Dogster; I do like to be comfortable when I travel, that's part of the RTM appeal.The food was very good and the cabin a pleasant surprise. The service was excellent, and the fawning was pretty restrained. The stops were remarkably similar to the Pandaw, and I actually think the prices were too. The RTM was a better value for money. I'm hoping that remains unchanged.

Good news: My travel companions seem to be "on board" for the Pandaw cruise--most likely the Mandalay-Prome 8-day route. I am hoping to do some traveling on my own in Burma (Inle Lake, 3-4 days? ..where else not covered by the cruise?? )and meet up with them for the cruise and the rest of the trip (Siem Reap?)

I just read Craig's wonderful Burma report and am VERY excited. Will be back with waves of questions!! Many thanks to all of you for re-igniting my appetite for a Burma jaunt!

ps. Is there no editing function anymore?

Femi, when I re-checked the RTM last week, the price was about double the price for the Pandaw. Note that the RTM is per person, the Pandaw per cabin.

I've noted Gracious Myanmar (Sunny) and Santa Maria Tours as agencies recommended by posters here. Any recent comments on these two agencies, or others?

Femi, I do understand. The REAL bargains on RTM were on the Bhamo cruise. That seems to have been discontinued. They have rationalized and only do the 3/4/7 day Mandalay/Bagan/Mandalay nexus. Pandaw is a much better bet $$ wise. I might add, there's absolutely nothing uncomfortable about Pandaw.

ek: I dunno how many there are booked on your cruise - but if there aren't many - and you put your best, most charming ekscrunchy smile on - you can arrange cabin changes, upgrades, pretty much anything on board. You can also get your own minder for excursions. Easy. I was NEVER with the group - unless I chose to be.

I have a cool guide in Inle. Add in some extra days in Yangon, you've covered the basics. Your route will be Yangon/fly Inle/fly Inle Mandalay/cruise/Prome drive to Yangon. It's easy. Really, all you need an agent for is the Inle bit [3/4 days ish] There are a few clues we can give you about Inle, travel times etc. Check on a map. Later.

How many days do you want to spend in Burma?

I couldn't understand why the Bhamo cruise on the RTM was priced so much more reasonably than their other cruises. What made it even more affordable was that there was no single supplement!

Hoping they bring back both the Bhamo and Chindwin cruises (with the same pricing structure) , but if they don't , glad I was able to take advantage. It means I'll be taking a much closer look at Pandaw.

Eks Inle Lake is a great choice, my favorite destination in Burma.

Yup Femi - you found that little gem too. For single travelers it was a a real bargain. It was a glitch in the system. Gone, alas.

Just had a long conversation with one of the 2 travel partners. He, at least, seem to be on board for Pandaw; suprisingly, he raised the question of the 14-night Pandaw Irrawaddy trip.

I would love to hear thoughts on this longer trip vs the 8-day Mandalay-Prome trip. My friend's thoughts were that, on one hand, the longer trip penetrates much deeper into the country and might visit more pristine places (is this true?) On the other, he asked if 15 days of shipboard life (and shipboard meals) might get monotonous.

I should mention here that my friends have NEVER been to Asia! Apparently, such is the Ekscrunchy mystique that they are willing to sign on with yours truly and travel to what must seem to them to be the ends of the earth.


Also: A few more questions:

Friends do not want to be away from home (east coast US) longer than 21 days. . Question becomes where else to go in that time frame, after Pandaw. I am not sure about suggesting Inle Lake to them as it might be a bit too rugged. (This is a couple in their early 70s, in good physical shape but a bit timid.)

They are also interested in Vietnam (Hanoi and, possibly, Saigon), but he also would like to work in Shanghai. Is there anyway I can do a Burma-Hanoi-Shanghai itinerary, if we take the shorter Pandaw? Does this make any sense at all? I will try to interest them in spending a couple of days in Bangkok a city which, so far, they have expressed little interest.


How can I thank you all??? Well, for starters, I will say "thank you" again!

I vote for a longer cruise. It takes a while to unwind and get into the rhythm of the trip. My cruise on the Irrawaddy lasted 11 nights and I was sorry when it came to an end.

I don't think Inle Lake would be too rugged (unless of course you make it so). Burma is one of my all time favorite destinations, so from my point of view, the more time spent there the better. Don't forget that once you start travelling long distances (eg Yangon to Hanoi) you start to lose valuable vacation time in transit.

If you really want, I guess you could do 10 days in Burma, 4 in Hanoi and 4 in Shangai.

Totally - do the longer cruise. They will stagger the menu. I bet you won't eat the same thing twice. 14 days is not too long. [It's long enough - but with 2 traveling chums in their 70's I'd reckon it's about perfect.]Then do Inle Lake. Which is about as un-rugged as you can get unless your pals can't walk at all.

Just don't divert yourself with Vietnam and Shanghai. 21 days? It's another topic entirely. If you want to have Asia playtime then go BKK - where you have to go anyway to get to Yangon. They've never been to Asia? Then they need to see contemporary Asia too - lest they think it's all like Burma. lol. It ain't.

Thanks again! While they discuss among themselves, I will investigate some ideas. they want to limit their trip to 21 days but I will travel to Asia before they will and meet them, probably in Yangon. That way I can go first to Inle.

They are pretty set on including one additional country. He wants very much to visit Shanghai and I would be happy to spend a few days there, too.

SO: I had another idea: I could try to get decent air routing to do Bangkok/Yangon and then fly to Kunming, visit Lijiang, and then fly to Shanghai for a few days before flying home. This would be only if they choose the shorter cruise and might be something like: 1 day Bangkok, 12 days Burma (cruise and Rangoon:I could do Inle earlier). and then 4 days Kunming/Lijiang and 4 days Shanghai).

I would like to do my trans-Pacific flights on Skyteam carriers
which include Korean and China Southern. I am hoping for to use FF miles, for the first time!! Please let me know what you think of this idea, IF we do the shorter cruise:

USA-Bangkok (probably 1-2 overnights there)

Bangkok-Yangon-Heho (4 nights Inle)

Heho-Yangon (meet friends here; spend 2-3 nights)

Pandaw (8 nights)

Yangon-Kunming (4 nights with Lijiang)

Kunming-Shanghai (4 nights)


I would need help with figuring out (among other things!) all the airline connections--perhaps I could use a Bangkok agent for this..(??)

I have some of this info since I've been doing some research for trip options for November. From bangkok to Yangon you can fly Thai or Bangkok Air. Within Burma, you'll want an agent to make reservations on Air Bagan perhaps (just avoid the government owned airline). From Yangoon to Kunming, you can take a Thai flight to BKK, then there are Thai Air flights to Kunming -some days the flights are non-stop, some days they have a stop in Chiang Mai. From Kunming, you'll have to take a Chinese carrier (China Southern or another) to Lijiang.

That makes your day from Yangon to Liaing a long one, with lots of stops and plane changes... it may be fine for you. but what about your friends? You'd be better off with a Chinese city you could get to non-stop from Bangkok.

Kathie: You are correct. Lijiang really sounds appealing. It does make things more complicated, though. Bangkok-Shanghai would be easy but with the shorter cruise, there would be days left over...and with days left over, they will probably want to visit Hanoi.

So if I forget about Yunnan for the moment, can I get decent connections to Hanoi from Bangkok (yes) and then get up to Shanghai for a decent price? Then we could fly home together from Shanghai via Seoul on KoreanAir.. That is the option that they will favor if they decide on the shorter cruise. This is already making me dizzy and I feel time pressure because I want to figure all this out in time to try for the FF flights...

Thanks so much..you are a wonder and so generous with your help here.

Hi everyone! My travel companions have just informed me that they are "on board" (sorry!!) for the 14-day Pandaw cruise!!! So I will be ditching the Lijiang/Shanghai idea and concentrating on Burma, which makes much more sense.

I now have the LP Burma book (and the Treasures and Pleasures Thailand/Burma book) and will return soon with lots of questions. (The first hurdle will be getting the FF tickets with Skyteam!)

I look forward to your ideas as you plan for Burma. Burma may well be our destination this year.

That's excellent news ek: remember that you have maximum 30 days visa. You've just used up 14 plus any extra time you want to spend in Yangon. I'd recommend 3 days. Tag your Pandaw trip with 3-4 nights at Inle Lake [and surrounds] - add a night getting out via Yangon [you may need to overnite there 'cos of flight times] - you're up to 21 days already.

So research all you like - but the reality is you're probably not going to get much more than this outta your trip.

There is one extreme option that nobody much knows about. Outrageously expensive though. This is the best link I can come up with. It's run by the Balloons over Bagan people - but may well have gone bankrupt.

www.travel-myanmar.net/malikha_lodge.htm

Don't even think of paying the quoted price.

Kathie: Great news! The planning is really one of the most fun aspects of the trip. the only thing I despise is working out the airline schedules. Which brings me to:

On other threads I have read, the consensus appears to be NOT to plan to go trans-Pacific and on to Rangoon, but to break the journey in Bangkok. What is the reason for this, aside from recovering from jet lag before beginning a long trip? Do flights in, and OUT OF, Yangon get cancelled frequently?

I am already planning to add 2-3 nights in Rangoon before the cruise..I would love to hear opinions about this. I think my friends will want some recovery time after their flights, especially if we do not pause in Bangkok.. And I want to make sure to set aside some shopping time; Craig's report was VERY helpful about this!

Can I expect pool swimming weather in Rangoon in late February? (Thinking Savoy or Governor's Residence and would like opinions on both hotels and the pools; please give me a break about the swimming fixation!)

I don't know whether the flights often get canceled, but mine essentially went twice! I had an early flight on Thai Airlines, and apparently when we arrived over Yangon there was too much fog for us to land. Then we didn't have enough fuel to hang around, and had to fly back to Bangkok to refuel - which you would have thought would take more fuel. I think the flight that left BKK after mine actually arrived first.

eks,

The international flights to Yangon are pretty reliable it's the domestic flights that can depart early or delays for hours!

I looked at Malikha Lodge a few years ago but didn't go. Someone on Fodors mentioned the lodge and I think they have stayed there as well.

Wow the Padaw is charging $8,000 for a 14 day trip in a double cabin!

I looked at Malikha Lodge, too! But I would have to go alone and was a bit unsure..would love to read reports about it just to dream..

Thanks to both of you for your comments. Here is one more question: Pandaw does not take Amex. In the best case scenario,I would like to use this method of payment for the cruise, which would be the most costly item by far. The local agencies want cash payment, which is ok for hotels if necessary. So....are there any options for using Amex? (I could not find that info on the Diethelm site).

Hanuman do you think that is crazy-expensive?