Myo, my intrepid guide during my Avalon Waterway’s Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwady) River cruise, 

 

repeatedly said during my 14 day Myanmar (Burma) experience:

 

 

 

My candid response always was, and now a few weeks later remains:

 

 

My omnipresent very skeptical approach to this trip resulted in, well, “Amazement”.  Unexpectedly, Avalon Waterways’ (know for upscale, but not luxury, river cruise experiences) small, 18 suite, ship Avalon Myanmar presently delivers what is truly the best, most complete and in-depth river cruise experience in Myanmar; without exception or qualification. Yes, there are ships with more facilities and glitz, but none that deliver what you really traveled all that way to see:  Myanmar!  (In fact, building ships that large prevents them from going where the Avalon Myanmar does!)

 

To be sure, Myanmar is not what I expected, is far different than what can be seen by ocean cruise passengers that pretty much only visit the frenetic Yangon (formerly Rangoon), and is so much about the peoples of Myanmar and their philosophies, rather than merely gazing at a dizzying amount of pagodas, temples and stupas.  

 

 

Before I explain why, the first thing is to explain where and what Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) is.  You have already noticed that Myanmar is also referred to as Burma and the Irrawaddy River is also know as the Ayerarwady River.  Add to that the changing of capitals on a whim, These are just hints of the fascinating (and troubling) complex and conflict history of this country.

 

Myanmar is a fairly large, undeveloped, country located in Southeast Asia bordered by China, India and Thailand (as well as small portion of Laos and Bangladesh) with a long border on the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea.  The Irrawaddy River pretty much runs right up the center of the country.

 

 

 

While those borders had been tightly closed for over 40 years these adjoining cultures have created a cultural mix that is only now (again) first being understood and appreciated (and, unfortunately, is also the subject of serious ethnic conflict).

 

 

My naïve impression of Myanmar before I visited was, “It must be like North Korea with limited resources, starving people and compliance everywhere.”  What I found – in the areas that tourists are allowed to visit – was very different.  While there is an underlying police presence (usually signaled by a curiously existing golf course), I found the people from the bustling Yangon to the extremely rural Bhamo to be incredibly friendly, charming and welcoming.  They, in fact, were probably more excited and fascinated interacting with me than I was with them.  And therein is the first Amazing thing about Myanmar:  The people.

 

 

Myanmar (especially the largest, central, Burmese, portion) is Buddhist.  This truly colors the perspective of the people.  Simplistically:  Today’s life is predetermined, so don’t try to change it; rather focus on doing good so that your next life is better. It results in kindness, but also a pacifism that has allowed the people to be controlled and taken advantage of time and time again.  (It also results in an incredibly low crime rate.  Perspective!)

 

 

Also, even in the most remote areas we visited there was plenty of food…and cheap Chinese goods. Every local market I visited was incredibly clean, abundantly and diversely stocked, and filled with items that were both familiar and exotic.  And, of course, the woman tending their shops were incredibly friendly.

 

 

You will undoubtedly see more pagodas, temples and stupas than you could imagine.  Avalon tries hard to not overwhelm you with too many, but rather presents unique and important examples surrounded by cultural or fun experiences giving you both context and the chance to say, “Isn’t This Amazing!?”

 

 

Put in its simplest terms:  Myanmar (Burma) is a surprisingly comfortable, peaceful and warm place to visit, despite the underlying political tensions. (I note this impression is, in part, because tourists are not permitted to travel into the areas were active conflict exists.)

 

 

Avalon Waterways has put much thought and planning into its Irrawaddy River cruise resulting in what I believe is the best river cruise out there.  The ship, Avalon Myanmar, is a small, 18 suite, ship that comfortably brings the outside in, with attentive and friendly service, diverse and tasty local and Western cuisine, and an itinerary that no other river cruise offers – traveling from as far north on the Irrawaddy River as a ship can travel (Bhamo) to Bagan (pretty much as south as one wants to go…unless you want to spend 6 hours on a bus getting back to Yangon to fly home.  (Oh, and you cannot practically travel to Bhamo other than by an Avalon Waterways charter flight.)

 

You can read my nine articles detailing my experience in March-April 2017 immediately below.  The highlights of those articles are: