The Irrawaddy is the crucial artery which connects Burma’s main cities, snakes through its glorious countryside and reaches as far as the border with China. Cruising along it is not only an incredibly leisurely way of getting from A to B but an enriching experience too. Just in case you needed convincing, we’ve compiled our top five reasons to cruise in Burma.
Once off limits to visitors, Myanmar has recently dusted off the cobwebs of its hidden past, opening its doors to reveal a country steeped in cultural splendour, natural wonder and historical intrigue. For us, Burma is the land of lotus flowers, horse drawn carts, traditional tea houses and an exquisitely leisurely pace of life; Burma is a land where a traditional way of life prevails. The landscape is a glittering exhibition of gilded pagodas, the culture is an intoxicating blend of influences from across Asia and its cities are abuzz with spiritualism.
Magnificent temples abound in Burma, dotting the horizons of its verdant landscapes up and down the country. From the temple studded lands of Bagan to the glittering pagodas of Yangon, the holy sites of Burma are simply mind boggling both in size and beauty. Whilst stupas are solid temples, said to house remains of Buddhas or monks, Pagodas are open to enter for worship. Having evolved from the shape of a stupa, the two often look similar yet their significance is marked by their history.
Aside from its stunning scenery, fascinating history and amazing culture, Burma is all about its people. They are some of the kindest and most compassionate people you will ever meet. One story that we can’t tell enough is that of the Green Hill Valley Elephant Camp in Burma. At Green Hill Valley, love and care for animals is at the very heart of everything they do. We interviewed Htun and Maw, founders of the camp, to give you an insight into their commitment to caring for these magnificent animals.
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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 Irrawaddy 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.
Want to visit Green Hill Valley? Speak to our specialists to plan your holiday to Burma.
Call us on 020 3141 2850 for more information