welcome to Destination Ayeyarwady
a multi-award winning destination, with an Ecolodge and an Environmental Learning Centre
IMPORTANT - It is essential to read the Health & Safety and Liability document before undertaking a visit. We also provide Child Safety information and a link to 'Cultural Do's and Don'ts'
"when we left...on 6th December at least seven dolphins, including calves, came to 'say good-bye' frolicking in the water
by our boat as the sun set over the western hills - lovely!' P.B.
Destination Ayeyarwady is not only a wonderful place to visit but also the flagship output of an ecotourism project that seeks to conserve the critically endangered Irrawaddy River Dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) and the traditional culture of the men and women who have traditionally fished co-operatively with the dolphin.
Hosted by the fishing community of Hsithe village, it has already welcomed visitors - couples, families, friends, group tours - from Myanmar and from all around the world. These visitors have travelled from the UK, France, Germany, and Switzerland; from New Zealand; from Canada and USA; from Israel and Kazakhstan and from many more points east and west. All have loved their visit and filled our visitor book with wonderful comments.
The Destination was set up by the UK charity, the Harrison Institute, in association with a number of Myanmar voluntary organisations. It has won a national award for community-involvement in tourism (2017) and a Southeast Asian award for responsible tourism (2019). In 2020, it was a finalist, placed third, in an international competition hosted by Travel Massive, which focused on entrepreneurship in tourism.
For the Travel Massive competition, we prepared a 3 minute YouTube video, which gives an insight into the history, activities and attractions of Destination Ayeyarwady.
Situated 60 km north of Mandalay, in central Myanmar (Burma), the beautiful village of Hsithe provides visitors with a fascinating insight into traditional Myanmar life - life of the fisherman/ woman, life of the farmer, life of the villager.
The fisherwomen and fishermen of Hsithe village invite you to come and visit them.
Your visit will support:
1: the conservation of the critically endangered Irrawaddy River dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) and other wildlife
2: the culture and livelihoods of communities who have traditionally fished 'cooperatively' with these dolphins.
Tours
For all information about visiting Destination Ayeyarwady please contact
Daw Hnin Witt Yee, Project Reservations Manager, Yangon on 00 95 (0)9 250 640 728 or email hninhninmeister@gmail.com
Education and internships
Education and Internships
Destination Ayeyarwady runs programmes for students wishing to learn about aspects of ecotourism and environmental education. Training takes place in the Environmental Learning Centre and the students have the opportunity to work with the local/international Destination Ayeyarwady staff. They observe first hand the theory and practice of ecotourism and teach classes in the local schools on subjects such as plastic pollution and the importance of trees. Together with MuEuCAP, a EU Erasmus+ funded programme promoting environmental education and wildlife conservation in 3 Myanmar universities, we have put together a video that illustrates aspects of an internship at Destination Ayeyarwady. To date, the cost of such internships has been met from external sponsors.
Contact
Daw Hnin Witt Yee, Project Reservations Manager, Yangon on 09 250 640 728 or email hninhninmeister@gmail.com