Myanmar News Articles: Pagoda trail

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Date

March 16, 2014

Fiona Carruthers

Deputy Editor, Travel

View more articles from Fiona Carruthers

Belmond Orcaella staff.

Myanmar and its people are opening up to the world, writes Fiona Carruthers.

'What's going on?" a passenger aboard the Orcaella asks, as we sail into Yangon. "I haven't seen a pagoda for hours." Yangon may be comparatively short on pagodas - aside from the magnificent golden Shwedagon Pagoda - compared to Bagan, a city of 2000 pagodas where the clicking of shutter frames and lowing of the odd bullock are virtually the only noises you hear as you stand in awe of them at sunset.

It's just one moment to savour while sailing on a seven-night, eight-day Ayeyarwady Experience cruise from Bagan to Yangon. Our journey, after a flight from Sydney to Singapore and on to Yangon with two nights at the deluxe Savoy Hotel, is aboard the Orcaella, operated by Belmond. Formerly known as Orient Express, the company has been running cruises and hotels in Myanmar for the past 17 years, primarily with their river cruiser, Road to Mandalay, and their boutique property in Yangon, The Governor's Residence.

Best of both worlds: a shore excursion in Myanmar.

Last year, the company added Orcaella to its portfolio with a raft of new itineraries. Named after a rare small beakless dolphin that inhabits the large rivers of Myanmar, Orcaella has 25 cabins, each with en suite bathrooms, all opening onto the river, and can accommodate up to 50 guests. There are just four decks, a small swimming pool, a tiny but adequate gym, a gift shop - and a host of lovely art work around the ship (most of it is also for sale). For peace of mind, there's also a doctor on board throughout the cruise.

The said doctor rests assured we are not short of healthy food. Each day during shore excursions, we bump into Orcaella's chef Baan in the local markets, where she explains what is on the menu that night, a woven basket slung over her shoulder, produce spilling out. Her Mohingar Burmese fish soup, made with yellow beans, fish, ginger, lemongrass, turmeric, onion and garlic, is worth the journey alone.

We motor down the river, stopping at one or even two ports a day. Some are bustling towns, others just tiny rural villages. All boast their own special delights such as an ox cart ride to the spectacular Min Hla forts, built in 1860 to keep the British at bay; Myanmar's only bespectacled Buddha at Shwe Myat Mhan Pagoda in Shwe Taung town and a six metre Buddha made of straw lacquer at Salay.

The Orcaella.

At Zalon, we stop at the busy market where, after inspecting the many spices, vegetables and fruit on offer, I buy six large woven baskets (mainly used to store garlic and onions) for just $US2 ($2.20), along with a red rope ceremonial horse halter for $US10. My rickshaw driver finds my purchases hilarious and ties them tightly to the back of the rickshaw as I bob along next to him, with all my baskets swinging by my side. It's hard to say who laughed harder - the kids running alongside us or the sinewy old driver dressed in his traditional longyi.

The writer was a guest of Belmond and Singapore Airlines.

AHOY!

Viking River Cruises is launching 14 more Longships in 2014, bringing its fleet to 29.

TRIP NOTES

GETTING THERE

Singapore Airlines operates daily flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Singapore. There are 16 flights a week from Singapore to Yangon aboard SilkAir and Singapore Airlines. From June, SilkAir will also fly to Mandalay in Myanmar. See the airline website or phone 13 10 11.

CRUISING THERE

The seven-night Bagan to Yangon river cruise starts from $5410 a person and includes all meals, shore excursions, on-board entertainment, plus internal transfers. Belmond offers three other Myanmar cruise itineraries. See the website for Belmond (formerly Orient Express). Phone 1800 000 395

SEE + DO

Yangon is the entry and exit point for visitors to Myanmar. Its main attraction is the 99-metre-high Shwedagon Pagoda or Golden Pagoda. Prohibited by the authorities until recently, a drive past Aung San Suu Kyi's house (known as "The Lady's house") on University Avenue in Yangon is now possible, along with a visit to her father's old house (where she spent her childhood years).

MORE INFORMATION

belmond.com; singaporeair.com.