We recently returned from a 14-Day Asian Holiday cruise on Holland America Line’s ms Volendam. One of the highlights of the itinerary was a 3-day stay in Myanmar, with the ship docked at the Port of Thilawa about 20 miles outside of Yangon.
A view of the Myanmar countryside at sunset during the 1.5 hour bus ride from the Thilawa Port to Yangon.
On our first day in port we booked two shore excursions through Holland America: a 5-hour Introduction to Yangon for the morning/afternoon and a 5-hour Traditional Myanmar Dance and Dinner for the evening.
Too late we realized that this was really poor planning on our part as each tour included 3-plus hours of bouncing back and forth between the Port of Thilawa and Yangon on rough roads. It would have been more ideal to book the tours on separate days, or to have booked an overnight hotel in Yangon like some smart guests did.
Regardless of the long day of bus-riding, we were excited for this evening excursion that included dinner at the French Indochina La Planteur Restaurant, one of the top-rated places to eat in all of Yangon according to Trip Advisor.
The restaurant is set in one of the former embassies (before Myanmar moved its capital from Yangon).
The venue for the dinner and the dance performance is outside on a grass lawn overlooking the lake with only moonlight and candlelight.
The set four-course menu offered the main course option of grouper or ham.
White tuna Carpaccio was the first course of four served at La Planteur in Yangon, Myanmar.
While we dined, we were treated to a traditional Myanmar dance performance, and the wine flowed with each course. The food was fantastic,
Then, we got back on the bus – a very nice bus – and bounced our way back to the ship – except for the guests who were smart enough to book themselves into a nice hotel in downtown Myanmar for the next two nights.
Have you visited Yangon, Myanmar? Did you have a favorite restaurant? Please share in comments below.
To learn more about our Asian Cruise on Holland America’s Volendam, check out these other posts:
- Getting an Introduction to Yangon via a Shore Excursion from Thilawa, Myanmar (Burma)
- Sailing into Thilawa, Myanmar (Burma); Port City for Yangon
- Christmas Day in Phuket, Thailand with a Visit to Tiger Kingdom
- Christmas Eve on Holland America Line’s Volendam
- A Close-up Look at Holland America’s Dive-In at the Terrace Grill Menu
If you are interested in learning more about the various destinations we visited, check out these “Fun Facts” posts:
- 12 Fun Facts About Langkawi, Malaysia
- 14 Fun Facts About Penang, Malaysia
- 16 Fun Facts About Malacca, Malaysia
- 15 Fun Facts About Myanmar (Burma)
- 12 Fun Facts About Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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