Mekong Pandaw
Overview
With the graceful curved lines of an old-fashioned paddle steamer, finished in brass and teak, the Mekong Pandaw is a colonial-style riverboat offering a leisurely meander along the calm waters of the Mekong through the most iconic and fascinating parts of Vietnam and Cambodia. The Mekong Pandaw has been designed with an ultra-shallow draft, allowing her to travel through low water and areas that would be unreachable by deeper-drafted boats.
The ship has 24, identical, teak-lined, 70-sq-ft cabins, offering twin beds (some converting to doubles) all with premium mattresses, quality linens, duvets, and two kinds of pillows. Each cabin is fitted with air-conditioning, a spacious wardrobe, electronic safe box, writing desk, under-bed storage and an en-suite bathroom with a natural stone shower, bathrobes, hairdryers and branded amenities. All-encompassing French-balcony windows bring mesmerizing views of the Mekong River right into your bedroom.
Dine on board on tasty Vietnamese and Cambodian cuisine as well as traditional European fare and vegetarian dishes. Breakfast is a buffet, and lunch is a mix of soup and salad at the buffet with mains served at the tables. Dinner is table served. Cruises of seven nights or more offer two themed dinners in addition to the farewell gala dinner.
The dining room is a convertible open-air space, with retractable walls that only close at night. Enjoy cocktails or a tipple from the extensive premium wine list, with entertainment, in the air-conditioned bar.
Traveling on the Mekong Pandaw cruise is essentially an outdoor experience, with guests choosing to spend time sitting in the open air on the promenade decks or on the vast Observation Deck above, purported giving the vessel the largest public space to passenger ratio of any cruise ship in the world! Unlike other cruise ships, every window (except the portholes on the Lower Deck) can open. As you immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of the river, you will be captivated by the great panoramas and the unceasing human and wildlife activity unfolding around you.
With a crew-to-passenger ratio of one-to-two, you can expect to receive highly attentive service. Most of the activity on board is geared toward quiet pursuits; on the Sun Deck, you will find a billiard table and sun loungers for your pleasure. You can also curl up with a good book in the stylish library, admire local artists’ work in the art gallery, work up a sweat and an appetite in the well-equipped gym, or surrender to an aromatherapy massage or a traditional Southeast Asian spa treatment.
Enrichment activities consist of talks from on-board guides, documentaries complementing the boat’s itinerary, mainstream movies, cooking classes, and cultural dance performances.
Shore excursions on the Mekong Pandaw river cruise include explorations of local markets with the on-board chef, guided walks with the resident regional expert, river and jungle trips by speedboat, or city sightseeing trips via ‘cyclos’ (three-wheeled rickshaws) in Cambodia.
The Mekong Pandaw cruise is a delightful way for you and your partner, your family or friends to explore two countries, and discover the diverse contrasts of two cultures and two ways of life linked by one great river.
Itineraries & Prices
All itineraries are subject to change due to seasonal weather conditions (and resultant variations in river and tributary water levels) affecting accessibility to locations. Thus navigation routes, times and excursions may need to be modified at the cruise captain’s or your guide's discretion.
