The author recently returned from two back-to-back Pandaw cruises in Asia and yearns to return for another—after 17 days onboard.
I was sipping my Pink Lady cocktail and enjoying the brilliant orange sunset across the Mekong River over Vientiane, the capital city of Laos (Lao PDR). It was the last evening of my river cruise on Laos Pandaw. The day had been very hot, but now a gentle breeze was slowly cooling off the open-top deck lounge.
A dragon boat sped by in the evening twilight. The crew chanted loudly as they oared in perfect unison, dipping their paddles into the water in synchronous time to their chanting beat. Not far from our docked vessel, a local fisherman squatted on the narrow tip of his longtail boat, checking his nets. The ease with which he maintained his balance as he twisted and twirled was as facile as an Olympic balance beam routine.
Cruising by villages along the Mekong River in Laos
I eagerly anticipated one final delicious dinner on board this vessel before moving on to experience the Bassac Pandaw on the lower Mekong River. After ten glorious days aboard this inaugural cruise through Laos after the pandemic, I was looking forward to another week of exploring Vietnam and Cambodia.
The first leg: Cruising on Laos Pandaw on the Upper Mekong
Indoor lounge on the Laos Pandaw
We weren’t on Laos Pandaw very long before it became evident that the crew was as happy and enthusiastic about being on board as the guests. The level of energy and enthusiasm was palpable. The 19 crew members on the riverboat were mostly from Laos with a few from Thailand and one from Myanmar.
Most had spent the last two and a half years doing odd jobs fervently hoping to return to the security of their jobs with Pandaw. As the crew took care of us, I got the sense that their attention to detail and pride in craftsmanship was as much to please us as it was an expression of their own pleasure.
My cabin on the Laos Pandaw
Exceptional service
Despite this being the first time out on the river in a very long time for both the boat and all its crew, my Laos Pandaw cruise was pure perfection. Our itinerary explored remote towns and villages along the river from Chiang Khong in Thailand to Vientiane. Service throughout the voyage was exceptional. This wasn’t accidental; it was due to lots of hard work and preparation from everyone at Pandaw, including the crew on board.
The joy at being back was especially evident at an evening barbecue. The captain deftly pulled up to one of the large sandbanks that line the Mekong along this part of the river. Once we were securely tied off, the crew started unloading all the supplies for a beachside bash.
Elegant setting for our BBQ in Laos
Plastic chairs were wrapped in white seat covers and gold ribbon. A bamboo frond, folded towel swans, and candles were the decor in the middle of the festivities. Candle votives from bamboo, made on the spur of the moment, lined the path to the boat.
Our bartender quickly started the Mai Tais flowing, and the chefs began grilling all manner of skewers on a portable charcoal grill. In the background, a speaker softly played a selection of popular American songs interspersed with local traditional music. As the sky turned that golden hour of blue, the crew started a large bonfire.
Preparing drinks for the beach party BBQ
The guests enjoyed the party late into the evening. But after we called it quits and went to bed, the crew happily continued their get-together around the fire, undoubtedly celebrating their happy return to “normal.”
Laos Pandaw crew waiting to help us back on board
A river cruise pioneer, almost in peril
After my first cruise ended in Vientiane, I flew on to Saigon to start a classic Mekong River cruise on the Bassac Pandaw. These were my first cruises with this company, and as it turned out, I was the only Pandaw “virgin” on board. All of the other guests were repeaters, who had cruised with Pandaw not just once, but many times in the years prior to the forced shutdown.
The pandemic hit the cruise industry hard, and as a privately owned company, Pandaw felt the consequences more keenly than the larger cruise brands. Ready to call it quits, company founder Paul Strachan, Pandaw’s sole owner, made the difficult decision to shut down a business that he had built from scratch starting with a single boat tour on Burma’s Irrawaddy River in 1995. Now it looked like all of the company’s 17 boats would be forever grounded.
Mekong Rivel life unfolds for us in Vietnam
Strachan pioneered the river cruise concept in Asia, learning how to work with (and sometimes around) the diverse and challenging bureaucracies and political hierarchies in each country. In his book The Pandaw Story, he recounts the winding path that took him into the riverboat tourism business, not just in Burma but beyond to Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and India. It certainly was not smooth sailing all the way.
Despite persistent impediments, he managed to build one boat after another to his exacting vision. He also developed itineraries that opened a part of the world that appealed to travelers looking for unique adventures combined with comfort.
And then came the pandemic. Despite running a business model that focused on generating cash, two years without an income put a heavy strain on the company’s reserves. There was not enough money to restart and bring the ships back to the standard that Strachan and Pandaw customers expect. But shortly after publicly announcing the decision to shut down, a silent, saving angel came to the company’s aid. This enabled Pandaw to rise from the ashes like a newly fledged phoenix – to the delight of the company’s many loyal followers.
The next leg: Cruising on Bassac Pandaw
Strachan pioneered this Mekong River itinerary through Vietnam and Cambodia in 2003. It wasn’t an easy feat at that time. He had to overcome the challenges of border crossings between two countries that had never experienced something like this previously. The two had very dissimilar government systems and philosophies. So this took extraordinary perseverance, ingenuity, and patience (and possibly a few gifts of whisky and cigarettes at the border as well).
My cabin on Bassac Pandaw
Twenty years later, numerous companies offer this Mekong cruise experience. And the global economy has faded the once harsh dividing line between these two neighbors. But while the original Pandaw itinerary has been imitated by many, the true Pandaw experience has not been duplicated.
The Bassac Pandaw on the Mekong River at sunset
Why I fell in love with Pandaw
Laotian children happy to greet us
After experiencing 17 days on two different Pandaw ships, I, too, have fallen in love with this company and its style of cruising.
The ships
So, what makes a Pandaw cruise so special? Let’s start with the beautiful ships. Each is custom-built to Paul Strachan’s specifications and crafted from locally sourced burnished teak and shiny brass. Strachan’s special design has produced a vessel with a very low draft. Because these ships are small, nimble, and responsive they can go where others dare not, like the fast-running, rock-strewn Mekong River in Laos.
Lao Pandaw has only 10 cabins, and Bassac Pandaw, one of the larger ships in the fleet, has 30 cabins. Aside from their intimate size, the “Colonial” look of the Pandaw ships is another attraction. They seem to fit in the surrounding environment because they are made of local materials.
I wasn’t a tourist; I was a small part of the life that unfolded on the water every day.
You won’t find cabins with private balconies here because they are not necessary. The covered upper sundeck offers plenty of space to lounge and watch the river drift by. It is also the ship’s living room where passengers socialize and get to know each other. If it is too hot or too cold, there is also an indoor temperature-controlled lounge and bar on the top deck.
My cabins were comfortable and equipped with everything I needed. My room had a queen bed (two twin bed configurations are also available) with under-bed storage. There was a small table and chair and a small closet with a safe. The bathroom was surprisingly roomy with a full-sized sink, a flush toilet, and a large shower stall. All the necessary toiletries were provided along with a robe.
The food
And let’s not forget the food – oh such glorious food!
Three times a day the chefs on board prepare feasts that could easily feed twice as many guests. Every meal provides a variety of choices, all beautifully presented, and always delicious. Both western and southeast Asian dishes are available, all of which were prepared with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. I especially liked sampling the Asian dishes on board because they were an initiation to the flavors of the region without the spicy heat that is often a trademark of this cuisine.
Cocktails and nibbles at sundown: A Pandaw Tradition
To complement the food, there are also plenty of fine wines from around the world along with cocktails, juices, sodas, water, teas, and coffee. And after each excursion, we were greeted with a cool washcloth and a refreshing drink. We most definitely never went hungry or thirsty.
The Pandaw experience
Even though I was just passing through, for a short while I felt like I too belonged there. I wasn’t a tourist; I was a small part of the life that unfolded on the water every day.
Sundeck on the Laos Pandaw
Each day, our boat stopped once or twice for an excursion unique to that part of the river. In the large historic cities like Luong Prabang, Vientiane, and Phnom Penh, we had tours to see the most important historic and cultural sights.
Giving alms to the monks in Luang Prabang
But we also stopped at small riverside villages and saw firsthand how locals live. These were some of my favorite experiences because they were authentic and unique (and sometimes a little bit raw), and I could not have duplicated them on my own.
Traditional Laotian dance presentation
At each stop, Pandaw went out of its way to make the experience special. For example, we toured Phnom Penh by cyclo (a three-wheel motor-driven taxi) and watched a traditional local dance performance on board (there are way too many such examples to describe them all).
Touring Phnom Penh by Cyclo
I was fortunate to experience these two different Pandaw vessels on two parts of the Mekong River.
Students chanting in a village temple if Laos
As I write this post and relive the memories, I long for those slow, perfect days on the river. For me, these cruises strike an ideal balance between luxury and adventure, between novelty and the familiar, all wrapped up in a comforting blanket of service that is both personal and friendly.
What’s appealing to the over-50 luxury traveler?
- Pandaw cruises provide a luxury experience while exploring some of Asia’s most interesting rivers.
- Ships are small and provide an intimate environment.
- Service is personal and attentive.
- Itineraries include unique experiences curated especially for Pandaw guests.
- Many sailings don’t tag on a single supplement, a plus for those wishing to cruise alone.
Take note
- The ships are multilevel with stairs connecting one level to another. There are no elevators. Guests must be able to climb the stairs to the dining and lounge area on the upper-level sun deck.
Disclosure: The author paid a media rate for her Pandaw cruises on the Mekong River but any opinions expressed in this post are her own.
Photo credits: All photo credits, Rose Palmer
IF YOU GO
- Pandaw River Cruises
- The Mekong River is the 12th longest river in the world, passing through six countries.
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