Without a doubt the most amazing way to see the culturally rich country of Burma is by taking a luxury cruise on the Irrawaddy River. Forget about packing and unpacking and just relax watching the amazing shoreline change. There is no better view of Burma than this!
Asia is a stunning continent with huge areas of coastline, so there is no better way to explore Asia than by boat! Here are our top six cruises, personally selected by Asia specialist Nathan, to inspire your very own boat trip around some of Asia’s most iconic and beautiful sites.
Apart from the stunning scenery, fascinating history and amazing culture, Burma is all about the people. They are some of the kindest and most compassionate people you will meet. One story that we can’t tell enough is that of the Green Hill Valley Elephant Camp in Burma. There are so many elephant experiences that tourists can take part in across South East Asia, but many of them are simply tourist attractions that have no concern for the elephants’ welfare. At Green Hill Valley, love and care for animals is at the very centre of everything they do. Here is an interview we carried out with Htun and Maw who founded the camp. It gives you a real insight into their care and compassion for these beautiful animals.
Off-limits for years but now back on every intrepid traveller’s wish-list, Burma (now known as Myanmar) lies in the heart of Asia and is one of the most culturally rich countries in the world. Go and be overwhelmed by giant Buddhist temples and thousands of ancient ruins set across mystical landscapes, or venture out to remote villages, where you will be welcomed by the friendly locals still living their traditional lives with very little western contact. We've whittled down our top 10 things to see in this enigmatic golden land…
I got interested in elephants when I was working with a French documentary filmmaker. Maw grew up in a family who had been working with elephants in the timber industry for three generations. Her uncle, Dr Ba was an elephant vet.
Around six years ago, both with backgrounds in tourism, we decided we wanted to set up a new, sustainable attraction for tourists involving elephants. We took the plunge, and set up Green Hill Valley.
We started with two family-owned elephants in 2011. Then, we managed to lease five old elephants from Myanmar Timber Enterprise. We are not interested in creating a circus-type environment with visitors riding elephants. We’re focused on the elephants’ welfare and providing care for retired timber elephants. We welcome visitors who want to participate in this kind of work. That’s also a way of educating people from the local village who see how we care about nature and animals, as well as trying to reverse the process of deforestation.
The most exciting thing is that visitors come from all parts of the world and all have different stories to tell. It’s incredible to meet so many people who want to learn about and spend time with the elephants during their visits. So, my answer is everyone!
We want to share our passion for looking after retired elephants. Of course, we can’t look after all the retired elephants and so the aim is that others will follow in our footsteps.
People are what we love most in Burma.
The northern and southern part are the places most visitors don’t get to see, like Putao and Myeik.
We recommend starting with our culture and tradition, such as the temples and villages. Then, a cruise along the Ayarwaddy River is something you should not miss – it is the lifeline of Burma and the further you cruise, the more you discover about the country. Finally, relax at one of the beautiful beaches.
Take a look at our Burma and the Golden Land itinerary which fits well with visits to Green Hill Valley. Get in touch with Imagine Asia by calling 020 3141 2850 or dropping us an email.