Cruise ship tours: Avalon Waterways' Avalon Myanmar

avalon myanmar

Lined with forests, rice fields, betel nut trees and small villages, the northern segment of the Irrawaddy River often takes on a mysterious, misty quality at sunset.

The hub of the Avalon Myanmar's public spaces is the comfortable indoor lounge, located on Deck 2.

Air conditioned and lined with panoramic windows, the Avalon Myanmar's indoor lounge is located near the front of the vessel.

The Avalon Myanmar's indoor lounge features stylish, contemporary furnishings with local teak wood accents.

Seating in the Avalon Myanmar's indoor lounge looks out over panoramic, wall-to-wall windows.

The interior lounge is home to the Avalon Myanmar's bar, a popular gathering place for passengers in the evenings.

Local spirits including the Myanmar-made Grand Royal whisky are available throughout the day at no extra charge.

An outoor walkway lines one side of the Avalon Myanmar's second deck.

The Avalon Myanmar also offers an open-air lounge area on Deck 2 just in front of the indoor lounge.

The Avalon Myanmar's open-air deck features comfortable lounge chairs overlooking the front of the vessel.

Rattan furniture is arranged in seating areas on the open-air deck.

The top deck of the Avalon Myanmar features a sun deck with cushioned lounge chairs.

Small and maneuverable, the Avalon Myanmar glides right up to the shoreline to tie up to stake knocked into the ground when visiting local villages.

Sparsely populated, the northern section of the Irrawaddy River often reveals such serene sights as lone fisherman floating on calm water.

The Avalon Myanmar's teak-lined reception area.

A lovely teak wood stairway connects the Avalon Myanmar's three decks.

Located at the front of Deck 3, the bridge of the Avalon Myanmar is open to visits from passengers.

The Avalon Myanmar has a single dining room that can accommodate all of the ship's passengers in one seating.

Flexible seating in the dining room can be configured into tables for two, four or more.

Like other public spaces on the Avalon Myanmar, the dining room has wall-to-wall windows offering spectacular views of the passing river.

An action station in the Avalon Myanmar dining room offers cooked-to-order omelettes and pancakes at breakfast.

A buffet at the middle of the dining room is filled with both Western and Asian items at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The Avalon Myanmar has two spa treatment rooms and sails with two masseuses.

The Avalon Myanmar has a fitness room with a running machine and elliptical trainer.

The fitness area is located on Deck 3 near the ship's two spa treatment rooms.

The fitness rooms has a small assortment of free weights.

Avalon Myanmar has 18 cabins spread over two decks.

Avalon Myanmar cabins are unusually large for river ships in Southeast Asia at 245 square feet.

Like Avalon river ships in Europe, the Avalon Myanmar has wall-to-wall glass windows that slide open wide to create a balcony effect.

Each Avalon Myanmar cabin has a buily-in desk area.

An electrical outlet and light switch is located at the side of the desk in Avalon Myanmar cabins.

Cabins have large built-in storage closets.

One side of the closets in cabins have room for hanging clothes, shelves for shoes and plush robes for use during the voyage.

A second closet area in Avalon Myanmar cabins has shelves for storage.

Personal safes big enough to hold a laptop are located in cabin closets.

Cabins on the Avalon Myanmar feature spacious, contemporary bathrooms with marble-topped sinks.

Cabin bathrooms on the Avalon Myanmar have large walk-in showers with Kohler fixtures.

Cabin bathrooms feature upscale L'Occitane soaps and shampoo in bulk-size containers.

L'Occitane vanity kits and shower caps are in a basket next to the sink.

While tap water on the Avalon Myanmar is filtered, Avalon provides bottled water for drinking and to use when brushing teeth.

Avalon Myanmar cabins have versatile electrical outlets that can accept both U.S.-style and European plugs.

A seating area in Avalon Myanmar cabins includes a small sofa, table and chair.

Miniature refrigerators in cabins are stocked with bottled water, sodas and local Myanmar beer that are complimentary and restocked daily.

A hallway to Avalon Myanmar cabins.

Locally carved teak wood provides the accents on the Avalon Myanmar.

Avalon Myanmar

Depending on the landing spot, Avalon Myanmar passengers sometimes are shuttled to shore via local wooden boats.

Stops along the Irrawaddy River include small villages with colorful local markets.

Avalon Myanmar crew members give alms to Buddist monks during a stop at the Irrawaddy River town of Katha.

Among the stops during an Avalon Myanmar voyage on the Irrawaddy is a forest camp where elephants are used to carry logs.

Avalon Waterways passengers occasionally board a local bus for transport to a site away from the river bank.

Before heading to the Avalon Myanmar, passengers spend two nights in Burma's main city, Yangon, visiting such iconic sites as the 325-foot-tall Shwedagon Pagoda.

Avalon Waterways uses a private chartered plane to fly passengers from Yangon to the town of Bhamo, where the cruise on the Avalon Myanmar begins.

Avalon Myanmar

Avalon Myanmar