Exotic Myanmar (Burma)

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ flagship, Balmoral, recently called at Yangon, the capital of Myanmar or Burma as you may know it better. The 1,350-guest ship stayed for two nights in this exotic city from the 14^th February 2014.

Captain Robert Bamberg, Master of Balmoral, said: “We would like to thank the people of Myanmar to for their warm welcome and our guests were very excited to be able to see and experience this beautiful country.”

This is a destination that could really be popular with the cruising fraternity. A forgotten corner of the world that has changed very little since its colonial days.

Described by lonely planet as:

“Simple Pleasures”

“Turn back the clock with a trip to this time-warped country where there’s no such thing as a 7-Eleven or an ATM, and people still use horse and cart to get around. Liberate yourself from your mobile phone (it won’t work here) and the internet (you can get online, but connections are sloooow) and discover a culture where holy men are more revered than rock stars. Drift down the Ayeyarwady in an old river steamer, stake out a slice of beach on the blissful Bay of Bengal, or trek through pine forests to minority villages scattered across the Shan Hills. Dig into the myriad dishes of the local cuisine, from a hearty bowl of mohinga noodles for breakfast to the fermented tea-leaf mixture that’s a popular finish to a Burmese meal. Swap cocktails and canapés for snacks and tea sweetened with condensed milk at teahouses where you can shoot the breeze with locals.”

Let’s hope more companies will add this fascinating country to their itineraries in 2015.