A VOYAGE TO NAGALAND

Transfer to the your Pandaw. Explore ashore visiting the local market and enjoying panoramic views over the Chindwin from top of a hill.

PLEASE NOTE: The itinerary for this expedition is indicative only and subject to reconnaissance. As we travel to remote areas, changes to the itinerary will inevitably occur. A flexible approach is required if you book this cruise.

Set sail to charming Ma Sein Village and continue to Mawlaik, the former seat of the Bombay Burma Corporation's timber extraction operations for the Chindwin Area. The old Headquarters building still stands here.

Sail to Kindat (translated in Burmese meaning a military outpost), with its old colonial post office (now a school). Also visit the tiny village of Yuwa, where previous Pandaw travellers report a delightful atmosphere from friendly locals.

Continuing upstream we sail to Sitthaung, the final resting place of a number of Irrawaddy Flotilla Company steamers scuppered there in 1942 in an ‘act of denial’ from the advancing Japanese who were a matter of hours behind. Remains of these ships can be found here. It was from here that the survivors of the Japanese invasion marched out to Tamu on the India border. Pantha was an important oil refinery belonging to the Indo-Burma Petroleum Co (Steel Brothers). We also explore Paungpyin village and take a walking tour including a visit to the market and the attractive wooden houses.

Morning visit to Toungdoot or Hsawng-hsup in Tai, is an ancient Shan enclave who in British times still had a ruling Sawbwa complete with palace and court. It will be interesting to see what has become of the royal family and their home and to see these Shan people so far from their Tai-Shan homelands. Alistair McCrae wrote of his visit there 1935 ‘I loved the atmosphere of quiet and peaceful living there. At night I could hear greylag geese as they came in to the flooded land around us from far away north’.

Scenic explorations upstream into the remote Nagaland. Afternoon arrive at Khamti, known as ‘the land full of gold’ due to the prevalence of gold panning in the nearby tributary of the Chindwin. We visit the town, the monastery meet local Tai speaking peoples.

Morning visit to Khampti market and sail the Chindwin today towards Homalin stopping at villages not used to western travellers.

Morning visit Homalin, an interesting town close to the Indian border with attractive forested mountains on either side – some rising to over 9,000 feet. Irrawaddy Flotilla Company used to visit here and during World War II, Homalin was occupied by the Japanese. Disembark and transfer to the airport for your flight.