Irrawaddy Voyages welcomes State Councilor Aung San Suu Kyi onboard RV Samatha

On Monday 24 December the officers and crew of RV Samatha welcomed Aung San Suu Kyi and the nation’s most senior cabinet ministers, onboard river cruise vessel RV Samatha as part of a site inspection and major engineering infrastructure announcement.

A week of pre-planning and close cooperation between the Myanmar Port Authority Yangon, Naypyidaw Government Departments and Irrawaddy Voyages, resulted in an extremely early call, with dignitaries arriving from 04:30hrs onwards.

At 07:3Ohrs the cavalcade arrived under police escort and soon after Aung San Suu Kyi, MP’s and national news media boarded RV Samatha at Yangon Port’s main pontoon.

As we cruised across the Yangon River the main purpose of the occasion was formerly announced to the media. A joint venture project between South Korea’s Development Cooperation Fund and the Myanmar Government will see a bridge construction from Yangon to Dala.

Upon reaching the Southern bank of the Yangon River at 08:30hrs, dignitaries disembarked at Dala jetty to rapturous applause from local residents and commuters. This stopover was a one hour shore inspection of the proposed construction site.

Back onboard RV Samatha and with the formalities over, it was time for Aung San Suu Kyi to enjoy the scenery, thank the onlookers and mingle with colleagues and crew.

A highlight for all onboard was a spontaneous ‘All Crew Sing-along’ as they performed a traditional Burmese folk song for The Lady, the Korean Ambassador and distinguished guests.

RV Samatha returned to Yangon jetty at 11.45hrs and our guests disembarked by midday.

Community Engagement policy

Our Vision

Irrawaddy Voyages believes that tourism on and around the Irrawaddy River should build a respectful and mutually beneficial relationship between travelers, businesses and the local communities. We already play an active role in providing financial benefits for local people through employment, local purchasing and delivering opportunities for our guests to support local communities. We will help to preserve the many cultures, ethnic minorities and traditions that exist along the riverbanks for future generations, as well as educate our guests about these unique characteristics. We care about the social welfare of our community and the protection of our shared natural environment.

Irrawaddy Voyages Sustainable Policies 2018

Irrawaddy Voyages offers guests a genuine nature based travel experience in a stylish and luxurious cruising environment. At all times we adopt a Safety First Policy 24/7. This applies not only to our onboard guests but to our ships crews. We pride ourselves on ensuring that every guest receives a warm and friendly welcome, a high level of comfort and excellent service. We also believe in delivering a responsible tourism experience that is environmentally friendly and gives back to the river communities. Our sustainable policies promote environmentally friendly operations that contribute to the protection of our natural and cultural heritage. We continuously strive to be a fair employer that promotes local recruitment and promotion.