PANDAW RIVER CRUISES
11 Days | The Golden Land
Northbound (Upstream)

RANGOON TO MANDALAY
10 Nights Aboard Ship

This is a very different travel experience. Sailing through the heart of 'Middle Myanmar' we pass through a varying landscape — from the lush teak plantations around Prome to the desert country south of Pagan. We visit a number of small villages and towns and see local agriculture and manufacturing at first hand. These places are remote from the modern world and offer a glimpse of a timeless, lost Myanmar far from the usual tourist track. We also visit a number of old monasteries and temples of art historical interest in this the cultural heartland of old Myanmar.

Day 1 | Prome (Payay). Meeting point at Sule Shangri La Hotel in Rangoon (Yangon) at 06.00am, followed by coach transfer to Prome. Please note that this transfer can take up to 6 hours. We reach Prome by the afternoon and travel by coach to the 5th-8th century archaeological site of Thiri-ya-kittiya, the former centre of the Pyu civilization with a fascinating museum of early Buddhist artifacts and sculptures.

Day 2 | Thayetmyo. This pleasant colonial town once guarded the border between Royal Myanmar and British Myanmar following the 2nd Anglo Myanmar War of 1855. Many of the buildings including the covered market date from this period. Thayet also boasts the oldest golf course in Myanmar (1885). We visit the market, see the colonial houses and ride out by horse cart to the golf course, passing through the former British botanical garden.

Day 3 | Magwe. Minhla - We visit the two Italian built forts constructed to keep the British at bay from Royal Myanmar. 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.We ride Trishaws to reach the magnificent Magwe Myat-thalon Pagoda, constructed with solid gold bricks. Of interest are the many nat shrines and hermitages within the temple precincts.

Day 4 | Sale. Here we visit the Yout-saun-kyaung monastery with its spectacular wood carvings; we also explore an area of splendid colonial-style houses and continue sailing upstream.

Day 5 | Tan-Chi-Taung. 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.

Day 6 | Pagan. Further exploration by coach of the monuments follow by a lacquerware workshop and visit to the local markets. Sail in the noon to upstream. Evening walk at Oh Ne Kyaung village to see the local life in this typical river side community.

Day 7 | Yandabo. This small rural village is specialized in pot making. We visit the Pandaw School, built with past donations from Pandaw passengers.

Day 8 | Amarapura. Passengers will take a tour of central Mandalay visiting the Mahamuni Pagoda and Shwe Nan Daw Kyaung teak carved monastery. Next we explore the ancient capital of Amarapura by coach and sampan and crossing the U Bein Bridge to see paintings in a temple.

Day 9 | Mingun. Visit Sagaing. The true delight of Sagaing lies in its 1.000 hermitages and sanctuaries, rich in woodcarving and religious art. Afternoon, we stop at Mingun to see the largest working bell in the world and the unfinished pagoda which is the largest single mass of brick building in the world. We also visit the Mingun Old Peoples Home originally established with the assistance of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company in the 1930s.

Day 10 | Kyauk-Myoung. Visit the spectacular potteries near Kyauk-myoung where the famous 50 gallon water pots are handmade. We see all stages of manufacture from the throwing of the pots to the week-long firing in huge kilns. Afternoon cruise back downstream to Mandalay.

Day 11 | Mandalay. Disembark at Mandalay Shwe Kyet Yet Jetty in mid morning. (Disembark the ship between 8.00 am - 9.00 am at Shwe Kyet Yet Jetty, Mandalay.)

NOTE: Itinerary is subject to change without notice. For the most up-to-date information, please refer to the itinerary schedule you receive with your final documents.

NORTHBOUND (UPSTREAM) ITINERARY 11 DAYS | PROME TO MANDALAY Click here to view 8-day SOUTHBOUND itinerary. Click ship name to view deck plan.