By
Rebecca Gibson |
Expedition company Pandaw River Cruises is to be the first operator to sail the rivers of the Arakan region in Western Burma.
Located in a largely unexplored part of Burma and bordering India, Arakan was an independent kingdom up until the 18th century and offers a mix of Indian and South-East Asian cultures.
Katha Pandaw, a replica of the original 19th century Irrawaddy Flotilla Company boats, will offer a series of seven-night expeditions from 2 October 2015.
Guests sailing on the ‘Ancient Arakan’ expeditions will visit the Buddhist temple city Mrauk U; parts of the Kaladan River including the old colonial port city of Akyab, which is now called Sittwe; and the Tattoo Villages of the Le Myo River. Those wishing to extend their Burmese trip can combine one of the Arakan expeditions – which depart every Friday – with other weekly Pandaw departures on the Chindwin, Bhamo and Salween rivers, which depart on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, respectively.