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New river adventures in Southeast Asia

14th October 2014 Print
The Mekong Pandaw

One of the best ways to discover Southeast Asia is by boat on the wide network of rivers including the Irrawaddy and Chindwin rivers in Burma (Myanmar) and the Mekong River that passes through Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Bamboo Travel has teamed up with Pandaw Cruises* to highlight some of the region’s most exciting, and new, river adventures, and here are a couple of the most popular examples to whet the appetite.

The Golden Land Cruise (Myanmar) – 13 nights from £3895 pp

The highlight of the Golden Land Cruise is a 10 night river journey from Mandalay to Yangon. The itinerary commences with an exploration of Mandalay before boarding your 10 night Pandaw cruise. Sailing through the heart of ‘Middle Myanmar' you will pass through a varying landscape – from the lush teak plantations around Prome to the desert country south of Bagan.

Stops will include Ava, the ancient capital of Amarapura, the temples of Bagan, the riverside town of Magwe & the Myat-thalon Pagoda, the forts of Minhla, the colonial town of Thayetmyo, the Thiri-ya-kittiya archaeological site, Akauk Taung and the little visited town of Donabyu.

The holiday costs from £3895 pp (two sharing) which includes international flights,
three hotel nights, 10 nights on the cruise, most meals, private transfers and tours in Mandalay and Yangon and English-speaking guides

Saigon to Angkor – 12 nights from £3095 pp

Commencing with a few days in Saigon, board the Mekong Pandaw to travel in the style of a bygone era all the way to the temples of Angkor. The shallow draft of the boat allows it to cruise very close to the river banks and to access remote areas to observe local life from close quarters.

Highlights of the cruise through the Mekong Delta will include Chau Doc, a guided tour of Phnom Penh, exploring local villages and discovering temples in Kampong Cham, a journey up the Tonle River, Siem Reap, full-day tour of Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom & Bayon and a half-day tour of Ta Prohm & Banteay Srei including an elephant ride.

The holiday costs from £3095 pp (two sharing) which includes international flights, five nights' luxury hotel accommodation, seven-night cruise, most meals, shared excursions on the cruise and private English speaking guides in Saigon & Siem Reap.

*There are 14 fourteen beautifully crafted ships in the Pandaw fleet, each hand finished in brass and teak by traditional craftsmen, and built so that whilst luxury and comfort are discreetly present, it is the colonial character and friendly atmosphere of the vessels that permeate throughout. Cabins are very comfortable and roomy but most passengers prefer to spend their time sitting outside, on the promenade or on observation decks, watching the vistas unfold about them.

As well as the above Bamboo Travel offers a host of other river cruises in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia & Myanmar. Visit bambootravel.co.uk.

The countries that Bamboo Travel offers holidays to are: China, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Indonesia, Borneo, Malaysia, Japan, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and, new for 2014, Bhutan.

All holidays are bespoke and Bamboo Travel will always do its best to accommodate clients’ desires wherever possible.

More Photos - Click to Enlarge

The Mekong Pandaw