Check in at 12:30pm and settle into your suite.

Lunch will be served on board as we cruise towards the pagoda sprinkled hills of Sagaing. Here we will visit a Monastic school and orphanage where you will have the opportunity to meet some of the residents and understand the teachings of Buddhism before taking in the views from the top of the hill on the terrace of the Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda.

Visit Amarapura, known as 'The City of Immortals' in its heyday. We will visit one of the textile workshops, followed by the U Bein Bridge, a spectacular place to enjoy the sunset.

Back on board Sanctuary Ananda, enjoy a local performance followed by dinner.

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• U Bein Bridge

Early the morning Sanctuary Ananda will sail north to the quaint village of Sin Kyun, a village just north of Mandalay sponsored by Sanctuary Retreats Philanthropy. It has a population of just under 1,000 inhabitants and specializes in farming and hat making. Take an optional tour to witness firsthand the way of life in this unspoilt location seldom viewed by outsiders. Following the village Chief’s request for a library and a house for an English teacher, Sanctuary Retreats Philanthropy donated the money necessary to begin this new partnership.

We hope that with the support of Sanctuary Ananda guests, we will be able to provide further funds to improve the quality of life of the villagers. Departing the village after breakfast and sailing towards Pakokku. Enjoy the beautiful sightseeing from the ship while passing Mingun, where you can see the unfinished Mingun Pagoda.

As we continue to sail south, relax as we sail past villages, set against a backdrop of soft browns, rich tamarind trees with white and golden pagodas gracing the distant hills. There is no better way to enjoy this riverine picture than from the Kansi panorama lounge.

After lunch a variety of on board activities will be offered including a longyi (sarong) and thanaka (cosmetic) demonstration and a talk on Myanmar – covering the country’s incredibly rich history, the recent controversial decades to the outlook for the future of The Golden Land.

A delicious dinner will bring this exciting day to an end.

After breakfast, join our back of house tour and take a cooking class with our Executive Chef. Follow our chef to the local market in Pakokku where mouth-watering fruit and vegetables are laid out with consummate style. We will return to the Sanctuary Ananda for lunch as we sail on to Bagan.

After lunch on board, we will visit a small pagoda complex to see the different architecture of the stupas first-hand.

Next, on to the great golden Shwezigon Pagoda. This holds a special place among Burmese pagodas for two reasons: it was the first major monument built in the Burmese style (as distinct from Mon style) following the country’s conversion to Theravada Buddhism, and was the first pagoda to have nat (spirit) images allowed within the precinct. The Shwezigon is said to contain important relics of the Gautama Buddha, two bones and a copy of a tooth.

Enjoy the sunset over the Bagan plains. Admire the light change on the pagodas as they exude antiquity and mystery. Finally the sun sets behind the hills on the far side of the Ayeyarwady River, filling the sky with a reddish glow, a truly magic moment.

A local performance will be followed by dinner on board.

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Take an optional early morning balloon tour to capture a birds-eye view of the Bagan plain (an additional charge applies, please book in advance. Available October – March only. Subject to weather conditions on the day of the flight), followed by breakfast back on board.

In the morning, visit the temples of Bagan. First, visit the Ananda Temple. Completed in 1091 AD, it is commonly referred to as one of the four great temples in Bagan. The Ananda is regarded by folklore as one of the most beautiful temples in Myanmar. A horse-cart will be your mode of transport through the Bagan plains, with several photo shops and a visit to Sulamani Pagoda.

En route to Mount Popa, visit a jaggery workshop which produces unrefined sugar. Lunch will be served at Popa Mountain Resort with spectacular views of the site. Mount Popa is best known as a pilgrimage site, with numerous Nat temples and relics. Choose to climb the 777 steps where pilgrims give offerings and pray to carved figures; it’s a climb to take slowly, relishing the views.

Return to the ship in the early evening and enjoy the sunset as we sail. Tonight, a candlelit sandbank dinner is served with the backdrop of the twinkling lights of Bagan.

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• Bagan

Enjoy an early breakfast on your final morning before check out at 9am.

As your cruise trip comes to an end, we thank you for sailing with us on board the Sanctuary Ananda and immersing yourself in the magic of Myanmar.

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• Lacquerware