Sanctuary Ananda Cruise… Iconic Burma in Luxurious Style

13 days from £7,260 for 2023 per person

• Yangon (Rangoon)
• Bagan
• Mandalay
• Inle Lake
• Ngapali Beach

This itinerary features in our Top 10 Romantic Holidays.

Since Burma has fully opened her doors to travellers from far and wide, there is now extraordinary demand for a limited range of luxury hotels. Recent investment has meant that some wonderful new luxury products, the finest of which is the Sanctuary Ananda, have opened up. We have designed this exciting and ultra luxurious itinerary using only the very best hotels and exceptional experiences from start to finish.

Burma’s largest city, Yangon is where your journey begins. Staying two nights at the elegant and stylish Governor's Residence, explore the city on a guided tour, taking in the eclectic mix of colonial architecture, contemporary landmarks and golden Buddhist pagodas. In the evening, enjoy sunset at the famed sky high Shwedagon Pagoda, and watch as the spectacular golden domed roof illuminates the city.

Onwards with your journey, take a short flight to Bagan where you will board the opulent Sanctuary Ananda, and spend three days taking in the beautiful sights of the Irrawaddy River. This luxurious all suite ship allows you to see places rarely seen by other visitors, as it slowly meanders through verdant jungles, rural villages and ancient towns. Disembark this haven of luxury for guided tours around the magical Bagan, one of the world's richest archaeological sites, and Mandalay which is surrounded by a fascinating collection of former capitals and Buddhist sites.

On arrival at Mandalay, catch a flight south to Heho and head to Inle Lake for a three nights’ stay at the Sanctum Inle Resort, which launched in 2015. Spend a day on a guided tour of the lake, exploring the ‘floating villages’ and learning the ways of the Intha people. In the evenings relax in the hotel’s monastic Relaxation Garden or swill a late-day cocktail in the Cloister bar.

End your trip on the powder-soft white sands of Ngapali Beach, a two mile stretch of tropical paradise, lapped by the gin-clear waters of the Bay of Bengal. Nestled amongst the coconut palms on the beach, the Sandoway Resort will be your bolthole for the remainder of your trip. It is the perfect place to unwind in the spa or to enjoy the panoramic views of the ocean and promises to be the perfect finale to your luxury tailor-made Burma itinerary.

This luxury tour is purely a suggested itinerary; it can be booked as it is or alternatively used as a starting point for creating your own ideal tour of Burma. If you'd like to see similar trips, take a look at our collection of Honeymoons or Epic Journeys; as well as our favourite Ultimate Luxury, Boating, Beach and Spa & Wellness itineraries.

I can't think of anything that excites a greater sense of childlike wonder than to be in a country where you are ignorant of almost everything.
Bill Bryson