain places or go as far upstream as we would hope. Groundings on sandbars are not infrequent and are part of the excitement of any Pandaw expedition. Published itineraries are indicational only and subject to sudden change. In such events alternative itineraries will be provided and we do our best to ensure that if a stop is missed we make up for it with another stop.  Passengers are thus forewarned and expected to be flexible and patient. River cruising in Asia can be a dramatic and adventurous experience - not like cruising the controlled waterways of Europe or America. Note also that we operate in areas with little or no developed infrastructure and subject to the strictures of local officialdom. Be prepared for this and it is all more the fun!

Our trip includes

• English speaking guide
• Accommodation as indicated
• Meals as indicated
• Transfer and pickup airport
• Transportation by car or minivan
• Tour as indicated
• Entrance fee
• Cruise includes: Entrance fees, guide services (English language), port dues, main meals, locally made soft and alcoholic beverages, jugged coffe and selection of teas and tisanes minerals

Our trip excludes

• International flights
• Visa & visa arrangement
• Meals not indicated
• Drinking water, soft drink and alcohol
• Tips & personal expenses

Prices contact info@remoteasia.com