Exploring Myanmar By Boat

Burma may not be the first country that comes to mind when you think of luxury cruises, but it is fast becoming Asia's premier river-cruise destination. The ever growing selection of cruises on offer mean that Myanmar is now able to rival and arguably surpass the variety of vessels found in India, China and nearby Indochina.

The Irrawaddy River runs its course from north to south through Burma, facilitating transport of goods, and supporting life in the country, as well as bringing newfound opportunities for tourism. A cruise offers the chance to see the country from a new perspective as you glide past scenes that appear unchanged from years gone by, catch glimpses of gold from the ever-present pagodas, and look out for the varieties of wildlife that inhabit the river, from the rare Irrawaddy Dolphin to the multitudes of bird species.

Whether you just want a taste of river life, or are looking for a longer experience, there is sure to be something to suit your needs. Here are a few of our particular recommendations.

For more in depth trips, there are a number of ships plying the waters of the Irrawaddy. Belmond's Road to Mandalay and the Sanctuary Ananda are well established luxury choices, running anything from simple overnight trips up to 11 night epics. For the more curious traveller however, then Pandaw are continuously expanding their already extensive network of meticulously researched itineraries. See our itinerary featuring their classic ‘Golden Land Cruise' for an idea of what a trip involving a Pandaw cruise could be like.

If you don't have time for a lengthy cruise, the there are plenty of shorter options. The classic 1 or 2 night route between Mandalay and Bagan is well travelled. The RV Paukan may the most comfortable option, but there are plenty of worthy challengers in the form of the Amara, the Princess Royal and the MS Hintha. For those even more pushed for time, but who still want to experience a river cruise then there are a number of services running day cruises between Mandalay and Bagan, with the RV Panorama being our preferred choice. See our ‘Treasures of Burma' itinerary for an idea of how we can fit this into a larger itinerary.

For the adventurous at heart, then it is possible to privately charter a small vessel for a bespoke journey. We feature a special Irrawaddy Dolphin-spotting trip in our ‘Wild Burma' itinerary.

Many of these cruises are featured within our existing Myanmar tours, but all are profiled within our ‘cruise boats' section of our website, and any can be worked into an existing or tailor-made itinerary. Just get in touch to speak to one of our team about how we can arrange your own personalised river adventure in Myanmar. As they say, it's not the destination, but the journey that counts.