Myanmar | travel how it used to be

Just days away from my next trip, this is the time when my anticipation really soars. In looking for a video to share on Travel Horizons, I was so impressed by this beautiful film. It makes me excited to start the trip.

I'm so impressed by the cultural highlights captured in this film: pagodas, processions of monks, scenes of life on the water, beautiful sunsets, local people doing their traditional crafts. But what most stood out about this video: the lack of crowds. While cities like Bangkok have impressive temples, Bangkok also has horrific traffic. Its attractions are so filled with people.

I see no crowds in this video of Myanmar, and I remember how travel used to be before EasyJet and other low-cost airlines began filling the most popular destinations with thousands of tourists. Venice, Capri, Paris, London, and Bangkok are so crowded now. Myanmar looks to be a destination that hasn't been overcome by tourism, a place where visitors can still get a real taste of the life and culture of this distant and exotic land.

Follow me on Facebook or put Travel Horizons in your bookmarks, and you'll be able to follow my travels through Vietnam and Myanmar.

copyright (c) 2018 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

our first river cruise — cruising the Irrawaddy

River cruising is the hottest new trend in foreign travel, and it's easy to understand why.

You pack and unpack just once.

Your ship docks right in the center of things, not in an ocean port many miles away.

Meals and touring opportunities are all included.

Claire and I will soon experience three nights aboard the Sanctuary Ananda during our week in Myanmar, cruising the Irrawaddy from Bagan to Mandalay. We'll have a chance to visit pagodas, markets, a monastic center, and the intriguing U Bein Bridge, the world's longest teak bridge.

Not all river cruises are created equal. If you contact us, we'll be happy to share some comparisons among the major river cruise lines. To whet your curiosity, here are some interesting data points for European river cruises on the Rhine and Danube rivers. While these ships are the same size, most have 150 guests (or more) on board. More guests means less space, crowded restaurants, and smaller cabins. Most river cruise cabins are smaller than 225 sq. ft.

Luxury travel means having space to call your own and the experience of exclusivity. To find out the identities of all six cruise lines in this chart, just get in touch!

copyright (c) 2018 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.