Good morning. We have recently returned to Australia after travelling on the Champa Pandaw on the upper Mekong through Laos (our second Pandaw trip). It was fabulous. There is nothing to say other than positives about the staff, the food, the ship and the experience generally.

Our guide Vieng was great - knowledgeable and very approachable. Our barman Htike Htike and our dining room "waiter" Suy were two of the nicest people you could meet, always on the ball, never without a smile on their face and hard working. Although we thanked them I would love if you could also pass on our great appreciation.

I have loved both of the trips and hope I am able to go on another, although having just retired it may be now a luxury! Having said that, it is great that everything is included. The members' package is a fabulous idea and we certainly made use of it and appreciated the discounts etc.

So once again, many thanks.
Regards Janette Grierson and John Storen

Having now been back a week from Myanmar and shared my experiences with friends. I must write to thank you for a truly memorable holiday on RV Pandaw 2.

We were 17 Swiss German, 3 Canadians and 16 British, all mixing happily I shared a cabin with another widow, the first time we had holidayed together and we thoroughly enjoyed the time with so much laid on for our pleasure and comfort. At 80 we hoped we were spry for climbing "steep river banks" as warned and of course nothing could have been easier with all of us, men and women, being passed from hand to hand by the crew.

I have filled in Pandaw's questionnaire and everything was marked excellent.

One of my favourite moments was returning to the boat and being greeted with "Welcome home”, generally by the Purser Aung Aung Oo, who was always overseeing his staff quietly and expertly but his example was followed by the crew in their smiling welcome home too.

The attention to detail was amazing. In the dining room our napkins were folded differently each time, a candle, a rabbit, a soup spoon man and many others. The tables were always laid with cutlery handles in a straight row on the edge of the table and the crest always at the top of the china. The waiters were very attentive and were on hand with other members of the crew around the boat to do things for us before we were aware of our need.

It wasn't difficult to love the Burmese people with their polite quiet ways, their humour, their warmth and kindness. Out and about we appreciated them and being able to converse a little with them.

The expeditions were varied and interesting and my only adverse comment is that Yan our young guide had not learned to wait till all of us were within earshot before he started talking. As a former guide I know one cannot always wait for very slow people , but we all kept up well with a steady walk!

We enjoyed the story of The Irrawaddy Flotilla Company on film and "The Lady" on two nights. The puppets, the dancing and most especially the extraordinary trouble the crew went to on the penultimate night with their taking all the chairs and little tables, music, fire, lights and Chinese lanterns on to the sand and just for an hour before dinner.

The food was delicious, the boat beautifully looked after and we were sad to say goodbye to the staff who had become such friends.

Thank you for a very special experience.

Yours sincerely
Judy Coates

My husband and I had the most memorable trip cruising the Irrawaddy on the Kindat Pandaw. Our accommodations were luxuriously comfortable, the food inventive and fabulous, the staff kind and attentive. But it is the memory of the glorious and graceful movement of the boat steaming through the wide muddy waters, Shan hills in the background, rice paddies dotting the shores, gleaming golden and white pagodas and stupas nestled high and low along the banks, that I carry with me each day. It was a phenomenal introduction to the beautiful country of Myanmar. We are anxious to take another adventure on the Pandaw fleet! Robyn Waters, Excelsior, MN.

Kind regards,
Robyn Waters