Luxury river cruise specialist Avalon Waterways has just launched its 2015 programme for the Far East.

In a first for the line, the programme will offer enriching explorations of Myanmar’s Irrawaddy River on-board a newly-designed suite vessel, the appropriately-titled Avalon Myanmar. Her sister vessel, the Avalon Siem Reap, meanwhile will explore Vietnam and Cambodia by way of the River Mekong. Both rivers off some pretty special cultural and natural sights and Avalon is offering itineraries which showcase them perfectly.

The 15-day Golden Myanmar and the Irrawaddy involves a three-night stay in Yangon City or Bangkok – depending on whether you choose to travel north or southbound – and a 10-day river voyage. The Irrawaddy offers cruisers the perfect chance to immerse themselves in both the culture and history of the former Burma, with stops at such key sights as the ancient city of Bagan, Sagaing, where there is a wealth of monasteries to explore and also the chance to see the world’s oldest teak bridge, the U Bein Bridge, close to Amarapura.

The Fascinating Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong’ voyage certainly lives up to its name, offering a 16-day experience rich in scenic wonder and sites of historical interest. On a voyage which takes place on the Avalon Siem Reap, passengers will enjoy two-night stays in both Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap. As well as guided tours of both these amazing cities, you can enjoy a wealth of sight-seeing opportunities including the chance to see the stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site Angkor Wat – the world’s largest religious monument.

Both Avalon Myanmar and Avalon Siem Reap have been specially designed so they can explore a number of areas previously unexplored by other lines, such as the Upper Northern Irrawaddy, an area of outstanding natural beauty and the harbour of Ho Chi Minh City. Both vessels offer the same hi-spec design of the lines European suite ships and the same level of personalised service and sumptuous a la carte dining.