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2.  AYRAVATA CRUISE ( RV PANDAW )   ( www.myanmar-rivercruises.com )

Mandalay to Bagan ( 3N Downriver Trip / Saturdays )

Bagan to Mandalay ( 4N Upriver / Tuesdays )

IMPORTANT NOTE

For all departures should the occupancy be less than 12 PASSENGERS the Company reserve the right to cancel the cruise up to 60 days prior the departure date. A written confirmation notice will be released to all booked clients and not later than 60 days prior the departure date. In case of cancellation an alternative cruise will be offered and if not acceptable all down payments will be refunded.

SPECIAL CRUISE

The programme of the New Year's Eve "FROM ROYAL MANDALAY to ANCIENT BAGAN" Special Cruise with  a fabulous New Year's Eve Dinner Party on a Sand Island near mouth of Chindwin River.

OPERATED WITH THE VESSELS RV PANDAW 1947 & RV PAUKAN 2007

From Royal Mandalay (Mingun & Sagaing) to Ancient Bagan
( Mandalay – Miingun – River Village – New Year's Eve Party – Bagan)
Special End of the Year Departure: 30 December 2007 * Duration 2 nights

30 December 2007 (Mandalay (Gawein) – Mingun )

Check-in Time

The embarkation time is at 12.30 a.m. at Gawein jetty. Welcome Cocktail in the Saloon.

Upstream to Mingun

Lunch will be served at 13.00. The sailing time is about 2 hrs. Our English speaking manager (or your private guide) will assist the guests during the exploration of the Mingun Pagoda Complex. Afterwards we will visit the Mingun Old People Home originally established with the assistance of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company.

31 December 2007 (Mingun – Sagaing – River Village)

Downstream to Sagaing

Early in the morning cruise downstream. During the journey the passengers can admire the natural beauty of the river and the life of its banks while relaxing on the sundeck or just sitting outside their own cabin.

Visit Sagaing

After breakfast passengers can go ashore to visit Sat Pan Gone Village near Myin Mu with the assistance of our Ship Manager or their own guide.

Downstream to Bagan

The cast off time is at 11.00 hrs. Lunch will be served at 13.00. In the late afternoon we stop at Yandabo, a village specialize in Pot-Making, where the peace treaty of the First Anglo-Burmese war was signed on Feb. 24, 1826.

New Year's Eve Dinner Party on a Sand Island near mouth of Chindwin River

Sail downstream for few miles and stop on a Sand Island near mouth of Chindwin River where have set up tables and chairs around a big bonfire with fire lamps and candles. A traditional Dance & Drama performance by the Bagan School of Arts will entertain the guest during the dinner and later a Band will play famous pieces for a barefoot dancing night on the soft white sand until Midnight when we will celebrate the New Year launching in the sky the traditional mi-boun-pyan (fire balloons).

Moor Overnight mid-river.

01 January 2008 (Bagan)

River Village

Early in the morning we proceed downriver to Bagan. After breakfast (if time permits) we visit another typical river village.

Check-Out Time

Enjoy the sunrise near Bagan. Passengers will disembark at Aye Yar Jetty around 10.15 hrs.

From Royal Mandalay to Ancient Bagan (2 Nights Special End of the Year Cruise)

EXPLORATION CRUISES

GRAND VOYAGE OF THE CHINDWIN RIVER
( 20 - 29 September 2007 ) ( 10 Day / 9 Night ) ( P 1947 in fixed date )

20 Sep ( Day 01 )

Board RV Pandaw 1947 at 09:00 hrs. we cast off at 09:30 hrs and sail upstream to the Irrwaddy and Chindwin confluence. If time permits we stop in Thein Gone, a typical river village where we visit the school and the monastery. Continue cruising North to the bustling town of Pakkoku where we visit the monastery, cheroots and weaving workshops. We pass the Chindwin and Irrawaddy river confluence and we stop for the night.

21 Sep ( Day 02 )

Visit the little town of Pakhan-gyi. This post-Pagan period provincial capital was walled with a moat and originally had a governor's palace. We see the old walls, visit the museum and a spectacular 19^th century wood carved monastery. Continue cruising to Ahmyint village and visit the local market, see beautiful houses and the lovely 17^th century style Min Kyaw Swa stupas with 18^th century style paintings. Arrive Monywa, the Chindwin river largest port, in the early evening.

22 Sep ( Day 03 )

Visit Hpowindaung and Shwebadaung caves where hundreds of Buddha Statues are placed inside niches decorated with wonderful mural paintings. If the weather and time permits we will also visit Twin Daung Lake better known as lake of "Spirulina", the famous green-blue algae rich in protein, vitamins and minerals. The origin of the lake is unknown, some geologist claim to be an extinct volcano crater, others a crater formed by a meteorite. Alternatively we drive to Kyaukka village to visit a "plain" lacquerware type workshop. Called in Myanmar "Kyauk Kar" this kind of lacquerware has only two colors, black and red made by natural pigments. Late lunch and cast off.

23 Sep ( Day 04 )

Late morning explore the village of Kanee and climb the pagoda hillock for its view. Continue sailing upstream until late at night to reach the village of Kani.

24 Sep ( Day 05 )

Early morning we explore Kin village with its beautiful wooden houses and the woodcarvings monastery. Continue sailing upstream to the small enchanting town of Mingin. Explore its temples and 1900's wooden houses and the Min Kyaung Monastery with old Buddha Images.

25 Sep ( Day 06 )

At Kyidaw (Kyi Taung Oo) we visit Shwe Za War Yaw monastery one of the oldest and best preserved wood carved monastery of Myanmar, embellished with wooden sculpted idols with fascinating gold leaf wall decorations. We walk through a beautiful scenario of paddy fields to the village of Kan where we visit another splendid example of Myanmar old monastery. Back to the ship by local boat.

Proceed upstream up to Kyaw Zin, a village very close to Kalewa, where we stop for the night.

26 Sep ( Day 07 )

In the morning we explore Kalewa, the main river port for the trading with India , the lively market and climb up to Shwe Moat Htaw stupa for the beautiful view.

Back to the ship before lunch and keep on cruising upstream to Mawlaik.

27 Sep ( Day 08 )

Mawlaik ( situated 35 km from the Indian border ) was the administrative capital of this area rich of Teak forests. It is a pleasant colonial town with its golf course surrounded by splendid colonial houses built by the Bombay Burmah Trading corporation in the 1920's and 1930's (there is still a small community of Indians that used to work for the Scottish company and their descendents). The governor's house, the administrative building, the school, the hospital, the "Dak Bungalows", the headquarter of the company are well preserved, still in use nowadays and nicely maintained.

Being our turnaround point, we begin sailing back downstream to Monywa.

28 Sep ( Day 09 )

Continue sailing all day downstream. Stop at Kyauk Hlay Gar village, famous for its Petrified Wood, where we visit the school and the typical houses.

29 Sep ( Day 10 )

Arrive Monywa in the morning. Transfer by coach to Mandalay with stop enroute to visit he splendid Sambuddhai Kat Kyaw pagoda where more than 500,000 Buddha statues are places and the Aung Sakyar Stupa with the longest reclining Buddha of Myanamr (333ft/100m). lunch at a restaurant in Sagaing. Continue to your Mandalay Hotel or Airport.

PRICE

INCLUDES

Transfer from / to Mandalay or Bagan Hotel-Airport, Full Board, All sightseeing / excursions as per programme, English speaking guide/escort, Entrance Fees

EXCLUDES

drinks, laundry, gratuity, international and domestic flights, all items of a personal nature; health-accident-baggage or travel protection plan, fuel surcharges if applicable (* read the note below ).

IMPORTANC NOTICE

The Chindwin River Cruises will be operated ONLY if there is a minimum of 14 passengers booked. The cruise confirmation deadline is 90 days prior the departure date.

EXPLORATION CRUISES

" Myanmar Days " ( The BHAMO Cruise )

( Mandalay – Kyauk Myaung – Tagaung – Katha – Shwegu – Mingun – Mandalay )
Deaparture Tuesdays ( Tuesdays / October 2008 )

Day ( 01 ) : Mandalay (Gawein)-Kyauk Myaung ( Miles 52*84 KM – 6.5 HRS)

Embark the ship at 09:30 hrs. we cast off at 10:00 hrs and sail upstream to the spectacular potteries-making village of Kyauk Myaung , and se the manufacture stages of the famous 50 Gallons (200 litres) pots (1.5 hours visit). Moor overnight nearby a rive village.

Day ( 02 ) : Kyauk Myaung – Htigyaing ( MILES99* 160 – 12.5 HR )

Cast off early in the morning (ETD 05.30 hrs). we enter the Third Defile (George ) and sail upriver all day. Stop at Tagaung o explore the ancient city archaeological area and the fortifications. Continue sailing North up to Htigyaing village where we stop for the night.

Day ( 03 ) : Htigyaing-Katha ( MILES 42*KM 68-5.5 HRS )

Early departure. Before lunch we arrive Katha, the setting of the George Orwell's book "Burmese Days" and also the place where hundreds of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company ships were scuttled in 1942 before the Japanese could seize them. We explore this pleasant colonial town surrounded by hills plenty of hardwood forests and if time permit we will also visit an elephant logging camp and the lake Indaw .

DAY ( 04 ) : Katha – Bhamo ( MILES 84*KM 135 – 11 HRS )

We continue sailing upstream and after passing the little town of Shwegu we enter the dramatic 2 nd defile with its magnificent cliffs reaching down the narrow channel. We arrive at Bhamo in the late afternoon (ETA 17:30). Evening walking tour of the town, an important trading post located just 50 miles from the Chinese border.

DAY ( 05 ) : Bhamo – Shwegu ( MILES 40*KIM 64 / 4 HRS )

Early in the morning we will try to reach the village of Sinbo set below the 1 st Defile by local boat. Back to the ship before lunch and cast off (ETD 11.30 hrs) for the downriver return journey to Mandalay . We pass Kyun Daw, an island with lot of monasteries and small pagodas and we moor overnight at Shwegu pottery village.

Day ( 06 ) : Shwegu – Kyan Hnyat ( MILES 130*km 210/13 HRS )

Sail downriver all day stopping at Kyan Hnyat Village with its many Buddhist monasteries.

Day ( 07 ) : Kyan Nhyat – Mingun MILES 101*KM 163/10 HRS )

Cruise all day. We arrive at Mingun in the late afternoon (ETA 16:00). Visit the unfinished pagoda, the largest working bell in the world and the "home for the ages". Moor overnight in a sandbank opposite of Mingun Pagoda.

Dance and Theatre performance on the Sundeck.

Day ( 08 ) : Mingun – Mandalay ( Gawein ) ( MILES 6*KM 10/40 MIN )

Disembark at Mandalay Gawein Jetty at 08.00 o'clock.

PRICE

PRICE INCLUDES

Transfer from / to Mandalay or Bagan Hotel-Airport, Full Board, All sightseeing / excursions as per programme, English speaking guide/escort, Entrance Fees

PRICE EXCLUDES

drinks, laundry, gratuity, international and domestic flights, all items of a personal nature; health-accident-baggage or travel protection plan, fuel surcharges if applicable (* read the note below ).

SAILING DATES

THE ROYALCAPITALS
DOWNRIVER (3 NIGHTS) - DEPARTURE DAY : SUNDAYS

UPRIVER (4 NIGHT)* DEPARTURE DAY : WEDNESDAYS

BAGAN TO MANDALAY (2 NIGHT) * DEPARTURE DAYS: TUESDAYS, WEDNESDAYS, FRIDAYS