Bagan to Mandalay

Bagan

• Activities:

  Breakfast in Bagan, visit pagodas and temples, enjoy sunset and sights, experience the Strand Cruise, drive to Dandaree evening show for optional.

• Meal:

  Breakfast],Lunch],Dinner]

• Included:

  112,

We  begin our journey through this golden land with a freshly made welcome break- fast in the tranquil shaded gardens of the oldest lacquerware house in Bagan. Lacquerware is a traditional art  that began when the Pagodas of  Bagan were first  being built in the 11th century and is still practiced today. We will  then move onto the nearby Shwezigon Pagoda, famous for  it’s  gold leaf   décor, and the Ananda temple, famous as being one of the four great temples of  Bagan and one of  most exquisite temples in Myanmar. A short  scenic  transfer  takes  us to The Strand  Cruise for  check-in and to meet fellow passengers  over lunch on the Sundeck.

For those  arriving in  Bagan later in  the day, our rendezvous point is  aboard the ship. Once settled into your cabin, meet your  fellow passengers for lunch prepared by  our Chef.

During the afternoon, we  will continue our exploration of  the  Bagan  Heritage  Trail, including the   beautiful  Sulamani and Gubyaukgyi temples. As  the sun sets, admire Bagan’s magnificent sights over the Ayeyarwady river from the ship’s sundeck, sipping a Strand signature cock- tail. After sundown, enjoy a traditional Myanmar  cultural  show  before   joining your  fellow travellers  in  our fine   dining restaurant for  a Myanmar dinner

Bagan - Tant Kyi Taung - Mandalay

• Activities:

  Head to Tant Kyi Taung, ashore Tant Kyi beach, transfer to the hilltop monastery, view Bagan from a height, set sail to Mandalay, enjoy traditional afternoon tea, experience the ship, ride hot-air balloon tour or drive around for optional.

• Meal:

  Breakfast],Lunch],Dinner]

• Included:

  112,

Early risers this morning can enjoy tea, coffee and  pastries  in  the  Sarkies Bar before joining  an excursion  to view sunrise over Bagan from the Shwe San Daw temple. This pagoda  contains a series of five terraces, topped  with a cylindrical stupa, which has a bejewelled umbrella. From  the  top  you  get  an impressive 360-degree view of the entire area of Bagan.

A leisurely brunch will then be served in the restaurant as we  begin cruising upstream to Mandalay. The  passing land- scapes  and typical Ayeyarwady villages have inspired many authors and artists throughout  history, including Rudyard Kipling.
As we spend  the afternoon drifting on the  gentle waters  of   the  Ayeyarwady, relax on  the sun deck, meditate, visit  the spa  or enjoy the  many activities and workshops arranged by  our experienced crew, before enjoying a traditional Strand afternoon tea.

As night falls, our  ship will  moor on   a remote and wild  section of the river. Surrounded  only by  the soft whispering of  nature, our Captain invites you to a cocktail and tapas dinner in  the Sarkies Bar, followed by a traditional Myanmar puppet show in the restaurant. Night owls can linger in the bar over a glass of  fine wine or  single malt whiskey and recreate the golden age of the Strand as a meeting place for  explorers and raconteurs.

We  also offer additional activity options today, including a hot air  balloon ride at sunrise, where you can gently float above the 2,000 pagodas of Bagan.  

Mingun

• Activities:

  Arrive in Mingun, stroll into the city, enjoy fabulous feast.

• Meal:

  Breakfast],Lunch],Dinner]

• Included:

  112,

Enjoy a late breakfast this morning as the ship will cruise until  mid  afternoon when we  arrive in Mingun. Throughout the morning, relax by  the pool with a book or participate in the many activities and workshops prepared by  the crew as we pass through the wonderful countryside, such as a cooking demonstration or an introduction to the traditional Myanmar thanaka and longyi.
After a generous Asian family style lunch taken on  the Sundeck, we  will stop in Mingun, one of the country’s former capitals, at the foot of the unfinished pagoda, one of the largest pagoda’s ever constructed in the history of Myanmar. We  will visit  the pagoda by  a popular local means of transportation, the Tuk Tuk. The  pagoda is home to the magnifi- cent Mingun Bell, claimed to be the largest un-cracked hanging bell  in the world. We  will also visit  Paya Hsinbyume, an  impressive pagoda that rises in seven curved whitewashed terraces represent-ing  the seven mountain ranges around Mt Meru,  the mountain at the centre of the Buddhist universe.
Once back on-board, relax with a glass of champagne on  the Sundeck before a grill dinner in the Strand Restaurant.  

Mandalay - Ava - Sagaing

• Activities:

  Greeting Mandalay, visit Mahamui, the Shwe In Bin monasteries, and the famous U-Bein bridge, explore Sagaing and Ava, enjoy sunset and an exciting evening.

• Meal:

  Breakfast],Lunch],Dinner]

• Included:

  112,

We  begin our day with a freshly prepared breakfast while surveying the next and most   awaited   stop,   Mandalay, the second- largest city   and the  last royal capital of Myanmar. After making a tradi- tional food offering to the monks in their monastery in  Mandalay, our first   stop  is the U-Bein Bridge, a crossing that spans the Taungthaman Lake near Amarapura. The   bridge is  believed to be the oldest and  longest  teakwood  bridge  in   the world.
We  continue the Mandalay Heritage Trail by  visiting the Mahamui Buddha temple. Legend has it that the great Buddha himself visited the city  of  Arakan in 554 and that King  Sanda  Thuriya ordered a likeness of  Buddha’s face to be created and placed in the temple. From here we visit   the Shwe In  Bin  monastery before re-joining the Strand Cruise. After  a  buffet  lunch  on   board  as  we cruise, we   will  explore Ava,   the ancient imperial capital  of   successive  Burmese kingdoms from the 14th  to 19th centuries. Horse carts await the ship to transport guests for  a delightful ride through the naturally preserved  Ava   landscape and key  landmarks. We  will have an  exclusive mooring overnight at Ava  next to a remarkable   temple,   allowing   Strand Cruise passengers access to the site after the  crowds have departed  in  the  late afternoon until  the following morning.
As we  reach the end of the day, a sunset cocktail  will   be  held  on   the  Sundeck, before a French dinner in the Strand Restaurant.

Mandalay Disembark

• Activities:

  Attend Alms Giving Ceremony with Monks, head back on board, disembark in Mandalay for departure flight or for adventures in Golden Land.

• Meal:

  Breakfast]

• Included:

In the early morning, as a last farewell to the locals, guests will attend a private Alms Giving Ceremony with the Monks before heading back on board for a healthy breakfast. Finally, disembark at the Gaw Wein jetty in Mandalay can be arranged transport to airport, or continue their adventures in Golden Land.