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BURMA
– UPPER IRRAWADDY CRUISE
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| The
Upper Irrawaddy cruise offers particularly fine
scenery, passing through the Second and Third Defiles
where the mountains close in on each side, and ending
at Bhamo, close to the Chinese border. The cruise
also includes the World Heritage site of Pagan,
and Mandalay surrounded by former royal capitals.
This cruise operates post-monsoon only, to ensure
high water levels. Cruises operate either upstream
(U) or downstream (D) |
Operated by PANDAW IV |
Departures:
2007: 21 Sep (D), 07 Oct (U),
17 Oct (D), 30 Oct (U), 09 Nov (D) |
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| PRICE
per person sharing twin cabin/room on full board, |
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| 15 days/12 nights |
|
| Upper Deck |
£3175
|
| Single occupancy
supp: |
on request
|
| Main deck |
£2985
|
| Single occupancy
supp |
£396
|
|
|
| Prices
may vary but include: see p26 |
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| Day |
|
| 1. |
1200 hrs dep
Heathrow by Thai Boeing 747/Airbus A300 (plane
change Bangkok) |
| 2. |
0930 hrs arrive
Rangoon. Check in to Dusit Inya Lake Hotel
(C) 1 night. PM sightseeing of Rangoon and
visit the great Shwe Dagon Pagoda. |
| 3. |
AM
80 min flight to Pagan and board Pandaw IV,
10 nights. Tour by bus a selection of the
most significant of the 3000 Buddhist monuments
found at this World Heritage site, as well
as visiting lacquerware workshops. Sail in
the afternoon and moor overnight at Pakokku
exploring the markets and workshops by trishaw.
Puppet show on deck at night. |
| 4. |
Upstream
to the Chindwin confluence and stop in the
evening at Yandabo, where was signed in 1826
the treaty between the British and the Burmese
which ended the first Anglo-Burmese war and
ceded Assam to the Raj. This is a picturesque
village with small family-run potteries. |
| 5. |
In the morning travel by coach to Ava and
explore the ruins there, visiting the superb
Bagaya Kyaung, a 200 year old royal monastery
made of teak with elaborate woodcarvings.
In the afternoon travel to Mandalay by coach
for an orientation tour visiting the Mahamuni
pagoda and Mandalay Hill area, with a sunset
visit to Amarapura and U Bein’s bridge.
The Mandalay classical ballet troupe will
perform on deck scenes from court drama. |
| 6. |
Cast off early
in the morning and stop at Mingun to see the
largest working bell in the world and the
unfinished pagoda that is the largest mass
of solid brickwork in the world. |
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| 7. |
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 vast kilns. Enter the Third Defile
and sail upstream all day, stopping at Khan-nyat
village with its many Buddhist monasteries
and an orphanage we support. If free, the
village orchestra and dancers will perform
after dinner. |
| 8. |
Explore
on foot the ancient city of Tagaung, viewing
the fortifications, a famous nat shrine, and
the archaeological area. In the evening climb
the pagoda hill at Tigyang with its stunning
views over the Irrawaddy, and explore this
pleasant little wooden town. |
| 9. |
Reach the enchanting colonial town of Katha,
setting for George Orwell’s “Burmese
Days”, and if possible visit an elephant
logging camp in the hardwood forest that covers
the surrounding hills. |
| 10. |
Continue upstream
to Shwe-gu, another centre of pot-making,
and Kyun-daw, a midstream island of monasteries
and countless small pagodas. |
| 11. |
Cruise through
the Second Defile, the most dramatic of the
three gorges, with cliffs towering over the
narrow channel. Reach Bhamo in the afternoon
for an evening walking tour of this important
trading town set close to the Chinese border. |
| 12. |
Chartering a
smaller country boat, proceed upstream from
Bhamo and attempt to reach the village of
Singu below the dramatic First Defile. This
area has hardly been visited before by foreigners.
In the evening more time to explore Bhamo’s
bustling markets and Chinese temples. |
| 13. |
Disembark at
Bhamo, transfer to the airport by local bus,
and fly by charter flight to Rangoon. Check-in
at Dusit Inya Lake Hotel C) 1 night.
Coach trip downtown to visit Scott Market
and gem emporia. |
| 14. |
AM visit to
Commonwealth War Graves at Htaukkyan. 1950
hrs dep Rangoon by Thai Airbus A300/Boeing
747 (plane change Bangkok) |
| 15. |
0620
hrs arr Heathrow |
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BURMA
– GOLDEN LAND CRUISE
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| This cruise travels
much of the length of Burma from Prome in Lower
Burma all the way to the old royal capital of Mandalay.
The landscape changes from the tropical wetlands
of the Irrawaddy delta to the semi-desert dry zone
around Pagan and Mandalay, and while virtually every
major monument in the country can be visited from
the boat, some of the most appealing experiences
are the impromptu visits to humble towns and villages
of no significance. Alternate departures operate
upstream (U) or downstream (D). |
| Operated by RV
Pandaw II |
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Departures:
2007: 23 Nov (D), 21 Dec (U)
2008: 03 Jan (D), 16 Jan (U), 01 Mar (U), 11 Mar
(D),
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| |
| PRICE
per person sharing twin cabin/room on full board |
|
| 15 days, 12 nights |
|
| Upper Deck |
£3132
|
|
Single occupancy supplement:
|
on request
|
| Main deck |
£2985
|
|
Single occupancy supplement:
|
£298
|
| Air
supplement 1 Dec – 10 Jan |
£175
|
|
|
| Prices
may vary but include: see p26 |
|
|
| Day |
|
| 1. |
1200 hrs dep
Heathrow by Thai Boeing 747/Airbus A300 (plane
change Bangkok) |
| 2. |
0930 hrs arr
Rangoon and transfer to Dusit Inya Lake Hotel
(C ) 1 night. PM city tour and visit the spectacular
Shwe Dagon Pagoda. |
| 3. |
AM by coach 4-5
hours to Prome and board ship. PM visit the
archaeological site at Hmawza to visit the
excellent museum of pre-Pagan Burmese art
and to see Burma’s earliest Buddhist
monuments. |
| 4. |
Pause at Thayetmyo,
a pleasant colonial town with the oldest golf
course in the country. Visit the market and
ride out in pony carts to see the countryside. |
| 5. |
Minhla and Gwechaung
– we visit the two Italian-built forts
constructed to keep the British out of royal
Burma. We climb Gwechaung hill for the view. |
| 6. |
Magwe –
we visit the magnificent Myat-thalon pagoda
with its solid gold brickwork and many temples
and hermitages. |
| 7. |
Sale – here
we visit a number of teak monasteries including
the Yout-saun kyaung with its specatacular
wood carvings. We also explore an area of
splendid colonial houses, then moor at the
Tan-chi-taung mountain and ascend on foot
or by ancient jeep for spectacular sunset
views over Pagan. |
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