'Exclusive Travel Experience with Myanmar Tourism Services'

Road to Mandalay River Cruise

With its inaugural voyage in January 1996 the Road To Mandalay marked a new venture for the famed Orient-Express. With the Union of Myanmar (formerly Burma) gradually reopening its doors to the outside world, the Road To Mandalay became the ideal way to explore the undiscovered beauty of this long-hidden land.

The ship itself originally began life as a Rhine cruiser in Germany and made her maiden voyage on 6th July 1964. Originally built to very high standards for its day, the ship was purchased by Orient-Express Hotels, Trains & Cruises in 1994 following a period as a floating hotel in Dresden.

The ship underwent a major refurbishment programme at Lauenberg/Hamburg at a cost of US$6 million. This mostly consisted of reducing the number of cabins from 98 to 72, and installing decorations that blend contemporary designs with traditional Burmese, plus a state-of-the-art sewage system to preserve the purity of the Ayeyarwady River. Once the refurbishment was completed the ship was transported, courtesy of a specialist transporting ship, via the English Channel and the Suez Canal to Myanmar, arriving towards the end of 1995. The Road To Mandalay was unloaded in Yangon and, after attracting a great deal of local interest, sailed up the Ayeyarwady River to Mandalay.

Once in Mandalay local craftsmen added final decoration and fittings including locally woven furniture for the Observation Lounge, and carvings for the Restaurant. Local antiques were also sought and carefully chosen to provide a true Burmese atmosphere on board.

The inaugural cruise departed Mandalay on 31st January 1996 and arrived in Bagan on 5th February 1996, guests included HRH Prince Michael of Greece, Helena Bonham Carter, HRH Princess Michael of Kent and HRH Princess Marina of Greece.

Today the Road To Mandalay continues to ply the waters of the Ayeyarwady River giving passengers the opportunity to see this fascinating and ancient land while traveling in traditional comfort.

ROAD TO MANDALAY RIVER CRUISE FLEET
 

	Total cabins	Total Passengers
State Cabin A deck Superior Cabin A Deck Superior Cabib B Deck Single Cabin B Deck	14 12 22 4	28 24 44 4
Total	52	100

 

 

RV PANDAW 1947 RIVER CRUISE

WHY " AYRAVATA " RIVER CRUISES ?
The name of IRRAWADDY (AYEYARWADDY) River is believed to derive from the Sanskrit term " airavati " ,meaning "Elephant River".

In Hinduism, Airavata is a white elephant whom the god Indra rides. It has four tusks that are like mountains. He also stands at the entrance to Svarga, Indra's palace.

In a cave at Bhaja not far from Mumbai [Bombay] that was the site of a Buddhist monastery around 200 BCE, there is a stone relief showing Indra, king of the gods. He is seated upon Airavata [or Ayravata] his elephant. This Divine Elephant is thought of as the progenitor of all earthly elephants and is inderstood as the embodiment of the huge clouds pregnant with the monsoon rains.

THE STORY OF THE RIVER VESSEL " PANDAW "

The RV Pandaw and other 5 similar so called "class P " design vessels was commissioned after the end of the Second World War by the Inland Water Transport Board of the Union of Burma government with the technical expertise of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company at that time acting as Agents to the I.W.T. Board.
RV Pandaw was built in Scotland on the Clyde by the famous ships builder Yarrrow & Co on 1947 with the same design of the pre-war Quarter Wheeler steamers of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company. After being boarded up in order to protect her from the sea waves, she left Scotland for the delivery voyage to Burma on 1950. On the 12th January 1951 she started to serve the Inland Water Transport(Irrawaddy Flotilla was nationalized on the 1st of June 1948) on the route Mandalay-Bhamo for both cargo and passengers transportation. In the 1998 she was converted into a 16 cabins luxurious river cruise vessel by the revived Irrawaddy Flotilla Company founded by the Historian Mr.Paul Strachan. IFC has operated the vessel in the rivers of Myanmar for 5 years until 2003 In the second half of the 2003 Interconnection Co. Ltd signed the charter agreement with IWT and the RV PANDAW underwent a major renovation at the Yangon Dalla Dockyards. As far as the Hotel side is concerned new furniture has been specially designed and new Food and Beverage equipment have been bought.

HISTORIC TECHNICAL DETAILS

The principal original dimensions of these 6 class "P" vessels were 130 feet by 34 feet and the design draft was 4 feet. The carrying capacity was 476 passengers and the cargo capacity was 210 Tons. The propulsion system was originally fitted with Quarter wheels propelled by slow speed diesel-engine.The engine, reverse reduction gear box seated in forward of amid ship and worm gears box, paddle wheels fitted in extreme aft of the vessel for even keel condition. The light draft of the vessel is 2 feet only and fully loaded condition is nearly 4 feet. The hull form is box shape with round bilge, spoon bow and cut up stern for paddle wheels access. According to the spare parts scarcity, the main engine and propulsion system was reinstalled with outboard propulsion system after thirty years of service. That was over 1980, our Rv Pandaw 1947 was major repaired in Dalla Dockyard and re-engines with Hydromaster Outboard propulsion system. The main engine is a Dorman 250Hp and transmission is Hydromaster produced in UK. At that time the hull structure was renovated and the engine room converted into cargo hold and a new propulsion system was installed in the extreme aft of the vessel. The new length is now 148 Feet, breadth and width same as before. Due to the re-powering, the vessel could be able to carry more passengers and cargos due to weight saving. Seventeen years after re-powering the vessel was converted into a tourist pleasure cruise vessel in the Myanma Shipyard (Sinmalike) by the revived Irrawaddy Flotilla Company Ltd. And during their management docking was performed annually at the Dalla Dockyard. In the 2003 under the management of Interconnection Co Ltd the ship underwent to major refitting.

RV PANDAW 1947 VESSEL SPECIFICATIONS

 

 

Hull	Steel
Length	150ft (45.72 Mt)
Beam	34ft (11.5 Mt)
Draft	2.6ft (0.8 Mt)
Decks	Main Deck (6 Cabins) Upper Deck (10 Cabins-Saloon-Dining Room) Sundeck / Solarium (Length 20 Mt. - Furnished with Steamer Chairs/Sun Lounges/ Rattan Armchairs for 32 pax)
Diesel Engines	2 x 300hp MWM * Model: TBD-234V6
Propulsion	Schotel Outboard * Model: SRP-100/110
Max. Upriver Speed	6 Miles per Hour
Max Downriver Speed	11 Miles per Hour
Navigation	Navigation lights, ships horn, searchlight
Communication	Gsm phone, Internal phone system, Tannoy for navigation
Generators	2 x 95 kva Denyo Gensets
Fire Protection	21 Smoke Detectors, 4 Heat Detectors, 8 Manual alarms stations, Electronic Control Panel Silent Knight (Made in USA) – 20 Fire Extinguishers – 8 Fire Hose Cabinets, fire pump
Safety	Emergency lights, Emergency Generator, life jackets for all on board and life rafts
Cabins	16 deluxe cabins with own shower/wc (Berths 32)
Size	3,35 Mt X 4.00 Mt (132" X 158")
B	1
Dining	1 (32 seats)
Kitchen	1 fully equipped Kitchen
Water	Desedimentation and full water treatment – Reverse Osmosis System for the Kitchen.
Sewage	Treatment plant
Owner	Inland Water Transport under the Ministry of Transport of the Union of Myanmar
Management Company	AYRAVATA CRUISES
DMA Registry	Permission to drive in the Myanmar rivers NoNA/KHA/32/Yangon) issued on the 11 Sep 03 by the department of Marine Administration of the Union of Myanmar
Transport License	No. PA/195A on 27 January 2004 issued by MHT

 

RV PAUKAN 2007 RIVER CRUISE

Paukan is the ancient name of Bagan, the old city of two thousand temples on the bank of the Ayeyarwaddy River. This ancient capital, seat of the First Myanmar Empire, is a treasure to the people of Myanmar. Throughout the century of their existence, the temples remain a place of living worship, maintained by donations from royalty and the public.

RV Paukan was built in 2007 at the Myanmar Shipyards in Yangon for Ayravata Cruises. The Yangon River and its dockyards were commented upon over two hundred years ago as "the most favourable river in the world for naval architecture" by the first British envoy to Myanmar Captain Michael Symes of His Britannic Majesty's 7th Regiment who arrived in Yangon in February of 1795.

Paukan might be the younger sister ship to the Pandaw which was built in 1947, but she is a bigger vessel at 183ft 955.78m) in length. Her beam is 38ft (11.58m) and draft is 3.09ft (1.14m). She runs on diesel engines, with a speed of 10 knots. Safety and emergency equipment are in place, as well as reliable communication systems.

The lovely Paukan is a boutique hotel on the river, beautifully furnished with a unique combination of modern and traditional motifs. The timber-walled cabins are furnished with colonial style cupboards, dresser and doors while the ceiling is traditional Myanmar. The single or double beds are proper and comfortable ones and not mere bunks, enough room for 55 passengers who will be looked after by a 30-member crew.

For luxury-living, Paukan has suites, deluxe or superior cabins as well as singles for guest or guides. There are two massage rooms on the lower deck offering traditional Myanmar massage designed to give soothing relaxation.

The sun deck has a stage for cultural performances, and a bar and lounge for relaxation and fun. The upper deck has a lecture / movie room with lcd projector and lcd TV screen.

Meals in the dining room on the main deck will include both East and West cuisine, and dinner menus of delicious dishes. Vegetarian meals can be prepared when informed in advance. The price is inclusive of transfer between the ship and airport, all meals, sightseeing tours and entrance fees at monuments.

The Ayravata Cruises is proud to have Paukan as another member to their family and is confident that she will please her guests in the same manner as her sister ship, the Pandaw.