Dear Mr Strachan,

I have recently returned from a trip on RV Kalaw, from Bagan to Mandalay. As you ask for some feedback, here it is.

The ship is beautiful, well fitted-out and the shower/bathroom fittings are very up to date. All the wood and brass are cared for and everything gleams.

The crew are just magnificent. Purser Zaw made it his business to be sure everyone was being looked after, always with a smile. The "non-hotel" staff (i.e. the captain and his crew) didn't speak as much English as the "hotel" staff, but were nevertheless helpful and welcoming: we had a visit to the bridge when the echo sounder was in progress - one of the crew with his pole, calling off the marks. Everyone was kind and seemed happy to be of service, and this was most notable when we embarked or disembarked along the way. I made the mistake of asking to hold back on one return so that I could photograph behind the local pagoda, not realising that I would be keeping seven staff waiting to welcome me back on board. Most embarrassing!

I gather that our guide, San, was not a crew member but a freelance, but I urge you to keep his services as long as possible - he made the whole experience wonderful, was very knowledgeable and knew how to share that knowledge without overwhelming us. With a small group like ours (23 passengers) he took the trouble to let each of us do some of the things not on the programme: I particularly wanted to photograph sunrise in Bagan from a temple terrace, and he personally rose early to take me to a great spot.

I'm afraid I can't think of a single complaint about Pandaw, except that I had to leave and come home.

Best wishes
Margaret Berry

We spent an amazing week on the Mekong Pandaw. The crew were all amazing, well trained, polite, helpful, efficient. We couldn't fault them at all. The daily itinerary was announced at the end of Happy Hour and followed up by a written schedule left on our bed when the sheets were turned down. The daily trips were well planned, interesting and gave us an insight into the local life, especially with regard to the schools. The food was, to us, on a par wth 'fine dining'. We could not fault it at all.

Being a vegetarian can sometimes be a bit difficult. However the chef provided a variety of dishes during the week. In addition the staff remembered and I did not have to remind whoever was serving of the fact. Sadly I did not venture to the top deck for an early morning cup of tea. I was not comfortable going there in the 'dressing gown' provided so had to wait for breakfast for that first cuppa! It would have been nice to have had a tea/coffee station on each deck for that early morning drink. Something that could easily have been moved away when breakfast was served. I am sure this facility would be well received by otheres too.

Providing water refillable water bottles was to me a real plus and definitely better than using lots of disposable bottles. We were provide with an insulate bag to carry the bottles but, sadly, these were on loan only when it would have been nice to keep it. Also by providing ear pieces and radio receivers was also a plus on trips, especially when the guide was leading the group which, for logisitic reasons, could only follow in single file. We were all able to hear what he had to say and he did not have to shout !!

From the minute we stepped foot on the boat, the send off on trips, the return to the boat from a trip when we wer greeted with a cold flannel, cold drink and someone to clean our shoes, to the final farewell we were so well looked after, the trip will be remembered for a long time to come.

Thank you Pandaw your trips are awesome.
Julie Evans

Recently my wife and I had the very pleasant experience of being part of the Pandaw river adventure aboard the RV Kha Byoo Pandaw down the Chindwin River. Our cruise started on 23 July, 2016 at Homalin and finished on 30 July 2016 at Monywa. We didn’t want it to end!

For sure we will be looking at undertaking further cruises with Pandaw in the future.

We would like to offer the following comments / suggestions;

Firstly we wish to truly thank the Pandaw organisation, the entire Kha Byoo crew, as well as our guide Ko Kyaw Soe Latt, for a very memorable experience. The food and overall service were absolutely second to none.

Although, due to obvious operational reasons, we didn’t have regular contact with all of the crew, we thought that two of the crew in particular, whom we did have regular contact with, were outstanding; they being waiter U Maing Htoo Lwin and sailor U Aung Win Naing.

All of the crew were very friendly, professional, and efficient and a credit to Pandaw; and we thought that the captain, U Zaw Zaw Oo, and crew handled the boat admirably.

Our guide, Ko Kyaw Soe Latt, although not a Pandaw employee, was tremendous and we have sent a separate email to him.

My wife and I lived in SE Asia for about 14 years and visited numerous villages during that time; however, surprising to us, one of our highlights of this Pandaw cruise were the village visits. We found the people to be very genuine, friendly, accommodating and welcoming to both passengers and Pandaw staff alike. The kids were simply delightful and it was very pleasing that virtually none of them asked for money, sweets etc. We can only hope that this mind-set can be sustained.

We normally try to give items such as text books, pens, balls, personal hygiene products etc and on this cruise, also as suggested by crew and our guide; most of the passengers presented such items to the kids.

Perhaps in the Pandaw information, such as the welcoming letter, it could be generally recommended that passengers should not promote begging by handing out money / sweets etc to the children; but instead to give books, pens, balls, personal hygiene products etc?

Barry & Barry McDiarmid