Myanmar in Style

Arrive in Myanmar to a warm A&K welcome and a private transfer to your historic hotel. 
Belmond Governor’s Residence, Deluxe Garden View room

Discover the four unique wonders of this city once known as the “Queen of the East”. Join your guide on a visit to the Botataung Pagoda and venture into the intriguing hollow stupa. Take a look into the future as you experience a traditional fortune reading by one of Yangon’s most experienced astrologers. Head downtown to discover the city’s colonial architecture and bustling Bogyoke Aung San Market. Later, marvel at the Reclining Buddha Pagoda and step inside the Buddha Shrine Hall filled with effigies. Your final stop is the majestic Shwedagon Pagoda, a diamond-encrusted masterpiece with a gold stupa towering 98 metres above the city. Join pilgrims lighting the oil lamps which encircle the magnificent stupa. As darkness descends, the glittering golden stupa, illuminated by the newly-lit oil lamps and carefully placed spotlights, is a sight to behold (Not available between May to September).
Belmond Governor’s Residence, Deluxe Garden View room| Meals: BL 

Transfer to Yangon airport for your flight to Mandalay, then board Sanctuary Ananda, your platform for discovery for the next four nights. If there’s time before setting sail, discover the highlights of Mandalay, starting with a visit one of the country’s most revered Buddhist places of worship, Mahamuni Pagoda. Continue to the beautiful teak Shwenandaw Monastery, the only palace building to survive World War II bombings, and Kuthodaw Pagoda, where 729 marble slabs inscribed with Tripitaka texts have earned it the title “the biggest book in the world”.

This afternoon, visit the pagoda-sprinkled Sagaing Hill, that's home to some 554 monasteries and 6,000 monks and nuns. Meet novice monks at a monastic school and acquire a deeper understanding of Buddhism. Later, drink in breathtaking views from the hilltop on the terraces of the Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda. Stop at Amarapura, once known as 'The City of Immortals’, and listen to the clack-clack of weaving looms as you wander through this charming place. Stop to watch the sunset at the monumental U Bein Bridge, believed to be the longest teak bridge in the world.
Sanctuary Ananda (Deluxe Suite Bagan Deck) | Meals: BLD 

Sail north to the quaint village of Sin Kyun and start your day with an optional tour to witness local way of life in a place seldom viewed by outsiders, learning about the positive impact being made by Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy’s clean water program. Then, set sail towards Tan Chi Taung Mountain. From your perfect viewpoint, take in the village of Mingun and its massive unfinished pagoda guarded by two gigantic lions. After a decadent lunch, choose from a menu of activities. Enjoy an onboard demonstration of how to tie a longyi (the traditional skirt worn by both men and women, learn how to make and apply tanaka (natural sun cream), or learn about Myanmar's history and culture from the onboard expert. 
Sanctuary Ananda (Deluxe Suite Bagan Deck) | Meals: BLD

This morning, taste a unique blend of traditional flavours in a hands-on cooking class with the ship’s executive chef. Then, enjoy a leisurely sail downstream as you enjoy the many luxuries onboard Sanctuary Ananda. Indulge in a spa treatment, relax by the pool or simply soak in the timeless landscape of fishing canoes, teak villages and hills glinting with golden spires as you sail towards Bagan. On arrival, venture to the top of Tan Chi Taung mountain for your first glimpse of the Bagan plain, dotted with more than 2,000 pagodas and stupas. Back onboard, enjoy sundowners in the elegant Kansi Panorama Lounge before a candlelit dinner on the banks of the Irrawaddy.
Sanctuary Ananda (Deluxe Suite Bagan Deck) | Meals: BLD

Rise early for an optional sunrise balloon ride over the pagoda-sprinkled landscape (additional fee). Visit the vibrant local farmers market of Nyaung U where selling everything from fruit and vegetable to china and lacquerware. Continue to the great golden Shwezigon Pagoda and see where relics of the Gautama Buddha lie, before visiting  Ananda Temple, one of the most beautiful temples in Myanmar. Watch the dramatic sunset over the temple-dotted plains, followed by a local performance and farewell dinner onboard – the perfect end to your cruise adventure.
Sanctuary Ananda (Deluxe Suite Bagan Deck) | Meals: BLD

Leave your cruise ship behind and journey to the village of Myinkaba, exploring a  place where locals still rely on centuries-old craft techniques. Step inside a lacquerware workshop for your hands-on masterclass in one of Myanmar’s ancient handicrafts.
Aureum Palace Hotel (Orchid or Jasmine villa) | Meals: BL

Fly to Heho and check into your  boutique hotel on the edge of Inle Lake, a culturally vibrant, untouched corner of the world. Witness fisherman row using their legs, farmers work on floating land, and admire the stilt villages that punctuate the landscape. Visit the Phaung-Daw-U Pagoda and see the five golden Buddha images carried from Malaysia to Myanmar by the 12th century King Alaungsithu. Then, visit the wooden Nga Pe Chaung Monastery built on stilts over the lake.
Villa Inle Resort (Lake Front Villa) | Meals: BL

Start your day with a visit to the Fifth Day Market, the lively rotating market that travels by boat around the towns. Browse handmade crafts and fresh produce grown on the floating gardens, while admiring the vibrant dress of different hill tribes. See firsthand why Inle Lake is renowned for its silk weaving in the village of Inn Paw Khone. This afternoon, cruise onward to visit Indein perched on a hillside. Slow down to wander through this typical lakeside village and watch daily life unfold before walking through a bamboo grove and up a beautiful stairway lto old Shwe Inn Dein, an impressive collection of ancient Shan style stupas. Bask in the stunning view across the lake and beyond, to the hills in the east and the rolling countryside to the west.
Villa Inle Resort (Lake Front Villa) | Meals: BL

Enjoy a day at leisure. Optional tours may include a visit to Aythaya, Myanmar’s first and most notable vineyard, or take a leisurely bike ride to Nanthe village to see the Kyauk-phyu-jyi pagoda, visit the Shan Royal Palace, a tomato warehouse and bamboo weaving factory. The tour includes a stop at Red Mountain Winery for wine tasting before visiting the Intha Heritage Bamboo School. Alternatively meet a traditional Shan chef for an immersive culinary experience, sourcing your ingredients from the market for a cooking class in your chef’s own home before a delicious lunch (additional cost).
Villa Inle Resort (Lake Front Villa) | Meals: BD

Transfer to Heho for the flight back to Yangon transferring to a local restaurant for lunch. Later, weave your way through Yangon’s hive of independent galleries and artist’s studios with a leading curator and researcher to discover a flourishing creative scene. Your guide has been an active part of the city’s arts scene since 2009 and founded Myanm/art, an institution that promotes local contemporary art . See the city through her eyes as she leads you to hidden exhibition spaces in historic buildings. Get a brief overview of the nation’s art history at the curator’s own gallery before continuing to explore the creative spaces downtown, learning more about the nation’s emerging artists. Or visit Sule Pagoda. If the Shwedagon is the soul of Yangon, then the Sule Pagoda is its heart. This evening is at leisure or you may wish to dine at the acclaimed Le Planteur, one of the finest restaurants in the city (additional cost). 
Belmond Governor’s Residence (Deluxe Garden View Room) | Meals: BL 

Transfer to the airport for your onward flight.
Meals: B