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RV Laos Pandaw

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Overview


Seeing the quality of this ship it is hard to believe it was built in a hurry. There are no proper ship yards above the Khone Falls and we could not persuade our Vietnamese builders to assemble a ship trucked in in bits on the river bank.


Seeing the quality of this ship it is hard to believe it was built in a hurry. There are no proper ship yards above the Khone Falls and we could not persuade our Vietnamese builders to assemble a ship trucked in in bits on the river bank. We tried our Rangoon builder and he also chickened out. By January 2015 we were taking bookings and selling out for November but still had no ship. Paul Strachan in a panic flew to Vientiane and took a taxi down to the river bank and boarded the first cargo ship we saw, a 40 meter barge used to carry heavy loads of cement and rice up to China. She had two 400hp truck engines and was just the thing for tackling the terrifying fast flow of the Upper Mekong .The captain was the owner and agreed terms with Paul. The owner agreed to stay on as skipper and is still there. He immediately took her up to the Golden Triangle, a week’s sail away.

The Golden Triangle is where Burma, Laos and Thailand meet and was the perfect place to convert the ship. The build team came over from Mandalay, a two-day bus journey across the Shan mountains. They made a camp on the Burma river bank opposite where she lay on the Laos. We hired a house on the Thai side to act as an office and could source material and supplies from Thailand. Amazingly we had the ten cabin ship finished on time for the maiden voyage on the 1st November 2015. Actually it was the first time we have actually had the ship finished on time! Normally there are still sparks flying as the first passengers come on board.

The ship has quality mountain bikes for your independent exploration.

Ship Statistics
Year Built 2015
Refurbished
Length 144 ft
Width 29 ft
Tonnage 350
Speed 12
Passenger Capacity 20
Crew Size 0
No. of Deck 3
No. of Cabin 10
No. of large Cabin 0
No. of wheelchair Cabin 0
Services & Amenities
Local Entertainment YES
Sun Deck YES
Bar YES
Facilities
Double or Twin Configuration YES
Shower YES
Toiletries Provided YES
Safe YES
Hair Dryer YES
Desk YES
Vanity Area YES
Air Conditioning YES

  • Saloon Bar
  • Dining Room

Pandaw RV Laos Pandaw Deck Plans Upper Deck.png

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  • Main Deck Staterooms

Pandaw RV Laos Pandaw Deck Plans Main Deck.png

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Restaurant (complimentary)

regional

The Pandaw stateroom is the most celebrated feature of our ships, combining splendid colonial-era character with exquisite contemporary comfort.

Finished in brass and teak, the main and upper deck rooms are a spacious 168 square feet (15.6 sqm), with the exception of the Zawgyi Pandaw which is 150 square feet (14 sqm). As the space is much loved by all our passengers, we have ensured that with each ship we build, the stateroom remains essentially the same. Be advised: our cabins do not have mini-bars, satellite TV's, internet access or telephones. Passengers tend to choose Pandaw in order to escape from the tiresome features found in international business hotels.

All our cabins are the same size and all contain Pandaw's signature amenities. Passengers can choose from the Main Deck or Upper Deck.

- Fruit and flowers on arrival
- Kimonos and slippers
- Spa-branded amenities
- Unlimited mineral water
- Free use of mini DVD player on request and selection of DVDs from our library (subject to availability)

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Upper Deck
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Main Deck
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Family Friendly Cruises

From its earliest days, the Pandaw concept has been deeply rooted in cultural and historical expertise, worn lightly. On any Pandaw river expedition, daily briefings are hosted by your purser and guide, which provide a forum to discuss the day's events and plans.

Most sailings will feature at least one cultural performance: in Burma it is the marionette theatre; in Cambodia the Royal Khmer Ballet; in Laos villagers perform a dance on deck.

We also offer a range of onboard activities including: cooking demonstrations, fruit carving, napkin tying and a tour of the working ship.

Themed movie nights are also popular - the film Indochine in Vietnam, The Killing Fields in Cambodia and The Lady in Burma are some of the favourites.

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Activities
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Open Air Lounge & Bar
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Saloon Bar

No health and fitness options available at the moment.