PING LONG - Myanmar Travel and Tour Agent Information

A YANGON company that has taken over the lease of the luxury river boats, the Pandaw I, plans to offer trips on the Ayeyarwaddy River upsteam from Mandalay and to destinations on the Chindwin River, it said last week.

The Interconnection company, a partnership involving Sun Far Travel and Orchestra Travel and gems trader, has leased the boat from the Ministry of Transport for five years.

It spent about K150 million upgrading the 16-berth, five-deck vessel and has also changed its name to Pandaw 1947, to mark the year in which it was built in Scotland, said its executive director, Mr Andrea Massari.

The vessel would operate between Bagan and Mandalay and to destinations along the Ayeyarwaddy upsteam from Mandalay.

It took over the operation of the boat last month after the previous five-year lease between the ministry and the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company expired. The IFC continues to operate both the Pandaw II, which operates a service between Bagan and Mandalay, and the Pandaw III, which provides a service linking Mandalay, Bagan and Pyay.

At Htamanthi they transferred to trucks for a six-hour journey along winding mountain roads to Layshe.

The visitors are accommodated in temporary bamboo huts built in the traditional style. All meals provided free of charge.