THE DRY ZONE

Along the Irrawaddy River

There is a river in Myanmar, formerly known as the Irrawaddy (it’s actual name is the Ayeyarwady). Stretching more than 1400  from the Himalayan glaciers all the way up north, the river glides south, all the way to the Andaman Sea in the delta region. I had read about the river and it’s importance, the main transport highway from the northern reaches all the way down to the capital, Yangon. And when designing a Myanmar itinerary way back in 2000, I really wanted to use the river and explore the countryside. My original idea was to use our cruise boat as a base where every day we could go out from a local village and explore the countryside using bicycles. I soon realized it would require a lot of persistence considering A) biking around open fields in 95 Fahrenheit and 100% humidity was not a lot of fun and B) the roads were all dirt, with a fine dust layer that often reached several centimetres in thickness. C) The first biking group I guided along the river had so many flat tires we were caught way inland, several kms from the river and had to walk back to the cruise boat with our bikes and after 3 hours of delays, I even worried if the ship would still be there…. only to see it cruising slowly along the river with it’s powerful searchlight looking for us along the shore.

 So, from then on…instead of biking…we hiked….Live and learn….

The Irrawaddy’s lower half cuts through a wide valley surrounded by a flat, dry, dusty plain. This 700-mile length of the river is often called the “dry zone” and I remember the first time I cruised down that portion in late March, the heat was brutal, with scorching temperatures close to 40 degrees. 

But I was mesmerized by the boat traffic, a never-ending traffic of ships towing rafts of teak, goods of all sorts, passenger ferries, sand dredges down to small wooden fishing boats. The river changed also, one hour you could barely see either shores, another you would be wedged in on both sides, watching women doing their laundry along the shores or kids jumping with joy in the chocolate color waters. You knew you were seeing something that had not changed for a very long time. 

This whole area, from Mandalay to Bagan is Bamar country, Myanmar’s majority ethnic group, originating from Tibet and Yunnan many centuries ago. Bamar call themselves “Myanma” translated roughly as “strong and swift”. 

LITTLE KNOWN FACT:

The Irrawaddy Delta is one of the world's major rice-growing areas.

BEST MONTH TO VISIT:

Between November to February, when the temperatures are easier to handle. From April onwards, heat becomes extreme in this area of Myanmar before the rains of July-August start.

Longitude 80 will offer a private Myanmar expedition including a private 2 night cruise and a 3 night coastal retreat in one of the country’s most isolated areas in the future. Due to the political situation in Myanmar, we have decided to postpone any itineraries until we feel it is safe to travel.