Mandalay To Bagan (11 Days) - Down Stream

This long haul trip of Paukan Cruise will start from Mandalay and finish at Bagan. Exploring the two former royal capitals of Myanmar can give you a clear image of what Myanmar was like in the past time. We will start from Mandalay which was the last royal capital of Myanmar and land of Myanmar Culture and Arts. After that, we will continue to Sagaing and Amarapura which were also the former royal capitals of Myanmar. Next, we will visit Mingun which is well-known for its Worlds’ Third Largest Ringing Bell and Mingun Pa Htoe Daw Gyi.

Later that, we will visit various tourist attractions and deep dive into the authentic lifestyle of Myanmar people. We will walk through the Burmese Days like a real Burmese! So stick with us and check the following detailed itinerary. If this is not what you are looking for, you can see our Myanmar River Cruise or check the other cruises programs by Paukan Cruise.

Cruise Info

Route Info

Board the Paukan Princess at Gawein Jetty in Mandalay between 10.30 to 11.00. Welcome cocktail and Lunch on board. Safety Briefing and Orientation.

Afternoon Excursion: Sagaing & Amarapura

After lunch, we visit Sagaing, an important religious site with countless pagodas dotting the surrounding hillsides. Drive to the top of the Hill to visit Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda for a stunning view of the Irrawaddy and across to Mandalay. Proceed then to visit U Min Thoneze Paya, inside a crescent-shaped platform of 45 sitting Buddha images, which appears to repeat infinitely into the distance depending on the angle they are viewed.

We then drive to Amarapura, the penultimate Burmese Royal Capital (1783) to visit a traditional silk weaving workshop followed by U-Bein Bridge, believed to be the world’s longest (1.2 km) and oldest teakwood bridge. Local sampans wait to take us on a leisurely cruise of the lake while admiring the sunset over the bridge

Moor overnight in Sagaing
Morning Excursion: Central Mandalay

After breakfast, visit Mahamuni Pagoda, the most revered shrine in Mandalay, to see its impressive gold-leaf Buddha that due to the continual application of gold leaves (officials estimate the gold is approximately 15 cm/6 inches thick). This will be followed by a Gold Leaves Making Workshop. If time permits, we can stop off by Mandalay Palace Moat for a photo opportunity with the beautiful Mandalay Hill in the background. We continue on to the Kuthodaw Pagoda, which contains the world’s biggest book as well as the Shwe Nan Daw Kyaung Monastery, the only original monastery left from the Royal era.

Back to the ship for lunch.

Afternoon Excursion: Mingun

After lunch, we will enjoy a leisurely walking tour of the small town of Mingun. Our first stop is King Bodawpaya’s monumental and uncompleted stupa. During the construction, an astrologer to the King argued that the Monarch would have died upon completion of the temple, hence the works were immediately halted. Had it been completed; it would have been the largest in the world. The cracks we see are the result of the earthquake that shook the area on 23rd March 1839. We continue our walk to the Mingun Bell, which was the heaviest working bell in the world until the 2,000 when the Bell of Good Luck was unveiled in Henan, China.
Moor overnight at midstream North of Mandalay.
Morning Excursion: Ngwe Nyein Pottery Village

After breakfast, we visit the spectacular pottery-making village of Ngwe Nyein and see the manufacturing processes of the famous 50 Gallons (200 liters) pots, often referred to as Martaban or Ali Baba jars in colonial times. They played an important part in maritime trade throughout Asia for centuries.

Sail all day.
Moor overnight midstream.
Enjoy our morning sail as we continue downstream.

Afternoon Excursion: Tigyaing
Visit the small village of Tigyaing for an afternoon Walking Tour through its narrow lanes and to visit the pagoda and reclining Buddha on the hilltop with stunning views. Moor overnight at Inn Ywar Village.
Morning Excursion: Elephant Camp

In the morning, we will visit Katha Elephant Logging Camp located at the edge of the surrounding teak and hardwood forest, once used for the transportation of the Teak logs now they have found themselves “jobless” due to the logging ban but they are still taken care of by their Mahout (the elephant caretaker) with the help of government and private funding. We will experience the Mahout bathing and feeding the Elephants, learn about the close relationship of an elephant to its mahout by reading George Orwell’s essay “Shooting an Elephant”.

Back to the ship for Lunch

Sail to Naung Po Village by the entrance of the Irrawaddy Second Defile (Gorges) and moor overnight.
Morning Excursion: Second Defile of the Irrawaddy & Kyun Daw

Sunrise by the entrance of the gorges and cast off. We will sail upstream through the spectacular Second defile, the largest of the Irrawaddy gorges, with its magnificent cliffs reaching down the narrow channel till the end of it where we will turn around.
Further downstream we will stop at the fascinating island village of Kyun Daw where over 7,000 Stupas surround the monastery. Take a Walking Tour for memorable encounters with the villagers and visit a school to interact with the children. You will also visit a nunnery to present the nuns with food purchased the day before at the market in Katha. Unlike monks, they have to collect and cook their own food.

Back to the ship for lunch.

Afternoon Excursion: Katha

In the afternoon, we will arrive at the enchanting colonial town of Katha, the setting for George Orwell’s book “Burmese Days “and the place wherein 1942, hundreds of Irrawaddy Flotilla Company ships were scuttled before the Japanese could seize them. Katha had been an important center for the Teak trading since the colonial days. We explore the old streets, a fresh market, the former British Club and the Tennis Court featured in the novel, “Burmese Days”, to learn more about how life was, during the British Rule. We then visit what is claimed to be the Bungalow where George Orwell resided, when he was posted here as a policeman. It has now been turned into a small museum. We drive a short distance to visit a Kachin ethnic Village where you will see their traditional houses and learn about their culture, traditional dress, and their unique method of making rice wine

Moor overnight in Katha.
Morning Excursion: Kyauk Pone

This morning stop at the gorgeous village of Kyauk Pone with its Pagoda located on a hill for a wonderful view of the Irrawaddy River.

Sail for the rest of the day.

Moor overnight midstream.
Morning Excursion: Kote Tak Village

After breakfast, we arrive at Kote Tak Village located in a very nice location at the beginning of the Third Defile. We will visit the monastery where we will interact with the Monks and the school children.

Afternoon Excursion: Irrawaddy Dolphins Protected Area

This afternoon, we will stop by the village of Sheinmaga in the Irrawaddy Dolphins Protected Area. You will board a small local boat look for the dolphins in their natural habitat, with the help of some local fishermen. Even if we’re not lucky enough to see them popping up, it will be any way an awesome experience to meet with the local people and experience the beautiful river scenery.
Sail downstream till late afternoon.

Afternoon Excursion: Bagan Sunset & Ananda Temple by Night

Arrive in Bagan and Cruise along the river to enjoy an impressive sunset experience onboard the Paukan Princess. The unique perspective of Bagan’s ancient temples, local life, and the colorful sky will take your breath away. After docking at the jetty, we will visit “by night” one of the most famous temples of Bagan, Ananda. Built-in the 1105 CE during King Kyanzittha’s reign, it is one of only four surviving temples from this period. We will explore the cruciform of the temple, with four standing Buddhas facing North, South, East, and West.

Moore Overnight in Bagan
In the very early morning, we recommend taking a Balloon Flight over Bagan (surcharge applied). MORNING EXCURSION: Markets and Temples of Bagan

After breakfast continues to explore Bagan. We visit one of the local markets where they sell wood carvings, fabrics, longyis and rattan products. We then stop at the ornate Shwezigone Pagoda, one of the country’s most important shrine, and if time permits, we can take a photo at the Htilominlo Temple. Back to the ship for lunch.

Afternoon Excursion: The Art of Bagan and Temples Oxcarts ride
On the way, we stop off to experience the ancient technique of lacquerware making. Lacquerware has been produced in Bagan since the 11th century and continues to play an important role in daily life, especially religious practices. The production process has remained unchanged for centuries, giving a sense of authenticity.
We then move on to the Gubyaukgyi Temple. Approximately 900 years old, this is where you’ll find some of the oldest and best-preserved frescoes in Bagan; they’re also accompanied by ink captions written in the old-style Mon alphabet, providing one of the earliest examples of the language’s use in Myanmar. Gubyaukgyi is also located next to Myazedi Pagoda, inside the compound of which you can find what’s referred to as the Burmese Rosetta Stone; two stone pillars with Pyu, Old Mon, Pali and Burmese inscriptions.
Alternative activity: “Free and Easy in Bagan” – Guests can hire a horse cart, a bicycle or an e-bike to explore the site at their own pace.
Disembark at Bagan Koe Lone Ye Kin Jetty at 06:00 am onwards.