“Mingalaba” — welcome aboard Belmond Road to Mandalay! We are here to ensure that your cruise is unforgettable, with land excursions and authentic experiences that provide a fascinating glimpse into the culture of Myanmar.

Bagan has been one of the main visitor attractions in Myanmar for many years, ranking alongside Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Borobudur on Java as the greatest historic sites in Southeast Asia. Over 3,000 temples dot the plain beside the Ayeyarwady River, most of which were built between the 11th and 13th centuries.

Please be at Taung Be village between 10.30 and 11.00 ready to board.

Once on board you are escorted to your cabin and then invited to the Observation Lounge to meet the Captain and crew. A short safety briefing is given.

After lunch on board, disembark for your first excursion:

Introduction to Bagan
Discover the ancient city whose thousands of Buddhist monuments and temples make it one of the world’s great archaeological sites. Visit Ananda Temple, one of the most beautiful examples of Mon architecture, and Thatbyinnyu, the tallest of Bagan’s pagodas. Also observe Bagan’s lacquerware being crafted.

En route back to the jetty, visit a small temple near the river to participate in an exclusive Belmond experience – a magical candle lighting ceremony.

As daylight starts to fade, gather to watch the sun set over plains peppered with hundreds of ancient pagodas. You then proceed to a small temple close to the jetty to participate in an exclusive Belmond experience—a magical candle-lighting ceremony.

Back on board, Dinner is served in the Restaurant.

Belmond Road to Mandalay anchors at Bagan this evening.

Meals: Lunch/Dinner

Accommodation: Belmond Road to Mandalay Cruise

Early risers may wish to visit the Healthy Juice Bar on the Observation Deck. An extensive breakfast buffet with à la carte menu is served in the Restaurant and guests also have the option to order tea or coffee in their room.
This morning you can choose from a number of tour options before the ship sets sail.

Pagodas in the Morning

Enjoy an early-morning walking tour with your guide. Visit a small temple surrounded by fields where farmers can often be seen nurturing crops such as peanut, sesame and beans. Then explore the famous pagoda Sulamani (“crowning jewel”), with its impressive brick and ornamental work and murals dating from the 12th to 18th centuries. Tour begins at 07.00.

Bagan by Bicycle (Limited space. Advance reservations essential. English-language tour only)
Set off on an independent mountain bike adventure (a map will be provided), or opt to join our staff on a guided ride through Old Bagan. Pedal along small paths and roads that wind their way around ancient temples and pagodas. The ride is suitable for advanced beginners and above and cyclists should expect to bike on dirt road surfaces with patches of sand. The guided tour begins at 06.30.

Traditional Horse and Cart Ride (Advance reservations essential)
Travel in time-honoured style with your own horse and buggy through Old Bagan. Your local driver will take you on a leisurely, scenic route through the heart of the archaeological zone, passing many ancient pagodas and offering plentiful photo opportunities. Please note that some buggy drivers may have limited English-speaking ability. Starts at 07.00.

Village Visit and Social Contribution (English language only)
Join our staff in Taung Be village to participate in one of Belmond’s Social Contribution Projects. Next to the jetty is our free health clinic, established by the ship’s doctor, Dr Hla Tun, where he treats hundreds of patients a week while Belmond Road to Mandalay is stationed in Bagan. Activities change depending on the current project and community needs and might include: preparing lunch for visiting patients, working in the pharmacy with the monk or helping to build a new eye clinic. The visit begins at 08.15. Please speak with Reception to learn more.

All morning tours and activities conclude by 09.00 at Taung Be village where the transfer boat waits to take guests back to the ship.

After setting sail a leisurely day on board awaits.

Indulge in a treatment at the spa, relax by the pool, enjoy lunch on the Observation Deck and admire the breathtaking vistas. Art lovers may wish to visit an exhibition of local works. In the afternoon Housekeeping staff will give a demonstration of how to tie a longyi, the Myanmar sarong worn by both men and women, and how to prepare thanaka, a paste that serves as both decorative make-up and protection from the sun. Indulge in afternoon tea local-style in our “Burmese Tea Shop” and later attend a fascinating lecture on Myanmar’s Past, Present and Future by one of our expert guides.

Enjoy dinner on board.

After dinner visit the Observation Deck for an unforgettable surprise on the river (weather permitting).

This ship anchors mid-river for the night.

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Accommodation: Belmond Road to Mandalay Cruise

The ship continues to sail north. Enjoy a selection of morning activities, including a sunrise yoga session, a meditation class or an enticing cookery demonstration by our Chef.

After lunch the ship arrives at Mingun and you disembark, by transfer boat, for an afternoon tour. The following two options are available:

Mingun Walk

Enjoy a walking tour of Mingun and visit Pahtodawgyi, an enormous unfinished pagoda that was started in the late 18th century by King Bodawpaya but never finished due to a prophecy that the king would die upon its completion. You will have the chance to ring the world’s biggest uncracked bell, which weighs 90 tonnes and stands 13 feet tall. You will also see the dazzling Myatheindan (Hsinbyume) Pagoda, constructed of seven whitewashed terraces designed to symbolise sacred Mount Meru. Those who wish can climb the 88 steps to the top of the pagoda, which represents obtaining nirvana.

Village Walk (English language only)
An alternative option is to visit a rural village in the middle of the river. Walk along the island’s narrow dirt paths and across fields of beans, corn and millet and see villagers going about their daily lives. Visit the home of talented woodcarvers who make decorative ox carts used for ordination ceremonies and witness the production of dried lima beans, a vital ingredient in Burmese Tea Leaf Salad.

Back on board you are invited to dress in your longyi for a special cocktail party on the Observation Deck.

Belmond Road to Mandalay anchors near Mingun tonight.

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Accommodation: Belmond Road to Mandalay Cruise

Early this morning, Belmond Road to Mandalay sails to the city of Mandalay, considered the religious heart of Myanmar and the home of Burmese traditional arts. You have a choice of morning tours:

Almsgiving (English language only)

Transfer to shore at 07.30 for an opportunity to donate food to a procession of monks in accordance with the Burmese custom of almsgiving.

Those joining this activity can then continue their day with either of the following two tours of Mandalay.

Highlights of Mandalay

Explore some of Mandalay’s great treasures with your guide, including Kuthodaw Pagoda, a UNESCO-listed site with 729 stone tablets inscribed with Buddhist scriptures, and the atmospheric Shwenandaw, an intricately-carved wooden monastery which used to be part of King Mindon’s living quarters. Pass through the streets of the marble quarter where artisans sculpt Buddhas of all sizes and continue to the outdoor workshop of a family of bronze casters to observe, first hand, the creation of statuesque Buddha images and ceremonial gongs.

Mandalay Arts and Shopping (English language only)
This excursion focuses on Mandalay’s local arts and cottage industries. Visit the home of candy makers to see their unusual methods of pulling and stretching sweets made from molasses. Watch artisans sculpting Buddha statues in the marble quarter and browse a store showcasing high-quality crafts. Watch skilled artisans carving intricate wood panels typically used for monasteries and weaving tapestries with semi-precious stones, and visit the outdoor workshop of a family of bronze casters. Finally, observe silk weavers at their looms, creating textiles with traditional ethnic patterns.

Both tours end at Shwe Kyet Yet village, the location of our private jetty near Mandalay, where you rejoin the ship for lunch.
In the afternoon, disembark for an excursion to discover the famous silk weaving of Amarapura.

End the day at the magnificent 200-year-old U Bein Bridge, one of Myanmar’s most photographed sites.

Tonight a sumptuous dinner is served in the Restaurant, after which you are treated to an evening of traditional entertainment.

Belmond Road to Mandalay berths at Shwe Kyet Yet village for the night.

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Accommodation: Belmond Road to Mandalay Cruise

Today you are invited to join a Mandalay tour:

A morning of Mandalay Arts

This excursion focuses on Mandalay’s local arts and cottage industries. Watch artisans sculpting Buddha statues in the marble quarter and browse a store showcasing high-quality crafts skilled artisans carving intricate wood panels typically used for monasteries and weaving tapestries with semi-precious stones, and visit the outdoor workshop of a family of bronze casters.

The tour ends at Shwe Kyet Yet village, the location of our private jetty near Mandalay, where you rejoin the ship for lunch.

In the afternoon, disembark for an excursion to discover the hills of Sagaing, the spiritual centre of Myanmar, which is home to hundreds of monasteries, nunneries and Buddhist learning centres. Enjoy expansive views of the Ayeyarwady River from the Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda and visit a Buddhist nunnery to learn about the monastic way of life.

Return to the ship berthed at Shwe Kyet Yet village for an evening at leisure. Tonight you are treated to a sumptuous farewell dinner in the Restaurant, followed by an evening of traditional entertainment.

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Accommodation: Belmond Road to Mandalay Cruise

This morning brings another opportunity to attend an early almsgiving ceremony on shore near our jetty. The small village of Shwe Kyet Yet has been home to the ship’s berth for 20 years. Visit the local pagoda to donate food to a procession of monks and on the stroll back enjoy the bustling activity around the market and teashops.

Belmond Road to Mandalay then sets sail for Ava (or "Inwa"), an ancient imperial capital situated between the Ayeyarwady and Myitnge Rivers. Here you have a choice of two tour options:

Ava by Horse and Cart
Perfect for those who wish to explore the most fascinating highlights of the city. Climb into one of the traditional buggies and enjoy a scenic drive. Ava was the capital of Burma four times between 1364 and 1841, although what remains today dates mostly from the early 19th century. See the ruins of King Bagyidaw’s palace walls and moat, visit a beautiful 19th-century teak monastery, now a monastic school, and journey through picturesque villages, farmlands and rice paddies.

Ava Adventure (Limited space. Please register at Reception. English-language tour only)
Set off on an independent mountain bike tour (a map will be provided), or join one of our staff for a leisurely, guided bike ride. Head off the beaten track into Ava’s more rural pathways, pedalling past King Bagyidaw’s palace ruins, through farmlands and tranquil villages. The ride is suitable for advanced beginners and above. There are no steep inclines, but be prepared for a mix of paved roads and dirt tracks with rocky or sandy surfaces.

Mid-morning, return to the ship and set sail towards Bagan.

You now have ample time to enjoy the ship’s leisure facilities, such as a treatment at the spa, relaxation by the pool or a scenic lunch on the Observation Deck. An esteemed astrologer will be on board, ready to foretell your future, and a cultural talk on Myanmar will be given in the Observation Lounge.

Late afternoon, on the port side, the ship will pass the village of Yandabo, where in 1826 the treaty of the same name was signed between the Kingdom of Ava and the invading colonial British. Today this village is known for its production of terracotta clay water pots, which can often be seen drying on the riverbanks.

After dinner this evening, visit the Observation Deck for an unforgettable surprise on the river (weather permitting). The ship anchors mid-river for the night.

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Accommodation: Belmond Road to Mandalay Cruise

Early risers may wish to visit the Healthy Juice Bar on the Observation Deck. An extensive breakfast buffet with à la carte menu is served in the Restaurant and guests also have the option to order tea or coffee in their room.

This morning you can choose from a number of tour options:

Excursion to Salay and Countryside:

Enjoy a rural excursion to Salay, a small town down river from Bagan with old colonial architecture. En route, visit the colorful markets at Chauk. In Salay explore the town on foot and travel by local truck to an ancient teak monastery. Lunch will be arranged at a restaurant housed in a restored colonial home by the riverside. Return to Bagan in the late afternoon.

Alternatively choose to stay the day in Bagan, with lunch on board, and join our other local excursions:

A day in the Life

Visit a family compound and observe the making of ponyegyi (fermented soy bean paste) and also visit a neighbor who makes colourful bamboo fans. Explore the lanes of the bustling morning market at Nyaung-U. Sample a homemade kyaw sone, a fried chickpea snack, in a villager’s home.

Village Visit and Social Contribution (English language only)

Join our staff in Taung Be village to participate in one of Belmond’s Social Contribution Projects. Next to the jetty is our free health clinic, established by the ship’s doctor, Dr Hla Tun, where he treats hundreds of patients a week while Belmond Road to Mandalay is stationed in Bagan. Activities change depending on the current project and community needs and might include: preparing lunch for visiting patients, working in the pharmacy with the monk or helping to build a new eye clinic. The visit begins at 08.15. Please speak with Reception to learn more.

Meditation at a Pagoda

Connect with the peaceful and ancient surroundings of Bagan during a meditation session at a pagoda

Return to the ship for lunch.

This afternoon, continue exploring Bagan with a visit to Nagayon Temple and visit Seinnyet, a small complex of temples with murals. En route back to the jetty, visit a small temple near the river to participate in an exclusive Belmond experience – a magical candle lighting ceremony.

Tonight, enjoy a sumptuous dinner on the Observation Deck. The ship remains mid-river at Bagan.

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Accommodation: Belmond Road to Mandalay Cruise

Dawn brings a second opportunity to take to the skies in a hot-air balloon flight over Bagan’s breathtaking pagodas for those who book in advance.

An early breakfast is served before you disembark for your onward travel arrangements. Check-out time from your cabin is at 08.30 and you are welcome to use the ship’s public spaces until the final disembarkation time of 11.00.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Not available