This Katha Pandaw Cruise 11 days is very different. Cruising through the heart of “Middle Myanmar”, we pass through varied landscapes, from the lush teak plantations around Prome to the desert south of Pagan. We visit a number of small villages and towns and see local farming and manufacturing up close. These places are removed from the modern world and offer a glimpse of a timeless and lost Myanmar, far from the usual tourist circuits. We also visit a number of ancient monasteries and temples of historical and artistic interest in this cultural heart of ancient Myanmar!
We arrive in Prome in the afternoon and travel by coach to the archaeological site of Thiri-ya-kittiya, dating from the 5th to 8th centuries, the ancient center of the Pyu civilization with a fascinating museum of artifacts and Buddhist sculptures.
This charming colonial town once guarded the border between Royal Myanmar and British Myanmar after the Second Anglo-Myrian War of 1855. Many buildings, including the covered market, date from this period. Thayet also has the oldest golf course in Myanmar (1885). We visit the market, see the colonial houses and go by horse cart to the golf course, passing by the old British botanical garden.
Thayet Golf Club
Minhla – We visit the two forts built by the Italians to prevent the British from approaching Royal Myanmar. The battle for the Minhla Redoubt was indeed the only serious action of the war, and the death of a young subordinate inspired a poem in Kipling. We ride on trishaws to reach the magnificent Magwe Myat-thalon Pagoda, built of solid gold bricks. The many nat shrines and hermitages within the temple grounds are interesting.
Magwe Myat-thalon Pagoda
We visit the Yout-saun-kyaung monastery with its spectacular wooden carvings; we also explore an area of splendid colonial-style houses and continue sailing upstream.
In the morning, you can climb up the Tan-Chi-Taung mountain and enjoy the view. Continue with one of the highlights of your trip as you visit a selection of the 3,000 listed monuments at this World Heritage Site, Pagan.
Pagan
Continuation of the exploration by coach of the monuments followed by a lacquer workshop and the visit of the local markets. Navigation at noon upstream. Evening walk to Oh Ne Kyaung village to see local life in this typical riverside community…
Ce petit village rural est caractérisé par la fabrication de pots. Nous visitons l’école de Pandaw, qui fut construite grâce aux dons passés des passagers de Pandaw.
Making pots in Yandabo
Tourists will take a tour of central Mandalay visiting Mahamuni Pagoda and the teak carved monastery of Shwenandaw Kyaung. In the afternoon, we will visit Sagaing. The real charm of Sagaing lies in its 1000 hermitages and shrines, rich in woodcarvings and religious art. Then we explore the ancient capital of Amarapura by coach, take a boat ride along Taungthaman Lake and observe the tranquility and serenity of this beautiful lake and its famous U-Bein Bridge at sunset.
Monastery of Shwenandaw
We stop at Mingun to see the largest bell in the world and the incomplete pagoda which is the largest mass of bricks. We also visit the Mingun Buddhist Home for the Aged, originally established with the help of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company in the 1930s.
Visit the spectacular pottery near Kyauk-myoung where the famous 50 gallon water jugs are handcrafted. We’ll see every step of the making, from turning the pots to firing for a week in the huge kilns. In the afternoon, return by boat to Mandalay.
Disembark at Mandalay.
Prices are in USD, per person.
This tour can be customized to fit your own demands. Best price and value guaranteed!
| Hotel / Group | 2 guests |
|---|---|
| 2,117 |
– There may be cancellation fees charged by suppliers (hotels, airlines, boats, trains…) once these bookings are made and paid. These fee shall by paid by travelers.
– These are maximum cancellation fees to be flexible applied:
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