Belmond Road to Mandalay

Myanmar: Bagan, Mandalay

From $3,349 pp

Belmond Road to Mandalay! We are here to ensure that your cruise is unforgettable, with land excursions and authentic experiences that provide a fascinating glimpse into the culture of Myanmar. Bagan has been one of the main visitor attractions in Myanmar for many years, ranking alongside Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Borobudur on Java as the greatest historic sites in Southeast Asia. Over 3,000 temples dot the plain beside the Ayeyarwady River, most of which were built between the 11th and 13th centuries.

Once on board you are escorted to your cabin and then invited to the Observation Lounge to meet the Captain and crew. A short safety briefing is given. After lunch on board, disembark for an afternoon excursion to one of the most significant pagodas of Bagan, Ananda Temple. This architectural masterpiece was built in AD 1090 and contains four gilded Buddha statues, each standing 30ft tall. You will also be led to a small temple, opened exclusively for Belmond guests, to discover magnificent murals by torchlight.

A short walk brings you to a stunning view of 12th-century Thatbyinnyu, one of Bagan’s tallest pagodas. A visit to a lacquer ware workshop follows. Marvel at the exquisite patience and skill required to produce these finely detailed pieces, many of which take several months to complete.

As daylight starts to fade, gather to watch the sun set over plains peppered with hundreds of ancient pagodas. You then proceed to a small temple close to the jetty to participate in an exclusive Belmond experience a magical candle-lighting ceremony. Back on board, grilled specialities are a highlight of dinner, which is served from live cooking stations under the stars on the Observation Deck. House wines are included, or you might prefer to choose a fine wine from our extensive international list. Belmond Road to Mandalay anchors at Bagan this evening.

This morning you can choose from a number of tour options

Option 1. Sunrise Hot-Air Balloon Ride (Available October-March. Advance reservations essential. Supplement applies) Experience one of the most magical highlights of Bagan, a hot-air balloon ride as dawn breaks over the ancient pagodas.

Option 2. Pagodas in the Morning Enjoy an early-morning walking tour with your guide. Visit a small temple surrounded by fields where farmers can often be seen nurturing crops such as peanut, sesame and beans. Then explore the famous pagoda Sulamani, with its impressive brick and ornamental work and murals dating from the 12th to 18th centuries.

Option 3. Bagan by Bicycle (Limited space. Advance reservations essential. English-language tour only) Set off on an independent mountain bike adventure (a map will be provided), or opt to join our staff on a guided ride through Old Bagan. Pedal along small paths and roads that wind their way around ancient temples and pagodas. The ride is suitable for advanced beginners and above and cyclists should expect to bike on dirt road surfaces with patches of sand.

Option 4. Traditional Horse and Cart Ride (Advance reservations essential) Travel in time-honoured style with your own horse and buggy through Old Bagan. Your local driver will take you on a leisurely, scenic route through the heart of the archaeological zone, passing many ancient pagodas and offering plentiful photo opportunities. Please note that some buggy drivers may have limited English-speaking ability.

Option 5. Village Visit and Social Contribution. Join our staff in Taung Be village to participate in one of Belmond’s Social Contribution Projects. Next to the jetty is our free health clinic, established by the ship’s doctor, Dr Hla Tun, where he treats hundreds of patients a week while Belmond Road to Mandalay is stationed in Bagan. Activities change depending on the current project and community needs and might include: preparing lunch for visiting patients, working in the pharmacy with the monk or helping to build a new eye clinic.

After setting sail a leisurely day on board awaits. Indulge in a treatment at the spa, relax by the pool, enjoy lunch on the Observation Deck and admire the breathtaking vistas. Art lovers may wish to visit an exhibition of local works. In the afternoon Housekeeping staff will give a demonstration of how to tie a longyi, the Myanmar sarong worn by both men and women, and how to prepare thanaka, a paste that serves as both decorative make-up and protection from the sun. Indulge in afternoon tea local-style in our “Burmese Tea Shop” and later attend a fascinating lecture on Myanmar’s Past, Present and Future by one of our expert guides. This evening, dinner is served in the elegant Restaurant. Enjoy a selection of gourmet Asian and Western dishes prepared by our Executive Chef.

The ship continues to sail north. Enjoy a selection of morning activities, including a sunrise yoga session, a meditation class or an enticing cookery demonstration by our Chef. Before lunch, Dr Hla Tun will give a presentation on the charitable and community activities he is involved with at villages along the river, such as school building and healthcare projects. After lunch the ship arrives at Mingun and you disembark, by transfer boat, for an afternoon tour. The following two options are available:

Option 1. Classic Mingun Enjoy a walking tour of Mingun and visit Pahtodawgyi, an enormous unfinished pagoda that was started in the late 18th century by King Bodawpaya but never finished due to a prophecy that the king would die upon its completion. You will have the chance to ring the world’s biggest uncracked bell, which weighs 90 tonnes and stands 13 feet tall. You will also see the dazzling Myatheindan (Hsinbyume) Pagoda, constructed of seven whitewashed terraces designed to symbolise sacred Mount Meru. Those who wish can climb the 88 steps to the top of the pagoda, which represents obtaining nirvana.

Option 2. Village Walk (English language only) An alternative option is to visit a rural village in the middle of the river. Walk along the island’s narrow dirt paths and across fields of beans, corn and millet and see villagers going about their daily lives. Visit the home of talented woodcarvers who make decorative ox carts used for ordination ceremonies and witness the production of dried lima beans, a vital ingredient in Burmese Tea Leaf Salad. Back on board you are invited to dress in your longyi for a special cocktail party on the observation Deck.

Early this morning, Belmond Road to Mandalay sails to the city of Mandalay, considered the religious heart of Myanmar and the home of Burmese traditional arts. You have a choice of morning tours:

Option 1. Alms giving for an opportunity to donate food to a procession of monks in accordance with the Burmese custom of almsgiving. Those joining this activity can then continue their day with either of the following two tours of Mandalay.

Option 2. Highlights of Mandalay Explore some of Mandalay’s great treasures with your guide, including Kuthodaw Pagoda, a UNESCO-listed site with 729 stone tablets inscribed with Buddhist scriptures, and the atmospheric Shwenandaw, an intricately-carved wooden monastery which used to be part of King Mindon’s living quarters. Pass through the streets of the marble quarter where artisans sculpt Buddhas of all sizes and continue to the outdoor workshop of a family of bronze casters to observe, first hand, the creation of statuesque Buddha images and ceremonial gongs.

Option 3. Mandalay Arts and Shopping (English language only) This excursion focuses on Mandalay’s local arts and cottage industries. Visit the home of candy makers to see their unusual methods of pulling and stretching sweets made from molasses. Watch artisans sculpting Buddha statues in the marble quarter and browse a store showcasing high-quality crafts. Watch skilled artisans carving intricate wood panels typically used for monasteries and weaving tapestries with semi-precious stones, and visit the outdoor workshop of a family of bronze casters. Finally, observe silk weavers at their looms, creating textiles with traditional ethnic patterns. This is a great place to purchase famous Amarapura silks.

Both tours end at Shwe Kyet Yet village, the location of our private jetty near Mandalay, where you rejoin the ship for lunch. In the afternoon, disembark for an excursion to discover the hills of Sagaing, the spiritual centre of Myanmar, which is home to hundreds of monasteries, nunneries and Buddhist learning centres. Enjoy expansive views of the Ayeyarwady River from the Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda and visit a Buddhist nunnery to learn about the monastic way of life. End the day at the magnificent 200-year-old U Bein Bridge, one of Myanmar’s most photographed sites.