CAROL AND JEFF ALTMANN, AUSTRALIA, THE MERGUI ARCHIPELAGO, APR 2018
Thank you Pandaw for a wonderful experience! We are so glad that we did this trip. Having previously enjoyed the Mekong and Irrawaddy river cruises with Pandaw in 2011 and 2012, we were most interested in the Mergui Archipelago trip on first hearing of it in 2016. In February this year we decided we would "just do it" and booked for the final voyage of the season in April.
We joined the trip from Ranong in Thailand, travelling across to Kawthaung by long tail boat which was a fun experience. From the moment we boarded the Andaman Explorer we knew we had made the right decision. We had the most amazing time, visiting many of the islands in the Archipelago, all of which were totally different. We particularly enjoyed snorkelling and swimming in the beautiful clear waters and also kayaking through the most spectacular mangrove forest we have ever seen, as well as into the lagoon on Cockscomb Island on our last day. Apart from squid fishing fleets and a few day trip boats, we hardly saw any other vessels in the area.
The ship, which is an extremely stable vessel, was above expectations with lovely spacious cabins. Our thanks go to all the marvellous crew who made the trip so enjoyable. Last but not least our exceptional chef and his team, who provided us with the most delicious meals every day - fresh lobster, roast duck, home made burgers on the beach, just to mention a few! We are now looking forward to our next Pandaw adventure in October - the Red River and Halong Bay.
Thanks to all at Pandaw for creating such wonderful adventures!
Carol and Jeff Altmann
Perth, Australia