Passenger Feedback

My husband and I travelled downstream on the Mekong Pandaw, departing Siem Reap on 12 November.

As soon as we stepped on board we both felt the best part of the cruise was going to be the vessel. However, we were not quite correct, because the crew and the service we received were exceptional as well. The Mekong Pandaw is the real lady of the Mekong and even when we passed other Pandaw ships from time to time, we were happy that she was ours!

The food service was fabulous with a wide choice of both Asian and western dishes, and the wine package turned out to be such a good idea that we would recommend it to others. Our fellow guests were from the UK, Canada, Germany, Australia and a small group of Americans joined the ship at Phnom Penh. The sun deck, which stretched the entire length of the ship was a wonderful place to relax, catch a cool breeze and enjoy a pre-dinner drink (and an after dinner one as well).

Pandaw provided one Cambodian guide, Som, and two Vietnamese guides, Wang and Giang and the changeover took place when we crossed the border into Vietnam. They were all excellent guides who imparted a great deal of knowledge about their respective countries and made us feel that our visit to their part of the world was appreciated, especially in Cambodia where the tourist dollar certainly assists some of the local people. The excursions were interesting, fun and quite different, and usually happened twice a day. The ability of the ship to dock right on the shore and put down a gangplank was a terrific way to start any excursion.

We can't speak highly enough of the crew, most of whom seemed to multi-task! The shoe cleaning, cold towel, hand sanitiser and welcome back drinks after each excursion were great, and at night in the dining room and at the bar their friendly faces made dining a pleasure. The local entertainment on board, especially the children's performances, were very enthusiastic.

Last but not least, our beautiful cabin which was spotlessly clean, became a little oasis where we could cool down, have a lovely hot shower, and at the end of the day provided us with a wonderful soft bed to collapse into - being a tourist is hard work. A note here; there is a handy cupboard under the bed for your suitcase, and the dimensions of our bags were 65 x 45 x 25 cm and they fit quite well, but any case much larger would have a problem being stowed.

Well done Pandaw - we would highly recommend this voyage to any traveller as the best river cruise to get a true feel for luxury and adventure - what more could you ask for.

Neville & Jill Pinkham
Sydney, Australia

This was the third trip, having previously enjoyed seeing Cambodia/Vietnam and Burma with Pandaw. As before all components of our travel were very well taken care of; just so you feel at home.

We were impressed by how the Captain steered the big boat between the rocks and strong currents with great skill. I had a sore back for a few days, but the staff quickly gave me ointment for my sciatica and I recovered in a day. The little downside on this trip was that they were apparently short of an extra guide, which made it a bit brief on information during some excursions. We thoroughly recommend the Pre-Cruise Extensions to Plain of Jars as it is a fantastic tour and it was very interesting.

We have provided three images, one from the Plain of Jars, sister ships Champa and Laos Pandaw moored together and the other of misty mountains near Pak ou Buddha caves. To photograph it was unfortunately a bit rainy and foggy at times.

Best Regards
Hans and Brita Nauman
Sweden

I just wanted to commend the extraordinary crew of the Kha Byoo during our 10-day trip from 7th October to the upper reaches of the Irrawaddy and the town of Katha, home to George Orwell.

This was my third trip to Burma and my second trip with Pandaw - I am a believer! The boats, the staff, the food, the destination - all absolute perfection. I would particularly like to thank Tun Tun Lin our Purser, Saw Yan Naing (Mai) our bartender/waiter and Kaung Htet (waiter) and Han Shwe Mint (waiter). They are a dream team and clearly enjoy working together - this is reflected in just how well they look after their guests. The chef was outstanding and the food magnificent.

There aren't enough superlatives to describe this marvellous trip. Thank you Pandaw!

I hope to be back onboard soon.
Virginia Sanden

The service was fantastic, beyond that the whole crew & staff showed an honest concern for all of us with a genuine smile at all times. Food was 5 star, 3 choices of entrees, lunch and dinner and a buffet breakfast with cooked menu to choose from. The drinks were good; free beer, local whisky, & soft drinks. Good wine & imported spirits for purchase at any time. The cabins were cleaned & beds changed daily. Shower was very good. Another 5 star!

Daily visits to villages, markets and schools, with our English-speaking guide… a real cultural experience, quite amazing. The scenery, photo opportunities & geography added to the overall experience. After 45 years of international travel, this was by far our best trip, fantastic from start to finish and not one negative. The crew & staff, the food & drinks, the culture, the boat, etc., makes this a must do regardless of your age.

Thank you Pandaw.
Ewa & Robert Ringgenberg Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

I would like to thank Pandaw for the most amazing memories in the stunning countries of Vietnam and Cambodia. These countries were always on the top of my list and having the opportunity to see them on board a Pandaw ship made the experience even more extraordinary.

The journey itself was magical, experiencing the local villages and being amongst the locals was very special.

The service on the vessel was flawless. The staff go above and beyond to make you feel welcome and comfortable, their attention to details is fantastic; they learn your name, cabin number and even little preferences in just a couple of hours. The food was delicious and the cabin very beautiful and comfortable.

Thank you so much for some great pictures and very special memories.

Camilla

The Irrawaddy River flows through Myanmar from north to south for a distance of some 2170 km (1348 mi). It is the country’s most important waterway and one of the world’s great rivers. It is wide, shallow, and treacherous to navigate. It is also “The Road to Mandalay,” an epithet bestowed by Rudyard Kipling, poet and noted mad Englishman. At one time The Irrawaddy Flotilla Company (IFC) operated several hundred vessels on the river, the largest fleet of riverboats in the world. Many of these came from Scotland, where they were built, then disassembled and shipped to Burma (a riverboat with a three-foot draft is not meant for the open sea), and subsequently reassembled in Rangoon. The fleet moved freight, primarily natural resources from the north and manufactured goods from the south, as well as passengers intent on business and tourism. Sadly, the flotilla was largely scuttled in 1943 in order to keep the boats out of the hands of the Japanese army. But the river, and commerce, flowed on.

Since A.J. and I had never been on a river excursion, we decided to take a cruise on the mighty Irrawaddy to see Mandalay and Bagan. It was pretty epic. We were joined by our friend H, who has visited us twice before in exotic locales.

We spent seven nights aboard a faithful reproduction of the IFC P.S. (Packet Steamer) Kalaw, a well-appointed and very comfortable boat. Passengers came and went and we averaged a small but convivial company of 14 along with a crew compliment of about the same. The staff could not have been nicer, and both our Purser and Tour Guide kept us well informed and squared away. That said, cue the highlight reel.

Architecture - A few definitions are in order. Temple: A place of worship for the followers of Buddhism. (Always remove your shoes.) Pagoda: Buddhist temple, typically in the form of a multi-tiered tower. Stupa: A dome-shaped structure erected as a Buddhist shrine. (One cannot actually enter a stupa.) In central Myanmar, these structures number in the thousands and we visited a slew of them in Mandalay, Mingun, Sagaing, Innwa (home of the world famous U Bein footbridge), Pakokku, and especially...

Bagan - A 42 sq km World Heritage Site and home to roughly 3,000 monuments, some of which, having recently suffered earthquake damage, are wreathed in elaborate bamboo scaffolding while being repaired. Bagan is an Angkor Wat-caliber tourist destination and is lousy with gringos, especially at sunset. But it is worth the hassle. Seriously, check out the photos.

Commerce - We visited two pottery villages (glazed and terracotta), a stone carver’s street, a goldsmith shop, a cheroot factory, a silk weaving workshop, and several local markets. And, as part of the price of admission, we were besieged by hawkers and hustled, sometimes successfully, at every turn.

Pandaw, the cruise ship company, supports a number of schools in the area. We visited a couple of them as well as a The Mingun Buddhist Home for the Aged. Donate some money, make some merit. That’s the deal.

Transport - Besides the Kalaw (which stranded on a sandbar only once), we got about by bus, truck, ferry, tuk-tuk (a rickshaw pulled by a motorbike), rowboat, and horse cart (less fun than you might imagine).

Shipboard Life - In addition to three squares a day (the food was outstanding), we also were treated to a variety of presentations, including: lectures on Burmese customs and history; cooking, dressing, and make-up demonstrations; Burmese dance and puppet shows; and movies. Oh yes, and cocktail hour every evening before dinner. Very civilized!

The River - But as wonderful as the sightseeing and other activities were, what Anne and I enjoyed most was sitting on deck while the Kalaw was underway, catching the breeze, and watching scenes, some of which would have been familiar a century ago, flow by. We felt like we too had played our small part in the story of the Irrawaddy.

Onward.
Rodger

I just wanted to say how much we enjoyed the cruise, the food, the cocktails and the company of our fellow travellers and the staff.

We enjoyed the excursions, which were well designed and not too long, given the heat on some days. Just right! The visit to the school was amazing and the children joined in enthusiastically.

Wishing everyone at Pandaw a Happy New Year.

Vivienne Bourke

As a small group of seven, we have just returned from The Christmas Laos Cruise on the RV Laos Pandaw – this was a fabulous cruise, a real highlight and totally different to the lower Mekong.

It was wild, turbulent, beautiful and interesting as we swirled our way through the numerous low water rocky gates along the river between Vientiane and Luang Prabang – This is a must do cruise before it’s spoiled by the planned dams on the river. The food was both interesting and ample and Christmas was celebrated in style on Christmas Eve with a stop on Christmas Day to have a celebratory swim in the Mekong. Thank you Captain Phan all the crew for a very exciting yet restful Christmas Cruise!

I was one of Stuart's lucky passengers on the above cruise. This was the best all round cruise/trip I have ever had. Being the oldest on board, I was especially grateful to all members of the crew who provided a willing strong arm when needed to get up newly cut steps on river banks. They did this with respect and care, knowing I could manage once past the obvious difficulty.

I loved the great variety of exploration provided each day, and the spontaneous surprises when opportunities arose. The food was superb. I did not know what to expect when I read that the boat had its own bakery - the "French" type was addictive! I also was worried, needlessly, about chilli in most Asian foods which I can't tolerate but plenty of alternatives were provided.

As you can see I loved every minute and wish more people knew about it.

Cheers
Elizabeth (Betty) Geldard

The Mekong Classic over Christmas was our first cruise experience of any kind after many years of independent travel and what a way to start. From the moment we stepped onboard the Mekong Pandaw we knew this would be a special adventure. The service and friendliness of the staff was sensational. From the start of the day when Kiri would provide an early riser's tea on the sun deck to watch the sunrise through to the evening meal and entertainment our every wish was catered for. The Mekong was a unique experience, made even better by the special features and character of the ship and fabulous crew.

Many thanks Paul and the Pandaw team for our introduction to river cruises and a special thanks to our Purser Bunthoeun who had a perfect presence and sense of humour.

A memorable experience
Andrew and Katrina