We began in Myanmar. The unique Pandaw river expedition concept evolved here from the vestiges of the colonial Irrawaddy Flotilla Company. Our ships were built here and in Myanmar we learnt to master river navigation at its worst. These lessons were applied to the other rivers of Asia.

Myanmar, prior to 1987 called Burma, is the largest mainland South-East Asian country and with the greatest variety of scenery from Himalayan peaks to tropical beaches. We have yet to meet a visitor to Myanmar who does not feel that this is the most beautiful, friendly and culturally interesting Asian country ever visited.

Most of the population live in three great river valleys encircled by impenetrable horseshoes of mountains. River life dominates the country and still to this day forms the main system of transportation, irrigation and from its rich fishing grounds the principal protein source for the majority of the population.

In the great Chindwin, Irrawaddy and Salween valleys two millennia of Buddhist art, architecture and archaeology survive, including of course the 3000 standing monuments at Pagan. There is no other Asian country with so vast and varied a range of cultural sites. Almost everywhere there are temples and monasteries, festivals and ceremonies. The Myanma are a deeply pious people and Buddhist activities dominate every aspect of life.

The Myanma are a very warm and friendly people who since Independence in 1947 have suffered terrible impoverishment and deprivation. We do our best to support the local domestic economy and make sure our suppliers and contractors are small local businesses. We are very careful to make sure our clients' money falls into the right hands. Sanctions and the politically correct refusal of most NGOs and international charities to work in the country has served to exacerbate deprivation and entrench the regime further.

Our Pandaw passengers believe that by visiting Myanmar we are doing something to help. Most of the Myanma our passengers encounter tend to agree with this assumption. These cruises are the most acclaimed luxury vacations on the Irrawaddy river.

The Crew

We are committed to recruiting local people of both genders from the communities through which we pass. In all the countries we operate in a job on a Pandaw is prized. In Myanmar many of our original crew from 10 years ago remain with us. In fact, in Myanmar a Pandaw steward earns about 4 times a month more than a waiter in an equivalent 4 or 5 star hotel. Nearly all our team members support wide family circles in their home villages. We give language and vocational training to all our teams. We are proud that many of old team have risen to managerial level acquiring an excellent level of English and management skills.

We have mixed crews of Myanma, Thai, Cambodian and Vietnamese overseen by a directorate of Swiss, German, Austrian, Swede and Scots. Europeans are there primarily as educators, guiding and advising our local management teams.

All our team are dedicated to making your sailing as special as possible. In training our teams and managers we try and pass on our own philosophy, which makes us so unique in the world of cruises. We never force a passenger to do something he does not want to, like join a group excursion. If a passenger prefers to go off alone or stay aboard he/she is welcome to do his/her own thing. Our team should never be too busy not to be able to spend time with our passengers answering their questions and giving out information. We ask our team everyday to think how to make the Pandaw experience even more beautiful than it already is!

The Ship

By the end of this year we will have six beautifully crafted Pandaw ships in operation that we built ourselves. Each ship, hand finished in brass and teak by traditional craftsmen are in themselves objects of great beauty. The secret of our success is that on our ships, whilst luxury and comfort are discreetly present, it is the colonial character and friendly atmosphere that predominate. All our Pandaws have ultra shallow drafts and can travel to remote areas unreachable by other vessels, let alone overland.

State Cabin

The Pandaw stateroom is the most celebrated feature of our ships. Finished in brass and teak, the main and upper deck rooms are very spacious at 168 square feet (15.6 sqm). Much loved by all our passengers we have ensured that with each ship we build the stateroom remains the same. Our cabins do not have mini-bars, satellite TV’s, internet or phones. There is a 24 honesty bar on the sundeck.  Pandaw passengers usually want to escape from the tiresome features found in international business hotels.

Many passengers describe life on board a Pandaw more like being a guest on a private motor yacht than a cruise ship. Where we go and what we see is intrepid in extreme. What you come back to is a floating base of discreet comfort, caring service and all the good things one looks for in life.

Bar & Dining

The Pandaw dining rooms are designed to open up along the sides and only at night do we close them up and use air conditioning.  We know our passengers want fresh air not chilled air.

We offer a great choice of local cuisine and exotic foods.  We source supplies as locally as possible, given environmental health regulations. Breakfast and lunch are buffets and dinner is served at the tables. Passengers who do not like hot or spicy foods are offered European alternatives and vegetarians are well catered for. Our chefs know that the majority of passengers want to eat the best of each country they pass through.

Promenade Decks

Sailing on a Pandaw is essentially an outdoor experience. Whilst the staterooms are very comfortable and roomy, passengers prefer to spend their time sitting outside, on the promenade decks or on the vast observation deck above. Unlike other cruise ships every window (except port holes on lower deck) can open.

When sailing our passengers sit on deck and become absorbed by great panoramas as they unfold about them. Spellbound, one cannot help but to meditate upon the unceasing human and wildlife activity of these teaming water worlds.

Specification

· Length: 200ft / 60m

· Beam: 36ft / 11m

· Draught: 4ft / 1.5m

· Berths: 64 pax

· Decks: 4: Lower, Main, Upper, Sun

· Engines: 2 x 550bhp Isuzu

· Propulsion: Inboard system

· Built: 2003

· Comms: Cell phones, Sat phones (where permitted by local authorities) VHF and SSB radio, internal phone system, PA system and tannoy system for navigation purposes.

· Safety: Smoke detectors in all cabins and public places, emergency lighting and generator, fire pump, hydrants and hoses, fire extinguishers, life jackets for all on board and life rafts.

· Navigation: Navigation lights, ships horn, searchlight, GPS, Radar (where permitted by local authorities).

· Amenities: On board laundry, bakery, fully equipped galley and refrigeration units; air conditioning for all inside areas.

· Water: Treatment plants for desalination, desedimentation and purification using UV and osmosis.

· Sewage: Microbiotic treatment plants.
Class: Myanmar DMA Inland Water (based on Lloyds Inland Water Class).

· Flag: Country flags in areas of operation.

· Insurance: Ship Owners UK: P&I policies with over USD45 million per vessel.

· Crew: 28 per vessel of mixed Asian nationalities.

Management: European expatriate experts employed directly by Pandaw Cruises supervising experienced Asian Pursers.