THE IRRAWADDY ITINERARY
UPSTREAM PROME-PAGAN-MANDALAY-KATHA-SHWEGU-MANDALAY• 15 DAYS / 14 NIGHTS

DAY 1: PROME AND ANCIENT PYU
Registration is at 06.00 at the Chatrium Hotel in Yangon. Transfer by coach to Prome and board your Pandaw; after lunch 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. Hmawza is a picturesque site and we cross jungle and countryside to visit monumental Pyu stupas and the excavations of the former palace-city in this walled early centre of Buddhism. Cast off at sundown with cocktails on deck.

DAY 2: 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 3: MINHLA FORTS AND MAGWE GOLD BRICKS
Minhla and Gwechaung - we visit the two Italian built forts constructed to keep the British at bay from Royal Burmah. We climb the Gwechaung hill for the view. These were captured by the British in the 3rd Anglo Burmese 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 Burnese could turn the guns around.

DAY 4: MAGWE
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.. Cast off at noon and sail through afternoon

DAY 5: SALE MONASTERIES
Here we 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; moor at the Tan-chi-taung mountain and ascend on foot or by WWII jeep for the spectacular sunset over Pagan.

DAY 6: PAGAN
We tour a selection of the 3,000 listed monuments at this World Heritage Site. Cast off in late afternoon
for sunset and puppet theatre on deck.

DAY 7: YANDABO POTTERIES AND PANDAW SCHOOL
This very small rural village specializes in pot making. We visit the Pandaw School, built with past donations from Pandaw passengers.

DAY 8: MANDALAY AND AMARAPURA
In Morning explore the ancient capital of Amarapura by coach and sampan and crossing the U Bein Bridge to see the paintings in a temple.Afternoon coach tour of central Mandalay visiting the Mahamuni Pagoda and Shwe Nan Daw Kyaung teak carved monastery. We stop to see tapestry making and other traditional crafts.

DAY 9: MINGUN PAGODA AND BELL
We cast off early in the morning and stop at Mingun to see the largest working bell in the world and the
unfinished pagoda, that is the largest single mass of brick building in the world. We also visit the Mingun Old Peoples Home originally established with the assistance of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company in the 1930s

DAY 10: KYAUNG MYAUNG POTTERY AND KHAN-NYAT VILLAGE
Visit the spectacular potteries near Kyauk-Myaung where the famous 50 gallon water pots are handmade. We see all stages of manufacture from the throwing of the pots to the week long firing in huge kilns. We enter the Third Defile and sail upstream all day stopping at Khan-nyat village with its many Buddhist monasteries and an orphanage we support. If free, the village orchestra and dancers will perform for us on the sun deck after dinner.

DAY 11: TAGAUNG ANCIENT CITY AND TIGYANG HILL
We explore by foot the ancient city of Tagaung viewing the fortifications, the shrine of Bo Bo Gyi a famous nat or spirit who protects sailors plying the river, and the archaeological area. In the evening we climb the Pagoda Hill at Tigyang with its stunning views of the Irrawaddy

DAY 12: KATHA – BURMESE DAYS
We reach the enchanting colonial town of Katha, setting for George Orwell’s Myanma Days, and little changed since then. Of interested are the fire station’s collection of IFC ship’s bells taken from sunken ships in the Second War. Katha was the final resting place of the old flotilla and here over a hundred ships were scuppered in 1942 in an Act of Denial before the advancing Japanese. If permitted we visit an elephant logging camp in the hardwood forests of the hills that surround the town and if time allows a visit to the lake at Indaw-lay offers a glimpse of highland Myanmar with its rich bird life.

DAY 13: SHWEGU AND THE SECOND DEFILE
Travel by local speedboat to view the largest of the three Irrawaddy gorges. In the afternoon return downstream.

DAY 14: DOWNSTREAM
We stop for a walk in a jungle village.

DAY 15: MANDALAY
Disembark in afternoon.

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MIDDLE & ROYAL BURMAH ITINERARY
UPSTREAM PROME-PAGAN-MANDALAY • 8 DAYS / 7 NIGHTS
(Upon request to Pagan only 6 days / 5 nights)

DAY 1: PROME AND ANCIENT PYU
Registration is at 06.00 at the Chatrium Hotel in Yangon. Transfer by coach to Prome (4.5 hours) and board Pandaw; after lunch 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. Hmawza is a picturesque site and we cross jungle and countryside to visit monumental Pyu stupas and the excavations of the former palace-city in this walled early centre of Buddhism. Cast off at sundown with cocktails on deck.

DAY 2: 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 3: MINHLA FORTS AND MAGWE GOLD BRICKS
Minhla and Gwechaung - we visit the two Italian built forts constructed to keep the British at bay from Royal Burmah. We climb the Gwechaung hill for the view. These were captured by the British in the 3rd Anglo Burmese 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 Burnese could turn the guns around.

DAY 4: MAGWE
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.. Cast off at noon and sail through afternoon

DAY 5: SALE MONASTERIES
Here we 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; moor at the Tan-chi-taung mountain and ascend on foot or by WWII jeep for the spectacular sunset over Pagan.

DAY 6: PAGAN
We tour a selection of the 3,000 listed monuments at this World Heritage Site. Cast off in late afternoon for sunset and puppet theatre on deck.

DAY 7: YANDABO POTTERIES AND PANDAW SCHOOL
This very small rural village specializes in pot making. We visit the Pandaw School, built with past donations from Pandaw passengers.

DAY 8: MANDALAY
Disembark at Mandalay at 10:00 am

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THE NEW UPPER IRRAWADDY ITINERARY
UPSTREAM MANDALAY-KATHA-SHWEGU-MANDALAY 8 Days / 7 Nights
(Upon request from Pagan 10 days / 9 nights)

DAY 1: EMBARK MANDALAY
Embark at Mandalay Shwe Kyet Yet Jetty. Lunch on board. Afternoon coach tour of central Mandalay visiting the Mahamuni Pagoda and Shwe Nan Daw Kyaung teak carved monastery. We stop to see tapestry making and other traditional crafts.

DAY 2: MINGUN PAGODA AND BELL
We cast off early in the morning and stop at Mingun to see the largest working bell in the world and the unfinished pagoda that is the largest single mass of brick building in the world. We also visit the Mingun Old People’s Home originally established with the assistance of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company in the 1930s

DAY 3: KYAUNG MYAUNG POTTERY AND KHAN-NYAT VILLAGE
Visit the spectacular potteries near Kyauk-Myaung where the famous 50 gallon water pots are handmade. We see all stages of manufacture from the throwing of the pots to the week long firing in huge kilns. We enter the Third Defile and sail upstream all day stopping at Khan-nyat village with its many Buddhist monasteries and an orphanage we support. If free, the village orchestra and dancers will perform for us on the sun deck after dinner.

DAY 4: TAGAUNG ANCIENT CITY AND TIGYANG HILL
We explore by foot the ancient city of Tagaung viewing the fortifications, the shrine of Bo Bo Gyi a famous nat or spirit who protects sailors plying the river, and the archaeological area. In the evening we climb the Pagoda Hill at Tigyang with its stunning views of the Irrawaddy

DAY 5: KATHA – BURMESE DAYS
We reach the enchanting colonial town of Katha, setting for George Orwell’s Myanma Days, and little changed since then. Of interested are the fire station’s collections of IFC ship’s bells taken from sunken ships in the Second War. Katha was the final resting place of the old flotilla and here over a hundred ships were scuppered in 1942 in an Act of Denial before the advancing Japanese. If permitted we visit an elephant logging camp in the hardwood forests of the hills that surround the town.

DAY 6: SHWEGU AND THE SECOND DEFILE
Travel by local speedboat to view the largest of the three Irrawaddy gorges. In the afternoon return downstream.

DAY 7: DOWNSTREAM
We stop for a walk in a jungle village.

DAY 8: MANDALAY
Disembark in afternoon.

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THE NEW GOLDEN LAND ITINERARY
DOWNSTREAM MANDALAY-PAGAN-PROME •9 DAYS / 8 NIGHTS
(Upon request from Pagan 7 days / 6 nights)

DAY 1: MANDALAY, AVA AND AMARAPURA
Embark on the Pandaw at your convenience at Mandalay Gawein Jetty. 10.00 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 to see the paintings in a temple

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 visit lacquer workshops.

DAY 4: TAN KYI TAUNG MOUNTAUN AND SALE
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.

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CHINDWIN & UPPER IRRAWADDY EXPEDITION
YANGON -KALEWA – HOMALIN – MONYWA-MANDALAY-BHAMO-YANGON 23 DAYS / 22 NIGHTS

DAY 1: YANGON (RANGOON)
Arrive Yangon International Airport and stay overnight at the Chatrium Yangon Hotel; sunset visit to the
Shwedagon Pagoda.

DAY 2: YANGON - KALEMYO
The gateway town for the Chin State. We explore Kalewa with its markets and quaint wooden architecture.

DAY 3: KALEWA TO KINDAT
Stop for morning walk at Balet, a charming and typical river community.

DAY 4: KINDAT TO PAUNGBYIN
Kindat was as far as the old IFC steamers ventured outside of the Monsoon season. This part of the Chindwin valley is very sparsely populated and villages are few and far between.

DAY 5: PAUNGBYIN TO SITTHAUNG
We pass the mouth of the Yu River which drains the Kubu valley. Sitthaung was the final resting place of a
number of IFC steamers scuppered there in 1942.

DAY 6: SITHAUNG TO TOUNGDOOT
Toungdoot or Hsawng-hsup in Tai, is an ancient Shan enclave which in British times still had a ruling prince or sawbwa complete with palace and court.

DAY 7: TOUNGDOOT TO HOMALIN
We pass the Uyu River worked by gold washers on the way to Homalin, the furthest navigable point on the
Chindwin for vessels of our size.

DAY 8: HOMALIN TO MAWLAIK
Mawlaik replaced Kindat as the administrative capital. Like other towns of the Upper Chindwin, they can only be reached by boat so cars are few.

DAY 9: MAWLAIK TO MINGKIN
Mingkin with its Konbaung court style teak monasteries are sumptuously decorated. Mingkin may be described as the Luang Prabang of the Chindwin.

DAY 10: MINGKIN TO MONYWA
Entering the Lower Chindwin where the river widens and the forested hills fall away to farmland we pass a number of attractive villages. We will explore Monywa and time permitting make a quick trip to the Thanbodi Temple with its million Buddha images.

DAY 11: MONYWA TO PAGAN
Cruise all day through the great Lower Chindwin plain.

DAY 12: PAGAN
Tour a selection of the most significant of the 3,000 Buddhist monuments found at this World Heritage Site. We will visit lacquerware manufacturers. Sail in the afternoon and moor overnight at Thein Gone village to visit the new school and the monastery.

DAY 13: YANDABO VILLAGE AND SCHOOL
Upstream to the Chindwin confluence and stop in the evening at Yandabo, a picturesque village with small
family run potteries. Here we visit the Pandaw School built with donations from past Pandaw passengers.

DAY 14: AVA AND AMARAPURA OLD CAPITALS
In the morning we travel to Ava and explore the ruins, visiting the superb Bagaya Kyaung, a 200 year old royal monastery made of teak with elaborate wood carvings. In the afternoon we travel to Mandalay for an orientation tour of the Mandalay city area visiting the Mahamuni Pagoda and sunset at Amarapura U-Bein Bridge. The Mandalay classical ballet troupe will perform, on deck scenes from court dramas

DAY 15: MINGUN PAGODA AND BELL
We cast off early in the morning and stop at Mingun to see the largest working bell in the world and the
unfinished pagoda that is the largest single mass of brick building in the world. We also visit the Mingun Old Peoples Home originally established with the assistance of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company in the 1930s.

DAY 16: KYAUNG MYAUNG POTTERY
Visit the spectacular potteries near Kyauk-Myaung where the famous 50 gallon water pots are handmade. We see all stages of manufacture from the throwing of the pots to the week long firing in huge kilns. We enter the Third Defile and sail upstream all day stopping at Khan-nyat village with its many Buddhist monasteries and an orphanage we support. If free, the village orchestra and dancers will perform for us on the sun deck after dinner.

DAY 17: TAGAUNG ANCIENT CITY
We explore by foot the ancient city of Tagaung viewing the fortifications, a famous nat or spirit shrine and the archaeological area. In the evening we climb the Pagoda Hill at Tigyang with its stunning views of the Irrawaddy.

DAY 18: KATHA – MYANMA DAYS
We reach the enchanting colonial town of Katha, setting for George Orwell’s Myanma Days, and little changed since then. Of interested are the fire station’s collection of IFC ship’s bells taken from sunken ships in the Second War. Katha was the final resting place of the old flotilla and here over a hundred ships were scuppered in 1942 in an Act of Denial before the advancing Japanese. If permitted we visit an elephant logging camp in the hardwood forests of the hills that surround the town and if time allows a visit to the lake at Indaw-lay offers a glimpse of highland Myanmar with its rich bird life.

DAY 19: SHWEGU
We continue upstream past Shwe-gu, another centre of pot making, to Kyun-daw a midstream island of
monasteries and countless small pagodas. Stop overnight at a tribal village

DAY 20: BHAMO
Cruise through the 2nd Defile, the most dramatic of the three gorges with cliffs towering over the narrow channel. Reach Bhamo in the afternoon for an evening walking tour of this important trading town set close to the Chinese border.

DAY 21: SINGU
Chartering a smaller country boat we will proceed upstream from Bhamo and attempt to reach the village of Singu below the dramatic 1st Defile. In the evening we will have more time to explore Bhamos bustling markets and Chinese temples.

DAY 22: BHAMO TO YANGON
Disembark at Bhamo, transfer to airport by local bus, and fly to Rangoon and check in to our hotel. Coach
trip to visit the famous Scots Market and if of interest the gem emporia

DAY 23: YANGON –DEPARTURES
Optional early morning visit the World War II cemetery at Htaukchan. International departures.

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CHINDWIN EXPEDITION ITINERARY
YANGON - PAGAN – MONYWA - MAWLAYK –HOMALIN – KALEWA – YANGON 13 DAYS / 12 NIGHTS

DAY 1: YANGON (RANGOON)
Arrive Yangon International Airport and stay overnight at the Chatrium Yangon Hotel; sunset visit to the
Shwedagon Pagoda.

DAY 2: YANGON - PAGAN
Early morning flight up followed by a coach tour of the main monuments. Ship will depart from Pagan at 1700.

DAY 3: LOWER CHINDWIN
Cruise all day through the great Lower Chindwin plain...

DAY 4: MONYWA - KANEE
Arriving in the busy port town of Monywa will be a bit of a shock after the peace and remoteness of the Chindwin. We will explore the town and time permitting make a quick trip to the Thanbodi Temple with its million Buddha images - a sort of Buddhist Disneyland! Beyond Monywa we enter the Upper Chindwin. The river narrows and the forested hills fall away to farmland we pass a number of attractive villages like Kin or Kanee where we can stretch our legs.

DAY 5: MINGKIN
Mingkin was rediscovered by Paul Strachan in 1987 and described in some detail in his book Mandalay:
Travels from the Golden City. It remains for Paul the most art historically interesting site in Myanmar (more so than the now spoilt Pagan) with its Konbaung court style teak monasteries sumptuously decorated. Mingkin may be described as the Luang Prabang of the Chindwin..

DAY 6: MAWLAIK
Mawlaik replaced Kindat as the administrative capital but ironically the Myanma refused to move there from upstream Kindat. It was mainly settled with the company houses of the by the Scottish owned and run Bombay Myanmarh Trading Corporation in the 1920s and 1930s. There are many splendid ‘Dak Bungalows’ set around a verdant golf course. Mawlaik and the other towns of the Upper Chindwin can only be reached by boat so cars are few. There is a dreamy otherworldly quality to such places and truly one feels that one has travelled there in the Pandaw time machine!.

DAY 7: PAUNGBYIN TO SITTHAUNG
Pantha was an important oil refinery belonging to the Indo-Myanmar Petroleum Co (Steel Brothers). We pass the mouth of the Yu River which drains the Kubu valley that provided the route for a Lieutenant Grant to march to the relief of the Manipur garrison when the chief commissioner of Assam was massacred in a local rebellion. Sitthaung was the final resting place of a number of IFC steamers scuppered there in 1942 in an ‘act of denial’ from the advancing Japanese who were a matter of hours behind. We hope to find remains of these ships as we have in the past at Katha on the Irrawaddy. It was from here that the survivors of the Japanese invasion marched out to Tamu on the India border.

DAY 8: SITHAUNG TO TOUNGDOOT
Toungdoot or Hsawng-hsup in Tai, is an ancient Shan enclave which in British times still had a ruling sawbwa complete with palace and court. It will be interesting to see what has become of the royal family and their home and to see these Shan people so far from their Tai-Shan homelands

DAY 9: TOUNGDOOT TO HOMALIN
We pass the Uyu River worked by gold washers on the way to Homalin, the furthest navigable point on the Chindwin for vessels of our size. Alister McCrae wrote of his visit there 1935 ‘I loved the atmosphere of quiet and peaceful living there. At night I could hear greylag geese as they came in to the flooded land around us from far away north’. Bird in 1897 says little other than that Homalin is the headquarters of a township, but has very little trade’. Until we get there and explore the place there is not much we can say!

DAY 10: HOMALIN AND RETURN DOWNSTREAM
All day cruising downstream.

DAY 11: RETURN DOWNSTREAM TO KALEWA
All day cruising downstream.

DAY 12: KALEMYO TO RANGOON
Travel 20 miles from Kalewa to Kalemyo the gateway to the Chin State and fly by private air charter to
Yangon. Overnight Dusit Inya Lake Hotel. Time permitting there is a tour to the Downtown area and Scott
Market..

DAY13: INTERNATIONAL DEPARTURE
If time permits we can arrange a visit to the War Graves at Htaukchan.

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THE ROAD TO MANDALAY ITINERARY
UPSTREAM YANGON- DELTA-PROME-PAGAN-MANDALAY-YANGON• 16 DAYS / 15 NIGHTS

DAY 1: YANGON (RANGOON)
International arrivals in Rangoon and transfer to our 4 star hotel; afternoon orientation tour by coach
followed by visit to the Shwedagon pagoda.

DAY 2: IRRAWADDY DELTA
Sail with the first tide up the Rangoon River and enter the Twante Canal, which connects the Yangon River
with the Irrawaddy Delta. We stop on route at the Twante village to visit the potteries there, famed for
their enormous water pots. Arrive Yandoon for evening walk in this delightful Delta town.

DAY 3: DANUPYU
Continue our exploration of Delta creeks and stop at Donabyu, another little known town with a busy port
and bustling markets. In the First Anglo Burmese War of 1825 the Burmese general Maha-Bandoola was
defeated here following a long and near disastrous campaign by the British. Moor overnight off Henzada.

DAY 4: MANAUGN AND TONBO
Sailing all day we stop to visit the markets and see old colonial buildings in the sleepy Delta town of
Manaung and now enter the Irrawaddy River itself. We continue to moor for the night at Tonbo.

DAY 5: PROME AND ANCIENT PYU
Stop at the famous A Kauk Taung to explore the spectacular stone carving on the cliff. We reach Prome by
early afternoon and travel by coach to 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 6: 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 7: 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 8: MAGWE GOLD BRICKS
We climb the river bank and wend our way through a labyrinth of passages and paths to reach the
magnificent Myatthalon Pagoda. This pagoda is constructed with solid gold bricks. Of interest are the
many nat shrines and hermitages within the temple precincts. Tour town by trishaw and visit market.

DAY 9: SALE MONASTERIES
Here we 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; moor at the Tan-chi-taung mountain
and ascend on foot or by WWII jeep for the spectacular sunset over Pagan.

DAY 10: PAGAN
Pagan - we tour a selection of the 3,000 listed monuments.

DAY 11: THEINGONE MONASTERY
Further explorations of Pagan; we cast off at lunchtime and proceed upstream..

DAY 12: YANDABO POTTERIES AND PANDAW SCHOOL
This 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. Also stop to visit Oh Ne Kyaung village
which is smaller and even more rural.

DAY 13: AVA AND AMARAPURA OLD CAPITALS
We explore these ancient capitals by coach or sampan visiting the teak Bagaya Kyaung, Menu Ok-kyaung
and crossing the U Bein Bridge to see the paintings in a temple.

DAY 14: SAGAING HILLS
Morning visit by boat and walk in the beautiful hills with over 1000 hermitages and sanctuaries, rich in
wood carving and religious art. Return to ship for lunch and sail up to the Mandalay Gawein jetty. In the
afternoon we tour central Mandalay visiting the Mahamuni Pagoda and Shwe-im-bin teak carved
monastery. We stop to see tapestry making and other traditional crafts.

DAY 15: MANDALAY TO YANGON
Disembark (Gawein Jetty) and fly to Rangoon; transfer to the Inya Lake Hotel and afternoon coach trip to
Scots Market.

DAY 16: YANGON – INTL. DEPARTURES
Early morning visit to war graves at Htaukchan; transfers for international departures.