Unlike neighboring Thailand, China, and India, Myanmar has remained a mystery to most travelers, its borders shut to Westerners. Now its treasures are on display to the world as cities open their doors – from the modern capital of Yangon (Rangoon) to the royal capital of Mandalay, eternalized in a poem by Rudyard Kipling.

Thousands of temples, pagodas, and stupas pepper the Myanmar landscape (more than 2,000 in Bagan alone), some visible along the long Irrawaddy River that bisects the nation. Along your journey, you will visit sites both ancient and colonial, from temples and markets to stunning pagodas, such as the solid-gold Myat Than Lun Paya. While ashore, you will have the option to visit sites near the shore or venture deeper into towns and villages by foot, bicycle, horse cart and even balloon. By night aboard the Irrawaddy Explorer, you will find restive moments in your suite, five-star cuisine in the dining room and handcrafted cocktails in the lounge, and breathtaking views few have witnessed from the balconies of the ship.

Over ten days, you will visit destinations across 17 cities, reaching deep into the heart of the nation. To learn more about the itinerary, download the Irrawaddy Explorer brochure.