Pandaw Cruises Ships

Pandaw came into existence in 1998 with a unique concept and style of river cruising. The Pandaw experience includes exploring hard-to-navigate rivers with custom-made luxurious small ships. The ships are handcrafted in brass and teak, giving a different feel as compared to going on an ocean cruise. Pandaw cruises are family-friendly and offer a lot of activities to be done. For dining, guests can choose either the deck or the dining room and most of the drinks are included in the price of the ticket. Pandaw ships offer unforgettable moments of tranquility along with giving a feel of cultural richness and showcasing stunning scenery.

RV Angkor Pandaw

Sister to the Katha and from the same yard delivered in 2013, the only difference with the Katha is an enclosed air conditioned dining room insisted on by an American charterer. Originally on the Mekong in 2015 cruise transferred her to the Red River in North Vietnam. In fact the enclosed dining room has proved useful as it can be cold up there in winter. The ship has quality mountain bikes for your independent exploration.

RV Bassac Pandaw

RV Bassac Pandaw was built in 2012 in Saigon and can accommodate up to 60 passengers. The ship has 2 upper deck premium suites, panoramic French windows, imported quality linens, premium mattresses, generous closet space and under-bed storage. For excursions, bottled drinking water, cold towel service, refreshing drink and first-aid trained assistant guide would be provided. For wining & dining, there would be semi-buffet breakfast, semi-buffet lunch, seated theme dinners, extensive wine list with premium wines and spacious, air-conditioned saloon bar with nightly entertainment.

RV Champa Pandaw

The Champa Pandaw, sister ship of the Laos Pandaw, began cruises on the Upper Mekong from September 2016. The ship has quality mountain bikes for your independent exploration.

RV Indochina Pandaw

RV Indochina Pandaw was built in 2009 in Saigon and can accommodate up to 60 passengers. There are 20 upper deck and 10 main deck staterooms. Other amenities onboard include central AC with individual control, premium mattresses, imported quality linens, generous closet space and under-bed storage. For excursions, bottled drinking water, cold towel service, refreshing drink and first-aid trained assistant guide are provided. For safety & security, there is fire alarm system in all cabins, public areas and back areas.

RV Kalaw Pandaw

Sister to the Kindat and identical in design the Kalaw was launched with her in 2014 Kalaw is named after the PS Kalaw launched in 1917 and sunk in 1942 in the War. Paul Strachan witnessed the salvaging of the Kalaw in 1998 and managed to acquire her name plate and bell, the former of which has been reused on her namesake. Again this ultra light ship combines one of the shallowest drafts on the river with one of the highest passenger space ratios afloat. The ship has quality mountain bikes for your independent exploration.

RV Katha Pandaw

This was a radical new design, based on the old K class used in Burma from the 1880s on. This ship is the third Katha to run on the Irrawaddy. The first was built at Dalla in 1887 but lost on the Chindwin in 1889. The second was built by Denny of Dumbarton in 1904 and decommissioned in 1937 and the third was built by cruise line in Vietnam in 2012. With only two decks these smaller K class ships have lower air draft so can get under bridges and supposedly a shallower draft, though in fact the Vietnam ship yards were not as successful in achieving this as the Burmese yards and later Burmese-built K class ships achieved remarkable reductions in draft. Refitted for expedition sailings in India from September 2019, Cruise have reduced the number of staterooms from sixteen to fourteen to create an enlarged indoor saloon / dining area as winter cruising in India can be chilly first thing. The ship has quality mountain bikes for your independent exploration.

RV Kindat Pandaw

The original Kindat was built in 1886 by Yarrows in London and sank in 1920. She was named after a small Upper Chindwin town. Following experiments with the Katha and Angkor Pandaws, in this build cruise perfected this concept of a two deck shallow draft vessel and repeated the formula again with her sister the Kalaw. Cruise managed to produce in 2014 was a very shallow draft vessel that could go just about anywhere anytime that was big enough to carry 30-40 passengers with lots of outdoor deck space. Did it by reducing weight and stripping both hull and superstructure down to the bare essentials. Then later found with the experimental Katha that about half passengers want to eat outside and the other half inside so created a flexible bistro space offering passenger indoor or outdoor dining depending on inclination, often prompted by the season. This makes for a very happy ship! The ship has quality mountain bikes for your independent exploration.

RV Laos Pandaw

Seeing the quality of this ship it is hard to believe it was built in a hurry. There are no proper ship yards above the Khone Falls. By January 2015 cruise were taking bookings and selling out for November but still had no ship. Paul Strachan in a panic flew to Vientiane and took a taxi down to the river bank and boarded the first cargo ship cruise saw, a 40 meter barge used to carry heavy loads of cement and rice up to China. She had two 400hp truck engines and was just the thing for tackling the terrifying fast flow of the Upper Mekong .The captain was the owner and agreed terms with Paul. The owner agreed to stay on as skipper and is still there. He immediately took her up to the Golden Triangle, a week�s sail away. The Golden Triangle is where Burma, Laos and Thailand meet and was the perfect place to convert the ship. The build team came over from Mandalay, a two-day bus journey across the Shan mountains. They made a camp on the Burma river bank opposite where she lay on the Laos. Cruise hired a house on the Thai side to act as an office and could source material and supplies from Thailand. Amazingly had the ten cabin ship finished on time for the maiden voyage on the 1st November 2015. Actually it was the first time it have actually had the ship finished on time! Normally there are still sparks flying as the first passengers come on board. The ship has quality mountain bikes for your independent exploration.

RV Mekong Pandaw

Built in Rangoon in 2002 she was sailed round to Saigon under her own power and many a drama described in Paul Strachan�s Pandaw Story. This ship was designed specially for the Mekong and unlike other P class ships does not have a flying bridge. The reason was so she could get under a road bridge. She did actually scrape under on her maiden but it was so scary that Paul Strachan, then standing on the bridge, never dared attempt it again. As a result, ended up with this incredible 750 square meter teak deck that even has a full size billiard table. The MP as she is affectionately known is most spacious ship with wider promenades, a larger dining hall and more public space per passenger than any known ship afloat. Seriously! In 2012 she was refitted and lower deck cabins removed in favor of a professional spa, gym, library lounge and office. She is quite justifiably the most splendid ship on the Mekong and the envy of anything that floats by. The ship has quality mountain bikes for your independent exploration. For 2021, the RV Mekong was refurbished to add 2 brand new suites, offering private balcony and lounge area for even more space and comfort on your expedition.

RV Sabaidee Pandaw

The Sabaidee will have just fourteen classic Pandaw staterooms; 8 on the main deck and 6 on the upper deck as well as an open plan saloon with flexible indoor or outdoor dining. The Sabaidee will be handcrafted to Pandaw’s usual level of excellence in teak and brass and provide all the comforts of the personalized service the guests expect.

RV Tonle Pandaw

Modelled on Pandaw II and originally called Pandaw III, the Tonle saw a year�s service in Burma in 2002/3 before being sent under tug-tow to the Mekong where she has done continuous service between Saigon and Kampong Cham ever since. With her gorgeous upper deck saloon, observation decks and formal dining room this ship is an old favorite and has a rich ambience. In 2013 she was fully refitted and the number of cabins reduced to just twenty-eight in order to create a professional spa and library on the lower deck. She is not a small ship but despite her size she has a shallow draft and can usually get up river into low water areas when other vessels are stuck well below. The ship has quality mountain bikes for your independent exploration. For 2021, the RV Tonle was refurbished to add 2 brand new suites, offering private balcony and lounge area for even more space and comfort on your expedition.

Vista

Step aboard Vista and you�ll discover a dramatic new way of seeing the world. Vista invites you to savor the journey on a ship whose captivating beauty and stylish design evoke the wonders you�ll discover ashore. Stunning interiors and harmonious spaces reflect a fresh, new perspective through organic elements inspired by the land and sea. Sail to fascinating destinations in faraway lands while enjoying The Finest Cuisine at Sea� and personalized service that distinguish every ship in the fleet along with several unique firsts in the realms of dining, accommodations and guest experience.