Asia cruise pioneer Pandaw has announced a new river and ocean voyage that will explore Southern Burma, setting sail on 28 February 2019.

The new Delta and Coast – All Southern Burma tour is an 18-night expedition that will start with a river cruise, followed by an ocean cruise in the Mergui Archipelago. It offers travellers a chance to explore all of Southern Burma with a loop round the Great Irrawaddy Delta and then fly down to Kawthaung, the country’s southern most tip, to sail back up to Rangoon on the Andaman Explorer.

Passengers will travel both by shallow draft wooden ship (RV Katha Pandaw) and a refurbished 1960s motor yacht (Andaman Explorer).

“Paradise can truly be found in the azure seas, coral reefs and thousand islands of the Mergui Archipelago”

Pandaw founder and CEO, Paul Strachan said, “This one-off expedition is a unique opportunity to see these rarely visited regions, which are vastly different from each other, yet both full of cultural and scenic interest. The Irrawaddy Delta’s maze of tributaries, villages and ancient trading ports remain untouched by tourism, and paradise can truly be found in the azure seas, coral reefs and thousand islands of the Mergui Archipelago.”

The expedition will depart from Yangon, on RV Katha Pandaw, and start to weave through the Irrawaddy Delta’s labrynth of waterways. Over the weeks, it will pass through ports, local towns and gypsy villages, secret lagoons, national parks and reserves, and monasteries – showing the rich cultural heritage of Southern Burma.

The 18-night package will offer passengers a multitude of activities and it includes domestic flights from Yangon to Kawthaung, scenic excursions, entrance fees, guide services in English, meals, jugged coffee, teas and tisanes, local drinks, water, kayak and snorkeling equipment.