This 5-day river cruise on Sanctuary Ananda takes you through the mesmerizing landscape along the backbone Irrawaddy River. Get inspired by the wonder of the world in Mandalay – where thousands of glittering and white-washed temples dominate the skyline. In Monywa, see the dramatic combination of nature’s creation and the man-made masterpiece in Po Win Taung caves. Up to Bagan, see the magic reveals over thousands of old pagodas and temples. Together with interesting activities, enjoy the classy services provided by Sanctuary Ananda cruise ship to fulfill your memorable journey to the Golden Land of Burma.
General Information
Duration: 5 days/4 nights
Start/End: Mandalay/Bagan
Tour Category: River cruise Burma
Cruise Ship: Sanctuary Ananda
Tour Route: Mandalay – Salingyi – Po Win Caves & Bodhi Ta Thaung – Bagan
Tour Date:
| Year/Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Otc | Nov | Dec |
| 2019 | 07 | 25 | ||||||||||
| 2020 | 29 | 26 | 16 23 30 |
Brief Itinerary
Day 1: Set Sail from Mandalay (L, D)
Day 2: Sailing to Salingyi (B, L, D)
Day 3: Po Win Caves & Bodhi Ta Thaung (B, L, D)
Day 4: Bagan (B, L, D)
Day 5: Disembark in Bagan (B)
Day 1: Set Sail from Mandalay (L, D)
Mingalabar! Welcome to Mandalay, the heart of cultural alluring in Burma!
Today, check-in at 12:30 pm and settle into your suite.
For early birds, you can join in our short excursion in Mandalay this morning to see the highlights of the city. We will start at Mahamuni Pagoda, home to one of the most highly revered Buddha images in Myanmar. Then we also visit Shwenandaw Monastery, an intricated wooden monastery. Take your time to marvel at the wonderful architecture inside and outside the monastery before highlights your morning visit at Kuthodaw Pagoda. Take this chance to witness the world’s largest book carved on 729 marble slabs. As you get on the board, enjoy your first welcome lunch and we set sail to the pagoda sprinkled hills of Sagaing. In the afternoon, we disembark to explore the great sites perched on Sagaing Hill. Being home to 554 monasteries and 6000 monks and nuns, this is an important religious and monastic center of Myanmar. Visit a monastic school and orphanage to meet some of the residents and learn more about Buddhist education in Myanmar.
Next up, climb to the top of the hill to visit Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda, which provides you a breathtaking view to the different sizes and shapes dotted the surrounding area and the beautiful river.
Later on, we drive to Amarapura, the former capital city of Burma, well-known as “City of Immortality”. Visit U Bein Bridge, the longest and oldest teak bridge in the world. Stretching through 1.3 km across the serene Taungthaman Lake, the spectacular bridge provides you a perfect place to enjoy the gorgeous sunset view.
Dinner rounds off on the board in the evening followed by a traditional performance.
Day 2: Sailing to Salingyi (B, L, D)
Today will be a long day of sailing to Salingyi, an idyllic township nearby the charming Monywa. Spend the whole day to relax and enjoy the finest service and amenities on the board.
After breakfast, join in an interesting culinary tour with the Executive Chef. Take this chance to discover what spices, meats, and vegetables used in traditional Burmese cuisine. This demonstration will give you lots of recipe inspiration you can take home with you.
After lunch, a variety of interesting activities await you to join in. You will first take a tour onboard to discover the great architecture and modern amenities on the board. Then learn more about the way to wear Longyi (Myanmar traditional dress) and put on Thanaka (Burmese make-up powder). What’s a better way to get more knowledge of the country than listening to a talk on Myanmar, in which cover the country’s incredible history, the recent controversial decades to the outlook for the future of the country.
As the sun continues to sail toward the south, enjoy the stunning scenery along the river from Sanctuary Ananda’s sundeck. Sit on the sun-loungers shaded by canopies, if you like, why don’t swim in the pool on the deck to indulge in the cooling water and enjoy the great moment? Afterward, you can try therapies such as traditional Thai massage or reflexology session. Get the special treatments to include the Ananda body scrub and Ananda facial to immerse in the comfortable experience and get your body ready for the adventure in the next day.
As the board enters the Chindwin River, we continue sailing upstream towards Monywa. This is a great time for you to admire the majestic sunset from your balcony. Sit back and enjoy the dramatic scenery.
Day 3: Po Win Caves & Bodhhi Ta Thaung (B, L, D)
A full day to sightseeing in Monywa. Start the day with a visit to Po Win Taung Cave and its nearby Shwe Ba Taung to marvel at the magnificent man-made masterpiece surrounded by nature’s creation. Take your time to discover a collection of Buddha images and mural painting existed between the 14th and 18th centuries which is considered South East Asia’s richest collection.
Around noon, enjoy a picnic lunch in a great view of the town which offers a beautiful view of the surrounding scenery.
Highlight your afternoon with a visit to Thanboddhay Pagoda, a magnificent temples housing over 580000 images of the Buddha in the niches around the inner wall and exotic architecture style. Finally, visit Bodhi Tataung where you will have a chance to admire the two enormous Buddha statue – one is the world’s third tallest standing Buddha statue, and one is the world’s second-longest reclining Buddha image.
Back to the ship, enjoy your delicious dinner with a cocktail.
Day 4: Bagan (B, L, D)
After breakfast, follow your chefs to visit the local market in Pakokku where you will capture an array of mouth-watering fruit and vegetables. Venturing around the market area to feel the local flavor and see many people come to buy and sell products.
After that, return to Sanctuary Ananda and continue sailing to Bagan – the city of great temples.
On arrival at Bagan, make your first visit to a small pagoda complex to witness the different architecture of the stupas dotted on the plain. Next up, make your way to the great golden Shwezigon Pagoda, where attracts tourists’ attractions with two reasons: the first major monument built in the Burmese style and the first pagoda to have nat (natural spirit) images allowed within the precinct. Listen to your guide to know more about the pagoda’s wonders and legend.
In the late afternoon, drive to the sunset hill to admire the majestic sunset over the Bagan plains. Sit back and see the giant sun covers the reddish glow on everything around you, creating a truly magic moment.
Day 5: Disembark in Bagan (B)
This morning, enjoy an early breakfast and then check out at 9 am.
A great offer for those who take a late flight today: take a visit to the local village to see the real-life of Burmese people and discover a lacquerware workshop to witness the skillful artisans creating the beautiful items using traditional methods. Tour ends. Thank you for making your Mandalay – Monywa river cruise with Go Myanmar Tours!
