Magnificent Myanmar!
To quote Rudyard Kipling – Come you back to Mandalay,Where the old Flotilla lay:Can’t you ‘ear their paddles chunkin’ from Rangoon to Mandalay?On the road to Mandalay,Where the flyin’-fishes play,An’ the dawn comes up like thunder outer China ‘crost the Bay!
I had the pleasure of booking a beautiful Irrawaddy River cruise from Mandalay to Yangon on the APT 5* Princess Panhwar, but the ‘Road to Mandalay’ is currently off sale with APT- unfortunately due to unrest and concerns over security APT have suspended their river cruises but hopefully will be back on sale soon
What better way to discover fascinating cultures where ancient and modern wonders exist in absolute harmony, from one of the world’s least explored and untouched destinations of Myanmar than to Meander along the Irrawaddy River
My lucky guests had an amazing trip experiencing the landscapes and temples of Bagan, in Mandalay they visited Mahamuni Buddha Temple, where they saw sheets of gold leaf being added to a statue of the Mahamuni Buddha.
Burma is best known for its stunning temples that were built by the ruling dynasty around 900 years ago. It’s also home to a 2500-year-old pagoda that’s covered in gold plates!
They started their adventure in Mandalay is the country’s second city, busy developing and expanding as the economy grows. The last royal capital of Burma, the city is still a major cultural and religious centre, with important temples and monasteries.
They visited Yandabo, the site of where the Treaty of the First Anglo-Burmese War was signed, also famous for its terracotta pots, made from the riverbank clay.
Bagan at sunrise would have been amazing to ride a hot air balloon over the pagodas of Bagan and a visit to the golden Shwezigon Pagoda, one of the country’s most significant religious sites.
They had the option to climb Tantkyi Hill to visit Tant Kyi Taung Pagoda, encircled by 32 elephant statues and then cruised to Salay and visit Yoke Sone Kyaung, the region’s oldest surviving wooden monastery.
They sailed on to Magwe and head to the Mya Tha Lun Pagoda, overlooking the Irrawaddy River and then disembarked in Minhla, the site of a significant battle during the Third Anglo-Burmese War. Visit Minhla Fort, built to keep the British forces out of Myanmar.
After arriving in Pyayand they visited the Shwesandaw Pagoda and on to visit the ancient relics at Sri Ksetra.
In Myanaung the saw the Akauk Mountains and their river-facing cliff carvings and cruised to Myanaung.
Their holiday ended in Yangon -formerly known as Rangoon, Yangon is South-east Asia’s latest boomtown. As the country’s largest city and major commercial port, there is always something going on. New building developments jostle with rundown colonial era buildings waiting to be restored along tree-lined avenues. Upmarket bars and restaurants are opening apace. Christian churches, mosques, and Hindu temples can be found alongside numerous Buddhist shrines, with the greatest of them all, the Shwedagon Pagoda, dominating the city.
Let’s hope that soon ‘The Road to Mandalay Bay ‘ will be open again soon for river cruises!
About Me
Hello, Hola, Bonjour, Guten Morgen, 你好 ! I grew up in the 70s, I was educated in the 80s and had great fun working in a Cafe Bar and nightclub in the 90s. After my Halcyon years my bank manager and I decided it was time to get a 'proper…
Read more
Thank you for subscribing!