TOUR DESK: Pick of this week’s tour offers

Seadream splits Myanmar voyages

Seadream Yacht Club, which is making two 13-day sailings to Myanmar with its mega motor-cruiser SeaDream II later this year, will split both sailings and also offer them as alternative 6- or 7-day itineraries beginning or ending in Myanmar’s capital Yangon (formerly Rangoon.)

SeaDream CEO Pamela Conover said: “While keeping the original 13-day sailings that each include two nights in Yangon, we’re also now offering the shorter options as well for those who don’t have two or more weeks of holidaying time available to them, but who really want to visit Myanmar.”

The now 13-, 7- and 6-day voyages in November and December this year will also visit lesser-known islands and ports in Malaysia or Thailand, or both.

Deep friend spiders, anyone?

Bangkok-based Khiri Travel has launched seven urban and rural walking and cycling trips in Southeast Asia.

The Phnom Penh walking tour lets guests sample assorted street stall noodles, sweetmeats and delicacies including apaing — deep-fried spiders.

The Phuket Old Town walking tour brings alive the Chinese clan heritage of the former tin mining island. The highlight is bijou Soi Romanee lane where guests can get a haircut in an old barbershop.

The Yangon Heritage Walk celebrates the city with the largest number of extant colonial buildings in southeast Asia.

Bicycle riders have three choices: Cycling the Plain of Jars in Laos, Bicycling Bagan Without Temples (a trip across the Irrawaddy River to new Bagan), and Ben Tre in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, which celebrates family traditions across three generations of a rural household and lets clients participate in an ancestral death ceremony.

A two-day insight into the Karen mountain people (with overnight in the village) includes a bamboo raft ride, forest hike, gathering vegetables in the garden and food preparation. The setting is in Huay Khao Lip mountain area, a 90-minute drive from Chiang Mai.

Conrad Bali launches organic chocolate tours

The culinary adventure kicks off with a suitably retro flavour, with transportation in an open top renovated iconic VW Safari to POD Chocolate for a tour of the hillside farm, accompanied by a knowledgeable master chocolatier.

Guests are then guided through the entire chocolate making journey starting with identifying the tiny and beautiful cacao flower through to the steps of growing the pods, picking, fermenting and drying the beans before returning to the chocolate factory itself to roll up their sleeves and learn how to make the world’s most loved product.

Bentours on the Volga

Scandinavia and Russia specialist Bentours is offering discounted rates on its 2014 Volga Explorer Russian river cruise.

The 11-day cruise which traverses the Volga River, takes in Moscow’s majestic architecture, the splendour of St Petersburg as well as Russia’s quaint villages and ancient towns along the way. Passengers will discover Russia’s finest fortresses, palaces, monasteries and museums.

Departing from Moscow, passengers on the 11-day cruise highlights include the Moscow Circus, guided walks through ancient towns and villages that are home to impressive cathedrals and monasteries, an outdoor folklore show, St Petersburg’s grand boulevards, canals and architecture, plus the Hermitage Museum.

Packages start from A$1567 per person twin share and include 10 nights on board the ship, 10 breakfasts, nine lunches and 10 dinners, as well as daily entertainment.