Myanmar (Burma) has escaped the modern advancements of the rest of Southeast Asia. Sandwiched between India and China it has long been the backwater of the region. It is a hallmark of colonial charm thanks to its continued isolation and underdevelopment. While all her neighboring countries dive headlong into globalization, Myanmar, unchanged for centuries, provides travelers a glimpse of a world otherwise lost to us.
Together with our host, Gordon Marsh, we will take an incredible cultural journey into a time past. With the current day and age beckoning Myanmar, this tour really is something that will be unattainable in a few short years. We will explore the cultures, religions and nature of Myanmar in Andrew Harper style. Bangkok serves as the gateway to our Burmese journey. You will enjoy two nights in the legendary Mandarin Oriental where you can rest and relax after your long flights.
Throughout Myanmar, a privately charted aircraft takes us from Yangon to Inle Lake where we will experience the sunshine, palm trees, thousands of pagodas and temple bells which came alive with Rudyard Kipling’s poems while The Strand Hotel exudes a timeless elegance in the heart of Yangon, where you begin to understand the unique mix of British influence and Burmese tradition. Next, relax on the shores of Inle Lake for a few days, enjoying the peaceful setting of the Inle Princess Resort in the Shan Hills.
Visit Bagan steeped in dynastic history, cruise and enjoy private excursions on the languid Ayeyarwady River aboard the elegantly appointed Orient Express ‘Road to Mandalay’ in State cabins and staying ashore at the Aureum Palace Hotel with its breath taking scenery of pagoda-studded landscape and lotus-dappled lake.
Continuing to the north and the foot of the Burmese Himalayas we reach the outpost of Putao where we experience on foot, raft and by elephant, the unexplored rivers and pristine wilderness surrounding the simple luxury of Malikha Lodge, reserved exclusively for this tour. Perched above the Nam Lang River, this property boasts spectacular views of the mountains beyond and the rice terraces below. Designed by the world famous architect Jean Michel Gathy of Aman Resorts fame it is the ultimate retreat from the stresses of modern day living, the perfect place to replenish your mind, body and spirit. Return to Yangon to complete our in depth Burmese journey.
Each decidedly diverse region we visit blends together harmoniously for a well-rounded insider’s visit. Imagine sailing along the river enjoying lunch while aboard the king’s barge to impress his subjects. Imagine soaring over thousands of pagodas in your hot air balloon, private dinners with celebrities and guests. Imagine being one of the very few to visit the northern frontier, and sailing the rivers as royalty.
Join us for this truly one-of-a-kind journey and see this lost world before it discovers the modern way of life. Participation is limited to only 18 guests. Please contact Peter Delgado at Andrew Harper’s travel office for additional information.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012 Depart United States
Board your international flights to Bangkok.
Thursday, November 1, 2012 Arrive Bangkok
Welcome to Thailand! As your flight lands, a representative will be waiting to greet you at the gate and escort you to the VIP immigrations and customs lines. Then your private guide will drive you to the Andrew Harper-recommended Mandarin Oriental, widely regarded to be the one of the world's greatest hotels.
Mandarin Oriental (Executive Suites)
Friday, November 2, 2012 Bangkok
Relax today after your long flight. Cars, drivers and English-speaking guides are available to you this afternoon. Consider a visit to the Grand Palace, Prasart Museum, the charming Thai-style Jim Thompson House, or enjoy a private shopping trip designed around your interests.
Mandarin Oriental (Executive Suites) B
Saturday, November 3, 2012 Bangkok/Yangon
After an early breakfast, you'll return to the airport for "fast-track" immigration and customs processing and your business-class Thai Airways flight to Yangon that takes about an hour.
Arriving in Yangon from Bangkok, we have to set our watches back 30 minutes (or is it 30 years?). The city is old Asia with tree-lined avenues, Victorian architecture, pungent markets and a raucous waterfront. The people wear the traditional longyi, chew betel with great vigor, and paint their faces with swirls of thanaka powder. Yangon remains a British Empire outpost fermented by years of tropical rain and neglect. Amid this backdrop, our hotel, the legendary Strand Hotel, an Andrew Harper-recommended property, stands out as a beacon of modernity, a classic British Colonial era-property that exudes a sense of style and old-world grace. High ceilings, polished wooden floors and spacious rooms are complemented by excellent service.
After check-in, there is time to settle into our suites before departing on a leisurely afternoon exploration of the capital. We will lunch in the garden of the Governor's Residence hotel.
At sunset we visit the Shwedagon Pagoda, which is said to house eight hairs of Lord Buddha. Over 350 feet tall, gilded in gold and gems, the Shwedagon is the most revered shrine in the country.
Tonight we enjoy a welcome dinner at the legendary Strand Grill, one of Yangon's most elegant dining rooms, featuring large black-lacquer prints from Bagan, a vaulted ceiling, chandeliers and fine dining overseen by the best chef in Yangon.
The Strand (Deluxe Suites) B,L,D
Sunday, November 4, 2012 Yangon
This morning, after breakfast in our suites or at the Strand Cafe, we will embark on a morning exploration of the city, roaming Yangon's shaded, tree-lined streets, which were laid out by the British in the typical colonial grid pattern. We'll explore the downtown's frenetic markets and fading colonial buildings aboard a trishaw or on foot, passing Buddhist pagodas, Hindu shrines, Chinese temples, Islamic mosques, Anglican cathedrals and a Jewish synagogue. We'll visit the Kalaywa Tawya Monastery, home to more than 1,300 monks and novices, where we've been invited to witness them gather for their midday meal, their last of the day.
Our own lunch we'll enjoy at the Strand, sitting out in the warm midday hours. Later we'll visit one of Rangoon's fabulous bazaars — an endless jumble of color, clamor, heady aromas and contraband goods. You will find everyday items and souvenirs such as lacquer ware, gems, gold and gold leaf, textiles and marionettes. For those looking for rubies or jade, our expert guides will point us in the right direction.
This evening we gather with Yangon VIPs for a special dinner at a 1932 colonial-style villa on a two-acre estate in the center of the city, where illustrious personalities such as Bogyoke Aung San, and his daughter Aung San Suu Kyi have experienced peace and tranquility.
The Strand (Deluxe Suites) B,L,D
Monday, November 5, 2012 Yangon/Heho/Inle
This morning our 80-minute chartered flight takes us to Heho airport in Burma's mountainous and ethnically diverse Shan State. From there, our waiting drivers take us on a 90-minute drive through the scenic countryside and past colorfully dressed local people to the town of Nyuang Shwe and the nearby Red Mountain Estate Vineyard and Winery for lunch and wine tasting. Since 2002, French winemaker Francois Raynal has planted more than 400,000 vines from Spain and France, along with the best European equipment, and is producing young, but exciting wines.
Late this afternoon, we'll board motor boats for the remaining one-hour ride to our hotel, the Inle Princess, nestled on the eastern shore of Inle Lake. The hotel's architecture draws on the history, tradition and culture of the Shan people. After we check into our Lake Front Bungalows, we'll cruise around the beautiful lake. We may see Intha fishermen, renowned for their distinctive rowing style: standing on one leg, with the other wrapped around a long oar.In floating gardens, villagers grow tidy rows of vegetables on the lake's surface. Along the way we'll stop at a weaving village and visit several Shan temples.
Tonight we will attend a special night market at the resort, featuring local-style food-stalls, fortune tellers, souvenir shops and entertainment.
Inle Princess (Lake View Chalets) B,L,D
Tuesday, November 6, 2012 Inle/Ye Le Bote/Indein/Inle
At sunrise, the glassy waters of the lake reflect the surrounding hills and serene skies, and there are birds everywhere. After breakfast, we leave by boat for Ye Le Bote and the First Annual Andrew Harper Regatta: traditional longboats powered by teams of Intha leg rowers, paced by the rhythmic pounding of drums.
Afterwards, we continue by boat to Indein for an easy hike through a small area of ruined 17th century pagodas and stupas, many of which still contain original statuary, frescos and relics. Getting there will be half the fun as we speed through canals and cross levies built to irrigate the surrounding fields. We'll enjoy a picnic among the small monuments.
We'll visit one of the local tribal markets, where locals trade, sell and barter items in a manner unchanged for generations. We will be able to purchase unique items, such as baskets, textiles, shoulder bags and jewelry.
Back at the resort, you can relax and enjoy the services of the spa.
Inle Princess (Lake View Chalets) B,L,D
Wednesday, November 7, 2012 Inle/Heho/Mandalay
This morning we return by boat to Nyuang Shwe and continue to Heho to board our thirty minute charter flight to Mandalay.
On arrival in Bagan we board the luxurious Road to Mandalay, our home for the next three nights as we ply the waters of the Ayeyarwady River in unrivaled style and comfort. We will settle into our State cabins with a few hours free to relax.
Our cabins, the largest on the ship, are all located on the ship's A Deck and feature 242 square feet, with twin beds, sofa and a writing desk with two panoramic windows in addition to a fully equipped en suite bathroom.
This evening we transfer to a secret location for a dinner suitable for heads of state and only possible through special permission. Late this evening we return back to the ship for a much deserved night's rest.
Road to Mandalay (State Cabins) B,L,D
Thursday, November 8, 2012 Mandalay/Sagaing/Mandalay
After an early breakfast visit Sagaing, the living center of the Buddhist faith in Burma and famous for its silversmiths who still work in much the same way as their ancestors did. The ship gets underway mid-morning, and begins its journey south. The rest of the day is spent relaxing on board observing the local river life from the top deck. An on-board guide lectures on local places and customs. A casual cocktail party is followed by dinner on board. Dinner and local entertainment awaits on board in the evening.
Road to Mandalay (State Cabins) B,L,D
Friday, November 9, 2012 Mandalay/Bagan
The ship arrives at Bagan where over 2,000 temples and pagodas are scattered on an awe-inspiring plain beside the river. A guided orientation tour introduces you to the most important temples. After lunch you have the opportunity to rejoin the guide and visit the inside of some of the more significant pagodas. Alternatively, you can hire a bicycle or horse-drawn cart and explore this fascinating area on your own. Late afternoon your guide takes you to watch the breathtaking vista of the sun setting over the plain. Dinner and local entertainment awaits on board in the evening.
Road to Mandalay (State Cabins) B,L,D
Saturday, November 10, 2012 Bagan
A generation before William The Conqueror crossed the English Channel, King Anawrahta ascended to the throne of Bagan, conquered the formidable Mon kingdom of Lower Burma and founded a dynasty that prospered until 1287, when it was overwhelmed by the forces of Kublai Khan.
This morning we will enjoy a rare opportunity to view King Anawrahta's capital from our chartered hot air balloons. Landing amidst the towers pagodas and temples we will enjoy a champagne breakfast before returning to ship to collect our luggage and transfer to our luxury hotel for lunch.
This hotel is noted for its large columns of teak and Bagan-style red bricks, roofed with teak shingles, furnished with cane and teakwood, a criterion for affluence and elegance.
Early this afternoon will depart on an exploration of Bagan by means of private, air-conditioned vehicles. During its golden age in the 12th century, Pagan was known as “the city of four million pagodas”. While Kublai Khan and several massive earthquakes have reduced that inflated number drastically, what remains is quite incredible. Built in 1090, the whitewashed and gilded Ananda is among the finest and best preserved temples, with delicate decorations in glazed tiles along its base and terraces.
Aureum Palace Hotel (Villas) B,L,D
Sunday, November 11, 2012 Bagan/Putao/Mulashidi
This morning we transfer to the airport to board our two hour flight charter flight north to the foot of the Burmese Himalayas.
On arrival in the remote and difficult to access outpost of Putao, formerly known as Fort Hertz under the Raj, we transfer a short distance to the Lisu village of Mulashidi where our wilderness lodge is located.
Perched high above the Nam Lang River with glorious views of mountains and rice terraces, Malikha Lodge has been designed by world famous architect Jean Michel Gathy of Aman Resorts fame to create a feeling of luxury and seclusion in this wilderness setting.
The focal point of Malikha Lodge is the main lodge, where guests come to gather around two blazing log fires for drinks, dining or just pure relaxation. The resort’s manicured lawns and exotic gardens are carefully landscaped to merge with pockets of old growth bamboo and jungle. Traditional style bungalows have been carefully placed to recreate a sense of idyllic village life in this open garden paradise. Above all Malikha Lodge is the ultimate retreat from the stresses of modern day living, the perfect place to replenish mind, body and spirit while exploring one of the most remote areas in the world.
The Malikha Lodge (Bungalows) B,L,D
Monday, November 12, 2012 Mulashidi
Few people associate mountain peaks, glaciers, deep gorges and unexplored rivers with Burma, which is thankfully one of the reasons so few modern day adventurers have traveled here. With little in the way of roads or development the Northern Burma ecosystem remains incredibly intact and is internationally recognized as a hotspot of biodiversity.
Old growth forest supports a huge range of animal and bird life while in the high alpine meadows many of Asia’s rarest flowers thrive. This is a place of diverse customs and some of the most radical topography on earth. Traveling in Kachin State is not easy but it is full of simple delights and opportunities that cannot now be found elsewhere, providing timeless and unpretentious experiences. With these few days we will take every opportunity to explore and enjoy this unique area on foot, raft and by elephant.
The Malikha Lodge (Bungalows) B,L,D
Tuesday, November 13, 2012 Mulashidi/Manchanbaw/Mulashidi
This morning we will depart the lodge on an exciting full day adventure that combines a scenic river gorge float trip with a visit to the picturesque village of Manchanbaw. From the village we venture downstream by longtail boat on the Malikha River through forested hills and past hopeful villagers panning for gold. After enjoying a picnic lunch on a riverside beach we will return to the lodge by vehicle arriving late in the afternoon.
A short stroll through the resort's gardens, amidst an exotic collection of local orange, grapefruit and plum trees, sits an intimate and secluded spa. Each of the treatment rooms is partially open to the elements, and is warmed by a central fireplace. Qualified therapists offer a range of therapeutic and holistic treatments.
The resort also features a black slate tiled swimming pool and relaxation area for lounging in the warm Putao winter sunshine. Five minutes’ walk down to the river-front, private areas have been set aside for swimming in the cold but pristine waters of the Nam Lang River and lazing in the sun.
The Malikha Lodge (Bungalows) B,L,D
Wednesday, November 14, 2012 Mulashidi/Putao/Yangon
This morning we return to the airfield at Putao for our two and quarter hour charter flight to Yangon.
On arrival in Yangon we will transfer back to the Strand Hotel to settle in. Afterwards we will enjoy an exclusive lunch aboard the Karaweik Royal Barge with the remainder of the afternoon free to explore and shop in Yangon based on our interests and the suggestions from our guide. Vehicles and guides will be out our disposal through the afternoon and into the evening.
This evening we gather one last time for cocktails and dinner at a landmark address in Yangon. Our venue, Hola is styled in the ultramodern - vibrant colors, soft textures, art and antiques from Bali and the many islands of Indonesia - a unique harmony for the eyes and the mind.
The Strand (Deluxe Suites) B,L,D
Thursday, November 15, 2012 Yangon/Bangkok/United States
Following an early breakfast, we drive to the airport for our two-hour business class flight to Bangkok, arriving just before noon. Continue on to your connecting flights to the United States B
