CRUISE INCLUSIONS & HIGHLIGHTS
There
are few travel destinations in the modern world
today that
can justifiably warrant the moniker of being “exotic”.
Myanmar (formerly Burma) is such a country. With
its warm friendly people, a plethora of world heritage
sites of its glorious past and a culture imbued by
its strong Buddhist foundation; Myanmar is a travel
destination like no other….
The
Irrawaddy River, flowing down the heart of Myanmar,
has truly
been the cultural, economic, transportation
and religious center of life in the country. From
idyllic river scenes along the river, to village
life, to UNESCO wonders such as Bagan and Mandalay,
a journey on the Irrawadday in a jorney back in time…all
in the luxury of our unique colonial river ship!
FEATURES INCLUDES
CRUISE
PROGRAM:
-
Accommodations
in all outside cabins on deck of your choice
-
10
night/11 days cruise between Prome and Madalay
(or vice versa)
-
Three
full meals daily while on cruise
-
All
On board lectures, cooking lessons and other activities
-
Shore
excursions as per itinerary
-
All
transporation, guides and entrance fees along the
route
-
Two
cultural performances; Puppet Show and Theater/Dance
performance
-
Free
unlimited, tea, coffee, mineral (bottled) water and
locally made soft drinks and alcoholic beverages
Tour Highlights / LAND PROGRAM:
- Three
nights hotel accommodations at the Traders Hotel
Yangon (or similar)
- Buffet
breakfast daily
- Two
dinners at the hotel or a local restaurant
- Arrival
and departure transfers
- Half
day Yangon city orientation tour with English speaking
guide
- Long
distance transfer from Tangon to Prome (4 hours with
breaks)
- One
way Economy class air ticket from Madalay to Yangon
SAMPLE
ITINERARY
DAY
1: ARRIVAL YANGON
Your Burma adventure begins with your arrival into Yangon. You will be met
upon clearing customs and transferred to your hotel. The balance of the day
is free.
DAY
2: YANGON
Your excursion begins with a tour through Yangon city. Visit SULE PAGODA,
dating back over 2,000 years. Proceed to the magnificent reclining Buddha
at CHAUK HTAT GYI. After a photo stop at the KARAWEIK HALL on Kandawgyi (Royal)
Lake, stroll through the BOGYOKE (SCOTTS) MARKET (closed on Mondays and public
holidays) with hundreds of food, clothes, handicrafts and gem stores. Complete
your Yangon impressions with an extended visit to one of the world’s
most spectacular monuments, the SHWEDAGON PAGODA. Dinner is provided in the
evening. (B, L)
DAY
3 Rangoon/Yangon – Mandalay (B,L,D)
Morning transfer to Yangon Airport for the short flight
up north to Mandalay. Upon arrival in Mandalay you
will be met and transferred to embark the ship at Shwe
Kyet Yet Jetty, Mandalay in the morning for luncheon
stream upstream and overnight at a jungle village north
of Mandalay.
DAY
4 Pottery Village and Mingun (B,L,D)
Arrive to Ngwe Nyein village. Visit the spectacular potteries
nearby, where can see manufacturing stages of the famous
50 gallon, handmade water pots and return downstream
to visit Mingun to view the Pagoda and largest working
bell in the world.
DAY 5 Mandalay-Ava, and Amarapura (B,L,D)
We tour central Mandalay visiting the Mahamuni Pagoda
and Shwe-im-bin teak carved monastery. We move on to
explore the ancient capitals of Ava and Amarapura, visiting
the teak Bagaya Kyaung, Menu Ok-kyaung and crossing the
U Bein Bridge
DAY 6 Yandabo Village (B,L,D)
Yandabo is a very small rural village that specializes
in pot making. We visit the a local school and the new
dispensary both built with past donations from Western
cruise passengers.
DAY 7 Bagan Monuments (B,L,D)
We tour a selection of the 3,000 listed monuments in
this important World Heritage Site and visit lacquer
workshops
DAY 8 Tan Kyi Taung Mountain and Sale (B,L,D)
Ascend Tan-chi-taung mountain by foot or by WWII jeep
for the spectacular sunrise over Pagan. In Sale we visit
a number of teak monasteries including the Yout-saun-kyaung
with its spectacular wood carvings and we explore an
area of splendid colonial-style houses.
DAY 9Taung Ba Lu School and Magwe Gold Bricks (B,L,D)
If river conditions permit, morning visit to Taung Ba
Lu School project. In the afternoon, we climb the river
bank and wind our way through a labyrinth of passages
and paths to reach the magnificent Myat-thalon Pagoda.
This pagoda is constructed with solid gold bricks.
DAY 10 Minhla Forts (B,L,D)
We visit Minhla and Gwechaung, two Italian built forts
constructed to keep the British at bay from Royal Myanmar.
We climb the Gwechaung hill for the view.
DAY 11 Thayetmyo Frontier Post (B,L,D)
This pleasant colonial town once guarded the border between
Royal Myanmar and British Myanmar following the 2nd Anglo
Myanma War of 1855 and many of the buildings including
the covered market date from this period. We visit the
market, see the colonial houses and ride out by horse
and cart to see the countryside and golf links.
DAY 12 Prome and ancient Pyu (B,L,D)
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.
DAY 13 Prome (Disembark) – Yangon (B,D)
Disembark at Prome. Transfer back to Yangon with an early
afternoon arrival at your hotel. The balance of the day
is free. Dinner is provided at your hotel.
DAY 14 Yangon departure (B)
Morning transfer to the airport for your departure from
Yangon
