Practicalities
Irrawaddy river cruise holidays from Mandalay to Bagan last around 11 days, and are tailor made in that while you’ll follow a mostly set itinerary you can travel any time of year, and upgrade to more luxurious accommodations on land, or berths on the boat. Cruises typically begin in Yangon, where you’ll spend a day or so exploring the capital and its colonial-era centre with a guide, before an hour-long domestic flight north to Mandalay where you will board a handsome and well-equipped cruise vessel.
From Mandalay to Bagan is only 180km, a distance it takes under 24 hours to cover, so that you’ll cruise leisurely and take regular excursions with local guides, spending around a week in total on the boat. En suite, airy cabins and suites are detailed with teak wood and silk furnishings, some featuring writing desks and seating areas. It’s an exquisite way to travel – after a day trip you can refresh with handmade soaps before cocktails on deck (complimentary shoe cleaning is provided each day), and enjoy al fresco dinners under the stars: tealeaf salad, tender grilled meats and seafood, tempura and noodle dishes in an international fusion of Burmese, Thai, Indonesian, European and Indian cuisine. The ship has shaded seating and even a swimming pool on the observation deck, as well as a piano bar and a wellness spa where you can indulge in yoga classes, manicures and pedicures, thanaka facials and coconut and jadestone massages.
Tailormade trips mean that you can travel any time of year, but probably the best time for Irrawaddy river cruises is from October through to March, when both the river levels and the humidity are lower, while the weather is usually balmy and dry. The ballooning season in Bagan is between early October and mid-April, and you should aim to avoid travelling during Chinese New Year, when popular locations become very busy.