About the Irrawaddy
The Irrawaddy — known locally as the Ayeyarwady — flows the length of Myanmar from the Himalayan foothills to the Andaman Sea. River cruises typically run between Mandalay and Bagan, where more than two thousand brick temples dot the plain. Pandaw and Heritage Line operate the only year-round overnight fleets.
Headline destinations: Bagan, Mandalay, Yangon, the Ayeyarwady delta, Mingun.
The river flows through 1 countries — Myanmar. 9 ships from 3 different operators currently sail itineraries here, ranging from week-long classic loops to multi-week extended voyages.
Featured itineraries on the Irrawaddy
| Itinerary | Length | Sample ports |
|---|---|---|
| Bagan to Mandalay | 8 nights | Mandalay · Sagaing · Mingun · Yandabo · Pakokku · Bagan |
| Irrawaddy Explorer | 11 nights | Yangon · Pyay · Bagan · Pakokku · Mandalay · Mingun |
Operators sailing the Irrawaddy
Founded 1995
Pandaw
Colonial-era teak ships on Asia's less-trafficked rivers.
Founded 2008
Heritage Line
Boutique themed ships across Indochina's rivers.
Founded 1995
Sanctuary Retreats
Boutique river cruising on the Nile, Yangtze and Irrawaddy.
Ships sailing the Irrawaddy
| Ship | Cruise line | Class | Guests | Launched |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anawrahta | Heritage Line | Heritage Colonial | 40 | 2015 |
| RV Bagan Pandaw | Pandaw | Pandaw Heritage | 40 | 2002 |
| RV Burma Pandaw | Pandaw | Pandaw Heritage | 40 | 2013 |
| RV Kalay Pandaw | Pandaw | Pandaw Heritage | 20 | 2014 |
| RV Katha Pandaw | Pandaw | Pandaw Heritage | 28 | 2015 |
| RV Orient Pandaw | Pandaw | Pandaw Heritage | 40 | 2010 |
| RV Pandaw | Pandaw | Pandaw Heritage | 40 | 2002 |
| RV Sabei Pandaw | Pandaw | Pandaw Heritage | 40 | 2017 |
| Sanctuary Ananda | Sanctuary Retreats | Sanctuary Irrawaddy | 42 | 2014 |