Belmond Road to Mandalay – A Taste of Myanmar

For registration and check-in, we invite guests to a designated local restaurant in Mandalay, where - after completing the necessary formalities - a traditional dinner will be served. After lunch, guests can go on one of the available excursions. The first option will allow them to experience traditional Mandalay crafts, after which they will set out to explore the ancient capital of Myanmar - Amarapura, hike the famous U Bein Bridge and the Sagaing Hills.

Amarapura was founded by King Bodawpaya of the Konbaung dynasty. In 1783, he founded the city, making it his new capital. It became a center of Buddhist reform and learning. In 1800, Buddhist clergy from Sri Lanka obtained higher orders in Amarapura and founded the Amarapura Nikaya Buddhist sect. Unfortunately, soon, in 1810, the city was destroyed by fire. In 1821, Bodawpaya's grandson, King Bagyidaw, moved the court back to the former capital of Ava. Bagyidaw's successor, King Tharrawaddy, moved the royal capital again to Amarapura in 1842. However, as early as 1857, King Mindon began the construction of Mandalay as the future capital 11 km north of Amarapura. The second war between Bima and England depleted the kingdom's treasury, so Mindon decided to use as many materials from Amarapura as possible in the construction of Mandalay. The palace buildings were demolished and moved by an elephant to a new place. The city walls were also dismantled and the material was used, among others, for for road construction. Amarapura officially ceased to be the capital in 1859.

Guests will then take a walk along the U Bein Bridge, which was built over Lake Taungthaman near Amarapura. The 1,2 km long bridge was built around 1850 from demolition wood from the former royal palace in Inwa. It is considered the oldest and at one time was also the longest teak bridge in the world. Construction began when the capital of the Ava Kingdom was moved to Amarapura. The bridge was named after the official who built it. 482 spans support 1086 pillars. Although the bridge remains largely intact, there are concerns that an increasing number of pillars are dangerously damaged - Myanmar is currently preparing to repair the bridge. Sagaing Hills, located on the Irrawaddy River, is an important religious and monastic center with numerous Buddhist monasteries. Pagodas and monasteries rise along a ridge that runs parallel to the river. The central pagoda, Shin U Ponya Shin Pagoda, is connected by a series of covered steps leading up to a 240 m high hill.

Alternatively, guests will embark on a scenic cruise on a rented boat from the marina in Htin-Win. There will be an opportunity to try free snacks along the way. They will join the Belmond Road to Mandalay ship in Myin Mu.

In the evening, guests are invited to dinner with Asian and Western cuisine in the elegant on-board restaurant, accompanied by excellent house wines.

In the morning, guests have the opportunity to unwind and relax with a morning yoga session. Then enjoy a refreshing snack from our healthy juice bar. Later, they will go ashore to explore Myin Mu. The tour will begin with a traditional alms-giving ceremony. Although this ceremony is extremely important for the locals, tourists are encouraged to take part in it with due respect for the monks collecting donations in the form of rice or fruit. Guests will then embark on a three-wheeled rickshaw tour of the city, visiting a local market and exploring traditional craft workshops located in small houses in the area. They return to the ship for dinner while the luxury ship heads to Pagan.

As the ship cruises through the beautiful surroundings, guests can enjoy spa treatments or relax by the pool on the largest terrace found on any tourist ship in Myanmar. It is also possible to take advantage of fascinating lectures, astrology classes and a lesson in tying traditional Burmese clothing - longyi. They will also be able to enjoy traditional afternoon tea during the workshops titled: "Burmese Tea Shop". In the evening, dressed in longyi guests are treated to a cocktail reception followed by a delicious dinner served in the on-board restaurant.

Guests wake up early in the morning to take part in a sunrise yoga session or meditation class. By this time the ship reaches Pagan.

Pagan is an ancient city located in the Mandalay region, founded in the 849nd century AD and fortified in 10 AD by King Pyinbya. From the 000th to the 2200th century, Pagan was the capital of the Kingdom of Pagan, the first to unite the lands we now know as Myanmar. During the Kingdom of Pagan, between the 1297th and 168th centuries, over 243 Buddhist temples, pagodas and monasteries were built on the local plains, of which the remains of over 1975 temples and pagodas have survived to this day. The eleven largest buildings were built in the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries, and each of them is attributed to a specific king. From the XNUMXth century, huge buildings began to give way to much smaller but more numerous structures forming monastery complexes. The most important attraction of Pagan is the archaeological zone, which is a candidate for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is seen by many as comparable to Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The city ceased to be the capital of Burma in XNUMX, when the Kingdom of Myinsaing became the new power in Upper Burma. Pagan is distinguished not only by the number of historic, religious buildings in Myanmar, but also by their wonderful architecture and their contribution to the development of Burmese religious architecture. In Pagan, you can admire both temples without stupa-style interior rooms and gu-style temples with interiors intended for meditation and Buddhist rituals. The oldest structure is the Bupaya Pagoda. The small, bulbous-domed pagoda is believed to have been built by the third king of Pagan, Pyusawhti, who ruled between XNUMX and XNUMX AD. The original pagoda was destroyed in the XNUMX earthquake, but has been fully reconstructed using modern materials.

Guests can choose from many options to explore Pagan. “Introduction to Pagan” explores the temples and history of the area, “A Day in the Life” introduces guests to the city's local culture, foods and bazaars, and “Pagan by Bike” offers an action-packed tour for adventure seekers.

Before returning to the ship for lunch, guests will have the opportunity to stroll through the small village where Belmond's private marina is located near Old Pagan. They can also visit the Belmond Free Clinic, where the on-board doctor provides assistance to local patients

In the afternoon, guests will visit the Ananda Buddhist Temple, one of the four surviving Pagan temples, built in 1105 AD during the rule of King Kyanzittha. Later, together with a guide, by torchlight, they will visit a little-known, but extremely picturesque temple rarely visited by tourists. The tour will end with a spectacular sunset on the plains. After returning to the ship, dinner will be served under the starry sky on the Belmond Road to Mandalay observation deck. Afterwards, you will have the opportunity to admire a performance of classic marionettes.

Early morning guests can enjoy a hot air balloon ride over the Pagan Pagodas as the sun rises over the domes for an additional fee. An early breakfast is served before completing your journey on the Belmond Road to Mandalay boat.