Passenger Feedback

Hi Paul,

We recently took the Golden Land cruise - I think the last one for the year. It was absolutely brilliant. We have been in the tourism industry for over 40 years and know how hard it is deliver great product. Well done. Your staff are fantastically trained and especially impressive with their ability and willingness to react to customer needs as and when required. This is one of the hardest service cultures to build in a team. Well done.

I know there is a lot of competition on the river now but the authenticity of your product and the warmth and professionalism with which it is delivered are great points of difference.

All the best
Janet and Alan Collingwood

Hi Angie

I'm back safe and sound from my Burmese adventure, and just wanted to drop you a line to say how very pleased I was with the trip. It all went so smoothly, from your excellent travel arrangements, to the collection to and from the lovely Mandalay Hotel and on to the boat.

Throughout my seven-night stay on the Kindat Pandaw the staff were superlative in every way - considerate, kind, humorous, patient and always helpful. The level of care was outstanding, and the guide who toured with us throughout the trip, Yen, was excellent in every way. The excursions were fascinating and well thought through, and the Burmese people incredibly open, hospitable and friendly.

The comfort of the cabins on the boat was perfect - excellent aircon, spotless hygiene, fresh flowers, unlimited water and comfortable beds, a true home from home. And as for the food - well, suffice it to say that I put on half a stone as I was unable to resist the lovely local tastes and my daily full English breakfast!

So all in all, a wonderful trip and my thanks go to you all for making it so good.

Kind regards
Melinda

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.

Dear Paul,

We thought we would send you a brief note to let you know what a wonderful experience we had on the RV Mekong Pandaw. All the crew gave excellent service providing a real team effort in order to make sure we were able to gain the most out of the cruise. The overall comfort level and the quality of food was excellent throughout the week. When asking other passengers if they would consider taking another cruise with Pandaw the response was "yes, most definitely".

Best wishes
Bob & Barbara Hackman

Hi Angie,

Having now got over our jet lag thought I would thank you personally for all your work making the journey of a remarkable experience,so satisfying,educational and wonderful.

The Hotels were a joy, the River itself magnificent with 3 experiences with the Zawigyi ie: Burnt out clutch plate on one engine,damaged rudder control, and a stranding on a sand bank, what an experience!! the whole trip was. Mentioning the craft everything was shipshape, crew marvellous and the food WOW !! better than 5 star. Mentioning the crew they were all so happy, there is an old saying that a happy crew indicates an efficient ship.

We found the Myanese (Burmese) people so friendly,accommodating and friendly,have some great photographs. The trip to the Commonwealth War Cemetery really fulfilled a wish, and the tour of Yangon great. Can not say anything more except to say will put something on Trip Advisor.

Kyay Zu Bel
John and Karen Fountain.

My wife and I did the last trip on the Laos Pandaw from Jinghong to Chang Kohng. I would like to commend the ability of the captain of this boat who navigated through waters that a kayaker would have thought difficult. Your crew, as usual were of a high standard (this is my third trip with Pandaw), always smiling and happy to look after our needs. I would also like to mention Ms Nguyen who on all occasions has been ready to answer all my questions and assist me in the three cruises I have done. Our escort on the post Pandaw trip through the hill tribes in Thailand was Jeeranun Phanna who did an excellent job and we learned a lot from her. She made the trip run very smoothly. I am now considering doing your new Borneo trip as I know it will be the same high standard as the other three.

Thanks again to all your staff and all the best for your new initiatives.

Richard and Dena Clark
Australia

UPSTREAM ON THE RED RIVER - Always something to see and do, and so relaxing!

Pandaw's offer of 'no single supplement' on their Red River cruise, to areas of Vietnam I had never before visited, was irresistible to me. I usually travel with my husband, and felt a little wary of traveling alone for an extended period of time; this cruise seemed like a great way to try river cruising, with a company which gives a lot back to the communities it visits. Whilst we had made a number of visits to Asia over the years, we had never cruised there.

My early June departure put me right at the start of the wet season, but we were very lucky with the weather. It was very hot, but the few showers we had were at night, with the exception of one tropical downpour during an afternoon shore excursion. On that occasion the rain was a welcome relief from the heat, though that didn't stop the crew arriving to rescue us, armed with multiple large umbrellas.

Photos courtesy of Lex Lees

Our ship, the RV Angkor Pandaw, was ideal for travelling the broad and sometimes shallow waterways. The teak cabins were comfortable and spotlessly clean, with plenty of storage. The individually controlled air conditioning coped well, even on days when the outside temperature approached 38 Celsius. Outdoor lounges in the centre and front of the upper deck provided comfortable areas for relaxing, socialising and watching the ever changing scenery. Halong Bay was quite stunningly beautiful, but even the more industrial and rural riverscapes later in the cruise provided plenty of interest, with a fascinating array of river craft of all shapes and sizes, and ever changing activities along the river. Pandaw are the only company cruising this route, and I realised we were a tourist attraction in our own right when I saw a truck driver on one of the bridges photograph us on his mobile phone as we passed underneath! As the days passed, the front of the ship became my favourite haunt when I wasn't on a shore excursion. There I sat in comfort, with my camera at the ready, watching the passing scenery, writing emails home, posting photos on Facebook, and of course indulging in regular cold drinks or coffee.

My fellow cruisers were a diverse group, from the USA, England, Germany, as well as fellow Australians. I enjoyed having company when I wanted it, and being free to relax in solitude if I chose. As I got to know my fellow travellers, I realised I was one of the few passengers who was a first timer with Pandaw. It says a lot for the quality and variety of the cruises Pandaw offers that so many passengers were on their second, third or fourth cruise with the company.

Perhaps Pandaw's greatest asset is its professional and multi national staff. Our young crew, mostly from Cambodia, were exceptional in their professionalism and friendliness. It is impossible to single any one crew member out. When cruising, they were quick to learn each passenger's food and seating preferences, and soon knew us all by name. The food was of course delicious, with a wide variety of Western, Vietnamese and Cambodian dishes, and a wonderful array of fresh fruit, seafood, and meats of all types. When we went on shore excursions, the crew made sure all of us were safe and comfortable, and looked out especially for any passengers who weren't so mobile. Out two local Vietnamese guides, Tuan and Vu, offered not only a wealth of local knowledge, but also shared with us some interesting stories about their own families and lives, which provided a real insight into Vietnamese life and customs. Like the crew, they were friendly and accessible, and always happy to answer questions or translate a question we might want to ask a local.

Our shore excursions were many and varied, and offered something for everyone. We were able to experience a real taste of local life, culture and crafts. It was especially important to me to know that Pandaw gives financial support to the communities we visited, and that visits by Pandaw are rotated throughout different households within a village, sharing any monetary benefit equitably. We were never pressured to give money or make purchases, nor did we feel like voyeurs.

Photos courtesy of Lex Lees

Now back in the midst of a Sydney winter, I'm reminiscing fondly about my cruising days, and planning my next Pandaw itinerary. This time though, I won't get away without my husband, now that he's seen the photos and heard the stories!

Lex Lees
First time cruiser
Part time teacher
Full time traveler (I wish)