When, in 1889, Rudyard Kipling wrote that Burma is “quite unlike any land that one knows about” he couldn’t have imagined that a century or more later that observation would ring truer than ever.

Flanked by India, China, Laos and Thailand, Burma (Myanmar) is a county that devours the travel superlatives - enchanting, tranquil, unspoiled and lost in time to draw on just a few.

Isolated from the world for years and the subject of much debate, a decision to visit Burma is very much one for the individual.

“At Pettitts, we believe this is a choice that should be down to you - the traveller. We also believe that in enabling people to visit, comes a greater and much needed understanding of this complex and troubled yet beautiful and hypnotic country,” says managing director, Steve Pettitt.

Alongside an endless procession of gleaming pagodas, emerald green rice paddies, surging rivers, peaceful lakes and a warm, hospitable people whose deep religion sustains them, sits the majestic Irrawaddy River, winding its way through this golden land and providing its economic, spiritual and geographical heartbeat. There is no better way to discover the rich treasures of Burma, and Pettitts offers a range of options making use of the fleet of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company established by Scots merchants in 1865.

There is a choice of cruises, from one and two night journeys connecting Mandalay to Bagan and lengthier trips in which the Irrawaddy provides the base from which to discover a country that can truly justify its place as one that engages and affects its visitors like few others.

Contact: Katie Hanes on 01892 515966.