Bay of Bengal: Chennai to Yangon

Enjoy a morning at leisure before a welcome brunch at the hotel. Afterward, explore this vibrant city that has been dubbed the “cultural capital of India.” Visit the 17th-century Fort St. George and the Kapaleeshwarar Temple. This afternoon, embark the newly refurbished Silver Discoverer.    

Attend informative lectures on the natural history and culture of the region, or relax by the pool while cruising the world’s largest bay.  

One of India’s holiest Hindu cities, Puri is home to the colossal Jagannath Temple, an important pilgrimage site. Nearby in Konark, the exquisitely carved 13th-century Sun Temple replicates a giant chariot. There will also be an opportunity to visit Balukhand Wildlife Sanctuary, a tract of coastal forest that offers refuge to spotted deer, endangered blackbucks, monkeys, monitor lizards, jackals, and mongoose, as well as many butterfly and bird species.

This morning, explore along the network of rivers that weave through the mangroves of Bhitarkanika National Park. The park is home to the largest population of saltwater crocodiles in India, as well as deer, wild boars, jackals, and over 300 species of birds. The nearby Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary protects massive turtle colonies, including the world’s most important nesting area for olive ridley sea turtles which can be found in the waters offshore and on the golden-sand beaches from October to May. 

India’s second-largest city and capital of the state of West Bengal, Kolkata is a cacophony for the senses, a heady mix of colonial heritage and push toward modernity. That dichotomy is clearly evidenced during a tour of B.B.D. Bagh, once Dalhousie Square and center of British Raj power, where the Writers Building and other stately structures lie in view of sky-high tower blocks.

The lecture series continues as the ship sails for Bangladesh.   

Sundarbans is the largest contiguous mangrove forest in the world. Not only notable for magnificent scenic beauty, this area is also renowned for its high biodiversity of flora and fauna. Board Zodiacs to explore the reserve’s mosaic of islands and labyrinthine water channels. Excursions may reveal Ganges and Irrawaddy dolphins, monkeys, estuarine crocodiles, and water monitors. A wide variety of birds can be found here, including brahminy kites, white-bellied sea eagles, lesser adjutant storks, Indian pond herons, and collared, black-capped, and stork-billed kingfishers. Get a different perspective from one of the park’s watch towers, take a walk along the extensive boardwalk, visit a crocodile hatchery, and observe fisherfolk using trained otters to chase fish into their nets.

Enjoy a rare look into rural Bangladeshi life on Maheskhali Island. Rickshaws and motorized tuk tuks putter through tiny Thakur Tala village; Adinath Temple, set atop its highest hill, houses saffron-robed monks and holy ponds, while a small Rakhain community produces traditional textiles at the weaving center. Contrast this with the frantic pace of Cox’s Bazar, the area’s fishing port set upon one of the longest unbroken beaches on the planet.   

Close to Cox’s Bazar, Himchari National Park is home to a variety of birds and wildlife. With luck, you may even spy a few of the park’s resident wild elephants. Time permitting, visit coconut palm-fringed St. Martin’s Island for afternoon beach walks and a refreshing swim.   

An ancient seaport in westernmost Myanmar, Thandwe boasts a series of 8th-century stupas that hold sacred relics of the Buddha. Every type of ware is on display at the town’s market, held in the former colonial prison. The main attraction, though, is the soft white sand of four-mile-long Nagapali Beach, Myanmar’s main resort destination and the perfect perch for swimming, snorkeling, and beachcombing.

Enjoy a day at sea to attend lectures, relax, and prepare for the final days of your adventure.

Formerly known as Rangoon, Myanmar’s largest city is a mélange of wide boulevards and twisting alleyways, colonial architecture, and modern high-rises. Gold-leafed Shwedagon Pagoda, the country’s most important Buddhist site, enshrines eight hairs from the Buddha’s head beneath its 325-foot-high, diamond-encrusted spire. Not to be outshined, the smaller Sule Pagoda is equally gilded while Chauk-htat-gyi Temple showcases a 213-foot-long reclining Buddha. 

Disembark and transfer to the airport for your independent flight home.