Embark Silver Discoverer this afternoon and depart on your exciting 14-day Silversea Expedition – Expedition Sundarbans. After a mandatory safety drill head out onto the Pool Deck for a ‘Sail Away’ party, leaving Chennai behind.Later during the afternoon, the Expedition Team and important crew members will be introduced.In the evening, enjoy the first of many fine dining experiences in The Restaurant and relax in the Discoverer Lounge or on the open decks.

Today, Silver Discoverer will head along India’s east coast in a northeasterly direction. Meet some of your fellow explorers on the outer decks, helping our naturalists looking for seabirds and marine life. You can also attend one of several presentations offered by our experts, or learn about the preparation of culinary highlights presented by our Chef.This evening the Captain will invite you to the Captain’s Welcome Cocktail and our Chef and Restaurant Manager would like to see you in The Restaurant for a special Welcome Dinner.

Early in the morning, Silver Discoverer will enter the only natural harbour on India’s east coast, going alongside in Visakhapatnam. Sometimes called “Goa of the East”, the French and English had an interest in this city, the harbour and India’s oldest shipyard.Despite the Metropolitan Region claiming more than 5,000,000 people, Visakhapatnam is considered one of the cleanest cities in India. The beautiful hills of the Eastern Ghats flank the city on the northern and western side, and the Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary is just north of the city. Different animals can be observed, including the Indian Paradise Flycatcher, quails, partridges, Indian Peafowl, spotted deer and Indian jackals. The nocturnal Indian leopard is found here, too. We will visit the Eco Park and will look for its fauna and flora.Another interesting geological feature, actually considered one of India’s geo-heritage sites, is an area north of Kambalakonda: the red sand dunes known as Erra Matti Dibbaw.The region has had a strong Buddhist influence in former times, as attested by the many archaeological remains, but today Hinduism, Islam and Christianity are the main religions.

Continuing along India’s east coast, our lecturers will take the opportunity to present topics related to the Bay of Bengal and the upcoming visit to the Sundarbans.Attend a seminar, or relax on the outer decks, letting our Bar Team prepare the refreshment of your choice. If you think you need some exercise, The Gym will be at hand; if you are more inclined to have a massage, visit The Spa.

Silver Discoverer will be sailing through the Sundarbans up the Mongla River to reach Mongla Port, one of Bangladesh’s important seaports –although found inland- to clear into the country.While we travel up the river, spend time on the outer decks to get a first impression of the world’s largest mangrove forest. Alternatively, attend lecture presentation or talks to know more about this fascinating part of the Indian subcontinent.

Named after the Sundari trees, the Sundarbans is an area reaching from Bangladesh into India. While the Indian part is a National Park, Bangladesh’s part consists of three Wildlife Sanctuaries. The Sundarbans ecosystem is quite unique: spreading over an area of approximately 10,000 square kilometres, it is the largest halophytic mangrove forest in the world. It represents the largest mangal diversity in the world with 81 mangal plant species and it provides habitat for the threatened Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris). The Indian core area (Sundarbans National Park) has been designated as a World Heritage Site in 1987; the three Wildlife Sanctuaries in Bangladesh were inscribed in 1997. The whole area has the largest amount of the famous Bengal tigers –an estimated 350 of them roam the Sundarbans. These animals however are very hard to see. Other wildlife species present are macaques, Indian grey mongoose, leopard cats, Ridley sea turtle, wild boar, jungle cat, flying foxes, and spotted deers (Chital). The mangrove ecosystem of the Sundarbans is considered to be unique because of its immensely rich mangrove flora and mangrove-associated fauna. It is also unique as the mangroves are not only dominant as fringing mangroves along the creeks and backwaters, but also grow along the sides of rivers in muddy as well as in flat, sandy areas. During the three days we will spend here, Silver Discoverer will be mainly based in the Pashur River. We will be accompanied by local guides and rangers. We intend go ashore at Hiron Point for natural history walks and possibly an exploratory Zodiac cruise. This is where we will pick up local rangers. After our first impressions we will head back to Silver Discoverer to escape the mid-day heat. During the late morning, while the ship will reposition to Kokilmoni, attend an informative talk about the Sundarbans by one of the local lecturers. During the afternoons, we will take to the Zodiacs to look for aquatic mammals that frequent the tidal waters, including the Ganges dolphin, Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphin, Irrawaddy dolphin and finless porpoise, while on land we might see wild boar, spotted deer, and rhesus macaques. Birders will be on the look-out for White-bellied Sea Eagles, Brahminy Kites, Intermediate Egrets, Indian Pond Heron, as well as Collared and Black-capped Kingfisher. As the best time for wildlife observation here is around sunset, we will stay out until late.Depending on where the Captain has repositioned the ship, we might again board Silver Discoverer near the Kokilmoni Forest Station, where the ship will stay overnight.In the very early morning of our second and third day in the Sundarbans we will offer ‘first light’ Zodiac cruises into the mangrove forest. The narrow channels are known to have Stork-billed and Brown-winged Kingfisher, Oriental Magpie Robins, White Wagtails, and many other birds. During our cruises we will take time to drift, which will permit us to hear birdsong all the better. We might also see some of the local fishermen active on the river. In time for late breakfasts we will return to Silver Discoverer and attend more lectures about the Sundarbans, while the ship repositions to Harbaria Forest Station or other points of interest.At Harbaria we intend to offer a combined Zodiac cruise and natural history walk. Well maintained boardwalks will permit us to enter the mangrove forest without engine-noise. Rhesus macaques are regularly seen, but this walk will give a great opportunity to see the different plant species our lecturers talked about: cedar mangrove, cannonball mangrove, sea holly, sea mango, blinding mangrove, nipa palm, and Phoenix palm. Not only will our botanically inclined guests love to take the boardwalk and pathways (groups are always accompanied by one of the rangers), but anybody interested in Nature will want to take this unique opportunity to walk through the world’s largest mangrove forest.

At Moheshkhali we will see the real rural Bangladesh. During the morning, we intend to take our Zodiacs to go ashore and to explore the small village with its school and temple. To get a feeling of how the locals live, we will take local transport (rickshaws and tuk tuks) and visit a Buddhist temple, meeting the monks and getting to know the daily routine of the apprentices and monks themselves. Later we visit the school (where our/your donations will be very welcome) and a group of Burmese weavers will be showing us the use of traditional equipment. The cotton products these ladies prepare will be on offer as well. We will then have time to visit a small Rakhayn (Burmese) community at Thakur Tala village before heading back by Zodiac to have lunch aboard Silver Discoverer. Moheshkhali is not at all touristy and our visit should be a good opportunity for us to interact with local communities.In the late afternoon, we hope to once again take to the Zodiacs, this time to see life on the river banks. We should be able to see fishermen which will be fishing in little boats or with nets from the shore, and will pass areas where small wooden ships are being repaired. We also plan to go ashore at Sonadia Island to see one of the fishing camps and should get to see the oxen after which the island is named (Mahisa is buffalo in the local language).

St. Martin’s Island and Chera Dwip are Bangladesh’s southernmost islands and are actually connected at low tide. These are the only coralline islands and as such have been protected with only limited access for many years.Turtles come to nest on the beaches, and the beach morning glories and palm trees give the impression of a South Sea island.We will go ashore to explore the small island(s) and depending on the tide intend to offer swimming and snorkelling.

Once Silver Discoverer’s has arrived in our first port in Myanmar –and shortly after the authorities have cleared the ship in- we will have a look at the capital of Myanmar’s Rakhine State and one of the most important ports along Myanmar’s Bay of Bengal coast. Visiting the capital, we hope to see the Shwezedi monastery, quite important in Myanmar’s modern history. Since Myanmar has recognized more than 135 ethnic groups and the Rakhine State Cultural Museum gives a good overview of this particular ethnic group. With our Zodiacs we intend to explore the Kalandan River during the afternoon. We intend to take the Zodiacs not only up the river, but into smaller channels and would like to see one of the local villages. Further inland the river forms the border between India and Myanmar.

With its 15 miles of white beaches, fringed by palm trees, Ngapali has attracted visitors who look for an unspoilt coast and simply want to relax.We will go ashore during the afternoon and it is yours to decide whether you want to unwind on the beach or perhaps do some exercise and hike in the nearby rainforest.

While Silver Discoverer sails along the coast of Ayeyarwady, one of Myanmar’s regions, our lecture staff will be on hand to offer a selection of informative and interesting talks and presentations.The Spa and Gym are other options to spend your time –and you can be pampered by our Bar and Restaurant Teams. The choice is yours. In the afternoon, our onboard Videographer/Photographer will present the Voyage-DVD,

Silver Discoverer will sail up the Yangon River, and will go alongside in the very heart of Yangon.Today we will see one of the largest reclining Buddha in the world at the Chaukhtatgyi Pagodaand will visit the world-famous 2,500-year-old Shwedagon Pagoda. The top of the stupa is said to be adorned with more than 5,400 diamonds and more than 2,300 rubies. So much gold and so many gold leafs have been applied to the pagoda over the centuries that it is estimated the stupa has more gold than the Republic of Myanmar has officially as gold reserves. Venerated as a symbol of architectural perfection the glittering golden stupa is considered the appearance of Gautama Buddha in the present world — certainly a highlight. To celebrate our arrival into Yangon and the end of our voyage, we will enjoy a very special evening ashore. At the end of our excursion we will be driven to the Karaweik Palace Restaurant where a myriad of Myanmar flavours along with a cultural presentation of Myanmar traditional music and dances will be another highlight of our voyage.

Following breakfast, disembark Silver Discoverer.

Expedition highlights and wildlife listed here are possible experiences only and cannot be guaranteed. Your Expedition Leader and Captain will work together to ensure opportunities for adventure and exploration are the best possible, taking into account the prevailing weather, wildlife activity and ice conditions. Expedition Team members scheduled for this voyage are subject to change or cancellation.