Cruise the Far East in Burma and Thailand
The country of Burma (Myanmar) is now being opened to tourists who are discovering unspoilt scenery and stunning ancient temples and religious buildings. From capital Yangon (Rangoon) a variety of options include the Irrawaddy river with highlights the temple city of Bagan and famous Mandalay.
Thailand and its capital Bangkok are best visited by air or sea. Singapore is an excellent starting point for a cruise including Bangkok and the island of Koh Samui. Sea cruises calling at Yangon may visit the popular Thai island of Phuket.
Cruise Collection
UK - Bangkok (Thailand) , Sihanoukville (Cambodia) , Ho Chi Minh City , Hue , Ha Long Bay , Hong Kong , Hong Kong - UK , At Sea , Ho Chi Minh City , At Sea
Special OfferNo Single Supplement on Selected Dates!
Vientiane, Mekong River Vietnam/Cambodia, Xayaburi Dam, Kuang Si Falls, Luang Prabang, Pak Ou Caves, Ban Ton, Pak Beng, Chiang Khong
UK - Bangkok (Thailand) , At Sea , Kuala Lumpur , Singapore , At Sea , Jakarta , Semarang , Surabaya , Bali , Bali - UK
UK - Singapore , Port Klang (Malaysia) , Langkawi Island , Phuket (Thailand) , At Sea , Colombo , Cochin (India) , Mormugao, Goa , Mumbai (ex Bombay) , Mumbai (ex Bomba
UK - Bangkok (Thailand) , At Sea , Singapore , At Sea , Jakarta , Jakarta (Java, Indonesia) , Surabaya , Bali , Bali (Benoa) , Komodo , At Sea , Darwin , Darwin (Austra
Hong Kong, Ha Long Bay, Hue, Ho Chi Minh City, Klong Toey, Ko Samui, Singapore
Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Georgetown, Penang, Phuket, Chennai, Colombo, Cochin, Mumbai (ex Bombay)
Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Sabang, Hambantota, Colombo, Cochin, Mumbai (ex Bombay), Muscat, Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas Island, Dubai
Singapore, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Manila, Kaohsiung, Hong Kong, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Sihanoukville, Bangkok
Southampton, Gibraltar, Cruising Grand Harbour, Valletta, Alexandria, Cruising the Suez Canal, Sharm El Sheikh, Safaga, Jeddah, Colombo, Hambantota, Port Klang, Kota Ki
Hong Kong, Ha Long Bay, Chan May, Ho Chi Minh City, Laem Chabang, Singapore
Singapore, Malacca, Banda Aceh, Pulau Asok, Nias Island, Mentawi Islands Recengy, Bengkulu, Sumatra, Krakatoa Island, Ujung Kulon National Park, Semarang, Probolinggo,
About Burma & Thailand Cruises
On the eastern side of the Malay peninsula north from Singapore is the Thai island of Koh Samui, famous for its white beaches and coconut trees.
At the top of the peninsula is Thai capital Bangkok. Its magnificent sights include the gold statue of the Buddha at Wat Trimitr Temple, the massive reclining Buddha, and the former royal Grand Palace with the Chapel of the Emerald Buddha. Smaller ships may be able to moor near Bangkok, larger ships berth at Laem Chabang port, some 2-3 hours by coach from Bangkok.
Phuket, on the north west of the Malay peninsula is Thailand’s premier resort island. Its beaches and resorts such as Patong are major attractions, but outside the city the hills can give stunning views over the blue Andaman sea. Phuket is often visited by sea cruise itineraries which may include Burma, Sri Lanka and India.
North of Thailand is Burma, with its capital Yangon (formerly Rangoon) now easily accessible by sea and air. Renamed Myanmar, Burma's move towards democracy has allowed a growth in tourism to this unspoilt country.
From Yangon, the Irrawaddy (Ayewarrdy) river flows upstream to fascinating villages and notably the amazing temples of Bagan before reaching famed Mandalay.
See our detailed section on Burma river cruises for information about the options for exploring the Irrawaddy and its sights.
Burma and ThailandHighlights
Bagan
Bagan was the capital of the Kingdom of Pagan during the 9th and 13th centuries. Over 10,000 Buddhist temples and monasteries were built, of which approximately 3000 still remain. Highlights include the revered Ananda Temple and the spectacular Shwzigon Pagoda, the holiest site in Bagan.
Bangkok
Laem Chabang is the Thailand's main deep-sea port, and the chief entry-point for visitors to Bangkok. It is best-known for its world-class golf courses, notably the International Country Club designed by Jack Nicklaus. 10 miles south is the resort of Pattaya which has theme parks and a coral reef which can be explored by submarine.
Ko Samui
Ko Samui is the second most popular island destination in Thailand after Phuket. Ko Samui is noted for its natural beauty - white sandy beaches, coral reef and crystal clear water. There are two picturesque waterfalls at Na Muang with a natural swimming pool, and on the north coast is a famous 12-meter-high statue of Buddha. At Wat Kunaram is one of the many mummified monks of Ko-Samui, this one on display.
Mandalay
Mandalay was once the capital of Myanmar. Today, it is the second largest city in the country after Yangon. Highlights include the Bronze Mahamuni Pagoda, the Kuthodaw Pagoda, said to contain the world’s largest book and the Shwenandaw monastery, filled with wood carvings. Some cruiselines offer excursions to nearby Amarapura, home to the U Bein Bridge, the world’s longest teak bridge.
Phuket
Phuket is Thailand's largest island, connected to the mainland by a bridge. It's noted for its beaches, bars, restaurants, spas, exotic markets, boutiques and nightlife. The last remaining parcel of virgin rain forest in Thailand is in Khao Phra National Park. There are several Buddhist temples, including Chalong Wat and its Grand Pagoda and among the many lovely beaches is Phang-Nga Bay which is spectacularly dotted with limestone karsts.
Yangon
Yangon was founded in the 11th-century as a fishing village and transformed into a major hub during the colonial era. Today, it is the largest city in Myanmar and home to the famous Shwedagon Pagoda, a spectacular Buddhist temple and the most important religious site in the country.
