Rainforest Cruises has long been a provider of exotic experiences. With Myanmar‘s fast rising status as a new tourist destination, Rainforest Cruises has unveiled plans to set sail along the Irrawaddy River. The new river cruise is stipulated to have itineraries that span 6 to 11 days, and will not only offer rides along the Irrawaddy but also the Chindwin Rivers. These cruise journeys will allow for a closer look at the unspoilt beauty of a traditional country, as well as the lives and workings of its citizens.

Along the way, guests can visit a royal palace, silk, gold and lacquer workshops, ancient archaeological sites, gilded pagodas, temple complexes and Buddhist monasteries. The programme also offers a pre or post cruise land tour extension to the cruise. Amongst the locations up for the taking is Myanmar‘s former capital Yangon, one of the most important commercial and cultural centres in Myanmar. Other cruise companies that stop in Yangon include AmaWaterways, Silversea Cruises, Holland America Line and Sea Dream Yacht Club.

Meanwhile, Rainforest tours are offered on one of four vessels hand-built specifically to navigate the rivers in Myanmar. The jewel of the quartet is the Irrawaddy Explorer Cruise, which features 28 cabins, hardwood floors, sun deck, spa and writer’s lounge.

Rainforest Cruises joins a growing list of river cruise providers who are setting up shop in the burgeoning tourism country following the end of military rule in 2011 and the first democratically elected government in 2015. The country’s tourism office has its sights set on luring 7.5 million tourists a year by 2019. In 2016, Myanmar was on track to receive 5.5 million tourists, or nearly a million more than the year previous.

A 2015 report on luxury travel by international travel network Virtuoso noted the rising popularity of river cruises and singled out Myanmar, along with other emerging destinations like Croatia, Iceland, Cuba, and Bhutan.

For more information, visit www.rainforestcruises.com