'Exclusive Travel Experience with Myanmar Tourism Services'

Bhamo Experience Cruise

Tour Code        : MTS-BEC - 101
Tour Duration : 10 days / 09 nights
Route                : Yangon – Mandalay –Kyauk Myaung –
                              Tagaung - Katha – Bhamo – Shwegu –
                              Mingun – Mandalay- Yangon
Vacation Type : Cruise

This program is presented to you for your visit around Myanmar for its main tourist destination. Explore from Yangon – the garden city and the main gate way to Myanmar to Mandalay – the culture canter and it environs its environs and Mingun - home to the world biggest ringing bell.
 

Transportation between each destination by domestic flight on Air Mandalay or Yangon Airways or Air Bagan (F-100 or ATR-72/42) can be done throughout the year.

The RV Pandaw and other 5 similar so called "class P " design vessels was commissioned after the end of the Second World War by the Inland Water Transport Board of the Union of Burma government with the technical expertise of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company at that time acting as Agents to the I.W.T. Board. RV Pandaw was built in Scotland on the Clyde by the famous ships builder Yarrrow & Co on 1947 with the same design of the pre-war Quarter Wheeler steamers of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company. After being boarded up in order to protect her from the sea waves, she left Scotland for the delivery voyage to Burma on 1950. On the 12th January 1951 she started to serve the Inland Water Transport (Irrawaddy Flotilla was nationalized on the 1st of June 1948) on the route Mandalay-Bhamo for both cargo and passengers transportation. In the 1998 she was converted into a 16 cabins luxurious river cruise vessel by the revived Irrawaddy Flotilla Company founded by the Historian Mr.Paul Strachan. IFC has operated the vessel in the rivers of Myanmar for 5 years until 2003. In the second half of the 2003 Interconnection Co. Ltd signed the charter agreement with IWT and the RV PANDAW underwent a major renovation at the Yangon Dalla Dockyards. As far as the Hotel side is concerned new furniture has been specially designed and new Food and Beverage equipment have been bought. And the program may be changed due to the cruise schedule. This program is fixed arrival on every Tuesday due to the RV Pandaw 1947 Schedule.

Detailed Tour Program
 

Day 01: SUNDAY : Arrival Yangon
Arrive Yangon international airport, welcome by tour guide. Transfer to the hotel for check in. Visit Chauk Htatt Kyi (the six storied in meaning but actually the huge reclining Buddha Image, Sule (the eight sided stupa located at the center of Yangon, the Independent Monument. Visit Shwedagon Pagoda, famous worldwide – its golden stupa is the ‘ Heart ’ of Buddhism Myanmar. The Pagoda is believed to be 2,500 years old and the central stupa in surrounded by dozens of intricately decorated buildings and statues. And overnight stay at The Governor’s Residence hotel in Yangon. (Deluxe room)

Day 02: MONDAY : Yangon Mandalay (B)
Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to the airport for the flight to Mandalay (domestic schedule flight, ~ 1 ½ hour flying). Transfer to the hotel. And visit Zegyo Market and some of Mandalay’s cottage industries, such as weaving and tapestry making, Burmese candy making, Bamboo fan making near Eindaw Yar Pagoda, Atumahsi Monastery and Shwenandaw Monastery (Golden Palace Monastery), Kuthodaw (Maha Lawkamarazein Pagoda) which is famous as the world largest book of many stone slabs on which is inscribed the whole Buddhist Literature. Overnight stay at Mandalay Sedona hotel in Mandalay. (Superior room)

Day 03: TUESDAY : Mandalay (Gawein) Kyauk Myaung (Miles 52*84 Km – 6.5 Hrs)
Embark the ship at 09.30 hrs. We cast off at 10.00 hrs and sail upstream to the spectacular potteries-making village of Kyauk Myaung, and see the manufacture stages of the famous 50 Gallons (200 litres) pots (1.5 hours visit). Moor overnight nearby a river village.

Day 04: WEDNESDAY : Kyauk Myaung Tigyaing (Miles 99*Km 160 – 12.5 Hrs)
Cast off early in the morning (ETD 05.30 hrs). We enter the Third Defile (Gorge) and sail upriver all day. Stop at Tagaung to explore the ancient city archaeological area and the fortifications. Continue sailing North up to Tigyaing village where we stop for the night.

Day 05: THURSDAY : Tigyaing  Katha (Miles 42*Km 68– 5.5 Hrs)
Early departure. Before lunch we arrive Katha, the setting of the George Orwell’s book “Burmese Days” and also the place where hundreds of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company ships were scuttled in 1942 before the Japanese could seize them. We explore this pleasant colonial town surrounded by hills plenty of hardwood forests and if time permit we will also visit an elephant logging camp and the lake Indaw.

Day 06: FRIDAY : Katha Bhamo (Miles 84*Km 135 – 11Hrs)
We continue sailing upstream and after passing the little town of Shwegu we enter the dramatic 2nd defile with its magnificent cliffs reaching down the narrow channel. We arrive at Bhamo in the late afternoon (ETA 17.30). Evening walking tour of the town, an important trading post located just 50 miles from the Chinese border

Day 07: SATURDAY : Bhamo Shwegu (Miles 40*Km 64 / 4 Hrs)
Early in the morning we will try to reach the village of Sinbo set below the 1st Defile by local boat. Back to the ship before lunch and cast off (ETD 11.30 hrs) for the downriver return journey to Mandalay. We pass Kyun Daw, an island with lot of monasteries and small pagodas and we moor overnight at Shwegu pottery village.

Day 08: SUNDAY : Shwegu Khan Nyat (Miles 130*Km 210/13 Hrs)
Sail downriver all day stopping at Khan Nyat Village with its many Buddhist monasteries

Day 09: MONDAY : Khan Nyat Mingun (Miles 101*Km 163/10 Hrs)
Cruise all day. We arrive at Mingun in the late afternoon (ETA 16.00). Visit the unfinished pagoda, the largest working bell in the world and the “home for the ages”. Moor overnight in a sandbank opposite of Mingun Pagoda. Dance and Theatre performance on the Sundeck.

Day 10: TUESDAY : Mingun Mandalay/Gawein (Miles 6*Km 10/40 Min.) Yangon
Disembark at Mandalay Gawein Jetty at 08.00 o’clock. Transfer to the Mandalay International airport for flight to Yangon. Leisure till the flight time. Transfer to Yangon International Airport for your departure flight to conclude this unique experience.

SAILING DATES

PRICES PER PERSON in US$ (VALID OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2008)  
 

Bhamo Experience Cruise

IMPORTANT NOTE: For All departures should the occupancy be less than 12 PASSENGERS the Company reserves the right to cancel the cruise up to 60 days prior the departure date. A written confirmation notice will be released to all booked clients and/or their agents within and not later than 60 days prior the departure date. In case of cancellation an alternative cruise will be offered and if not acceptable all down payments will be refunded.

Price Includes : Transfer from/to Mandalay or Bagan Hotel-Airport, All meals & Coffee/Tea/Water on board, Domestic flight Fare (Yangon – Mandalay – Yangon ), Accommodation : 1 night in Yangon, 1 night in Mandalay, All Sightseeing /excursions as per programme, English speaking station guide/escort, All Entrance Fees.

Price excludes: Drinks, laundry, gratuity, international flights, all items of a personal nature; health-accident-baggage or travel protection plan, fuel surcharges if applicable (* read the note below).

(*)Within the above rates the fuel cost is calculated on the Myanmar Market average price of the months of August & September 2006 (i.e. USD3 per gallon). Should the fuel price rise by more than 15%, AYRAVATA CRUISES will be entitled to impose a fuel surcharge equivalent to the amount by which the fuel price exceeds the price allowed for in the above rates, provided that the notice of this rise is given to the Passenger and/or his Agent within 30 days prior the cruise departure date.