Depart USA

Depart the US on your overnight flight.

Yangon

Welcome to Myanmar and your hotel in Yangon for an overnight stay. Enjoy your welcome dinner at the beautiful Le Planteur Restaurant.

Meals: Dinner

Yangon > Inle Lake

Fly to Heho and drive to Nyaung Shwe. After lunch, glide across Inle Lake towards your award-winning resort for a three night Special Stay.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Inle Lake

Begin with an excursion by the most comfortable long tail boats on the lake to visit Inle Lake’s main market, which moves every five days. See the holiest site in Inle Lake, the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda and Royal barges.EnrichLearn about traditional Intha cooking with a visit to an Intha family home for lunch.Later, cruise down a network of small canals to the Pa-Oh village of Indein. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Inle Lake

Freechoice: Visit Pindaya Caves or travel to Taunggyi and lunch at a local winery. Alternatively, take a local village trek close by.SundownersEnjoy evening drinks and share today’s tales of exploration.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Inle Lake > Mandalay

Fly to Mandalay. Later, head to Mandalay Hill for magnificent sunset views before your overnight stay.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Mandalay > Irrawaddy Cruise

Marvel at Shwenandaw, a beautiful wooden monastery covered internally in gold leaf. Equally as impressive are the sights at Kuthodaw Pagoda, where the ‘World’s Largest Book’ is housed. Later, walk through the rebuilt Mandalay Palace, destroyed during World War II.EnrichLearn how to produce gold leaf at a local workshop. At Mahamuni Pagoda, male guests may place the gold leaf on the iconic Buddha statue.Board Scenic Aura and enjoy tonight’s welcome reception.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Mingun > Amarapura

This morning in Mingun discover the stories behind a massive unfinished brick pagoda. Nearby, admire the un-cracked Mingun Bell and the stunning all-white Hsinbyume Pagoda, Myanmar’s Taj Mahal. Sail to Mandalay to visit Amarapura.SundownersIn Amarapura, relax with evening drinks in boats under U-Bein Bridge, the world’s longest teak bridge, to capture that memorable photo of the bridge’s silhouette at sunset.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Sagaing

Sagaing, regarded as the country’s spiritual capital, is dotted with hundreds of painted pagodas and monasteries.EnrichIn the ancient capital of Sagaing interact with novice monks, nuns and orphans during a special visit to a monastic supported school before continuing to a nunnery where you will partake in the ritual and our donation to the resident nuns before their midday meal.Set sail to the pottery village of Yandabo.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Yandabo > Pakkoku

Arrive in Yandabo where in 1826, the peace treaty ending the First Anglo-Burmese War was signed. Now famous for its pottery, stroll through the village and witness the artisans honing their craft and observe their unusual way of firing the pottery. Later, cruise to Pakkoku for the night to visit a cheroot cigar workshop, local market and a longyi and blanket factory.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Bagan

Arrive into Bagan this morning. After breakfast travel by horse and cart through a local village then through the surrounding plain and its temple ruins before learning all about the production of Burmese lacquerware, a Bagan specialty.EnrichBe wowed by a Scenic exclusive mystical themed dinner, with included free flow drinks and cultural show in front of floodlit Bagan temple ruins.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Bagan > Salay

Optional Hot Air Balloon Flight - Take a hot air balloon flight over the majestic temples of Bagan. Flights last approximately 45 minutes and must be purchased prior to your cruise to guarantee availability.This morning visit the most iconic sight of this hypnotic region, the impressive Ananda Temple before cruising downstream to Salay. On your walking tour of the town, explore Paya Thonzu, a small trio of brick shrines, admire Youqson Kyaung, a beautiful teak monastery and look inside the largest lacquer Buddha image in Myanmar.EnrichFrom the riverfront, soak up the ambience of the river and the colonial feel of the town while enjoying traditional local Burmese tea and snacks in a restored colonial villa dating back to 1906.Remain alongside Salay overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Minhla Fort

Continue cruising downstream through the morning, relaxing by the pool or enjoying some solitude on your private balcony. Later this afternoon visit the Italian built Minhla Fort where its capture by the British during the Third Anglo-Burmese War brought to an end to independent Burma.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Magwe

This morning discover the town of Magwe as you are peddled around in a local trishaw bike. Take in the views from Mya Tha Lun Pagoda, a mesmerising architectural vision set on Naguttama Hill. This afternoon relax on board and watch the changing scenery as you sail towards Bagan.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Sailing > Bagan

Make use of the ship’s luxury during your day of sailing upstream along the Irrawaddy towards Bagan. Relax on the Sun Deck with a cocktail in hand viewing the many temples and pagodas that line the river as you approach this ancient location.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Bagan

Rise early to attend and partake in morning alms for the local monks.Freechoice: Venture to Mount Popa, home to Myanmar’s nats or nature spirits, before heading to a Toddy Farm where a traditional lunch awaits or cross the river to Tant Kyi Tuang to take in the expansive elevated views of Bagan. Alternatively, wander through the markets at Nyaung U before either exploring the Temple Circuit, or enjoying a visit to Old Bagan.Relax on board for the remainder of the day before your farewell dinner tonight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Irrawaddy Cruise > Yangon

Disembark and fly to Yangon for lunch at the historical House of Memories Restaurant, once the office of General Aung San. Then settle into your hotel in Yangon for a two night Special Stay.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Yangon

Freechoice: Embark on a ride on the local ‘circle’ train around Yangon’s suburbs. Alternatively, be guided on a tour of Yangon’s thriving art scene, or ride a ferry across the Yangon River to Dhala village and travel by trishaw through the local neighbourhood.Visit Chaukhtatgyi Paya, Yangon’s reclining Buddha.EnrichAs the sun sets, wander around Shwedagon Pagoda, the most revered Buddhist temple in Myanmar, and learn about the ritual of oil lamp lighting before partaking in this local tradition.Enjoy tonight’s farewell dinner at the iconic colonial Strand Hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Yangon

Say ‘Thaw Dau Mal’ to Myanmar.

Meals: Breakfast