Irrawaddy Explorer Cruise

Sri Kestra and Middle Burma - 4 Nights Cruise from Yangon to Bagan

Duration: 4 Days – 3 Nights

Destination: Yangon - Prome - Thayet - Magwe - Salay - Bagan

Day 1: Yangon – Pyay (Prome) (Lunch/ Dinner)

Yangon to Pyay – 290 km (It takes around 7 hours to arrive at the destination)

Early Morning, the overland trip begins with a drive to Pyay (Prome), an ancient yet modern city situated near the ancient capital of Tharay-Khit-taya (Sri Kestra). Pyay is now a trading center and the site of a diesel-electric plant.

Once arrived, embarking on the beautiful Irrawaddy Explorer cruise and leisure for a while.

Afternoon excursion: Prome and Sri Ksetra

Once controlled by the Mon tribe during the Bagan Era and then conquered by the Burmese King Alaungpaya in 1754, Prome (known as Pyay to the locals) boomed along with the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company in the 1890s and is now an important trading post for goods traveling between northern and southern Myanmar. This afternoon, we drive to Thayekhittaya (also known as Sri Ksetra, the “Fabulous City” in the Pali language), an ancient Pyu City that ruled in this area between the 5th and the 9th centuries. We visit the well-documented Sri Ksetra Museum, full of excellent maps and artifacts including Hindu deities, Buddha images from as far back as the 6th century, Pyu beads, and silver coins.

Welcome dinner and overnight onboard.

Day 2: Thayet Myo (Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner)

Leisurely breakfast onboard. An experience by tuk-tuk (local transport) to visit the charming town of Thayet Myo, stopping at the oldest golf course of Myanmar with a fascinating history (guests may hit from the first tee). Then, explore the local market, passing colonial homes constructed during the British colonization of Burma before returning to the ship for an afternoon of scenic cruising.

Return to cruise and a delicious lunch awaits.

Continue sail toward Magwe and enjoy the whole afternoon with the BBC Documentary “The Life of the Buddha”.

Overnight on board. 

Day 3: Magwe (Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner)

This morning Irrawaddy Explorer sets sail toward Magwe and enjoys breakfast served in the restaurant.

Venture out into the district capital city of Magwe town by local transport “Trishaws” (three-wheeled bicycles where one person sits alongside the driver). Stop at the busy local market to experience the daily hustle and bustle. Continue by Trishaw to explore the city and visit the Mya Tha Lun Pagoda. Mya Tha Lun is a beautifully gilded stupa set atop Naguttama Hill which offers a wonderful view of the river and surrounding area. Return to cruise late morning and cast off from Magwe.

Throughout the afternoon, enjoying the beautiful landscape and a great chance to see life along the rivers of Myanmar. Enjoy afternoon activities and learn more about some of the long-lasting traditions (Longyi and Thanaka demonstration). As the sun sets, admire the magnificent sights over the river from a beautiful sundeck and followed by dinner.

Overnight on board.

Day 4: Salay - Bagan (Breakfast/ Lunch)

Enjoy breakfast onboard and Irrawaddy Explorer sets sail toward Salay, a small town founded in the 13th century with Bagan-era shrines, beautiful 19th-century teak monasteries, and preserved British colonial buildings.

Explore the Salay House, a restored 1906 colonial trading company warehouse on the bank of the Ayeyarwady. Walking tour around the town’s main Strand Street towards the local market before turning away from the river to visit the beautiful Yoke Sone Kyaung Taw Gyi wooden monastery. This ornately carved teak monastery was designed as a copy of the Crown Prince House of Mandalay and is now a museum boasting remarkable wood carvings and artifacts.

Discover Bagan-era monuments on the way to visit Mann Paya, a pagoda with a beautiful lacquerware Buddha, before returning to the ship with a stroll past some of Salay’s many beautiful colonial buildings.

Guests will then be transferred to Bagan around 4:00pm. To be noted that, it will take about 2 hours to drive from Salay to Bagan.

Then, the end of a memorial river experience trip and own arrangement to continue the journey.

The Royal Capital - 5Nights Cruise from Bagan to Mandalay

Duration: 6 Days – 5 Nights

Destination: Bagan - Yandabo - Ava - Amarapura - Sagaing - Mingun - Mandalay

Day 1: Bagan (Lunch/ Dinner)

Start the five-night cruise from Bagan to Mandalay. A welcome briefing and reception will be hosted in the cruise lounge and enjoy lunch on board.
After lunch, discover the highlights of Bagan and first visit a local workshop where the traditional methods of creating lacquer ware (known as yun-de in Burmese) are still practiced. After a demonstration of the labor-intensive process required in making each piece, browse through a wide range of items, perhaps selecting a few to take home as souvenirs.

A short coach ride to Gubyaukgyi Temple (Great Painted Cave Temple) where the richly-colored paintings are thought to date to the original construction period in the early 12th century and will also see a sand painting demonstration by a local artist. Next to this temple is the gilded Myazedi Stupa which offers both a linguistic and a historical significance: an inscription consecrating Gubyaukgyi in four languages (Pyu, Mon, Old Burmese, and Pali) which established Pyu as an important cultural influence in the early Pagan period. At the end of the day, we proceed to the Bagan Viewing Hill, enjoy the sunset over the pagodas and stupas of Bagan before returning to the ship.
Overnight onboard.

Day 2: Bagan – Hnaw Kone (Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner)

After breakfast, explore  Bagan’s largest open market where fresh produce, meats, spices, woodcarvings, longyis, thanaka, and rattan products are sold every day. Continue visit to the gilded Shwezigon Pagoda. This important religious site dates to the reign of King Anawrahta, founder of the Bagan Empire. After exploring this large temple complex, say goodbye to the temples of Bagan, return to the ship, and set sail to Hnaw Kone.

Hnaw Kone is a typical, rural, river village, with friendly residents and adorable children. Walking tour at Hnaw Kone and stop to see the local handicraft of bamboo cane basket weaving. Watch the villagers as they expertly split bamboo and skillfully weave the strands into baskets or larger panels for building homes.
Set sail toward Yandabo. Leisure and relaxation with cruise facilities onboard. Enjoy Tea Leaf and Ginger Salad Demonstration.
Overnight on board.

Day 3: Yadabo (Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner)

After breakfast on board, admire one of the great histories of the village “Yadabo”.
On 24 February 1826, the peace treaty of the first Anglo-Burmese War was signed at Yandabo village. Today, it is a picturesque village famous for its riverside pottery. Leisurely walk through the village, the opportunity to stop at the various family homes and workshops, each with its own unique style and markings, to witness the making and firing of the Yandabo pottery, famous throughout Myanmar.
Enjoy the afternoon on board with an afternoon tea served in the Lounge followed by the lecture on board and listen to a special talk about Myanmar’s history and vision for the future.
Dinner is served at the Restaurant followed by Burmese Karaoke Party night. Overnight on board.

Day 4: Ava - Amarapura – Sagaing (Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner)

This morning, sail to one of the quiet villages near Ava, one of Myanmar’s ancient imperial capitals for a delightful ride through the naturally preserved landscape and key landmarks. A local transport horse cart is waiting near the jetty and proceeds to Ava by charming horse-drawn carriage that passes through the ancient city. Stop at Yadana Shemee, a beautiful little complex with a small group of pagodas. These pagodas showcase the development of brick monasteries since the 17 century. Visiting the beautiful 200-year-old teak Bagaya Kyaung Monastery, Nanmyin watchtower (27mt. high)

After visiting Ava, continue to visit Sagaing by coach, an important religious site with countless pagodas dotting the surrounding hillsides. Here, stop to see Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda at the top of Sagaing Hill for stunning views of the Irrawaddy and across to Mandalay. Next, continue onto a Nunnery to witness life in a local nunnery.

After lunch, travel by coach to the penultimate burmese royal capital of Amarapura to visit a silk workshop before driving to U-Bein Bridge believed to be the world’s longest and oldest teakwood bridge. Local sampans wait and on a leisurely cruise of the lake while admiring the sunset over the bridge.
A traditional  Myanmar traditional dance performance at the cruise  Lounge.
Overnight onboard.

Day 5: Mingun – Mandalay (Breakfast /Lunch/ Dinner)

The ship continues to sail north to Mingun. After breakfast, enjoy a leisurely walking tour of the small town of Mingun.
The first stop is King Bodawpaya’s monumental, uncompleted stupa. During construction, an astrologer to the king argued that the king would die upon completion of the temple, and work was immediately halted. Had it been completed, it would have been the largest in the world. The cracks we see are the result of the 23 March 1839 earthquake that shook the area. Continue to walk to the Mingun Bell, which was the heaviest working bell in the world until 2000 when the Bell of Good Luck was unveiled in Henan, China. After having the opportunity to stand inside the bell as it is rung, shop in the local market, famous for its makeshift galleries that display inexpensive art from both local and internationally known artists.

Enjoy an afternoon tour of Mandalay. Visit the Kuthodaw Pagoda, which contains the world's biggest book, as well as the Shwe Nan Daw Kyaung Monastery, the only original monastery left from the royal era. Then we proceed to a workshop that produces the gold leaf commonly used to adorn Buddha images at temples throughout Myanmar, and the Mahamuni Pagoda, to see how the gold leaf is used.
Farewell Reception and overnight onboard.

Day 6: Mandalay (Breakfast)

Enjoy breakfast on board before check out and disembark from Irrawaddy Explore.  Then, the end of a memorial river experience trip and own arrangement to continue the journey.

Treasure of Golden Myanmar - 9 Nights Cruise from Yangon to Mandalay

Duration: 10 Days – 9 Nights

Destination: Yangon - Pyay - Sri Kestra - Magwe - Salay - Bagan - Yandabo - Ava - Amarapura - Sagaing - Mingun - Mandalay

Day 1: Yangon – Pyay (Prome) (Lunch/ Dinner)

Yangon to Pyay – 290 km (It takes around 7 hours to arrive at the destination)

Early Morning, the overland trip begins with a drive to Pyay (Prome), an ancient yet modern city situated near the ancient capital of Tharay-Khit-taya (Sri Kestra). Pyay is now a trading center and the site of a diesel-electric plant.
Once arrived, embarking on the beautiful Irrawaddy Explorer cruise and leisure for a while.

Afternoon excursion: Prome and Sri Ksetra

Once controlled by the Mon tribe during the Bagan Era, and then conquered by the Burmese King Alaungpaya in 1754, Prome (known as Pyay to the locals) boomed along with the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company in the 1890s and is now an important trading post for goods traveling between northern and southern Myanmar. This afternoon, we drive to Thayekhittaya (also known as Sri Ksetra, the “Fabulous City” in the Pali language), an ancient Pyu city that ruled in this area between the 5th and the 9th centuries. We visit the well-documented Sri Ksetra Museum, full of excellent maps and artifacts including Hindu deities, Buddha images from as far back as the 6th century, Pyu beads, and silver coins.
Welcome dinner and overnight onboard.

Day 2: Thayet Myo (Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner)

Leisurely breakfast onboard. An experience by tuk-tuk (local transport) to visit the charming town of Thayet Myo, stopping at the oldest golf course of Myanmar with a fascinating history (guests may hit from the first tee). Then, explore the local market, passing colonial homes constructed during the British colonization of Burma before returning to the ship for an afternoon of scenic cruising. Return to cruise and a delicious lunch awaits.
Continue sail toward Magwe and enjoy the whole afternoon with the BBC Documentary “The Life of the Buddha”.
Overnight on board.

Day 3: Magwe (Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner)

This morning Irrawaddy Explorer sets sail toward Magwe and enjoys breakfast served in the restaurant.

Venture out into the district capital city of Magwe town by local transport “Trishaws” (three-wheeled bicycles where one person sits alongside the driver). Stop at the busy local market to experience the daily hustle and bustle. Continue by Trishaw to explore the city and visit the Mya Tha Lun Pagoda. Mya Tha Lun is a beautifully gilded stupa set atop Naguttama Hill which offers a wonderful view of the river and surrounding area.

Return to cruise late morning and cast off from Magwe.

Throughout the afternoon, enjoying the beautiful landscape and a great chance to see life along the rivers of Myanmar. Enjoy afternoon activities and learn more about some of the long-lasting traditions (Longyi and Thanaka demonstration). As the sun sets, admire the magnificent sights over the river from a beautiful sundeck and followed by dinner. Overnight on board.

Day 4: Salay - Bagan (Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner)

Enjoy breakfast onboard and Irrawaddy Explorer sets sail toward Salay, a small town founded in the 13th century with Bagan-era shrines, beautiful 19th-century teak monasteries, and preserved British colonial buildings.

Explore the Salay House, a restored 1906 colonial trading company warehouse on the bank of the Ayeyarwady. Walking tour around the town’s main Strand Street towards the local market before turning away from the river to visit the beautiful Yoke Sone Kyaung Taw Gyi wooden monastery. This ornately carved teak monastery was designed as a copy of the Crown Prince House of Mandalay and is now a museum boasting remarkable wood carvings and artifacts.

Discover Bagan-era monuments on the way to visit Mann Paya, a pagoda with a beautiful lacquerware Buddha, before returning to the ship with a stroll past some of Salay’s many beautiful colonial buildings.
Continue sail toward Bagan and overnight onboard.

Day 5: Bagan (Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner)

Bagan, one of the most incredible areas of Myanmar. Start the tour with the massive Htilominlo, built by King Htilominlo on the site where he was chosen from the five sons of King Nadaungmya to be the crown prince of Pagan. An experience by local Oxcarts ride,   a short ride through the temples of Bagan.

A visit to Bagan would not be complete without exploring one of the most famous temples of Bagan, Ananda. Built-in 1105 CE during King Kyanzittha’s reign, it is one of only four surviving temples from this period.  Explore the cruciform of the temple, with four standing Buddhas facing north, south, east, and west.
Return to the ship and enjoy lunch onboard.

Afternoon, visit a local workshop where the traditional methods of creating lacquerware (known as Yun-de in Burmese) are still practiced. After a demonstration of the labor-intensive process required in making each piece, browse through a wide range of items, perhaps selecting a few to take home as souvenirs.

.A short coach ride to Gubyaukgyi Temple (Great Painted Cave Temple), where the richly-colored paintings are thought to date to the original construction period in the early 12th century, and learn a sand painting demonstration by a local artist. Next to this temple is the gilded Myazedi Stupa, which offers both a linguistic and a historical significance: an inscription consecrating Gubyaukgyi in four languages (Pyu, Mon, Old Burmese, and Pali), which established Pyu as an important cultural influence in the early Pagan period. After exploring the day, proceed to the Bagan Viewing Hill where we will view the sunset over the pagodas and stupas of Bagan before returning to the ship.
A traditional  Myanmar Puppet performance at the cruise  Lounge.
Overnight onboard.

Day 6: Bagan – Hnaw Kone(Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner)

After breakfast, explore  Bagan’s largest open market, where fresh produce, meats, spices, woodcarvings, longyis, thanaka and rattan products are sold every day. Continue visit to the gilded Shwezigon Pagoda. This important religious site dates to the reign of King Anawrahta, founder of the Bagan Empire. After exploring this large temple complex, say goodbye to the temples of Bagan, return to the ship and set sail to Hnaw Kone.

Hnaw Kone is a typical, rural, river village with friendly residents and adorable children. Walking tour at Hnaw Kone and stop to see the local handicraft of bamboo cane basket weaving. Watch the villagers as they expertly split bamboo and skillfully weave the strands into baskets or larger panels for building homes.
Set sail toward Yadabo. Leisure and relaxation with cruise facilities onboard. Enjoy Tea Leaf and Ginger Salad Demonstration.
Overnight on board.

Day 7: Yadabo(Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner)

After breakfast on board, admire one of the great histories of the village “Yadabo”.
On 24 February 1826, the peace treaty of the First Anglo-Burmese War was signed at Yandabo Village. Today, it is a picturesque village famous for its riverside pottery. Leisurely walk through the village, the opportunity to stop at the various family homes and workshops, each with its own unique style and markings, to witness the making and firing of the Yandabo pottery, famous throughout Myanmar.

Enjoy the afternoon on board with an afternoon tea served in the Lounge followed by the lecture on board and listen to a special talk about Myanmar’s history and vision for the future.
Dinner is served at the Restaurant followed by Burmese Karaoke Party night.
Overnight on board.

Day 8: Ava - Amarapura – Sagaing (Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner)

This morning, sail to one of the quiet villages near Ava, one of Myanmar’s ancient imperial capitals, for a delightful ride through the naturally preserved landscape and key landmarks. A local transport horse cart is waiting near the jetty and proceeds to Ava by charming horse-drawn carriage that passes through the ancient city. Stop at Yadana Shemee, a beautiful little complex with a small group of pagodas. These pagodas showcase the development of brick monasteries since the 17 century. Visiting the beautiful 200-year-old teak Bagaya Kyaung Monastery, Nanmyin watchtower (27mt. high)

After visiting AVA, continue to visit Sagaing by coach, an important religious site with countless pagodas dotting the surrounding hillsides. Here, stop to see Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda at the top of Sagaing Hill for stunning views of the Ayeyarwady and across to Mandalay. Next, continue onto a Nunnery to witness life in a local nunnery.

After lunch, travel by coach to the penultimate burmese royal capital of Amarapura to visit a silk workshop before driving to U-Bein Bridge believed to be the world’s longest and oldest teakwood bridge. Local sampans wait on a leisurely cruise of the lake while admiring the sunset over the bridge.
A traditional  Myanmar traditional dance performance at the cruise  Lounge.
Overnight onboard.

Day 9: Mingun – Mandalay (Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner)

The ship continues to sail north to Mingun. After breakfast, enjoy a leisurely walking tour of the small town of Mingun.

The first stop is King Bodawpaya’s monumental, uncompleted stupa. During construction, an astrologer to the king argued that the king would die upon completion of the temple, and work was immediately halted. Had it been completed, it would have been the largest in the world. The cracks we see are the result of the 23 March 1839 earthquake that shook the area. Continue to walk to the Mingun Bell which was the heaviest working bell in the world until 2000 when the Bell of Good Luck was unveiled in Henan, China. After having the opportunity to stand inside the bell as it is rung, shop in the local market, famous for its makeshift galleries that display inexpensive art from both local and internationally known artists.

Enjoy an afternoon tour of Mandalay. Visit the Kuthodaw Pagoda which contains the world's biggest book, as well as the Shwe Nan Daw Kyaung Monastery, the only original monastery left from the royal era. Then we proceed to a workshop that produces the gold leaf commonly used to adorn Buddha images at temples throughout Myanmar, and the Mahamuni Pagoda, to see how the gold leaf is used.
Farewell Reception and overnight onboard.

Day 10:  Mandalay (Breakfast)

Enjoy breakfast on board before check out and disembark from Irrawaddy Explore. Then, the end of a memorial river experience trip and own arrangement to continue the journey.