Kerala Backwaters

Kerala Backwaters Cruises

Kerala Backwaters

USA Today AwardWorld's Best River Cruise Suite 2023Conde Nast Traveler 2023TripAdvisor Travellers Choice 2026TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence

The Kerala backwaters are a network of lagoons and canals lying parallel to the Arabian Sea of the Malabar coast of Kerala state in south-western India. A network of lakes and rivers form a labyrinthine system with more than 900 km (560 mi) of waterways.

In the midst of this wondrous landscape there are a number of towns and cities with a culture unique to the backwaters. Whilst the Arabs brought Islam in the 7th century, Kerala, or Malabar as it was once known, had been visited by St Thomas the Apostle in 52AD and has had a strong Christian minority with many fine old churches, later embellished by the Portuguese in the 16th century. There is no shortage of impressive Hindu shrines.

The Kerala people are highly industrious, and artisanal workshops abound. Boatyards provide a fascinating insight into traditional craftmanship and one of the joys of exploring the backwaters is to see Keralan life at first hand.

Terns, kingfishers, darters and cormorants abound whilst otters and turtles can be spotted along the verdant banks lined by lush palm trees and leafy vegetation.

Kerelan cuisine is rich in fish and seafood and will be a feature of any expedition on the Kochi Pandaw.

Available

Expeditions

The Kerala Backwaters
Save up to 10% and No Single Supplement on selected dates

7 night backwater expedition

7 Nights
Kerala - Perumpalam - Kerala
RV Kerala Pandaw, RV Kochi Pandaw
Kerala Backwaters

From

USD 4,900.50

per person

Our Fleet In

Kerala Backwaters

The RV Kochi Pandaw Ship

RV Kochi Pandaw

Launched in November 2025, the ten cabin Kochi Pandaw has been specially designed for the backwaters of Kerala, whilst maintaining the much-love....

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The RV Kerala Pandaw Ship

RV Kerala Pandaw

Launching in December 2026, the ten cabin Kerala Pandaw has been specially designed for the backwaters of Kerala, whilst maintaining the much-lo....

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River Stops In

Kerala Backwaters

Bogale View

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 View

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 View

Cruising The Mekong

Continue up the Mekong with Burma on our left and Laos on our right.

Golden Triangle View

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 View

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 View

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 View

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 View

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 View

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 View

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 View

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 View

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 View

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 View

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 View

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 View

Patna

Patna is the capital and largest city of the state of Bihar in India.

Phnom Penh View

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 View

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) View

Rangoon (Yangon)

The largest city in Myanmar, Rangoon (Yangon) is a mix of cosmopolitan high-rises, stunning architecture and historical sights.

Saigon View

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 View

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 View

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 View

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 View

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

Recently enjoyed yet another set of adventures with Pandaw Cruises

Rollo & Barbara Kiek

My wife and I have recently enjoyed yet another set of adventures with Pandaw Cruises, in March 2016: a pre-cruise tour of Yunnan Province (LTC2), a Mekong China downstream cruise (CH-002), and a post-cruise tour of the Hill Tribes of Northern Thailand (LTTH1).

Firstly we want to congratulate your staff on surmounting a number of difficulties brought about by the low river level which prevented the RV Laos Pandaw vessel from travelling up to Jinghong. The arrangements made by Joost and staff to accommodate us in the Empark Grand Hotel, to organise excursions in and around Jinghong, and to secure vessels to transport us downstream to the Laos Pandaw, were remarkable and compensated for our disappointment in not joining the Laos Pandaw in Jinghong.

The pre-cruise tour of Yunnan Province beginning in Kunming and concluding with a flight from Lijiang was wonderful. Guides, drivers, busses, hotels, and itinerary were all excellent.

When we arrived in Jinghong we were surprised to find that we would be staying there for some time. We guessed that it was the low river level of the upper Mekong that was the problem. How we were to get to the RV Laos Pandaw was a mystery. Those in our party of 18 who were seasoned travellers with Pandaw accepted the situation and enjoyed our time in Jinghong, especially the spectacular cultural show at the theatre one night. We also enjoyed shopping at the night markets. You can imagine our delight when, on day 3 in Jinghong, Joost explained that he had arranged two boats to take us down-river from Jinghong to meet the RV Laos Pandaw the next day. That trip was fascinating, and a marvel of organisation. We suppose the hiring of these boats would have cost Pandaw considerable sums of money, but we would recommend these modes of transport be incorporated in future Upper Mekong cruises if similar river level problems beset the RV Laos Pandaw. The second vessel, equipped with furniture from the RV Laos Pandaw, plus a Pandaw cook, whilst not a luxury craft, provided us with an adventure we won't easily forget. And we saw all the river we were supposed to see in the original itinerary.

Once aboard the Laos Pandaw we all enjoyed the usual attention to our needs which your Company provides, and had a lovely 4 days on the river, with interesting excursions.

Barbara and I much appreciated the efforts of the cruise director on RV Laos Pandaw to rescue our photographs by means of his computer and his purchase of a memory stick for us.

The post-cruise tour of the HillTribes of northern Thailand with "Nun" as our guide was great. Some adventures such as the bamboo rafting on the Kok River, and the following elephant safari, would have been daunting for people less able than we were.

Yours sincerely,
Rollo and Barbara Kiek. Victoria, Australia.

I can only say that it was a fantastic, informative, memorable and enjoyable adventure

Susan and David Burgess

Trying to get a 5 photo flavour of this amazing trip, from my 600, was impossible! I can only say that it was a fantastic, informative, memorable and enjoyable adventure that I would recommend to anyone with an interest in history, culture and new experiences. Oh yes, in friendly, cared-for comfort as well!

Susan and David Burgess Classic Mekong river cruise

The guides, crew and boat were all excellent.

Thank you Pandaw.
Susan and David Burgess

I hope I've wet the appetite of my friends to take one of your cruises

Jeanette Forrest and Carl Brook

Our upstream cruise starting on the 19th Nov, only got better as we went along. My partner, Jeannie and I thoroughly enjoyed every day and evening.

The crew on board were terrific, always there to help and sometimes just before I needed help (I'm 84), nothing and I really mean that, nothing was too much trouble and of course a big smile to go along with it. The weather for the whole trip was perfect, how did you do that?

I hope I've wet the appetite of my friends to take one of your cruises.

Thanking you all

Latest Story

From Our Travel Blog

A Photo Essay of the Kerala Backwaters by David Dennis

A Photo Essay of the Kerala Backwaters by David Dennis

David Dennis is a professional photographer specialising in capturing places and people. Originally from Belgium, he studied photography and fil....

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Climate in

Kerala Backwaters

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Kerala Backwaters Climate Chart

Plan your journey with our detailed climate information for Kerala Backwaters.Best travel times and weather patterns to help you prepare.

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