Burma River Cruising, Myanmar tours, Irrawaddy River Cruise, Mandalay, U Bein Bridge, Inle Lake
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33 MYANMAR During this beautiful, breathtaking experience, enjoy free flowing drinks, delicious canapés, and fantastic hospitality with your new friends and fellow guests. BLD THE FAMED ANCIENT CITY OF BAGAN Day 5. Bagan. This morning, the RV Samatha'S Sun Deck offers a sublime vantage point from which to capture a glimpse of Bagan at sunrise. Enjoy a hearty breakfast before disembarking your ship and selecting your Freedom of Choice activity for the day. Perhaps take a private horse cart ride and enjoy a unique personalised touring experience at your own pace. Partake in a shopping tour of the bustling, colourful village markets of Old Bagan, where guests can sample fresh produce and locally made arts and crafts. Or ascend the winding covered staircase encircling Myanmar's most important nats (spirits) at Mount Popa and explore the monastery and temple complex at the top. Later, visit a family-run lacquerware workshop and a nearby village. BLD Day 6. Tantkyi Hill, Salay. Enjoy one final sunrise over Bagan before cruising onwards to Tantkyi. Here, you'll be given time to visit the Tantkyitaung Pagoda, encircled by 32 elephant statues facing in all directions. On returning to your ship, you'll cruise to the small village of Salay, a colourful religious centre. Here, you'll visit Yoke Sone Kyaung, the region's oldest surviving wooden monastery. Built in 1882, the monastery is famous for its wood carvings and extensive collection of religious artefacts. Afterwards, continue on to Shinbin Maha Laba Man Paya, home to the country's largest lacquer Buddha image, which dates back to the 13th century. BLD Day 7. Magwe. On arrival, disembark your ship and head up to the Mya Tha Lun Pagoda, located atop a hill overlooking the Irrawaddy River. Take in the fabulous views and explore the pagoda, constructed with thousands of solid gold bricks and home to numerous shrines devoted to a variety of nat spirits. BLD Day 8. Minhla, Thayetmyo. Today you'll arrive in Minhla, the site of a significant battle during the Third Anglo-Burmese War. Here, visit the Minhla Fort, built by Italian engineers in 1860 to keep British forces out of Burma. Learn how the British captured this historic fort, and indeed the town, during a war that saw an independent Burma lose its sovereignty. After your discovery, continue on to Thayetmyo, a pleasant port town that once sat on the border between Upper and Lower Burma, which the British annexed during the Second Anglo-Burmese War. Here, enjoy a fascinating tour of the historic colonial-era post office before taking a swing at Myanmar's first golf course. BLD Day 9. Pyay (Prome). On arrival in Pyay, you'll disembark for a walking tour. Established by the British Irrawaddy Flotilla Company in the late 19th century, Pyay originally served as a transshipment point for cargo being moved between Upper and Lower Myanmar. See a selection of pagodas, including the imposing Shwesandaw Pagoda, one of the country's most revered religious sites. Later, travel eight kilometres to the south-east of Pyay on an excursion to the ancient ruins at the old Pyu kingdom capital, Sri Ksetra, meaning 'City of Splendour'. Added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014, the region's 1,500 year old stupas are among the world's earliest Buddhist monuments. BLD Visit Amarapura's U Bein Bridge, believed to be the longest teak-wood bridge in the world Mandalay Sagaing Bagan Pyay (Prome) Thayetmyo Myanaung Danuphyu Yangon Salay Tantkyi Hill Magwe Heho Mount Popa Amarapura Yandabo Inwa Minhla Inle Lake 3 MYANMAR (BURMA) Irrawaddy River RV SAMATHA 14 Coach Cruise Flight (included) No. of nights stay Included Sightseeing BOUTIQUE CRUISING MAXIMUM 60 GUESTS