2015/2016/2017 Myanmar by AmaWaterways

the ayeyarwady renowned for its beauty and tranquil atmosphere sagaing is home to hundreds of monasteries and meditation centers 3

myanmar myanmar has an ancient culture an incomparable collection of architectural wonders and a deeply-rooted religious tradition that has endured for many centuries one of the world’s most secretive mysterious and fascinating places its rich and often tragic history has left an indelible mark on the burmese landscape and its people bagan more than 2,200 sacred structures stretch across the broad plain of bagan pagan a magnificent cultural treasure trove on par with cambodia’s massive angkor wat temple complex in the words of author somerset maugham the temples stupas and pagodas of this utterly spectacular place seem to “loom huge remote and mysterious like the vague recollections of a fantastic dream.” mandalay the “golden city” of mandalay is regarded as myanmar’s cultural heart renowned for its master craftsmen and its patronage of the arts particularly traditional dance and drama the country’s last royal capital and second

this golden land shwe is burmese for “golden,” and many of myanmar’s holiest sites rightfully incorporate this word into their names the tradition of gilding buddhist stupas and statuary started back in the 15th century and it is still considered an act of reverence to adorn sacred icons with wafer-thin layers of gold leaf on your journey along the ayeyarwady you will have an opportunity to see firsthand the amazing centuries-old methods still used in the production of gold leaf gold nuggets are flattened and laboriously pounded by hammer-wielding men until they are as delicate as lace this “gold leaf” is cut into small squares and sold to buddhist devotees who seek to gain karmic merit by gilding sacred objects male visitors to myanmar may also participate in this timeless ritual a truly authentic and memorable experience shwezigon pagoda is the holiest pagoda in bagan built in the 11th century to enshrine several buddhist relics with an elegant

the amapura the custom-built amapura takes its name from the former royal capital of amarapura sanskrit for “city of immortality” designed to provide an ultra-comfortable experience along myanmar’s ayeyarwady river this vessel is beautifully furnished with a combination of modern and traditional motifs and its shallow draft allows it to navigate the river nearly year-round the amapura has 28 suites featuring either a french balcony full balcony or twin balconies as well as a well-appointed en suite bathroom the ship’s elegant public areas include a restaurant and main lounge and bar relax with a massage in the spa or lounge on the sun deck with a cocktail and enjoy the ever-changing scenery the amapura was designed to provide you with a serene home away from home for the duration of your myanmar voyage after a full day of sightseeing there is no greater luxury than to return to a peaceful comfortable ship and be welcomed aboard with a cool drink and chilled

land experiences yangon the capital of burma for 120 years is known as the “garden city of the east” because of its tropical flowers verdant parks and beautiful lakes this historic waterfront city has an abundance of colonial-era structures that is unparalleled in southeast asia to stroll along its tree-lined streets is often like stepping back in time as you observe locals conversing in tea houses typists-for-hire pecking away on vintage underwoods and young monks in somber robes patiently collecting their daily alms 13 founded in 1755 yangon “end of conflict” was little more than a fishing village with a famous pilgrimage site until it came under british control in 1855 quickly transformed into a vibrant urban hub yangon became known as the “pearl of the orient.” today the city offers numerous historical and cultural attractions to explore although many visitors discover that yangon’s greatest charms are found in its quiet tucked away

the 200-year-old u bein bridge in amarapura is the world’s longest teak bridge 15

golden treasures of myanmar day 8 bagan your full day in bagan offers you three day 11 sagaing – mingun – mandalay this morning sightseeing choices the first is climbing to the observation deck 250 steps or the top 777 steps of mount popa legendary home of animist nat spirits afterwards stop for lunch and enjoy a tasting of jaggery a palm sugar that is made from the totty palm tree alternatively you may enjoy free time to shop and explore other attractions at the mount popa resort your third option is an excursion to some of the most distinctive pagodas in the bagan archaeological zone like shwezigan pagoda and the ananda temple afterwards you will spend some time at the lively nyaungoo market where you can search for local handicrafts colorful textiles and other unique souvenirs later visit the 13th century gubyaulgyi temple which is situated near the wetkyi-inn village and the pyathada temple b,l,d our ship stops at the former royal capital of sagaing famous for its

hidden wonders of myanmar spend one night in yangon fly to mandalay and embark upon a 14-night cruise ending in yangon 16 days ∙ travel to yangon return from yangon cruise mandalay – yangon or reverse daily program features day destination activities 1 yangon 2 yangon mandalay 3 mingun mandalay amarapura 4 sagaing inwa 5 yandabo bagan 6 bagan 7 tant kyi taung salay 8 magwe 9 minhla tha yet myo 10 pyay 11 myan aung 12 aing ta lote 13 da nyu phyu 14 maubin yangon 15 yangon 16 yangon hotel check-in free time fly to mandalay embarkation town visit city tour u-bein bridge city tour horse-drawn carriage ride pottery-making demonstration observation tower sunset or guni temple sunset mt popa excursion with holy mountain or city tour mountain excursion city tour city tour historic fort visit golf course and post office tour city tour colonial dyke and rice paddy visit village visit monastery and cheroot workshop village visit and local market shwedagon pagoda visit city tour

inle lake extension an optional 4-night post-cruise land extension is available on both golden treasures of myanmar and hidden wonders of myanmar itineraries featuring three nights in inle lake and one night in yangon day 1 mandalay or yangon–heho–inle lake you will be transferred to the airport for a short flight to heho then on to inle lake upon arrival you will visit a shan paper workshop where you can see how the delicate paper is made afterwards head to the town of nyaung shwe the gateway to inle lake stop at shwe yan pyay monastery and pagoda built in the early 19th century and red mountain winery for a vineyard tour after your visit to nyanung shwe you will be transferred to your hotel b day 2 inle lake after breakfast take a boat excursion to nga phe kyaung monastery also known as the “jumping cat monastery” where you will see a fine collection of buddha images sitting on an elegant throne afterwards you will take a boat ride through a nearby floating

airline information amawaterways offers special airfare rates from many gateways in conjunction with cruise programs in myanmar sample gateways and air carriers are provided below please see your travel agent for complete details and availability atlanta ga boston ma chicago il dallas tx denver co detroit mi houston tx las vegas nv los angeles ca miami fl new york city ny philadelphia pa phoenix az portland or sacramento ca salt lake city ut san diego ca san francisco ca seattle wa toronto on vancouver bc washington dc terms conditions parties in these terms and conditions “you” or “passenger” or “participant” refers to the person booking purchasing or traveling on the cruise and to individuals traveling as part of that person’s reservation “we” or “us” refers to amadeus waterways inc a california corporation “ama” and amawaterways llc a california limited liability company “awl” ama offers

26010 mureau road 200 calabasas ca 91302 for reservations see your professional travel agent or call toll-free 1.800.626.0126 www amawaterways.com best onboard dining amawaterways your professional travel agent best onboard dining amawaterways best onboard dining