After their major bet on the Thilawa special economic zone south of Yangon, Japanese contractors have plans to deepen the Yangon River's estuary so that cargo ships can sail directly up to the city's shores and offload more containers of cars that are already being briskly snapped up at busy dealerships.

CNN: From Burma to Myanmar: Land of rising expectations

The 10-day tour, limited to 18 travellers, begins in Yangon and includes visits to Inle Lake and a boat trip on the Irrawaddy River to Mandalay, along with cooking lessons in a private home and a visit to the pagodas in Bagan.

BBC: Openings: London, Vietnam, S?o Paulo, Burma