RV Pandaw

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• Oct (28), Nov (28), Jan 2010 (28), Feb 2010 (28)

PRE & POST CRUISE TOURS (click here)

DETAILED PROGRAMME

Day 1: Mandalay, Ava and Amarapura

Embark on the Pandaw at your convenience at Mandalay Gawein Jetty. 1000 we depart by coach to tour central Mandalay visiting the Mahamuni Pagoda and Shwe-im-bin teak carved monastery and Mandalay Hill for sunset. We stop to see tapestry making and other traditional crafts. Ship moves to Amarapura where we rejoin the ship for lunch. In afternoon we explore the ancient capitals of Ava and Amarapura by coach or sampan visiting the teak Bagaya Kyaung, Menu Ok-kyaung and crossing the U Bein Bridge.

Day 2: Yandabo Potteries and Oh Ne Kyaung Village

Yandabo is a very small rural village that specialises in pot making. We visit the Pandaw School and the new dispensary both built with past donations from Pandaw passengers. In the evening we cross the river to visit Oh Ne Kyaung, a very different village where we hope to build another school attached to the local monastery.

Day 3: Pagan Monuments

We tour a selection of the 3,000 listed monuments in this important World Heritage Site. Afternoon further explorations of Pagan and vist lacquer workshops.

Day 4: Tan Kyi Taung Mountaun and Salé

Ascend Tan-chi-taung mountain by foot or by WWII jeep for the spectacular sunrise over Pagan. Sail downstream to Sale. In afternoon we here visit a number of teak monasteries including the Yout-saun-kyaung with its spectacular wood carvings; we also explore an area of splendid colonial-style houses.

Day 5: Taung Ba Lu School and Magwe Gold Bricks

If river conditions permit, morning visit to Taung Ba Lu School project sponsored by Noble Caledonia and Pandaw Cruises. Afternoon we climb the river bank and wend our way through a labyrinth of passages and paths to reach the magnificent Myat-thalon Pagoda. This pagoda is constructed with solid gold bricks. Of interest are the many nat shrines and hermitages within the temple precincts.

Day 6: Minhla Forts

Minhla and Gwechaung - we visit the two Italian built forts constructed to keep the British at bay from Royal Myanmar. We climb the Gwechaung hill for the view. These were captured by the British in the 3rd Anglo Myanma War. The fight for the Minhla redoubt was the only serious action in the war and the death of a young subaltern inspired Kipling to write a poem. Gwechaung, the more impressive of the forts was captured from the rear before the Myanma could turn the guns around.

Day 7: Thayetmyo Frontier Post

This pleasant colonial town once guarded the border between Royal Myanmar and British Myanmar following the 2nd Anglo Myanma War of 1855, many of the buildings including the covered market date from this period. Thayet also boasts the oldest golf course in Myanmar (1885) said by the locals to be reciprocally clubbed with the Royal & Ancient St Andrews (however when we mentioned this in an early brochure we received a curt note from the R&A Secretary denying any such association). Outside the town is an extensive war cemetery where Turkish prisoners of war were laid to rest. Captured in Iraq, the Turks were transported to labour camps in Myanmar where they died in their hundreds of malaria. In the town itself we visit the market, see the colonial houses and ride out by horse cart to see the countryside and golf links.

Day 8: Prome and the Ancient Pyu

Visit the 5th-8th century archaeological site of Thiri-ya-kittiya, former centre of the Pyu civilization with a fascinating museum of early Buddhist artifacts and sculpture.

Day 9: Prome to Rangoon

Disembark and transfer to Rangoon (included in cost of cruise) for drop at your designated hotel.