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Mr. Maarten Perdok, CEO of Heritage Line Company, shared his thoughts on the country being chosen as "Destination of the Year" by the magazine.Travel + Leisure:"Myanmar is a highly sought-after destination with immense potential due to its unspoiled, uncommercialized beauty. The Ayeyarwady is a stunning river to explore and discover. In fact, river cruises are one of the most exciting ways to explore a country and its culture. You can gain a very different perspective on a country and reach places that other tourists don't, simply because there are no other routes to those places besides by river. This is especially true for Myanmar, where infrastructure is underdeveloped, making river cruises one of the best, if not the most, ways to experience tourism in the country."
Built entirely in Vietnam over 14 months, this luxury river cruise with 23 rooms features an aluminum superstructure atop a steel hull. Technical Director Stefan Malin shared: "Because the water level in Myanmar is low, we prioritized the use of lightweight materials that are not typically used on conventional vessels. Drawing on our experience building two other river cruises with the same company, combined with the selection of the best contractors and the most suitable materials, we successfully constructed this very high-quality vessel."
Mr. Perdok added: "We wanted to achieve a low draft of just about one meter, so we could stay longer in very low-water areas ahead of our competitors. We could reach remote places on the Ayeyarwady River that other cruise ships couldn't, offering tourists truly unique experiences year-round. I'm happy to say that we have been very successful in achieving this very low draft."
The Anawrahta cruise ship will operate on four different itineraries ranging from 4 nights to 11 nights, stopping at ports such as Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay, and Bhamo. The longest itinerary is 901 miles (approximately 1450 kilometers), a 12-day/11-night journey from Mandalay to Homalin on the Chindwin River and ending in Bagan on the Ayeyarwady River, with tours of textile and silver workshops, temples, monasteries, and teak forests where elephants contribute their labor, among countless other interesting destinations.
Passengers aboard the four-deck Anawrahta can enjoy a five-star experience on the Ayeyarwady River, including the highest passenger-to-person ratio (46 crew members serving 46 passengers), the largest cabins with private balconies in all rooms, luxurious amenities, world-class cuisine, and unique excursions, as well as daily information sessions and entertainment.
Mr. Perdok shared: "You are very close to a unique, peaceful life on the river, and yet you always have a luxurious floating hotel waiting for you. During your cruise, when guests have to leave their comfortable rooms, a chilled glass of wine is always waiting for them upon their return."
Named after King Anawrahta, the founder of the Burmese nation in the 11th century, the Anawrahta is modeled after the era of classic steamships with motifs and decorative styles blending Burmese and British colonial influences. In addition to 23 spacious cabins, the ship also features a bar, lounge, restaurant, spa, gym, and a swimming pool with a hot tub. The Anawrahta has officially joined the Heritage Line fleet alongside five other luxury ships: the Halong Bay Cruise (Vietnam) and the Mekong River Cruise for voyages between Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and Siem Reap (Angkor Wat), Cambodia.
