Halong Bay & The Red River Cruises
Halong Bay & The Red River
Halong Bay & The Red River Cruises
Halong Bay & The Red River
The Song Hong or Red River rises deep in the Yunnan mountains of south-west China to flow 714 miles (1,149km) across Northern Vietnam to discharge into the Gulf of Tonkin. It is an ancient trade route and was the route by which French explorers in the 19th century penetrated Yunnan, eventually reaching Kunming. Hanoi, capital of Vietnam straddles the river and close to its mouth lies Halong Bay, with its dramatic scenery.
Using the Angkor Pandaw in 2015 we set up a remarkable Halong Bay cruise. Connecting Halong Bay through various canals and tributaries to join up with the Red River and to continue upstream to mountainous areas beyond Viet Tri and up the Lo River, one of the main tributaries. There can be no better way to explore Northern Vietnam.
Available
Expeditions
Discover the best of Northern Vietnam
From
USD 4,455
per person
Discover the best of Northern Vietnam
From
USD 4,455
per person
Our Fleet In
Halong Bay & The Red River
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 insi....
View DetailsRiver Stops In
Halong Bay & The Red River
Bogale
Bogale is a small city located in the Bogale Township, Ayeyarwady Region, Myanmar. It is located on the southwestern part of Myanmar/Burma on the mainland section of the country.
Chandernagore
Chandannagar was established as a French colony in 1673, when the French obtained permission from Ibrahim Khan, the Nawab of Bengal, to establish a trading post on the right bank...
Cruising The Mekong
Continue up the Mekong with Burma on our left and Laos on our right.
Golden Triangle
The Golden Triangle remains a favourite amongst travellers. This joining point between the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar is located in the North Thailand province of...
Guwahati
If you are taking one of our Brahmaputra River Cruises , one place you should definitely consider stopping at is Guwahati. This is a large city in India, in the state of Assam.
Kalna
Kalna, a city and a municipality in Purba Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal is located right by the river Hooghly (or ‘lower Ganges’) meaning there’s plenty of...
Kaziranga National Park
A UNESCO accredited site, the Kaziranga National Park is located in the Nagaon and Golaghat districts of Assam in India and a stop on our Brahmaputra river cruises .
Kolkata
Kolkata is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, and you’ll definitely want to make the most of it you’re seeking to see every side of what India has to offer.
Kuang Si Waterfalls
Also known as the Tat Kuang Si Waterfalls and Kuang Xi, Kuang Si Falls is a breathtaking three-tier waterfall that is adored by every tourist that visits each year and is a...
Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang is a beautiful town in Laos and a favourite amongst travellers. It lies where the Mekong and the Nam Khan rivers meet, and it's a stop for several of our Mekong...
Maubin
A town in the Ayeyarwady Division in south-west Burma, Maubin (also known as Ma-ubin) is an incredible place to visit. Known for its growing communication and transportation...
Mayapur
One of the best things about taking a river cruise is the fact that you get to experience many amazing places during one trip. This is something you can expect with one of our...
Murshidabad
Murshidabad is a city in Murshidabad district of West Bengal state in India. The city of Murshidabad is located on the southern bank of the Bhagirathi, a tributary of the Ganges...
Myaungmya
When boarding a Pandaw River Cruise, you can be prepared to visit some of the most beautiful places in Asia. One of those incredible places is Myaungmya.
Pak Beng
Sitting midway between Luang Prabang and Huay Xai lays Pakbeng on the Mekong. The river used to be the one major route for transport in the country, and over the years, Pakbeng...
Patna
Patna is the capital and largest city of the state of Bihar in India.
Phnom Penh
One thing that so many people love about going on a river cruise is that they get the opportunity to explore places they otherwise wouldn’t.
Pyapon
On one of our Irrawaddy Delta cruises , you can experience the small town of Pyapon on the Pyapon River, a tributary of the Irrawaddy Delta.
Rangoon (Yangon)
The largest city in Myanmar, Rangoon (Yangon) is a mix of cosmopolitan high-rises, stunning architecture and historical sights.
Saigon
Saigon is one of the key cities in Vietnam, and it’s probably a place many people find the time to visit when they’re making the most of a Mekong River Cruise .
Siem Reap
With unparalleled views of the Angkor monuments, Siem Reap has become increasingly popular in recent years. Known as the gateway to the ruins of Angkor, Siem Reap is now one of...
Varanasi
India, one of the oldest civilisations on the planet. Within its 29 states and 7 union territories, you’ll find an extraordinary variety of cultures, cuisines, arts politics and...
Vientiane
Vientiane is the capital city of Laos and a popular stop-off on our Mekong River cruises , thanks to the numerous attractions to be found in this ancient, charming and bustling...
Wakema
In the Ayeyarwaddy Division of south-west Myanmar lies the idyllic town of Wakema. A small yet bustling town surrounded by awe-inspiring greenery and wildlife, it is known as a...
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From Our Travellers
Feedback
Thanks for another great cruise/holiday with the Pandaw Family
Narelle Richards and Martin Peelgrane
Just want to say "Thanks for another great cruise/holiday with the Pandaw Family". Have done an Irrawaddy Cruise - September 2015 and now have experienced another great holiday on the Red River - Ha Long Bay.
Both cruises had differences and could not fault this cruise that we have just experienced. I went with my family and friends and they have never done a Pandaw cruise and it met their expectations too.
Just speaking for myself and Martin (and the others, being their first Pandaw experience), that we do like Pandaw and their offshore excursions into villages where there are not many or any other tourists. Another thing Pandaw did was interactive excursions, where they gave you 20,000 Dong and five Vietnamese words and we as a group of six people had to go through the market and speak Viet and buy fruit and vegetables and not spend all the money and the least spent the better. What fun. We got bananas instead of garlic! We got the other items right. The Village people loved it too. Lots of laughing. Martin, Anita and Greg went push bike riding on one of the tours and we others walked into the village. Dang the Barman, was an inspiration to Pandaw as he made great cocktails, has a great sense of humour and his English improved enormously by the end of the cruise by interacting with the Pandaw Family. Even a beach cocktail party and dancing on the last night was great fun and made it hard to leave the Pandaw Family.
The crew family on Pandaw were delightful once again, especially Monerak, Chui and Tam our housekeeper - but all the Pandaw family were exceptional.
Look forward to doing another cruise with Pandaw. Maybe the Mergui Archipelago next time.
Cheers
Narelle Richards
The crew on Pandaw II were easily the best we have encountered on any cruise
Robert and Rosemary Matheson
My husband and I have just returned from the Irrawaddy cruise, Yangon to Mandalay, aboard RV Pandaw II. We have been fortunate enough to do a number of river cruises and this cruise was up there with the best.
The crew on Pandaw II were easily the best we have encountered on any cruise. All crew, from Captain, Purser, dining staff, housekeeping to the sailors, were friendly, well mannered, attentive and had the biggest smiles on “their dials”. Nothing was too much trouble. We were impressed with the way they all assisted each other and we enjoyed having them accompany us on the shore excursions. As all crew were excellent; we are loathe to name individuals, but would like to make special mention of Tun, the dining room manager. He is exceptional with his customer service, his anticipation of passenger requirements and his concern for all passengers with a never ceasing smile. He obviously sets the standard for the other crew under his supervison, showing his excellent leadership qualities.
The food on the cruise was excellent, with something for all tastes. Thank you to chef and his staff.
Other than the staff on Pandaw II, the other highlight of this cruise was the beautiful Burmese people, especially those in the small villages. It was so nice to walk around these villages to see all the smiles on the faces of the locals, especially the children. They are unspoilt by tourism and we applaud Pandaw for requesting passengers not to hand out gifts or lollies to the children. We felt like pied pipers in these villages, with all the children following us but expecting nothing from us.
Patrick, our guide, was excellent with great knowledge and sense of humour.
Thank you to all crew for making our holiday so special.
Stephen Read's blog about the RV Mekong Pandaw
Stephen Read
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