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Chindwin & Upper Irrawaddy - 22D/21N
The unique Pandaw river expedition concept evolved in Burma from the vestiges of the colonial Irrawaddy Flotilla Company. The ships were built in Burma we learned to master river navigation at its worst. These lessons were applied to the other rivers of Asia. Burma, after 1987 renamed by the regime Myanmar, is the largest mainland South-East Asian country and with the greatest variety of scenery from Himalayan peaks to tropical beaches. We have yet to meet a visitor to Burma who does not feel that this is the most beautiful, friendly and culturally interesting Asian country ever visited. Most of the population lives in three great river valleys encircled by impenetrable horseshoes of mountains. River life dominates the country and still to this day forms the main system of transportation, irrigation and from its rich fishing grounds the principal protein source for the majority of the population. In the great Chindwin, Irrawaddy and Salween valleys two millennia of Buddhist art, architecture and archaeology survive, including of course the 3000 standing monuments at Pagan. There is no other Asian country with so vast and varied a range of cultural sites. Almost everywhere there are temples and monasteries, festivals and ceremonies. The Burmese are a deeply pious people and Buddhist activities dominate every aspect of life. The Burmese are a very warm and friendly people who since Independence in 1947 have suffered terrible impoverishment and deprivation. We do our best to support the local domestic economy and make sure our suppliers and contractors are small local businesses. We are very careful to make sure our clients’ money falls into the right hands. Sanctions and the politically correct refusal of most NGOs and international charities to work in the country has served to exacerbate deprivation and entrench the regime further. Passengers that visit Burma develop an emotional connection to the area. They have funded the building of many area schools and made outstanding contributions after Cyclone Nargis struck in 2008. Most of the Burmese our passengers encounter tend to agree with this assumption. These cruises are the most acclaimed luxury vacations on the Irrawaddy river.
The scenery on this cruise is spectacular and we are welcomed with astonishment by the many remote communities through which we passed. Achieving our goal of Homalin over 600 miles from the Chindwin’s confluence with the Irrawaddy we return downstream all the way to the ancient city of Pagan just below the confluence. Then we continued a further 700 miles up the Irrawaddy past Mandalay to Bhamo, the most northerly navigable point on the Irrawaddy and gateway to China. From Bhamo a second air charter took us back to Rangoon. Twenty nights on a river cruise may seem a long time but the majority of our passengers on these exepeditions are regular Pandaw passengers and happy to spend so long in the convivial atmosphere of a Pandaw. No two days were the same with varied scenery and diverse cultural sites.
NOTE This expedition takes place during the Southeast Asia monsoon season which is the only time we have
sufficient water levels to attempt these remote rivers. It may rain but not continuously. River banks may be muddy and slippery. This is a real expedition and the itinerary subject to sudden changes due to water levels or other local conditions.
Departure: Set Date, usually in September
The Pandaw II
Built: 2001. Safety: Smoke detectors in all cabins and public places, emergency lighting and generator, fire pump, hydrants and hoses, fire extinguishers, life jackets for all on board and life rafts. Amenities: On board laundry, bakery, fully equipped galley and refrigeration units; air conditioning for all inside areas.
Itinerary
- Day 1 Rangoon - Arrive Yangon International Airport and stay overnight at the Chatrium (or equivalent 4 star); sunset visit to the Shwedagon Pagoda.
- Day 2 Rangoon to Kalemyo - Flight to 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 Sitthaung 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 - We head upstream to the Chindwin confluence and stop in the evening at Yandabo. Here we visit the Pandaw School built with donations from past Pandaw passengers.
- Day 14 Ava and Amarapura - In the morning we travel to Ava and explore the ruins, visiting Bagaya Kyaung, a 200 year old royal monastery made of teak with elaborate wood carvings. In the afternoon travel to Mandalay for an orientation tour of the city area visiting the Mahamuni Pagoda and sunset at Amarapura U-Bein Bridge.
- Day 15 Mingun Pagoda and Bell - We cast off early 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 16 Kyaung-myoung Potteries - Visit the spectacular potteries near Kyauk-myoung We enter the Third Defile and sail upstream all day stopping at Khan-nyat village with its manyBuddhist monasteries and an orphanage we support.
- Day 17 Tagaung Ancient City - Explore by foot the ancient city of Tagaung viewing the fortifications. In the evening we climb the Pagoda Hill at Tigyang with its stunning views of the Irrawaddy.
- Day 18 Burmese Days - We reach the enchanting colonial town of Katha, setting for George Orwell’s Myanma Days. Katha was the final resting place of the old flotilla and here over a hundred ships were scuppered in 1942.
- Day 19 Shwegu - We continue upstream to Shwegu, another centre of pot making, and Kyun-daw a midstream island of monasteries and countless small pagodas.
- 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, an important trading town close to the Chinese border.
- Day 21 First Defile - Chartering a smaller ‘country boat’ we will proceed upstream from Bhamo and attempt to reach the dramatic 1st Defile. In the evening explore Bhamo’s bustling markets.
- Day 22 Bhamo to Rangoon - Disembark at Bhamo, transfer to airport by local bus, and fly to Rangoon and check in to Chatrium Hotel. Coach trip to visit the famous Scots Market and if of interest the gem emporia.
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