River cruises: travel from the chaotic city to steamy Amazon rainforests

In Mandalay, a day’s tour visits Mahamuni Pagoda with its gold-leaf statue of the Buddha, plus the Shwenandaw Kyaung, the Golden Palace Monastery.

Cruising past villages and paddy fields you’ll call at places such as Ohn Ne Choung, a riverside farming and fishing community, and Sale, with its grand Buddhist monastery.

The Viking Cruises (0800 319 6660/ vikingrivercruises.co.uk) ship carries 60 passengers and has wrap-around decks, wood-panelled rooms and a restaurant with panoramic windows. 

A 15-day Myanmar Explorer cruise from £5,699pp (two sharing) full-board. Price includes flights, internal flights, hotels in Bangkok, Mandalay and Yangon, drinks with meals and tours. Regular departures until December